He smiled at me again. “Babes, I am blessed to be your husband. I don’t have to hope whether or not our future will be a happy one because God is in the center of our relationship.” His appreciation was obvious and I smiled pleasantly at him, with understandable recognition, before he continued amiably.
“Of course, ladies and gentlemen, today I have not only gained a wife but a family. Thank you to all the members of our families for all of your love and support over the years. Thank you mom and dad for your love and support throughout my life. I am very proud to call you my parents. Thank you also to Annalisa’s family, especially her sisters. They have been a tower of strength to us during the planning of our wedding.”
I clapped my hands and nodded vigorously and our guests followed suit.
“A very special thank you to Mrs. Jones and Mr. and Mrs. Mohan for giving me their blessing to marry Annalisa. From day one, you have made me feel like a part of your family. Thank you for raising a beautiful, intelligent and strong daughter. Annalisa has a wonderful Godly character and a very caring nature. She is a true credit to you. I want to assure you that her happiness is my absolute priority.”
“Absolute priority!” someone shouted.
“We are holding you to it!” another yelled.
Others cheered Orane along.
“Now, Ladies and gentlemen, it would be remiss of me if I did not say a very special thank you to Dr. Harriett Selby, Annalisa’s sister, for introducing us. Dr. Selby, please stand.”
A chorus of awwws echoed around the room from our guests as Harriett gracefully rose from her seat. Her medium, 5’ 7” frame was decked out in a beautiful gold toned satin evening gown and accessories.
Orane laughed before saying, “I remember going to Dr. Selby’s office. She is someone I can talk with, so I told her that I wanted to find a wife, someone nice, someone who loves God. And…she gave me the solution…Annalisa.”
Our guests beat the tables and cheered wildly, before Orane continued. “Dr. Selby, you are very special to me.”
Harriett smiled broadly and nodded demurely, moving the tresses of her long black hair behind her ears.
In great comedic fashion, Orane said, “One day, I went to Dr. Selby’s office and she showed me photos of Annalisa, this nice looking girl. I didn’t even know that she gave so much trouble.”
My mouth fell open in mock disbelief as Orane eyeballed me, grinning from ear to ear. Our guests laughed loudly, they could not wait to hear more.
“Annalisa has all the attributes of a wonderful woman,” Orane said, smiling at me. “Now back to Dr. Selby; she is such a wonderful person. She said to me, I have the number for you.”
Our guests were having the time of their lives. They laughed loudly and again, began to beat the tables enthusiastically, raising the level of excitement in the room.
“So ladies and gentlemen, I took the number home and thought about it. I said to myself, Conway you must approach this thing carefully. This is not an ordinary person; you are dealing with an extraordinaire. I remember saying to myself, I am going to deal with this professionally.”
Loud cheers and hooting broke out and our guests were all ears.
“So, I called Annalisa,” Orane continued in a deep dramatic voice, “and I said to her, you are a wonderful person. I am blessed to have your number. You know, I went on. It’s a long story and I cannot give you all my lyrics…because I went on.”
Our guests howled with laughter, clapped and hammered the tables again. I grinned at Orane, quite taken and tickled by his dramatic skills.
After laughter subsided, Orane continued. “Annalisa and I spoke but our emphasis was really on the goodness of God and that was what actually brought my heart to hers. She was steadfast in her arguments about God. She was consistent about the goodness of God and all my life, I wanted to be in a relationship with somebody who loves God. It is of utmost importance that I have someone in my life who I can pray with and someone who I can talk with about God. I know that I have found such a person.”
Loud applause followed and I smiled gently at Orane.
“Not to punish you Dr. Selby, I know that you have been standing for a while but it is important that I get this across to our wonderful guests. So, I said to Annalisa, this is what I like and she told me the things that she likes. We talked and talked…” Pockets of snickering and suppresses giggles broke out as Orane emphasized, talked and talked. “We talked on the phone for three or four hours per night.”
Orane smiled at our guests. “Now, this is so amazing. I went back to Dr. Selby and told her that I was going to visit Annalisa in Tallahassee. She said, Really! Gosh! You won her heart.”
