Sisters, Friends, and Lovers Ch. 32

"I do."

"Fran will you state your vows to Steve."

"Steve, I love you and have from the day we met. You are my best friend, lover, wise teacher, confidant, personal comedian, and a source of great inspiration. You have caused me to find and feel the deepest depths of my heart and soul, and your loving support has helped me find new strength and wisdom. Today, I, Fran Henson, give myself to you in marriage. I vow to appreciate you, respect you, trust you, take care of you, and to love you unconditionally. I vow to treat you with kindness, dignity, selflessness, patience, and understanding regardless of any challenges we may face. And I vow to continue to do the personal growth and spiritual work that is needed to maintain a healthy, harmonious, joyful, and fulfilling partnership that will last for as long as we both shall live.

Bowman said to Fran, "Do you Fran Henson take Steven Wallace to be your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, in all conditions good and bad, for as long as you both shall live."

"I do."

Everyone around us near the altar, those seated watching us wed, and a cluster of other people staying at the resort who had gathered off to the side, broke into cheers and yells of congratulations and happiness.

My brother and Sheila stepped forward and read a poem by Wilferd Peterson called'The Art of Marriage.'

Bowman stepped in and asked my brother to step forward with the rings. Doug moved next to us and gave me a happy wink.

"Steve, what words go with the ring you give to Fran."

I spoke clearly, "I give you this ring as a sign that I choose you to be my lover, my partner,
 and my best friend, today, tomorrow, and always." I took the ring from Doug and slipped it onto Fran's ring finger.

Bowman nodded to Fran, and she took the other ring from Doug.

Fran said, "I give this ring
 as a symbol of my promise to always love you, cherish you, honor you, and respect you."

There were more cheers.

At that point the wedding party started to shuffle around and rearrange. Fran moved to my side, and the bridesmaids moved to face us. From the audience Kristen, Rita, Gale (looking very pregnant), Nancy (also pregnant), Pam, Brenda, Sheri, and Marge came forward and joined the group.

Bowman said to the rest of the audience, "Steven Wallace will now expand his pledge of love."

I spoke to the assemblage of women, "Today, on this important day in my life, I also choose to express my love, passion, and joy to each of you for being in my life, and I hope for staying in my life from this point forward. I would marry all of you if I could, and my love, and that of my new wife, expands to include all of you, because we each believe that the more we love the more love there is. So in my joy and happiness today, I also pledge my love to each of you. I will care for you in mind, body, and spirit, as much as is humanly possible."

Next to me, Fran spoke up, "I add my pledge of love and support to each of you as well."

Bowman turned to the group of women, "Do you accept and promise to return the love expressed by Steven and Fran to you in equal or greater measure."

In unison, the female voices said, "We do."

Fran and I turned, as the men Fran had selected shuffled into a cluster. She spoke clearly as well, her strong voice almost echoing over those assembled, "I love each you. You have been kind and loving to me, cared for me in many ways, and signaled your love to me in mind, body, and spirit. From this point on, I want my love and happiness to include each of you as well as my new husband. My pledge today, as Steve did for the women, expands to include you as well. I love you all."

I spoke at that point to the men, "I join my wife in her love for you and in having you in our extended and intentional family."

Bowman turned to the men, "Do you accept and promise to return the love expressed by Fran and Steven to you in equal or greater measure."

In unison, the male voices said, "We do."

Bowman turned to Fran and me, and gestured for the audience to rise. "On this day of joy and love, and by the power invested in me by the government of this Island and of France, I now pronounce you man and wife. Please enjoy your first kiss as a married couple, and may you enjoy all the blessings of the world in your union and the deep friendships you have pledged here today."

I kissed Fran and then we each turned and began kissing the friends to whom we had pledged our love. Sheila and Ally caught me first, then Jean, Jane, Ivy, René, and Loren, who had tears streaming down her face I had to kiss away. Pam flowed into my arms, and then Brenda. Zoey and Kristen found me and we kissed. Loren blubbered, "Oh, I'll love you and Fran forever. I feel so married to you. I'm so happy."

Jean found me again and our kiss was anything but distant relative or mother-in-law; I even felt some tongue from her. She laughed as we pulled apart and whispered, "Please make love to me later." Rita came next, and then Marge.

Zoey caught my attention, "I want to make love to you later, but I've got to tell you that ... well, I really feel married to you now. I thought this would feel just a little tacky, but this has been beautiful, and ... Oh, God, I love you so." She dissolved into tears for the first time in my presence, and kissed me really hard in a huge long hug.

Behind me, Fran had been kissing each of the men she'd pledged. I knew we'd all be sharing our love physically with each other soon, but now there was a party to attend.

Gradually, I became aware that the rest of those attending were in our midst, congratulating and kissing us. I saw Fran go to my parents and hug and kiss each of them. I chuckled as I watched my father's eyes lock onto Fran's breasts and svelte form as she came to him, and then onto her ass as Fran turned to kiss my mother. Maybe we'd loosen them up after all; they both seemed very happy with the events. I moved to them after Fran had moved on to some of the other friends who had come, and after that we got swallowed up in a crowd of people that even included some of the other resort guests who had watched the wedding from the perimeter.

To be continued

Dear Germandragon, thank you for editing my story. You're great.