Return of a Broken Heart

Epilogue - My Love, My Life

Scrolling through everything in her mind and trying to find something to say, Angie was aghast. Had German just asked her to marry him? At first she thought no, because he wouldn't be brave enough to do something as rash as this in front of all of these people. Then, she decided to quickly glance to Violetta and all of the other people in the auditorium (in her peripheral vision, of course). That was when she thought that he must be asking her to marry him. Everyone's faces seemed illuminated with anticipation. They were all waiting for the confirmation of an impending marriage. Would she give everyone the satisfaction?
A thought, or rather, a name, crossed her mind then. Maria. He was her sister's husband first, and now she was just taking him. She shouldn't take him. He will be Maria's forever.
But what if he could make her happy? What if he could give her a lifetime of happiness? This decision that would seemingly take less than a millisecond seemed to take hours. What should she say.... What could she say to German?

The audience were silent. Eerily silent. You could hear a pin drop. No one was saying anything. That didn't mean that they didn't want to though. They wanted to scream, "Say yes!". They wanted to go home saying that there was a surprise proposal at the concert for Studio On Beat. What a day making, life making concert that would be.

But, the two people who could possibly become one could not put on masks and play parts now. No matter how humiliating, no matter who or how many people were there, they had to be true to themselves and their love.

German was starting to fear his spontaneous but planned decision to propose to Angie. She didn't feel the same way anymore. The love she had had for him had gone. Their connection could never be the same, could it? Considering everything that had happened between them, romantically and non-romantically, just as people, in the past three years. They were different now. They had changed. Were they the right people to marry each other?

Violetta was looking at Angie in anticipation. When was she going to say yes? She knew that she wanted to spend her life with her father, she always had, but for some reason, Angie seemed to be doubting her heart.

Please listen to it.

Taking a deep breath and incredulously looking at the beautiful ring that could be hers, she also sighed. Maybe it was to get rid of the tension she felt, or maybe it was to punctuate the end of her life alone. "Of course I'll marry you."

Hurrah! The members of the audience hugged each other and the Studio On Beat students gasped in delight. Angie finally said yes!! German soaked in this wonderful atmosphere and ran across the apron of the stage, touching hands with the ecstatic audience members.

Once he had cheered with the audience and rejoiced in his newfound engaged status, German presented the ring to Angie. She smiled. He placed the ring on her finger. Their tender kiss as newly engaged lovers was caught on the large stage camera to be captured and remembered forever.