Roars of laughter erupted as Orane displayed the full range of his dramatic skills.
“Another evening, I visited Dr. Selby at home and told her that Annalisa and I had spoken and we are going to get married. She said, welcome to the family!”
Raucous laughter broke out again and all eyes focused on a blushing Harriett.
Orane smiled at Harriett. “Dr. Selby, please step forward. I would like to offer you a gift. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a very special woman to me because she has given me the most wonderful woman in the world. Not for you gentlemen to feel bad about your wives, but, I have to speak it the way it is.”
Spontaneous laughter erupted and loud beating of the tables continued as Orane hugged Harriett before she took her seat. He waited patiently for the laughter to subside.
“I would also like to thank our bridal party for making our wedding day a blessing. Thank you for doing such a wonderful job.”
Our guests clapped enthusiastically.
“Special thanks to Melissa and Simon Bassick and their entire family for all that they did to ensure that our special day went off without a hitch. I would also like to thank Mr. Selvin Bassick who filled the role of MC effectively, leading to the enjoyment of our reception. A big thank you to our Ministers—Reverend Fuller and Bishop Barker, our wedding coordinators—Dr. Selby, Mrs. Mohan, Sister Bella and Melissa and our ushers—Arianna, Petra, Vanessa and Allera. Thank you also to our videographer, photographer and decorator. Thank you Kevin Bassick—our director of music, Mr. Joseph Devon—our pianist, the staff of Genova All Suite Hotel and everyone who helped to make this day special. Your creativity, attention to detail and preparation made our special day outstanding.”
Orane waited until the applause dwindled. “As I sat on the plane coming from Tallahassee, I thought of what I wanted our wedding day to represent.” The whole room fell quiet. Orane smiled perceptively. “I am going to do this, the way the Lord has instructed me. Today is the beginning of what is inevitable. The plan of God is without a doubt exact, on time, perfectly orchestrated and always carried out by the humblest. Today is a demonstration of such an exclusive plan. This occasion without a doubt has served its purpose to unite, reunite, reconcile and resuscitate God’s plans for His people. Your love, sacrifice, support and of course your presence has helped to foster the perfect plan of God. Thank you all for coming out today. God bless you all.”
Orane returned to his seat amidst sustained thunderous applause and cheers. I jumped to my feet, kissed and hugged him.
His reply was brilliant, bringing much laughter to an already joyful occasion.
Bustling my gown was no fun…for Melissa and Anaya.
I am indebted to them for finding white loops and buttons on a white bridal gown in dim lighting. During Orane’s speech, after much effort, they bustled my gown.
I felt elegant and sophisticated as I made my way to the dance floor to do the traditional tossing of my bouquet. Ripples of laughter and cheers exploded around the room as my bouquet landed among members of our bridal party then caught by a self-conscious, Shadae.
There was no tossing of my garter!
Thank you Lord!
Actually, I felt like doing a victory dance. I was extremely thankful that Selvin remembered.
“No garter toss,” Orane tol
d me firmly. He had no desire to remove my garter publicly.
I concurred.
I was heading back to my seat when Selvin declared, “Ladies and gentlemen, let’s give a round of applause as Orane and Annalisa perform their first dance.”
Ugh!
I dreaded the first dance!
Imagine that! Me—dreading the idea of dancing. So unnatural!
While Orane was a great dancer, the dance instructor in me wanted to choreograph our first dance. “Babes, just follow my lead,” he said confidently. My eyes widened and he laughed so hard that I had to laugh too. I even suggested that we take dance lessons. You guessed it right. He was not in for that either.
So there I was, being led to the dance floor and praying; praying that my wobbly knees wouldn’t buckle beneath me. As Celine Dion’s version of “At Last” started, Orane smiled and pulled me into his arms. “It’s been dull, really dull being away from you,” he whispered with an appraising glance.
My lips hovered under his. “Huh?” I giggled foolishly as butterflies flew around in my stomach begging to be released. Orane had that look in his eyes. He was ready to play with fire. I was captivated and wanted to play too. I wrapped my hands around the nape of his neck and I remembered no more.
“Did we dance the entire song?” I asked Orane as he escorted me to my seat.
