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surrounded by the floral green carpet of mossy grass that covered the earthly skyscraper and falling fog, it was like being carried to heaven or the closest thing to it! Taking my eyes off the scenery and catching him adoringly staring at me again, I welled up with unstoppable tears. “I am so lucky, is this really happening?” He squeezed my hands and replied back “You’re the only one for me…I love you!” relieving the anxiety written all over my tear stained face.

Chapter 22

Getting out of the carriage we were greeted by good fortune from the Gods above. A sun shower cascaded over us at we advanced into the ancient holy temple. My tears of joy dried and my happiness was glowing for all to see. The many visitors to the temple stopped and took photos of the passing bride and groom, no other foreigners had ever been married there and certainly anyone wearing traditional western wedding attire, such a sight had never been seen behind these religious walls, we became a permanent icon at the temple. The ceremony was done in the Buddhist customs according to their ancestral accordance, and translated for us in our own language. Both Robbie and I were anointed with a blessing from the monk with a splash of water and seven sacramental bracelets, each one representing another meaning to the longevity of our union together. We signed our names in the Buddhist wedding registry of Doi Cept Temple and officially became Mr. & Mrs. Roberts at least officially in our hearts knowing the laws of Australia only recognize certified weddings, meaning when we got back to his homeland we’d have to make a run for the courthouse. This was our real wedding though, perfect down to every detail. Walking up to the highest point of the temple to the balcony hanging over the edge of a cliff side over looking the city of Chang-Mai, we knew we had found the perfect spot to recite our vows of love to each other. Providing everything for me and more than I could ever ask for, his vows were to love me unconditionally until death do we part, shelter me from all the cruelty in the world that I was so accustomed too and to be like the bear, because the bear never forgets. Tears once again streamed down from my eyes as he made this moment unforgettable. Wiping the mascara fading underneath my eyelids whilst giggling at my embarrassment I took his hands back into mine again and gave him the vows that were the sacred prepared words from my heart. My ears were thundering the sound of a million horses hoofs descending downhill and my heart was beating so fast my words barely trembled out of my mouth when I began to tell him how much he had changed my whole life around and how I would dedicate my entire being to loving him and only him until I blew my final breath.

I meant every word that I said to him, this was it for me, wanting nothing more out of life than to be with someone like him to raise a few kids together and grow old on the front porch letting the days fade us by. I know it probably sounds boring to most and it would’ve to me as well many years ago but after the life I had led, I had enough experience in the real world for my liking and now all I want to do is to enjoy the remaining days of my life for what it is…a simple and satisfying existence. Our day was so special but not only to us, even too the Monk that married us. Upon our descent down the lifts he asked if he could take a photo with the bride and groom in front of their symbolic liberty bell signifying the union between east and west. It represented a lot for us too, it was the commencement of a new life together and just the beginning of battling each other’s past demons together.

Kissing the bridal party goodbye, who were just the local girls I had met on some of our many nights out of having fun. I threw my arranged bouquet of Thailand’s white wedding floras mixed with colorful orchids to the screaming Thai women behind me and we were given one last tradition to take with us, the release of caged doves. It was such an incredible gesture, especially for me. Symbolizing their freedom as well as mine I opened the cage’s door to let them free to decide our own fates. As the wings on the birds began to spread open and they took their final decent into the blue skies granting themselves freedom I knew mine had finally come too. The relevance of watching them fly away and how I had perceived my own day of marriage related to the identical feeling of fleeing an entrapment of my own kind. I was liberated from the bounds of slavery I had come to know over the many years I had spent with my fair share of greedy perverted old men only to have serendipity mend my scars with the powerful healing of what true love has to endeavor on.

As customary in the romance novels I had read as a young girl he picked me up in the hallway before our hotel suite and carried me over the threshold, poufy dress and all. My arms were tightly squeezed around his neck never once taking my eyes off of him until he revealed yet another sweet surprise. Besides the cleaners tiding up my room while we were gone they were also given instructions by none other than the groom himself to pick the petals off the stems of red roses to place on our bed in the shape of a giant heart. The rose petals led the way to where we consummated our love physically and it was undeniably the first time in my life I had really ever made love too. Hours had passed by before we thought about anything else besides one another’s words of arousal, tantalizing touches, and lingering kisses. We ate a quiet dinner at a local restaurant and went straight back to the arms of each other again, so

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