Forever True

This future story in Sapphire Days is a submission for Leigh's Bob-White Engagement Wedding Challenge, which is Jixemitri Circle Writing Challenge #4.

PDF format (Parts One and Two) for easier printing

Honey Wheeler opened her eyes and basked in the warm Caribbean sunshine that flowed into her hotel room and bathed her in its rays. She smiled slowly, deliciously, as she looked at the bright blue sky through the glass doors. She, Madeleine Grace Wheeler, was in paradise—St. Thomas to be exact—and today was the day she was to marry.

Like all little girls, Honey had dreamed of the glorious day when she would marry her very own prince charming. Even as a shy child, she had happily snuck into her mother's closets and raided her extensive wardrobe for items suitable to be married in, even if only for pretend. A long white silk tunic blouse made the perfect wedding dress on her tiny frame, while a filmy white chiffon scarf served as the perfect veil for her five-year-old fantasies. A convenient white satin sheet, snatched off the elegant bed and clumsily tied around her waist served as a cathedral train that even Princess Di would fall envy to. The white roses, seized from the glittering cut crystal Tiffany vase that decorated Madeleine Wheeler's vanity, became the blushing pretend bride's bouquet, and a fantasy wedding was born.

But today, a magnificent day in paradise, was no fantasy. Today, Madeleine Grace Wheeler, Honey to her friends, was going to marry Daniel Timothy Mangan, her very own prince charming.

As she lay beneath the cool, crisp sheets, reveling in the feel of the morning sunshine warming her face and the cheerful sound of the exotic birds singing outside her balcony, Honey slowly adjusted to the realization that, after so much waiting and anticipating, her wedding day was finally here.

The young women laughed gleefully as she realized that life was very seriously imitating art right now. Well, maybe not art, but a 60's girl group song, anyway.

Spring is here, the sky is blue
Birds all sing, like they do
Today's the day we'll say "I do"
And we'll never be lonely anymore

Honey stretched and began to count her blessings. The last ten years had not been perfect by any means; there had been occasional rifts between her high school friends at various times, romances had soured, and, in some cases, been rekindled, and there had been long separations. But, for the most part, she and her friends had come through the events of the last decade unscathed. For that, Honey was eternally grateful.

And now, the morning of her wedding had dawned in the most perfectly perfect way. Honey was so happy that she almost felt guilty. The honey-haired bride-to-be quickly banished that fleeting thought and concentrated on her special day.

The twenty-three year old had pulled a robe around her nightgown and was standing on the balcony sipping tea from the in-room coffee service, when a knock sounded on the door. She hurried across the room and threw open the door, finding her two closest friends standing in the hallway.

"Honey Wheeler!" Pretty Diana Belden scolded her friend, a merry twinkle alight in her violet eyes. "You can't just throw open the door like that." She scurried past a startled Honey and into the room, Trixie following right behind her, and continued her tirade. "What if it was your groom? You know it's bad luck for him to see you before the wedding!"

Honey shut the door and rolled her hazel eyes, but the gesture was softened by the sweet smile that accompanied it. "I saw Dan and your husband drinking last night at the tiki bar, remember? There's no way he's up this early!"

Trixie and Diana laughed. "Very true!" Di conceded good-naturedly. "Weren't Mart and Dan funny last night?" Di asked, a reminiscent smile playing on her lips.

Honey and Trixie giggled at the memory. "My almost twin giving Dan marriage advice was a scream," Trixie agreed, her blue eyes bright with mirth.

"When Dan looked at Mart and said 'I love you, man' I nearly lost it," Honey laughed.

"Clichés are clichés for a reason," Trixie stated seriously. "Mart and Dan have been best friends for forever. They've both grown up and stayed close. They're both on the verge of new things, realizing they've crossed over into adulthood." Trixie's sapphire eyes sparkled. "And the most important ingredient: they'd had a few beers. It really was only a matter of time before one of them looked at the other, realized the magnitude of the situation, and blurted out those infamous words." Trixie grinned. "My money was on Mart to say it first. Dan caving cost me ten bucks!"

Diana and Honey stared at their friend in incredulity. "You bet on this?"

"Oh, yeah. Jim and I sat back and watched the whole thing brewing. Jim put money on Dan and won."

The three girls laughed uproariously, sitting around Honey's bed and giggling, just as they had when they were teenagers.

After the laughter had subsided, Trixie dramatically threw herself back onto the pile of pillows in her usual exuberant manner. "So, what's the timeline this morning?" she asked practically. "It's almost seven now and the wedding's at ten. What's first?"

"Breakfast," Diana said firmly. "Honey, you need to eat, no matter how early the wedding is. But don't worry, being the fabulous matron-of-honor that I am, I've already ordered you room service. It should be here soon."

"You also need your groom to be on time, despite his indulgences and emotional outbursts of last night, so—being the stellar maid of honor that I am—I've already arranged for a personal wake up visit for Dan."

Honey's hazel eyes glistened. "You two are the best." The happy twinkle in her eyes turned to a mischievous gleam. "I love you, man!"

The three friends once again dissolved into hysterical giggles. Their merriment was interrupted by another knock on the door. Diana sprang to answer it before the bride could reveal herself, even if it was probably only room service.

Instead of the hotel attendant that Di was expecting, Madeleine Wheeler stood framed in the doorway. "I thought I heard laughter coming from this room!" she smiled and entered the room. She strode purposefully, but ever gracefully, over to her lovely daughter and gently gathered her into her arms.

"Oh, Honey, I'm so happy for you today."

The younger Madeleine smiled at her mother. "I'm pretty darn happy, too, Mother," Honey said with an impish grin. Then her smiled turned softer and she added, "I'm so happy with Dan, and I'm happy that you're here to share it."

"There isn't any where I'd rather be, darling," the beautiful Madeleine Wheeler said, her melodic voice choked with emotion.

"Mother, I know how much you always wanted me to have a big, traditional church wedding. I hope you're okay with my choice."

"Oh, sweetheart," Madeleine murmured. "I just want you to be happy. I think this wedding is going to be the most beautiful wedding on earth, and it's all the more special because you and Dan planned it. That makes it perfectly perfect," she said, using Honey's notoriously favorite phrase. "I just always thought you wanted a big wedding since you loved to play dress-up bride."

Honey gasped in surprise and stared at her mother. "You knew about that?"

Madeleine's musical laugh rang out. "Of course. I absolutely detested that white silk tunic blouse after I had owned it for about five minutes—I never could understand what possessed me to buy that thing!—but I knew how much you loved to play in it and imagine it as a wedding dress, so I never could bring myself to discard it."

Honey was overwhelmed with emotion, any remaining fears about her mother "not loving her because she wasn't a boy" as a cruel maid of her family had once said, completely evaporated in that precious moment. Trixie was surreptitiously dabbing at her eyes, and Diana didn't even bother to hide the tears that flowed down her cheeks as mother embraced daughter, a stunning picture of golden loveliness.

The special moment was interrupted by yet another knock on the door. "Grand Central Station!" Trixie called out at Diana once again sprang up. "Breakfast!" she cried as she saw the silver cart filled with wonderful looking pastries and fruits. She hurriedly tipped the waiter and pushed the cart farther into Honey's room.

Madeleine excused herself, saying that she and Matthew also had breakfast on the way. She smiled once again at the daughter she had once not even really known and gave a prayer of thanks that Matthew had decided to move them all to Sleepyside all those years ago. How far the two of them had come. "I just wanted to say good morning on this most special day. Now, you three go back to your giggling and gabbing. That is the right term, isn't it?" She smiled merrily and left the room.

"Your mom is great," Trixie said off-handedly as she spread thick cream cheese on a bagel.

"Absolutely," Di agreed before she stuffed a juicy pineapple piece in her mouth.

"She really is," Honey said, awe still apparent in her voice. "I had no idea she knew that I used to sneak into her closet when I was little and dress up like a bride."

"It just proves what I've been saying since we were thirteen years old. She always loved you, she just wasn't sure how to show it."

"You're right, Trix," Honey said as she threw her friend a warm glance. "You usually are."

"I know!" Trixie crowed in mock smugness.

Once again, the girls dissolved into mirth. After the food tray had been decimated, the bride and her two attendants decided on a plan of action for the morning.

It was in trying to plan the morning events that the three realized that there really wasn't much to do. The Emerald Beach Resort where they were staying was the wedding site. As a matter of fact, the white sand beach beneath Honey's balcony was where she would stand in a few hours' time and become Honey Mangan. The wedding coordinator was providing the flowers, the wedding cake, and the champagne. Honey and Dan had gone to the U.S. Territorial Court in Charlotte Amalie, the capitol of St. Thomas and the Virgin Islands, yesterday and been sworn in and completed the necessary paperwork for today's ceremony.

Never a showy or a flashy type of person to begin with, Honey wanted today to be about the love that she and Dan shared, not about showy head-pieces or elaborate hair styles, so she was wearing her honey-colored hair in it's usual no fuss style: long and loose and flowing.

In the spirit of a simple celebration of love, the bride had chosen a dress that was the epitome of simplicity. There were no buttons or zippers to be found on it at all. During the year that she had been engaged, Honey had searched and searched to find the perfect dress for her wedding day. One that would be elegant and beautiful, but would also be simple and austere enough for a beach wedding. And she had finally found it.

Her dress was three pieces, and actually rather reminiscent of her childhood dress-up activities. One piece was a gorgeous white silk sarong. She would wear it wrapped around her petite waist, an Italian silk sarong in ombre shades of turquoise and Caribbean blue underneath. The sarongs would be secured at her waist with a heart-shaped pearl bead encrusted coconut sarong tie.

Her top was an extra-long opaque white silk scarf wrapped around her bust, crossed in back, then brought back up underneath her arms, and tied behind her neck. The effect was almost that of a halter-top, but much more elegant.

Honey loved her unique dress. It was beautiful, it was tropical, and the colors spoke of both bridal conventions and the Caribbean Sea, which she would be mere steps away from as she said her vows. Trixie and Di had exclaimed over it when she had first modeled it for them, and that had solidified her feelings that this was what she was meant to wear on her wedding day.

Her two attendants were also absolutely thrilled with their outfits for the ceremony. Trixie and Di's outfits were similar to Honey's, except Trixie's was a sapphire blue that looked vibrant on the young blonde, and Di's was a gorgeous shade of her signature lavender. Both women looked absolutely stunning in their bridesmaids' sarong outfits.

"Well, since there's really no fussing to do with your hair, and any make-up you put on is going to slide right off in the tropical heat, and it takes you all of five minutes to get into your dress, well, there really is nothing to do!" Trixie finally concluded.

"How about a dip in the pool?" Honey suggested.

"Absolutely not, Honey Wheeler!" Diana screeched. "And risk Dan seeing you before the wedding? No way, no how." Di was emphatic in her declaration and her vigorous shake of the head emphasized that fact.

Trixie grinned at her sister-in-law. "Well, Mrs. Belden, exactly how do you feel about that subject?"

Diana grinned good-naturedly at Trixie's teasing. "Just doing my job as matron-of-honor."

"Well, we've wasted enough time talking that there's really only an hour left before I planned on being ready, a half-an-hour before the ceremony time. So, how about we all just start getting ready, and we can meet back in here and you can inspect me before show time. How's that?"

Di looked at Honey, a suspicious gleam in her eye. "You're not planning on sneaking out to the pool, are you?"

Honey laughed. "When did you get to be so suspicious, Diana Belden? That's Trixie's and my job—not yours!"

Diana shrugged. "Maybe since becoming a Belden it's just kind of crept into my veins or something!"

