"The Husband I Never Knew I Had..."

"Epilogue..."

Franco:

"Tell me you don't want me, and I will let you go."

He stood motionless, choosing to look at the trees on his right rather than into my pleading eyes.

He was quiet. Clearly torn, still angry and hurt from my previous rejection.

I had him trapped, between my arms, as we stood on top of the bridge that I had my crew construct over the river where he almost drowned looking for me that one stormy night, not so long ago.

"I will not stand in your way if you wish to be rid of me forever my love. Say the word, and I will not hold you back, though I wish nothing more than to hold you forever in my arms."

Still he remained silent.

"Have I truly lost your love? Please say no." I reached to caress his left cheek, but he flinched away from me.

"Everything's already set. This bridge, the choir, Guillermo with his leaves and oils, even Anselmo who glares at me from the river banks with our rings is ready to participate in today's joyous occasion. Are we going to disappoint them? Anselmo is sure to beat me up if I anger you any further." I smiled when he almost glared at me.

"You hurt me." Finally, he spoke what I knew he felt.

"I know, and I am truly sorry. But I had to finish preparing the community before I asked you to marry me. Dad knew this, and so did Bubba. Look... look around you. All this was made possible because of my love for you. The newly constructed facilities for the animals, the remodeled and updated houses, the mills and barns, even this bridge where you risked your life to find me... all this, for you."

"You kept secrets from me again."

"Only to benefit you."

"Still... that's tantamount to lying."

"Then you don't forgive me?"

"Stop putting words in my mouth."

"I'd rather put something else in your mouth my hubby."

"Can't you be serious here for one second?"

"I am serious Cassie. I want to marry you! Today if possible. I want these people to be part of that, of our love, and of our joy. Please say yes, my legs are killing me. We've stood here for over an hour already." I complained.

"Oh so now you lack patience as well. Not only did you lie to me, but now you're clearly giving up because..." I silenced him with a kiss. His lips, his breath, his tongue all yielded to my advances.

We parted after a few minutes, and his lips tried to keep mine in place but I moved back, waiting for an answer.

"So what's it gonna be, Cassie?"

"I don't know." Clearly he was playing hard to get. His eyes still looking at my lips like he wanted more kisses.

I took his right hand, and guided it to my chest where my heart beats steadily. "Are you sure you can live without this?" Then I guided it lower to my washboard abs. "And this?" I slid his hand lower, "Or this?" I giggled when he blushed furiously.

"There are people around!" He scolded me. I looked at Dad and Bubba on the riverbank, and gave them a warm smile. Bubba gave me the middle finger, still not trusting me after all these months, and I chuckled.

"I love you Cassie. Please say you love me too?"

"Not without a pastor." He smiled, and I felt my heart soar.

"Guillermo and the spirit of the forest will have to do for now. This was the soonest I could manage. We will get married again with a pastor to officiate, I promise. I just want to guarantee that I won't lose you after I rejected you. Will you say yes? Please?"

"Fine, but only because these people have waited long enough."

"If that's what you need to tell yourself... ouch!" He pinched me.

"Are we getting married or what?"

"Hmm, eager aren't we." I giggled. "We could just elope and rush to our honeymoon..."

"Oh no you don't. You need to make an honest man out of me first."

"You were never honest to begin with." I laughed when he tried to push me away.

"Oh yeah? Well then tell me something true." That was easy.

"I love you." I said.

"That's good enough. For now." I giggled, and waved at the three elder sisters for Madonna to start singing.

Wish you'd never left me but love's a mystery
You can break a heart so easily
The days and nights reveal how much I feel for you
Time has come for me to see how much your love has meant to me.

I walked towards Guillermo who stood at the center of the bridge where he held branches and sacred oils. Cassie's right hand was tightly in my grasp as we took our first few steps together... about to become a truly married couple. I glanced lovingly at Cassie, and he smiled warmly back at me.

"I truly love you Cassie." I whispered, almost reaching the center of the bridge.

"I love you more, Adonis." He whispered back, and I knew, right there and then that I would live a long and happy life... with the husband I never knew I had.

- The End -