The Newlyweds part 1

As David and Sharon woke in separate rooms of the hotel on their wedding day, they certainly didn’t know that one of them were going to die sooner rather than later…

They went to the church separately, David getting there before Sharon, as tradition predicted. As the church had almost everyone accounted for, David made his way to the altar, waiting for his bride to walk down the aisle, her father by her side. His eyes were fixed on the tall, mahogany door to the church, anxious for some reason that she’d say ‘no’. That was his biggest fear! He had a dream the previous night that they got to the vows and she refused to take him as her husband! That she walked back down the aisle with everyone looking at her and David looking like an eejit left on the altar.

When the harpist began playing ‘here comes the bride’, David’s heart was going a million miles to the dozen. He watched as the heavy church doors opened and once he saw Sharon in her beautiful dress, he gasped out of disbelief! Her dress, that he was only seeing for the first time, was even more beautiful on her than he could have ever predicted. Her father, John, was smiling like a Cheshire cat, giving David the confidence he needed that Sharon was more than likely going to say ‘yes’.

When Sharon and John finally made their way to the alter, John gave her away, whispering ‘I know you will treat her like the queen she is!’ into David’s ear. He smiled and nodded and John’s job was done, so he made his way to his seat in the first pew.

David couldn’t stop smiling at Sharon! He was blown away by her beauty and the fact that he had the privilege to spend the rest of his life with the woman of his dreams! Sharon could see David physically shaking, so she took each of his hands in hers and nodded at him, a nod that meant he didn’t have to worry! He took a few deep breaths and the ceremony was underway.

It happened to be David who cried the most whilst they said their vows! A handkerchief was handed to him by John that came in very handy! After they said the ‘I do’s’, and David kissed his bride and they made their way to the back of the church to sign the marriage certificate. As they exited, hand in hand they were amazed as all the guests had a little pouch with white rose petals in them to throw over the happy couple as they smiled their way to the stretched limousine that was waiting for them at the gates of the church. They didn’t really need the limo, as the hotel they were having the reception at was only two minutes down the road.

The driver took them all around the town anyway! They were brought to the park where they had their first date. It was a picnic in a field, the sun beating down on them. David, who had organized the date, had made rolls with ham and a bit of mayonnaise to complement the meat nicely, as there was nothing else in the fridge in the digs he was staying in. That was when they first kissed. Then they were brought to the beach and the school they attended. As Sharon started in first year, David had just left for college. He was certain that that was fate as it was unheard of for a first year to date someone that much further along in their education.

The limo finally pulled up outside the hotel! It was the place they met for the first time, when David’s younger sister married Sharon’s older brother twelve years ago. Their sibling's marriage was still going strong! They had four kids in the mix, soon to be five! David assumed John was ok with him marrying his little girl because their sibling's marriage was thriving.

There was a garden at the back of the hotel, which was the most beautiful place to take the all-important photographs. Sharon had ordered a professional photographer, unbeknownst to David, but he was overjoyed when she told him!

They took pictures of the family, then the friends. It was difficult to get the family picture as the kids were like worms, wriggling about in all directions! The photographer was brilliant with them and said he had the start to a lovely photo album, the rest of the pictures were going to come from the reception.

As it was David who had insisted on having three choices for both vegetarians and carnivores, with a special menu for all at the kids' table, everyone seemed to be happy and delighted with the food! ‘That was a really good call!’ Sharon whispered into his ear as she just wanted a set menu to save a few euro.

When the speeches came around, John the first one up, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house! They then moved onto the best man, the bridesmaid, and then the happy couple. Unfortunately, David’s father had passed just after Mary was wed. He just dropped dead one day, gone before he hit the ground from a massive heart attack. David paid homage to his father and handed the microphone to his mother instead. She was blindsided. She had no idea she was going to have to speak and had nothing prepared. She only had David and his sister, Mary, but was delighted that both had married into the same family, one which she had connected with straight away and felt comfortable enough around them to invite them to dinner on multiple occasions. The woman, even with nothing prepared, made a comprehensive speech which was both moving and heart-warming. David wondered what she would have said had she more time to think about it!

As the dance floor was revealed, the DJ ready with, ‘A thousand years’ by Christina Perri, the song they chose to dance their first dance to, David, who had two left feet, surprised Sharon with his moves. He confessed that he had eight lessons with a professional dancer! Sharon, who was great when it came to dancing, was impressed at the fact David had the initiative to do something that was so out of his comfort zone.