After her two best friends left, Honey headed to the shower to prepare herself for the ceremony that lay ahead.

~~~~~~~~~~

At precisely ten o'clock in the morning, Atlantic Standard Time, family and friends gathered on the white sands of Emerald Beach, St. Thomas to witness the joining together of Honey and Dan in holy matrimony.

Madeleine Wheeler stood next to Helen and Peter Belden, tears glistening in her large hazel eyes, so like the bride's. She couldn't believe how fast her little girl had grown up. It seemed like only yesterday that she was standing in the hallway outside of her room, sneaking a peek through the cracked door to watch her tiny daughter dress in white and pretend to march down an imaginary aisle, completely caught up in the world of her fantasy wedding. Where had the time gone?

Next to her, Helen's blue eyes glittered brightly as she watched the girl she had always considered a second daughter standing on the white sands, the bright turquoise blue of the Caribbean Sea providing a gorgeous backdrop, waiting to take her turn down the conch shell aisle. Helen sighed happily and slipped her arm through Peter's.

Next to his father stood Bobby, now known as Bob. At sixteen, he wasn't nearly as moved by the romance of the scene as those around him were, but he had always had a fondness for both Honey and Dan and he was happy to see that two of his favorite people had found such happiness in each other.

Jim stood on the other side of Bob, his red hair gleaming in the tropical sunlight. His eyes were drawn to two people: Trixie, looking stunning in the blue ensemble Honey had chosen for her, being escorted up the aisle by one of the groom's best men, Bill Regan; and his sister, looking so radiantly happy and beautiful as she gracefully held her father's arm and watched the proceedings in front of her. The redhead couldn't help but reflect about what a wonderful thing it was that had lead him to Sleepyside all those years ago.

Next to Jim, Brian, darkly handsome, stood next to a blonde-haired beauty with tears glistening in her eyes. She had never been close to Honey, never really getting the opportunity to know her over the years as they lived across the country from each other, but Lexi always cried at weddings. Besides, from what the stunning blonde could tell, the bride was as sweet as her nickname and deserved the happiness she had so obviously found in Dan. All of the jealousy and pain was certainly laid to rest and in the past, and Lexi was grateful for that. She looked up at Brian, who looked down at her and smiled, the smile reaching his warm chocolate eyes. In that moment, Lexi was as happy for herself and Brian as she was for Honey and Dan.

Next to Lexi stood Ed and Veronica Lynch, looking on as their daughter strode across the beach on the arm of their son-in-law. Honey was a perfectly lovely and beautiful bride, but to Ed Lynch, no one was more beautiful than Diana at that moment. He put his arm around his wife's plump shoulders and reflected how wonderful weddings were and how amazing life had been for them. He could have moved the family to New York after he had reached his wealthy status, but he was extremely pleased that the Lynch clan had stayed in Sleepyside.

Next to the Lynches, Miss Trask stood proudly as she watched her lovely young charge start up the aisle on her father's arm. She had seen Honey grow from a shy, introverted teen to the confident and mature woman before her. Margery was eternally grateful that she had been persuaded to resign from Briar Hall and accept the governess position in the Wheeler household. What a fantastic group of kids she had met along the way. That they were an extraordinary group of friends was evidenced by the fact that after a decade of separate experiences with some heartaches thrown in, they were all gathered here together today to celebrate a truly wonderful event. Miss Trask dabbed her eyes with a cotton handkerchief.

Matthew Wheeler, looking casually relaxed but still authoritative in his khaki pants and golf shirt, felt the gentle pressure of his beloved daughter's hand on his arm and looked down. His little girl, the light and joy of his life, was about to become another man's wife. Matt, as happy as he was that Honey had found a wonderful man, felt a pang as he fully realized that she was truly Dan's now. The proud father consoled himself with the thought that, no matter what, Honey would always be daddy's little girl.

As they approached the spot where Dan was standing, his love for Honey written all over his face, Honey's face, already glowing, took on an absolute radiance that was breathtaking. Matt's heart nearly burst to see his daughter so happy, about to share her life with a man who completed her and adored her. He looked at Mart and Regan, standing to one side of Dan, and Trixie and Di, standing on the other side of the officiant, and thanked his lucky stars for deciding to move to Sleepyside all those years ago.

Honey and her father now stood before Dan. Matt turned to look at the bride, a tender look alighting his strong features. "Your mother and I love you, Honey, and we think you and Dan are the perfect match." He turned to his son-in-law. "Take care of her."

Dan promised he would and Matt gently placed a kiss on Honey's forehead. He then took Honey's hand, placed it in Dan's, and with wet eyes went to take his place next to his wife.

Dan felt the familiar yet surprising jolt that he always felt when he touched his wife-to-be. "You look beautiful," he said, his heart in his throat. He still could barely comprehend that this magnificent woman wanted to spend the rest of her life by his side. He had come so far from his days on the street, and he counted his blessings that he had somehow found his way to Sleepyside and into the arms of this remarkable woman.

Honey, almost unable to speak in her state of bliss, gulped air and stared at the dark-haired, sexy man standing before her. Could this strong and proud man really want her for all of time? He did, and Honey absolutely reveled in that fact. Thank goodness fate had lead them both to a sleepy little village on the banks of the Hudson River. "Thank you, you look pretty handsome yourself," she grinned.

The two held each other's hands tightly and turned to face the beaming officiant. The woman who was to marry them thought that she had never seen a more lovely couple than the one standing before her. She began the ceremony.

