Forever Yours

Chapter 1- For All Eternity "Will you, Alex, have Bess to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort and keep her, and forsaking all others remain true to her for all eternity?" "I will," