These Two Hearts

“Okay ladies,” Ted laughed as he entered the room of women, carrying a tray of champagne glasses. “Here ya go,” he smiled and handed Nicole a champagne glass.
The other women smiled and thanked him as he handed them each a glass.
“Here you go; Mommy gets milk,” he said to Samantha, handing her the glass of milk.
Samantha offered her cousin a warm smile, placing her hand on her swollen stomach as she sat back in the chair. She gently rubbed her hand up and down, feeling the twins excitedly push toward her hand. The smooth crushed velvet material of her scarlet renaissance styled wedding dress smooth under her hand. Her emotions were running rampant as she sat listening to the giggles of her four bridesmaids. Icy tears rimmed her light cocoa eyes as she became lost in thought.
“Sammie, honey, what’s wrong,” Nicole asked her little sister.
Samantha looked up at Nicole, tears escaping from her eyes, “What? Oh, sorry. I was thinking,” she laughed as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.
“About what sweetie,” Ted asked sitting down by his older cousin, grabbing her hand tenderly.
“I really wish Mom was here…and Nana. I wish they could see me get married. Be here when the babies are born,” her voice cracked as fresh tears filled her eyes. “Just kinda is bothering me today.”
“It’s understandable sweetheart,” Emilie, Samantha’s cousin said, “it’s a day where you want everyone special in your life around you.”
There was suddenly a light knock on the door before it gradually opened just a bit.
“Uh,” Daniel said clearing his throat, “do you guys mind if I have alone time with Sam?”
“Course not,” Nicole smiled at him, rushing everyone out of the room.
Samantha struggled to get up. The older gentleman held his hand out for her, a smile on his face. Tears began to fill his coffee eyes. Samantha smoothed his dark brown greying hair.
“Daddy, don’t cry,” she said a sob escaping her own mouth.
“I just feel like I am losing my baby,” he said rubbing her cheek gingerly with his large calloused hand. “I was the one you cried to. The one you wanted to hold you when you had a nightmare or when you were sick. You were my little Sam-I-Am. You were constantly getting close to the video camera saying ‘Daddy’ this and ‘Daddy’ that. Now look at you. You are getting married and well…having babies of your own. Leave it to you to be engaged then get pregnant, with twins none the less. You always gotta make a statement.”
Samantha laughed grabbing both of her father’s hands, “And I am still your baby girl. I still need you now, as much as I did back then. I will always need you, Daddy. I am new at this. You have been doing this for thirty-one of your fifty-two years. I am scared,” she sobbed.
Daniel laughed at his twenty-four year old daughter, hugging her tightly, “Baby girl, everything will be alright. Hey you never thought you could make it this far on your own did you? But you did it didn’t you?”
“But what if I screw up,” she whispered as a sob escaped her lips.
“If you fall, Keith is there to pick you up. You know that he loves you so very deeply,” her father said calmly.
Samantha hugged him tightly, weeping as she held on to her father, “I’m so terrified.”
“It’s time,” Nicole said as she opened the door looking at her father and baby sister.
Daniel wiped the tears from Samantha’s cheeks, “Ok. Let me fix Sam’s makeup a bit. Then we’ll be ready.”
After he finished touching up her makeup they both made their way to the door. As they stood at the back of the church, Samantha’s heart began to race. She smiled at Keith, her hands beginning to shake, her legs feeling too weak to carry her to the end of the aisle.
“Daddy,” she whispered, “I’m nervous.”
“You’re going to be fine baby,” he whispered back to her.
Keith gave her a heartwarming smile. After what seemed like forever, Samantha and her father stood at the altar. She momentarily glanced at the pictures of her mother and grandmother each with a crimson rose in front of them. She drew in a deep breath trying to steady her nerves.
“Who gives this woman to this man,” the pastor asked.
“I do,” her father said, his voice cracking with tears.
He then took Samantha’s hand placing it in Keith’s before taking his seat back by his own husband, giving her a reassuring smile.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the love of these two young people come together as one,” the pastor began.
Samantha began to think back to their beginning. He had just been a friend of her best friend, someone she didn’t even know. And the only reason she ever began talking to him was because he had been joking around with her friend. After they truly began talking he was her confidant. She knew that if something was bothering her she could go to him. At some point, after her boyfriend cheated on her twice, she and Keith began pretending they were boyfriend and girlfriend. And though it was just pretend, Samantha fell for him. When Samantha’s mother suddenly passed away, just before Easter, Keith was the only person she could think of that she wanted to talk to. Keith talked to Samantha and calmed her best he could. Surprisingly to her, after talking to him, she did felt a certain peace in her heart.
Six days after her mother died, Samantha and Keith decided they didn’t want to pretend anymore, despite having never met face to face. And she had never been so happy with someone in her life. There was a problem, Samantha and Keith had a mutual friend who was more than a little obsessed with Keith. And she caused problems for them. After they ended up breaking up, Samantha thought there was no way he would ever want to be with her again. But as fate would have it…three months later they were back together.
‘Now here I am,’ she thought to herself, ‘becoming his wife. Carrying his children.’
“The couple both would like to read their own vows. Samantha,” the pastor said turning to her.
Samantha smiled, turning to her sister to get the piece of paper, “Keith,” she began with a shaky voice, “when we first began, we were nothing more than pretend. Yet from that moment on my life was changed forever. You touched me in a way no other man has ever been able to. I will never love anyone as much as I love you. If I had to go back in time and relive everything in my life to have you again…I would gladly do it. No second thoughts. I can’t wait to share my life with you. To wake up next to you every morning and fall asleep in your arms every night. My life finally feels like it has meaning with you in it. ”
A tear slid down her cheek as she folded the note. She wiped it away with a giggle. Keith smiled at her before turning to get the letter he had written from his best man.
“Sam, I wasn’t really sure what to say when I began writing this letter. This is all still so very surreal for me. But I do know that there is no one else I would rather be standing here with at this very moment. No one I would rather share my life with. I love the way you smile, the way you laugh. I love kissing you good morning and good night…feeling you in my arms every day. There is nothing I love more than knowing I have you. I love you, Sam,” he finished, handing the letter back to his best man.
Samantha stared at him as they were told to take each other’s hand. Her heart was racing and her mind was spinning.
“The rings please,” the pastor said.
They grabbed the rings, both nervously turning back to each other.
“Keith Joshua Junior Ham Jr.,” the pastor began, “do you take Samantha Lynn Gagnon to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold for richer or poor in, sickness or in health for the rest of your days?”
“I do,” Keith smiled at her, sliding the ring on her finger.
“Samantha Lynn Gagnon,” the pastor said looking at her, “do you take Keith Joshua Junior Ham Jr. to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold for richer or poorer, in sickness or in health for the rest of your days?”
Samantha smiled at him, realizing this was the first day of the rest of their life together. Tears began sliding down her cheeks as the emotions became too overwhelming for her. “I do.”