"Let us take a moment to meditate on the sacrament of marriage, open our hearts to our Creator to enter this ceremony, and give thanks for the beauty that surrounds us." Everyone bowed their heads and gave prayers of thanks.

"Dan and Madeleine, we are about to experience a miracle. This miracle is the joining of two lives in peace, which becomes the inspiration that forms a family.

"All of your moments together have led up to this exchange of vows and have prepared you as you promise to be each other's lifetime partner. This is a most special gift that you are about to share, which has been carefully nurtured and polished to give to one another. This gift cannot be bought in a store or found under a tree. This is the gift of love that can only be shared in marriage. May its radiance never diminish, as the sea around us will never diminish.

"We are joyfully gathered today to witness and to celebrate the joining of two lives in marriage. Let us rejoice with each other in the making of this important covenant. The essence of this covenant is the taking of each other in entirety, as an everlasting lover, friend, and companion. It is, therefore, a decision that has not been entered into lightly, but rather undertaken with great consideration and respect for one another.

"We have come together in the hope that the love which has brought you both to this union may go out beyond itself into the lives of others. Thus, we ask that your promises and hopes be realized. We ask that you both be granted the patience to listen, the capacity to understand, the compassion to give comfort, and the joy to laugh and just to be together. Most importantly, let your marriage make a home where neither person is a stranger, and, remember, it is just as important to be the right partner as it is to choose the right partner.

"Let your marriage offer illumination and growth. Bask in the joy of shared discoveries. Let your union be strong enough to endure the darkness of all things. May silence and despair never separate you; may you always return to each other."

The officiant then instructed them to face each other and repeat their vows.

"I, Madeleine Grace, will share my life openly with you, Daniel Timothy," Honey repeated after the cleric. "I will walk hand in hand with you. I will grow with you, not away from you, in each of our discoveries. I will support your strengths with love and honesty and protect you, as we go forth together into this world as two yet one." Tears flowed down Honey's cheeks as she repeated her vows and looked into Dan's dark eyes, but, despite the emotion filling her voice, she spoke her words clearly.

Dan's eyes were wet as he took his turn repeating the words that he would spend a lifetime living up to. "I, Daniel Timothy, will share my life openly with you, Madeleine Grace. I will walk hand in hand with you. I will grow with you, not away from you, in each of our discoveries. I will support your strengths with love and honesty and protect you, as we go forth together into this world as two yet one."

Honey and Dan beamed at each other as their minister asked Trixie and Mart for the rings that Honey and Dan would exchange. Holding the rings, the woman said, "Let these rings which you are about to exchange serve to remind us that a circle is a symbol of the sun, the earth, and the universe; of wholeness, peace, and unity. Your rings are circles that have no beginning and no ending. They are tokens of this growing relationship you have come here today to celebrate and confirm, emblems of eternity which can never be tarnished, and which are without end, to show how imperishable is the faith that you have now mutually pledged before witnesses and to God."

She handed the plain gold band to Honey and the diamond and platinum band that perfectly compliment Honey's engagement ring to Dan. "As a symbol of your faithfulness, place the rings on each other's finger and repeat after me, 'I accept you, Dan, as my partner, as my friend, and as my husband, through all of the experiences life holds for us, in abiding faith and love.'"

Honey, voice trembling, repeated the words as she slipped the gold band onto the third finger of Dan's left hand.

"Now, Dan, please repeat after me. 'I accept you, Honey, as my partner, as my friend, and as my wife, through all of the experiences life holds for us, in abiding faith and love.'"

As he slid the ring on Honey's finger and repeated the words, Dan felt an overwhelming sensation cascade upon him, and he felt complete and whole at that very moment.

As Honey and Dan smiled at each other, and their friends and family dissolved to tears of happiness, the minister continued with the blessing. "Be together in harmony and let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Empower each other and allow your relationship to evolve to its highest purpose. Nourish each other's possibilities and lift up each other's spirits. Care for one another, share your love openly and let it be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Sing and dance together and be joyful. Share your lives with each other and unite your love with our Creator. May your union last through all of your moments together, so that in the triumphs and the trials that lie ahead, you will feel just as you do now—happy to be in love and married to one another. Go then, in peace, and live more and more in the present, which is beautiful and stretches away beyond the limits of the past and towards the horizons of the future.

"Having witnessed the vows you have just made to each other, surrounded by your love, and by the sand, the sun and the sea of the Virgin Islands, by the loving grace of our Highest Power and by the authority vested in me, upheld by the laws of the United States Virgin Islands, I now pronounce you husband and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Mangan."

A happy cheer rose up and surrounded the newly wedded couple as they embraced each other and shared a loving and tender kiss.

"Are you ready for happily ever after, Mrs. Mangan?" Dan asked, love brightening his intense, dark eyes.

"I am, Mr. Mangan," Honey happily replied, her hazel eyes bright with the possibilities of the future, as she leaned forward and gave her very own prince charming yet another sweet kiss.

~*~*~*~*~

Author's notes: Why, yes, I did Mary Sue my recent St. Thomas wedding! If you want to see the dress Honey wore and the beach where she and Dan got married, feel free to visit my online wedding album. If you're ever in the market for a destination wedding, I highly recommend it!