Perfectly Broken

Chapter 9

A great marriage is not when the 'perfect couple' comes together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences.

-Dave Meurer

The car rolled to a stop a few minutes past the California state line. They were in a sleepy little town surrounded by sparsely-vegetated rolling hills. The landscape looked parched from drought, but the town had a river running through it and a tiny, quaint downtown. "It's so cute here," Alina commented as they exited the car.

Jake came to her side and looked at her adoringly. "Is this a good place to get married? They have a little garden next to the courthouse where they perform ceremonies."

Alina's face lit up. "It's perfect. Are we staying here overnight, too?"

"Yes, because we have to get the license application one day and do the ceremony the next." Jake leaned down and pulled their masks aside to kiss.

"Do we start calling each other Jaden and Anya now?" she whispered. "And also, will you always have to wear the mask? If you have to, it's OK," she added quickly. "I don't mind keeping your handsome face to myself."

Jake's insides were in turmoil with anxiety at the idea of being without the mask in public. "For a while longer, if that is alright with you. But we should use the names, yes."

"Of course, it is, Jaden." Alina smiled up at him, and he decided he could like the name after all when she looked at him like that. "I only want you to be safe, and I can happily wear my mask in solidarity."

"Thank you, Anya, my love." A heartfelt gaze passed between them; they were moving into a new phase of their lives together, and they were entirely alone in this. No one knew where they were or about their new identities.

The next morning they were at the courthouse. Anya was distressed over not having anything special to wear, but Jaden promised her she looked beautiful. And she did. Her burnished brown hair framed her face like a halo, and her eyes were luminous, the green enhanced by all the trees around them. And the way she looked at him–there was no place left in his heart that didn't feel her love. She had taken the solitary, distrusting person that he used to be and built him up into something greater than he could ever have imagined. He strove every day to be the man reflected by her admiration, and it gave him purpose like never before.

"I feel like I'm in a dream," Anya murmured. "I thought I would be alone forever. I'm so lucky to be here with you right now."

She looked up at Jaden; his icy blue eyes were warm and soft as he regarded her. "And I am grateful to have found you, after living my whole life not knowing that it was even an option to have a love like this."

The ceremony was nothing for the books. It was officiated by a friendly judge with greying hair who mispronounced Anya's name as "Ann-ya" instead of "On-ya" but they didn't bother to correct her. Jaden and Anya were lost deep in each other's eyes, clutching each other's hands and grinning so hard their faces hurt.

The garden was some grass with a concrete walkway and patio. A large juniper tree bordered the grass, its branches splayed over the patio. Dappled sunlight filtered through the trees and bathed Anya's face in a glow as she looked up at Jaden. He would remember how she looked today until his very last heartbeat.

The most memorable part of the ceremony for Anya was when Jaden pulled out the rings he had made. Earlier that morning, he had snuck out of the motel room to borrow some tape from the front desk. He came back sucking on peppermint and smiling, and produced two bands made from the wrappers of the candy from their date at the Mexican restaurant. Anya had cried so hard that she had to redo her make-up, and they'd nearly been late for their appointment because of the heavy makeout session that ensued before they left the room.