Five wonderful months later......
"I now pronounce you partners for life. You may now kiss your bride."
As soon as those words are heard by Lisa, she takes my enamoured face into her loving hands, sealing together our just married lips.
I can hear the cheers and whistles ringing in my happy ears. This is what true happiness sounds like.
We are ecstatically making our way through the small gathering when Lisa suddenly stops, urgently bringing my face close to hers. "Have I told you just how beautiful you are?" she whispers.
A small smile of serenity tugs at the corners of my mouth. "I don't think you have."
Lisa strokes my luminous cheeks with her attentive thumbs, penetrating me with her idolising spheres. "You are so beautiful." she blinks slowly, brushing her glorious lips across mine.
I thread my amorous fingers in the back of her hair. "You're not so bad yourself." My seductive reply is richly rewarded with her playful kisses all over my neck.
"Get a room, you two!" Rosé shouts over the top of our small but excited congregation.
I shyly look up, my mother is crying happy tears, of course. My dad looks emotional, yet proud. While Rosé and Jisoo enthusiastically whistle and jeer.
Chitthip and Marco stand with their arms wrapped around one another, almost looking as happy as us. The rest of our friends and family congratulate us with zealous clapping and big smiles.
All those who are important to us, are here at Manoban Ranch, to share with us this very beautiful day.
We walk a little further through the small crowd. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a refined looking Jung-jae. He stands there, all clean-shaven with sleeked down hair, wisely nodding. He looks just as proud as both of our fathers.
The words he once told me seem so very poignant now. He told me that once I had a Manoban's heart, it would be mine forever . . . somehow, forever just doesn't seem long enough. I want to be with Lisa, in this life . . . the next life . . . and any others after that.
To think that I tried to ignore the voice that was eagerly telling me to walk into that travel agent's office all those months before. Everything that came before that fateful day is why I am here now: the split between Kai and myself, the loneliness and boredom that came with that, my longing to be somewhere else, my work colleague's friend having a serious car accident, my insufferable boss, and the thoughtless quitting of my job. Every single thing was destiny's way of bringing me closer to Manoban Ranch.
I was destined to come here. I was destined to meet Lisa. I was destined to be her wife.
Lisa's hand squeezes mine. It's her way of trying to get my undivided attention . . . so undivided attention she gets.
With a ridiculously happy smile on my face, engulfed in such sweet euphoric happiness, I press against her. "We did it," I whisper against her neck, proudly clasping my hand around hers as we join our waiting and affectionate family and friends.
Lisa gently kisses my knuckle. A kiss loaded with so much love, so much adoration. "We certainly did, my beautiful wife," she says softly.
The love that I feel for Lisa. . . my beautiful cowboy, is incomparable. My heart swells inside of me. I smile at the one person who has become my everything.
"I love you, Lisa Manoban."
"I love you more, Mrs. Jennie Manoban."
--- THE END ---