The night went off without a hitch! If anything, it could be described as perfection. When they entered their room for the night, one which David’s sister, Mary, had spread red rose petals in the shape of a heart on the bed, it was well into morning! Both had consumed very little alcohol. They had decided not to as they wanted to be able to remember their ‘big day’ forever!

They consummated their marriage that night and were up fresh as daisy’s the next morning! In fact, most of the guests made breakfast. David was aware that hangovers were going to occur, so he had made sure there was paracetamol in each of the bathrooms for those who stayed in the magnificent hotel!

Just as breakfast was coming to a close, Mary and her husband, Robert, announced that their gift to the happy couple was a five-night stay in a camping resort in a campervan. She explained she had gotten whatever she thought they might need and handed them a suitcase, along with keys to the camper, which was parked in front of the hotel. They were both blown away by their siblings' generosity, and gratefully accepted the keys, and the bag, and made their way towards their honeymoon!

They followed the directions to the campsite to a ‘T’. Mary had drawn the route in red sharpie to make it clear to them exactly where they were going.

As they pulled into the campsite, David noticed it looked very run down and noticed it to be only half full. As it was a Sunday, he thought the ‘weekenders’ had just left and was thrilled when they were ushered in the direction of a space with no one around them.

David could see that on the right of the camper was a forest, on the left, a beach. He knew that himself and Sharon loved exploring and having picnics so he thought the surroundings to be sufficient. In the camper, Mary had a picnic ready for the pair, knowing they would get there not long after lunchtime. David, however, had stopped in an Applegreen garage where they started their honeymoon off with a McDonalds.

David, a big man, full of muscle, had the app on his phone and when he ordered the meal, he made sure that he had ordered enough to fill not only himself, but Sharon too. He got three big macs’, twenty chicken nuggets and four chips. They ate in the assigned seats in the garage and brought the chicken nuggets and some chips back to the camper which they picked at enroute to the campsite.

‘We can have the picnic on the beach at sunset!’ Sharon smiled. It was a smile that no matter how many times David saw it, his heart melted! He still couldn’t fathom how a woman like Sharon would choose him to marry! But marry him she did, and there was nothing she could do about it!

‘I’ll hook us up to the sewerage tank and the water pump.’ David announced as Sharon was just about to swallow the last of the chicken nuggets. When he was finished, he saw her struggle with two blue canvas folded up deck chairs. He ran towards her and lifted them from the camper with ease.

Once they were settled, and after consummating their marriage…again, they looked in all of the presses to see what Mary had packed. She had thought of everything! The fridge was fully stocked and the presses too, all of the things the newlyweds loved. She even put in three packets of cherios as she knew David to not only eat them for breakfast, but at night time too, the bowl overflowing with the little ‘O’s’.

They both got dressed, locked the camper, and walked hand in hand towards the beach. David had the picnic basket in his right hand, his left hand’s fingers interlocked with Sharon’s.

There were steps down from the campsite to the beach and as Sharon laid out the rug, David took a peep into the picnic basket. It had rolls with ham and mayonnaise in it, as well as snacks and two bottles of Fanta. ‘She really does know us!’ Sharon giggled when she found the animal crackers she was always stealing from her nieces and nephews. ‘She surely does!’ David said as he found a big bar of white chocolate, put in there for the same reason!

As the pair milled into the picnic, the sky was clear. When the sun began twinkling on the water on the horizon, Sharon got up off the rug and stripped naked. ‘What are you doing?’ David asked her, surprised. ‘Going skinny dipping!’ she smiled back. It was her ‘come hither’ smile, one she knew David would never be able to not act upon.

As she ran into the sea, the moon peaking its head up, David took off his clothes as well and joined her. They didn’t go out beyond their comfort zone, but they did make sweet love in the moonlight.

The next day, David stood at the countertop, eating cherios, when Sharon woke to the crunching sound he made with each bite. ‘What time is it?’ she asked. ‘Time to go exploring!’ David answered. Sharon wiped the sleep from her eyes as David slurped on the last of the milk from his bowl. He contemplated having another one, but seeing as that would be his third, he decided, ‘two is enough…for now anyway!’

They left for the forest not long afterwards, David carrying provisions in a backpack that hung from both shoulders, a serrated switchblade in his front, right hand pocket. They entered the forest with smiles on their faces. Little did they know that the two of them would enter the forest that morning…but how many would leave?