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“Into this estate these two persons present come now to be joined”

A buzzing sound began to build in Shanal’s ears and her chest grew tight A tre another burst of cloying scent

“If anyone here has just cause why Burton and Shanal ether, let them speak now or forever hold their peace”

Silence stretched out in the cathedral—silence filled with the ever increasing buzz in her ears and the erratic pounding of her heart

Forever

It was a very long time

She thought for a brief second of her parents Of how her father had always loved and provided for her mother Of how her mother had always stood rock solid by her man, even noith all the uncertainty their future promised Would Burton ever be that rock for her? Could he be? The priest’s words echoed through her etherspeak now

“I do,” Shanal said, her voice shaking, unsure

Burton inclined his perfectly coiffed head, a puzzled twist to his lips “Darling? That’s not your line, not yet, anyway”

She dropped her bouquet, unheeding now of the scent of the flowers as they fell heavily on the carpeted altar, and worked her three-carat, princess-cut diaer A princess for his princess, Burton had said when he’d slid it on her hand—its fit perfect, of course

Shanal thrust the ring toward him “I can’t do this, Burton I’m so sorry,” she choked out

It was the first time she’d ever seen her erudite fiancé at a loss for words With the perfect manners that were soback froers curled around the syether, Shanal turned away frorooathered her voluminous skirts in her hands