A Walk Down the Aisle

Janet faced one side of the closed doors to the sanctuary but could see all of their guests on the other side, through the small, rectangle windows. At the front of the sanctuary were three enormous, stained glass windows with rounded tops, and smaller stained glass windows down either side. Beautiful bouquets of red and white roses, surrounded by greenery, were attached to every other pew. The pews were made somewhat comfortable for guests, with cushions, hand-made by church members.

Michael stood at the front of the sanctuary looking handsome in his black, double-breasted, tuxedo. He frequently clasped and unclasped his hands, and looked from one side of the church to the other. He occasionally spoke to his brother, David, who stood for him as best man. He was in Michael’s place just two years ago and did his best to help Michael relax. Janet knew he would have been more comfortable in blue jeans and his ball cap, as she watched him return to fidgeting.

Standing behind David was Harry, Michael’s best friend. They had been friends since high school and played on the basketball team.

Michael’s younger brother, Luke, was the last groomsman. He was the joker of the family but had been warned against pulling any pranks today.

Beth, her maid-of-honor, had been her best friend since junior high. She looked beautiful, yet, her eyes were huge, and she didn’t move. She stood out in the crowd because she was the only one in the wedding party with light-colored hair.

Standing behind Beth was Janet’s younger sister, Mary. She always followed her big sister around wanting to do everything she did, including marriage. She had just started college and was encouraged to focus on school rather than a relationship.

Janet’s cousin, Andrea, stood behind Mary. Andrea and Janet used to always have the best time when the whole family got together, every year, on Halloween. After the annual hayride, they would be gone for hours; but always came home with pillowcases full of candy. Then, they would fall asleep watching a scary movie, exhausted from the exercise, and cool night air, not to mention carrying around ten pounds of candy.

The green carpet in the sanctuary matched her Christmas-theme colors surprisingly well. The bridesmaids wore short-sleeved, red, A-line dresses, and carried small bouquets of red and white roses. The groomsmen wore the same style tuxedo as the groom except they were single-breasted, and boutonnieres of red and white roses. Her own bouquet contained the same kind of roses but was more regal than those of her bridesmaids.

Her stomach fluttered, and her hands shook. Her father quietly walked up and hugged her softly. He solemnly smiled at her, and his beautiful, green eyes soaked in the view of his radiant daughter. She smiled back, and twenty-seven years of memories passed between them as they stared at one another.

The last bridesmaid took her place, and Janet wrapped her hand around her father’s forearm. He pressed his other hand to hers, winked, and shot her an encouraging smile. Her lips quivered as she returned the smile. She nodded to the ushers, and the doors were opened wide. The musicians began playing The Wedding March; the guests stood and stared intently. She took a deep breath, squeezed her father’s arm, and together they began the end of her first journey.

Her long, white, satin gown had a sweetheart neckline that was edged with pearls. The short-sleeved bodice was elegantly adorned with lace appliques, sequin, and pearls. The train wasn’t long, but she could feel its weight and hear the material as it lingered down the aisle carpet behind her.

With every step she took, her heart beat faster, her hands shook harder, and her lips quivered uncontrollably. The music was louder and the sanctuary hotter. Faces were everywhere, but she didn’t see them. If she didn’t concentrate, she would lose the rhythm with which she needed to continue her walk down the aisle.

Before she realized it, her first journey was at an end. Once again, her father smiled, then gently kissed her cheek. He answered the pastor’s question, turned, and gave her hand to Michael. Her second journey had begun.