* * *
There were flowers everywhere. White lilies in bunches and draped with ribbons among trees and decked on the back of chairs.
The organza silk ribbon that was draped on the chairs lined the aisle, just as if it was German and Angie's own personal stairway to heaven.
At the front of the gardens, where the soon-to-be newlyweds would be saying their vows, there were vibrant yet subtle pastel coloured bunches of roses and carnations. A myriad of purples, pinks and whites complemented the romantic setting of German and Angie's wedding. There was even a white piano, requested especially by Violetta, to surprise the  loving couple.
Angie would walk through a path carved through a little forest, leading out from the garden of the hotel where the wedding party would be staying. She would cross a foot bridge that overlooked the garden and the woods before it, and the aisle in front of it. It was the perfect symbol of her walking into her new life as German's future wife. He couldn't wait to see her radiant smile shining from the other end of the aisle, where he would be waiting, anxiously, to marry the second love of his life. He would never have asked to have this kind of love twice in a lifetime, but with Angie, love just happened. Who knew that a life filled with love could be so magical?
The guests started to arrive and German engaged in some small talk with Ramallo and Olga.
"Good luck." Ramallo told his longtime friend.
"Not that you'll need it, Mr German," Olga chimes in, "Miss Angie is a remarkable woman." He knew that. He knew that the minute he first looked into her eyes... the minute that he saw how wonderful she was with Violetta.
Ramallo and Olga stood by each other's side, proud as punch for their friend's heart of stone had thawed, and he was now ready to confront everything that had held him back. Angie lifted him up, and together they would create a beautiful, stable family.
Chairs were being sat on and the members of the string quartet that had been hired began to tune their instruments.
Pats of congratulations fell on German's shoulder and words of courage and reassurance settled him as he made his way and stood next to the officiant, awaiting his bride.
A veiled silence pervaded the air. Anticipation tingled amongst the guests, especially Violetta, who was intrigued to see what type of dress her aunt had picked out.
Suddenly, a voice echoed through the venue: "please stand". The strings of the violins anxiously began the viral march, accentuating the nervous-excited energy of the guests and the bride's family.
Her white satin closed-toe shoes gently tapped against the ground as she awaited her new life. A bouquet of pink roses, white carnations and lilies lay gracefully in her hands. The organza silk ribbon was gently draped around their stems to ensure that she didn't snag her new manicure whilst carrying the flowers next to the bodice of her breathtaking floor length lace gown.
It wasn't until she reached the bridge that she looked up. She had walked half way across, whole-heartedly committing herself to the adventure that was marriage. In the near distance she saw her husband-to-be, immaculately dressed (as always) and wearing an expression of amazement. Did she really look that beautiful? She sheepishly rugged at the ribbon on her bouquet.
Angie met the eyes of their guests who happily gasped as they saw her walk past them. She gleefully smiled back. Today she wasn't just gaining a husband. She was finally uniting her long lost family. The true, one and only, loves of her life.
The band slowly stopped. The guests sat down (some already emotional guests!), and the officiant announced that he was now going to begin the union of this wonderful couple. A few elated cheers escaped the mouths of a few certain guests, their names being Ramallo and Olga.
After the readings, German took his bride's hands and began his vows, "Angie... I stand here today and rejoice in everyone who has come to celebrate our love. I stand here and am left incredulous at your beauty because you always leave me speechless..." he nervously chuckled, temporarily forgetting the elaborate words he had planned to say, "You changed me life. You opened my heart and made me realise that I was ready to love. More than that, you made me realise that I wanted to love. I need you in my life, and I need you to be a part of our family," he glanced over lovingly at his daughter, then turned back to Angie, "I love you so much, and I plan to love you for the rest of my life."
The tissues were out! Olga dabbed her eyes, overwhelmed by the happiness she felt for these newlyweds.
German placed the gold wedding band on Angie's hand. Angie held her husband's ring, readying herself to publicly confess her love. She readied herself and took a deep breath.
"Vilu, my life, German, my love... I found Violetta, my incredible niece, and she led me to you. When I saw you, I was afraid to know you and talk to you. When we had our first conversation, I was afraid to make friends with you. Once I did that, I was afraid to fall in love with you. When I found myself falling in love with you, I realised that I never wanted to lose you and I hoped and wished and prayed that you felt the same way about me. I was so happy when you did,  because for the first time in my life, everything has fallen into place. I can't wait to marry you. I'm so excited to spend the rest of my life with my best friend." She placed the ring in his finger and watched it slide effortlessly on his hand.
They turned to their guests and admired the sea of smiles and tears of joy that they encountered.
"I present to you, Mr and Mrs German Castillo," the officiant leaned forward with a guarded grin, "You may now kiss the bride." A ripple of rapturous applause and hearty cheers greeted the couple's liplock. This moment had been long awaited.
And so, the couple led the way into their reception. People danced and talked and snag for hours on end.
About halfway through the celebrations, all of Angie's students (past and present) stood up and gathered around Violetta and Leon. The piano from outside had been brought in, and unbeknownst to Angie, they were about to give her a wedding gift that she would never forget.
Glasses clinked and children hummed along to a sign the Studio's students had all written: "We Grew Together." These three words summed up the last three years of their lives, and most fittingly, the formative years of German and Angie's relationship. Together, they grew, and they would forever teach each other all of the layered lessons that life had to offer.
Violetta raised her glass, "To my dad and Angie, the couple who we always knew were meant to be."