Page 168 of Don't Leave Me

“Wonderful,” Judge Meyers smiled at us. “Please, turn to each other and take hands. Do you, Jack Maynor, take Hana Miller to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you swear in the presence of those gathered here you will love, honor, cherish and comfort her, in good times and bad, forevermore?”

My eyes stared into Jack’s. I kept repeating to myself that this was the old Jack that I knew, the sweet Jack, as he stared at me kindly, lovingly. This was the Jack that I loved.

“I do,” Jack answered, giving me a quick flash of his dimples.

I smiled back quickly.

“Do you, Hana Miller, take Jack Maynor to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you swear in the presence of those gathered here you will love, honor, cherish and comfort him, in good times and bad, forevermore?”

My heart was pounding against my rib cage, my ears hot with adrenaline. I gulped and looked at my sweet Jack.This is for everyone you love. “I do.”

“A ring is a circle, so shall your love for each other be, a circle with no beginning and no end, complete forever,” Judge Meyers went on.

Emily put her hand to my shoulder and I turned. She presented me with a white gold band for Jack – indeed simple and classy. It looked like the one I had picked out for Michael.Nope, push that thought back.Jack already had my band in his hand, eagerly waiting for me.

“Jack, place the ring on Hana’s left ring finger and repeat after me - With this ring, I thee wed.”

I could see my chest rising up and down quickly, deeply.

“With this ring, I thee wed,” Jack smiled at me, not breaking eye contact as he placed the band above the engagement ring he gave me.

I glanced down and it was a smaller, thinner version of what I was giving him.

“Hana, place your ring on Jack’s left ring finger and repeat after me – With this ring, I thee wed,” Judge Meyers instructed me.

I took the band to Jack’s left ring finger and slipped it on slowly, my hands shaking.

“With this ring, I thee wed,” I glanced up at him – I felt like I was on autopilot, that I was watching a simulated version of myself perform this.

Jack smiled at me again, and I did the same. He took both my hands with his again.

“May you always share with each other the gifts your love brings, be one in heart. May you always create a home together to share your love, generosity, and kindness,” Judge Meyers proclaimed; it sounded like he was 100 feet away as I stared at Jack, barely able to hear anything other than my rapid, beating heart.

“Hana and Jack, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may seal the promises you have made to each other this day with a kiss,” Judge Meyers declared.

Jack took a step towards me, put one hand to my face and the other on the low of my back, and gave me a sweet, tender kiss, holding onto me for a few moments. I was lost in that moment – I was kissing Jack, the Jack that I had originally fell for, the sweet, sarcastic, gentle, kind, creative, sad, hopeless romantic Jack. I could hear Emily cheering and all I could think about was how my life was now completely in Jack’s hands. I was now, legally, his.

44

Chapter 44

It was a blur as I was whisked away by Jack into the halls of city hall. I could see Emily smiling at me, her eyes shining like she had just witnessed the most beautiful, emotional wedding of all time. There were only a few people waiting to get married now, and I eyed all of their happy faces, looking at me with stars in their eyes. I felt like I was in slow motion, stunned, and Jack’s hand in mine guiding me out the entrance was the only thing keeping me afloat. I didn’t remember posing for the photographer after we kissed, but Emily was adamant that we needed to take more outside of the beautiful city hall with her new phone. She had us give our coats to Adam and he walked a pace ahead of us.

“Hana!” Emily snapped me out of my trance as the fresh, outside air hit my face. “Is that okay?” She had a confused smile on her face.

“What’s that?” I mumbled - I felt like you could even hear the defeat in my voice.

“I wanna take pictures of you two! This is such a beautiful building and you guys just got fuckingmarried,” she announced, like it was some big surprise.

“Oh, of course,” I smiled at her, then turned to Jack - he was reeling in his own happiness as he smiled down at me.

Adam was already waiting expectantly at the bottom of the stairs that led to the entrance, taking his own artsy photos of the architecture.

“Okay, go…stand over there,” Emily instructed, pointing to the stairs and the spot that would frame the picture perfectly.

Jack led me over, slowly, somehow now knowing that I needed a moment. Emily walked down to where Adam stood, waiting for us. The sky was overcast now and I knew the lighting for the pictures would be perfect. I had to keep thinking of the now, I had to be happy in the moment.

“Mrs. Hana Maynor. I never thought this day would come,” Jack said to me quietly, playfully, as he held onto me with his strong arms.

---