Innocent Criminal

Epilogue

Epilogue

I took her hand and looked straight to her eyes.  "Amanda, I love you.  Today is a very special day.  Long ago you were just a dream and a prayer.  This day, like a dream come true, the Lord Himself has answered that prayer.  For today, Amanda, you as my joy become my crown.  I thank Jesus for the honor of going through time with you.  Thank you for being what you are to me.  With our future as bright as promises of God, I will care for you, honor and protect you.  I lay down my life for you, Amanda, my friend and my love.  Today, I give to you me."

     Behind her veil, she sniffed as tears continued to fill her eyes.  "Tyler," she began shakily.  "I love you and I know you love me.  I am confident that God has chosen you to be my husband.  It is my prayer and my desire that you will find in me the helpmeet God designed especially for you, and in confidence I will submit myself unto your headship as unto our Lord.  Therefore, Tyler, I pledge to you my life as an obedient, faithful and loving wife.  Whither thou goest I will go, whither thou lodgest I will lodge, Thy people shall be my people, And thy God my God."

     After the reverend announced us as man and wife, I unveiled my beautiful wife and touched her lips with mine.  Even after seven strong years of sharing an intimate relationship with her, I only fell in love with her more and more each day.

     After we pulled away, the people broke into cheers.  Our eyes lingered on to each other for another moment before facing the familiar faces among the crowd.  I looked at mom who was sitting in the front row, shaking hands with Amanda's parents and hugging them after.  The assembly was composed of the familiar faces who left footprints in our life.  Hazel was among the bride's maids along with Amanda's friend, Cecile and Amanda's cousin Kimberly.  If only Rick had been alive, he would've been one of my best men but there was only Harry to play the part.

     We walked the aisle to the rented Stingray for our wedding, its bumper was decorated with a white bouquet of roses.  I opened the door to the shotgun seat and waited until she got inside.  I jogged to the other side and slipped behind the wheels.  I started the engine to Dunst Park where the gathering will hold.  Our faces were lit up in smiles.

     Passing by her parent's house, she said, "Stop the car."

     At her words, I stepped on the breaks and followed her gaze.  She glanced at me with subtle eyes as though softened by its sight.  "Just for a moment," she said softly.  "Please?" she added.

     I nodded.

     Knowing she needed some time alone, I didn't follow her.  I waited in the car as I wondered what she was doing.  After a long moment, she finally got out and walked the pathway and got back in the car.  I studied her as tears filled her eyes, different from the tears she had shed earlier at the ceremony.

     "Is everything alright?" I asked.

     She turned to me.  "Everything is perfect," she said underneath her breath.  She leaned in and touched her rose-like lips with mine.  It was a long kiss before finally pulling away.  "I love you, Tyler."

     "I love you, too, Amanda."  The words flowed naturally.

     She smiled as though knowing that she was assured.  "We don't want to be late for the party," she said hinting for me to restart the engine and head to Dunst Park.

     It was hard to elaborate every bit of perfect moment that night.  Slow-dancing on the lawn, arms wrapped around each other as we swayed to the music, friends and relatives rendering their speeches, and feeding each other during dinner.  After that night, we made love at the apartment I once bought for me and Hazel but the memory of her already felt distant and out of reach that being here in this very place reminded me of nothing about her, only this perfect moment with my wife.

     Waking up every single morning fifty-three years later from that memorable day, our love hasn't changed.  We made love to each other spontaneously yet passionately.  Over the years, we have raised three kids together into responsible adult and teenagers.  Jared is twenty-one and has taken over my job at the garage.  Bea is about to celebrate her eighteenth birthday three days from now with her friends in Hidden Valley while Jhazel prepares for her finals.  I kept in touch with the Masons and Rebecca has long assured me that it was not my fault that Rick died and that there's nothing to forgive.

     I took four steps from the bed to the glass window and beheld the sight that lay two stories below me.  I could still remember that very day we bought this modern-looking home.  We didn't want to live in a time warp since everyone was getting their houses renovated and developments began to rise.  I felt her presence as she walked to my side, joining me into watching the sun shower its rays to the place we once known as town, now a city.

     She has slightly changed over the years we've been together.  There were character lines that has formed beside her mouth when she smiles, some strands of her hair began to gray and as I watched her from the corner of my eye, I knew that we still have a lot of life events to share together.

THE END.