I Am Loved, An Excerpt
Our Promise
By Heather Kirchhoff
I was once told that my smile lights up my face. I was once told that I glow when I’m with her. My love. And I’m certain today will be no different.
The time we first went out flashes through my mind. That night was amazing. It was everything I ever hoped for. Dreamed for. I instantly knew what I found was something I should never let go. Not many people are as lucky as I am.
My girlfriend is perfect to me. For me.
She’s made me a better person.
I have great friends and family. They support me through everything I do. I thought my life was going to be hard, especially after the things I’ve been through and the stuff that was once said to me.
But now, after my entire childhood and teenage years of being bullied and hiding who I truly am, my life is finally on the right track. I’m finally able to pick up the missing pieces. Honestly, she saved me from myself. She made me realize that life was more than what I was getting. I allowed my self-doubt to control my life for so long. It feels so good to let all of that go.
She’s helped me live in the moment. I owe her everything.
“It’s time! It’s time!” my little sister cried, barging into my dressing room.
I glance over at her, nodding my approval. She is wearing the floor length purple dress that I picked out for my bridesmaids. I absolutely love the color on her tan complexion. Her brown hair is wavy, and flowing down her back. She has her grey flower in her hand.
“You look beautiful,” I comment, turning around.
“Oh, not as beautiful as you!” my sister gushes. “Now let’s go!”
I laugh at her giddiness. “Yes, ma’am.”
After I grab my bouquet, which consists of orange, purple, yellow, pink, red, and blue flowers, we leave the room. She leads me to the church doors, where my other three bridesmaids and my maid of honor are standing. My maid of honor, who is also known as my best friend, is wearing the same color dress as the other four; the only difference is that she also has a turquoise sash wrapped around her waist.
“I can’t believe this is really happening!” my best friend squeals.
I pull her to me in a hug. When we move away from each other, she gazes at me, taking it all in. “I can’t either. I just never imagined anything like this would happen before I met Kat.”
“Hey, baby girl,” my dad says, walking up to us. I smile at him.
Before anyone could say anything else, the organ begins playing and the line in front of me starts to move forward. I stand back a little ways, waiting until it’s my cue. We don’t want anyone seeing me until it’s my turn to go down the aisle.
I take a deep breath. Happiness and excitement dances within me, making my stomach flip with butterflies. When we hear the beginning tunes of Here Comes the Bride, my dad offers me his arm, and I take it. “I can’t believe you’re getting married,” he whispers in my ear.
“Me either.”
With that, we are off to begin to slow trek down the aisle. My eyes immediately find Kat. I almost stumble on my next step. My heart skips several beats. My smile grows even bigger. My breaths quickly vanished as I take in her white knee length dress, which has two wide ribbon straps across the shoulders and a sparkly silver sash around her waist. Her blonde hair is gathered in a side bun.
Her eyes drinks in my own strapless white knee length dress. My dress has a small sparkly silver flower up high on my left waist. My brown hair is up in a bun, with tiny flowers scattered along it. A tiara is holding my short veil. We are both wearing strappy silver high heels.
On Kat’s right side are her four bridesmaids and maid of honor. Unlike mine, hers are wearing turquoise floor length dress, aside from her maid of honor, which has a purple sash around her waist. They are all holding a grey flower as well.
When my dad and I finally make it to my bride, we stop, waiting for the preacher to speak. He waits for Kat’s dad to join us, who grabs his daughter’s hand.
“Who gives these two women to each other?”
“We do,” our dads say in unison, placing our hands together. We grip onto each other, staring into each other’s eyes. We both hug our dads before they go to sit down. The preacher tells us to move forwards, so we follow him up the stairs. I pause long enough to give my best friend my flowers.
The preacher stops, turning around to face our friends and family assembled to witness our big day. “We are gathered here today to witness the marriage of Kat Annabelle Jones and Kaylee Lynn Newton. Is there anyone that objects this union? Speak now or forever hold your peace.” I held my breath when the pastor stopped talking. No one said a word. “Excellent,” he says, continuing on with the ceremony. Kat squeezes my hand and my eyes darts over to her. She smiles at me, winking. “Please face each other.” We did as he said. Our hands are now clasped together in between us. “Kat, please repeat after me…”
“I will forever be there for you. In sickness and in health. Through thick and thin. For the rest of eternity,” she echoes.
He has me repeat the same thing and I do. I can feel the love oozing from the words.
“Rings,” the preacher claims, and both of our maids of honor steps forward, each holding a ring. They hand them over and the preacher offers one to Kat. “Kat, do you take Kaylee to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold. To cherish, love, and respect until death do you part?”
“I do,” she declares, grinning. She slides the ring onto my ring finger.
Now it’s my turn to accept a ring. “Kaylee, do you take Kat to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold. To cherish, love, and respect until death do you part?”
“I do.” I then slide the ring in place on my love.
“Then I’m proud to pronounce you as married. You may kiss your bride.”
As always, once we press our lips together I can feel the heat immediately swarm me. Excitement unfurls within me as electricity shoots through my body. It’s only the two of us. Everything else disappears.
“I’m pleased to present you for the first time Kat and Kaylee Jones-Newton!” the preacher announces after we pull apart.
Applause sounds as we face the audience, who stands up, grinning at us. Kat offers her arm to me and I accept it. We begin our walk down the aisle as a married couple. We’re surrounded by love and acceptance. It’s something I hoped I’d find. It’s a blessing to have so much support in a world we never thought was possible, yet here we are.
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