raising it » david dobrik

17

Quit crying, you big baby, I mouthed to David, reaching forward to quickly wipe a tear that had fallen on his cheek. The officiant was starting off his spiel about the joys of marriage and how God would tie us together in his open arms, but David and I weren't listening. We were in our own little world, staring directly into each other's eyes, unmoving.

You look pretty, he mouthed back after a subtle eye roll. I smiled, holding back my own urge to roll my eyes at the compliment. I couldn't be as sneaky as David could.

I love you, was my reply. David almost said it back, but the officiant cut him off by saying, "David, you wrote your own vows?"

Vows time. Vows time already? How long had we been looking at one another? How much had Mr. Eagleton said that I didn't even pay attention to?

"Wrote is a strong word," David joked, and the whole congregation laughed. I rolled my eyes at that, urging him to continue with the flick of a wrist. "But, yes. Do I... go now?"

"Yes, you may go," the preacher replied, almost mockingly. David made a face at me, but I thought it was pretty funny.

"Sloane," he began after clearing his throat, looking only at me. He didn't need a paper; he knew exactly what he needed to say. It almost made me regret writing mine down. "I didn't always see a future with us, to be honest. You were always a girl I knocked up on accident."

I glanced at Luke, who was being held by Jason behind David, and smiled. David continued, "But as I got to know you inside and out, I learned you were much more than just a pregnant girl. I learned you were smart, and driven, and persistent, and sometimes annoying, but always the best friend and mother of my child I could ever ask for. You entered my crazy life and you weren't once scared of my friends or my job or the future. You were the only person I ever felt like I could trust with my life; you are, and always will be, the person I love most in the world. So I promise to always view you that way, as the most beautiful, passionate, amazing girl in the whole world. I promise that my love for you will only grow when you become my wife, and I promise that I will do everything in my power to make you happy for the rest of your life. I love you always, Sloaney."

I wiped the tears from under my eyes (sorry, James) and smiled when he nodded, signaling the completion of his vows. The officiant glanced at me and said, "And you, Sloane?"

"Okay," I shakily laughed, turning around to grab the piece of paper I wrote the vows on from Aaliyah's hands. "David," I looked up to meet his eyes, smiling at his awaiting features. "I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. I've always been told the universe makes no mistakes, and now I know that's true, because the universe brought me you."

I gave the crowd their moment to awwww and my moment to catch my breath, then continued, "We may have gone about our relationship a bit backwards, but if someone brought me a time machine right now, I can honestly say I wouldn't go back for any amount of money in the world. I haven't had the easiest time with love; I always felt like I was used and abused and dumped, but you were so, so different than that. You made me feel happy and alive, and I will forever be grateful for anything and everything you've done for me. I love you endlessly, and I will forever. Every single day, it just gets stronger. I promise to always love you and always be there for you, in the good times or bad. I promise to stick by your side through everything, and to give you my all in everything we do. I love you, David. Forever and ever. And... yeah. I'm done."

"Would the ring bearer please present the rings?"

Jason sat Luke down on the floor, and he sprinted over to us, fishing the rings out of his pocket like we practiced so carefully and then racing back to Jason. The crowd cooed (as did I), and David and I held each other's rings in our hands.