Belief in Miracles (completed)

Chapter 36: Sebastian

36Sebastian

Six months later

I couldn't breathe. I gasped as I braced my hands on the edges of the sink, my fingers trembling over the basin. In front of me, my reflection stared with wide eyes, daring me to pull myself together. It was no use.

Diving backward, I burst through the door of the stall and tossed my guts into the toilet. I sank to a crouch to breathe deep when I was finished, my arm braced on the seat to cradle my head. From behind me, I heard the door open, then the soft sound of chuckling as someone stood in the doorway to block the light.

"Bas, this is pathetic." Dev scolded, and without looking, I waved him off.

"I'm fine. Go away."

"Nope. Come on." Grabbing my shoulders, he hoisted me to my feet and flushed the toilet with the toe of his shoe, then dragged me to the sink. "Man of steel, you are." He grumbled as he turned on the tap.

"Shut up." I groaned, and spit into the sink. "I can't breathe."

"It's called nerves. Embrace them." He cupped his hand under the water, then splashed it in my face, making me cringe as he grabbed a handful of paper towels and thrust them at me. "Here, clean yourself up."

I scraped the rough paper over my face and wadded it up, then handed it to Dev as I took a long, deep breath. "I'm fine. I can do this." I said to my reflection, and Dev patted me on the back.

"That's the spirit. Now here," He reached into his pocket and pulled out an Altoids container. "Take a few mints, cause you smell like puke."

"That makes me feel better."

He grinned at me in the mirror before grasping my shoulders. "You got this. Now, come on, everyone's waiting."

He didn't give me a second to catch my breath before all but dragging me from the bathroom. The sound of subtle voices surrounded us, making my heart race again, and I took a deep breath as I straightened my jacket and Dev stood before me to fix the hair I'd messed.

"Never thought I'd miss my oxygen tank." I said, and Dev scoffed.

"Oxygen smoxygen. You're just being a wuss."

"Thanks a lot."

"There you are!" Another voice shouted.

Looking over Dev's shoulder, I saw my Dad, followed by Jerry, come rushing over to us, and hoped it wasn't plainly obvious on my face that I'd gotten sick.

"Where have you been? Everyone's waiting." My Dad said as Jerry straightened my purple bow.

"In the bathroom puking." My brother answered, and I shot him a glare.

Thanks Dev...

He winked at me, then the three of them stood at my sides and led me toward the full sanctuary. "Slow and confident." Jerry assured me from my left. "You're happy to be here."

I swallowed hard as I nodded, and inhaled deeply as we passed through the sanctuary doors. All of our family, plus most of the church congregation and more than half of my kids filled the rows of seats. I felt like I was failing badly as I tried to force a smile and hide my nervousness. I was the happiest I'd ever been in my life.

And I was scared to death. It was indeed pathetic.

"Relax." My Dad said from behind me. "You're walking like you've got a broomstick up your back end."

Dev snorted out a laugh which he quietly covered with his hand as we approached Tom, who was standing at the altar with Ian, Ryan, and Mark, beaming at me.

"Okay, Bas?" He whispered once I took my place at his left, and I nodded just as the music started.

I clasped my hands in front of me to keep them from shaking, my heart leaping into my throat as Maddy and Chelsea started through the doorway in the back of the sanctuary. They were both smiling, done up in pretty purple dresses as they littered rose petals down the carpet. My four sisters-in-law trailed them.

"Breathe." Dev whispered from immediately behind me, and I blew out as I realized I'd been holding my breath, still feeling a rushing sense of gratitude when I felt my lungs expand and release with ease.

My breath was short-lived however when the door opened again, and Summer came through, then all the air my entire body possessed fled me on a gust of wind. Suddenly, it felt as though there was no one else there as my eyes locked on her. The sanctuary became a blur of colorless, featureless faces as I zoned in solely on her, and she took my breath away like no cancer could ever manage to do.

Her eyes found mine with a grin that stretched her entire face. Meeting her expression, I folded my hands tighter together, my entire body thrumming with a new kind of anticipation as she made her way slowly toward me. Her long white dress trailed behind her, accented by a purple corsage on her wrist. Her flaming red hair had the fuzz straightened out of it, then was re-curled so that it fell in silky waves over her shoulders and down her back. I almost choked as tears filled my eyes. She was by far, the most beautiful woman God ever created, and in a matter of minutes, she would be my wife.

My eyes shot Heavenward as she approached me, and I silently praised God with everything that I had, knowing that He had given me so much more than I ever deserved. Not just my health, which was a miracle in itself, but Summer. The love of my gratefully long life. I took her hand in mine as she stepped up onto the altar, and held it tight as Tom performed our wedding with tears in his eyes.

"And so, it is my great, great pleasure, to pronounce Summer and Sebastian man and wife, and wish them a happy, healthy, and long—" His voice choked, nearly wrecking me. "—long life." He finished, and closed his bible.

Ignoring those around us, I wrapped my arms around Summer and pulled her close to me. For several seconds, we just stared at each other, her eyes lost in mine as I slowly gathered her face in my hands.

"I love you." She mouthed as I skimmed her cheeks with my thumbs, and I smiled.

"I love you."

And with my breath held, and my lungs not aching from it, I pulled her lips to mine. The room broke out in a euphonious uproar of applause, but I barely heard them over my own beating heart. Summer kissed me deeply, her lips sliding over mine as her fingers skimmed up into my hair to mess it up.

"Till death do us part." She whispered against my lips, and I chuckled.

"Which won't be for a long time." I whispered back, and she choked, just a little, wetting my cheeks with her tears as she nuzzled against me.

"I thank Jesus everyday for you." She said, and I pulled away to wipe her tears.

"That makes two of us." I smiled, and pressed my forehead to hers. "I'm alive, Summer. I'm healthy, and I have you as my wife, which, by the way, officially gives me full reign to succumb to my desire for you..."

She laughed softly, and angled her head to whisper softly in my ear. "Just wait until tonight."

Grinning wide, I leaned back to look into her eyes. "God is great, and I need nothing else in my life now. Just you and Him."

She laughed on a half-cry and kissed me again before we were pulled away by our surrounding family and friends. The room was full of congratulations, but I saw little but the eyes of my wife, knowing that it was her belief in miracles that brought us there. I thanked God for her; for my health, for the fact that she made miracles possible, and I cried out with joy to Jesus, turning our wedding into one giant worship service.

I wouldn't have had it any other way.