He chuckled softly. “We sure did.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, that was beautiful,” Selvin said smiling. “We thank God for bringing this union together.”
Our guests cheered loudly before Selvin continued. “We would like to acknowledge and say a special thank you to our guests who traveled from overseas, especially Annalisa’s coworkers who are sitting at the table across from me.”
Cheers went up as our overseas guests waved.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Selvin said. “Did you see Annalisa’s face during the dance? I said when we started this evening that we would not have done our jobs if the bride and groom did not leave here smiling. Ladies and gentlemen, we have done our jobs.”
Our guests cheered wildly, hammering the tables.
“We are almost at the end of a wonderful celebration,” Selvin said. “Thank you for coming to celebrate this special day with Orane and Annalisa. Orane and Annalisa, we wish you all the very best as you start your new life together.”
Our guests applauded wholeheartedly.
“The dance floor is now open for dancing,” Selvin concluded.
Orane and I moved to the dance floor and immediately our guests converged around us. The musical selections were impressive and our guests danced the night away. Later, Orane and I waved goodbye and headed for our honeymoon suite where the real celebration would begin.
CHAPTER 36: A NEW SEASON
“Mmm!” I purred in total contentment, cherishing the last moment of blissful sleep before grudgingly opening my eyes. Sunlight streamed through the balcony door flooding our room with glowing light, announcing morning. In a daze, I watched the sunbeams and shadows danced playfully over the comforter and sheets to rest on my husband, lying next to me.
A soft smile pulled at the corners of my mouth. An indescribable night! Raging fires crossed paths igniting an inferno, rupturing explosively before submitting to the mastery of each other. My smile widened. Totally delightful! Far more wonderful than I ever dreamed… Our luxurious ocean front suite at Orion Golf and Spa Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica exceeded my expectations. The burgundy weave patterned carpet, unique octagonal ceiling and exquisite tropical plantation-style decor were absolutely impressive. Double glass doors led to an expansive balcony offering breathtaking views of the sunrise and magnificent grounds. Perfectly placed details create a unique and intimate setting to commemorate our extraordinary season.
Quietness stole over me as I gazed at Orane. Rolling slightly away from the curve of his body, I propped myself upon one elbow. Smiling, I reached out and played with his neatly trimmed beard then trailed light butterfly kisses across his shoulder. Shivers shot through me as his hand crept slowly up the small of my back. Perfect lips curved in a slow satisfied grin and he gazed at me mischievously through sleepy eyes.
“My beautiful wife, good morning.”
My heart melted.
I gazed at him tenderly. “Good morning, my wonderful husband.”
He kissed me and I snuggled comfortably on his chest, enveloped in the gentle scoop of his arms. He placed his lips to my ear and whispered, “I love you now and forever.”
I smiled, utterly satisfied. “You are my love for eternity,” I murmured.
He pulled me closer.
A good morning indeed!
This was an exhilarating start for the beginning of us, two hearts celebrating God’s faithfulness. Above all, we have the faith to walk through this new door and enjoy the scenery. This was an unforgettable journey, perfectly orchestrated by a mighty God. “This was the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.” (Psalm 118:23)
Dear Readers,
Thank you for reading “Unforgettable, My Love Has Come Along”, the first of the “Circle of Love Novels”. This book was based in part on my personal experiences as I embarked on my remarkable journey from singleness to my amazing marriage.
I have labored over this book night after night, hoping to give you a glimpse of the faithfulness of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who understands and meets all my needs. This book is my written testimony of how God perfectly orchestrated my marriage. Albeit, I was an unwilling vessel, at first, so I thank the Lord for choosing me.
I declare and decree that salvation, deliverance, restoration, joy and gladness shall be to all who will come in contact with this book. Lord, let praise, thanksgiving, glory and honor be yours as you use this book as an instrument to change and transform lives, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Unforgettable, My Love Has Come Along, was intentionally designed for your empowerment and reading pleasure. Let me hear from you! Visit www.victoriousbydesign.com and leave me a note.
You are Victorious By Design.
With love,
Ann Marie Bryan
Unforgettable, My Love Has Come Along Page 24
