Street Life

Rose

Charlie's POV

"Let's go to the beach today" he says. "I would love to have a long walk."
I am not really into it because I'd rather spend our last day in bed with him. But he seems so determined that I sigh and get up to the bathroom to get ready.

"I will pick out a dress to wear for you." He tells me while I shower. I wonder, he was always happy with the dress choices I made. Or maybe he just acted like he was, maybe he thinks I don't look good in what I wear normally?

Arrgh, I hate it when those thoughts enter my head and make me overthink everything and get all insecure and down.
He told me he loves me and I love him, I don't know how we manage to stay together in the future but now we are together and I am the happiest I have ever been.
Tomorrow he will have to leave but I will only cry then and I will not let my sadness spoil the last day we have together. So I get out of the shower and try to make myself look the best today. I see my reflection in the mirror and as always wonder how average I am and why someone like Tony would see something special in me.
Charlie, stop it, I scold myself, he loves you, enjoy it and don't fuck things up by being so negative all the time.

I come out of the bathroom and have to smile when I see Tony all excited holding out a dress to me. "This one is perfect, I have never seen you wear it. Will you try it on for me?" It is a short and cute dress that is not really white but a very light cream and consists of various layers of semi transparent soft fabric that give a slight A-shape. I bought it a couple of years ago but hardly ever wore it because I felt overdressed most of the time.
"Really Tony? Isn't that a bit much for going to the beach?" I ask while holding up my arms to let Tony slip the dress over my head.
It fits perfectly I have to admit and the look in his eyes shows me he likes what he sees.

"You know Charlie, you are so beautiful, I still can't believe that you belong to me. I love you so much, Baby." He pulls me close very gently as if he is afraid of braking me and kisses me softly.
"Now for shoes" he looks around in my closet with a frown.

"If you don't mind Tony, I would like to go barefoot. I think it gives the outfit something natural." I ask him.
He looks at me astonished but then a big smile spreads across his face.

"Of course you do, yes you are right, barefoot suits you best." And he takes my hand and kisses me again.
I wonder how he can still be so happy knowing this is our last day, but then that is what I promised myself as well and he is right, we have to cherish every moment we have.

He has dressed up as well wearing his black skinny jeans and a beautiful dark red button up shirt with a black tie. I think he just wants to celebrate the time we had together. So I hold his face in my hands and kiss him back.

"You, Mr. Perry look beautiful today and I love you so much. Thank you for being here."

"Okay, let's go." He takes my hand and pulls me out of the house to the car.

We drive to Tallow's beach and start walking along the sand. It is my favourite beach because it stretches over five miles and is almost empty you don't see any houses because they are tucked away behind the dunes that are overgrown with all sorts of trees and native bushland so it feels like you're alone on a wonderful water planet. And you have an amazing view onto the lighthouse up on Watego's headland, which I have always seen as my beacon, my guiding light.

When we reach the beach entrance that leads to the local High School I see a woman walking towards us, dressed in a kind of white robe. I think she wants to ask something or might need some help so I turn to her and smile.

"Hello, my name is Amanda and I assume you are Tony? " she turns to him. She doesn't really look like she is a fan so I wonder why she knows his name. Tony nods his head, then the woman turns to me. "Then you must be the famous Charlie, hi, pleased to meet you."

I look at Tony confused but he just seems somewhat excited but not worried at all, so he might know her from somewhere.
"Ahem, well I don't know about famous but yeah, pleased to meet you Amanda, how can we help you?" I try to find out.

"The question is more, how can I help You." She answers with a smile. Then she opens her bag and takes out a flower crown made of red roses and hands it to Tony. He turns to me and sets the crown onto my head smiling sweetly. Oh, Okay, so this woman sells flowers, I think but that doesn't make sense. What's going on?

Tony takes both my hands and looks into my eyes, Amanda clears her throat and starts to speak.

" We are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the union of Tony and Charlie in marriage. "

I turn to Amanda and then back to Tony, my eyes wide with shock.

"Wait! What? Tony you can't, I mean - we don't, - this doesn't ... God Tony, that is so...you mustn't " I stutter until Tony stops my rambling by placing his hand on my mouth bringing his face closer to mine speaking in a low and soft voice.

"Shush, my little angel, let her speak, I only want to hear you say yes or no, no arguments, do you hear me, I know exactly what I am doing here so you decide what YOU want today."

I have to blink a few times because I am so confused and my knees threaten to buckle under me but I stay quiet and look at Amanda who stopped talking and nod at her to go on.

"Do you Antonio Perry, take Charleen Winston to be your lawfully wedded wife, promising to love and cherish, through joy and sorrow, sickness and health and whatever challenges you may face for as long as you both shall live?"
Tony smiles widely when he answers with a steady voice. "Yes, Amanda, I absolutely do."

She turns to me. "Do you Charleen Winston, take Antonio Perry, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health and whatever challenges you may face, for as long as you both shall live?"

I do, is what I am thinking but I don't want to hold Tony back in what he can achieve in his life, I don't want him to give anything up because of me, I don't want to be a burden to him, oh my God, what shall I say? I look at my love and his eyes are big and he looks like a little boy, full of hope but also full of fear because I haven't answered yet. "What do you want?" He whispers.

I swallow hard, I hope I am not about to make the biggest mistake of our lives here. "Oh my God, yes, I do" I answer in a raspy voice tears beginning to form in my eyes.
"Then you may now exchange the rings." I look at Tony for help, he grins and pulls two golden bands from his pocket and takes my hand to slip one ring onto my finger which fits perfectly then he hands me the other and I take his hand and caress his fingers before I slide his ring onto his hand.

"By the authority vested in me by the state of New South Wales, Australia I declare you wife and husband, you may now kiss the bride."

He kisses me and then whispers in my ear. "This is the best day of my life, Mrs Perry, I fucking love you."

Amanda shakes our hands and hands us the marriage certificate which we have to sign. This document makes it possible for me to get a permanent visa for the US as I am now married to a citizen, it will take a few weeks and some appointments with the embassy here in Sydney but they practically cannot deny it.

I still am not capable of grasping the consequences of our doings as Tony hands Amanda his phone and she takes some pictures of us.
Then she wishes us all the best and says goodbye.
When she is gone Tony presses me to his chest. "Don't worry Baby, once you are in the States we will have a proper marriage with a huge party and everything that you wish for."

I have to laugh. "You still don't know me, do you? If I could have wished for a marriage it would have probably been something like this, on the beach, barefoot and just us two and the huge ocean to witness. I don't even know how you were able to make this all happen without me noticing. But if you want to we will have a huge party back in San Diego and invite all our friends."

I start to pull him to the waters edge "But for now Mr. Perry since I have a new name I think I should get baptised and as you vowed to follow me everywhere you will get wet too." With that I push him into the waves and he grabs my hand as he falls and pulls me with him so we end up fully dressed playing in the water like two little kids.

I take off my flower crown and as there are no bridesmaids to throw it to I swirl around and throw it into the ocean and watch it float into the open sea on the waves. "I see you in America little roses!"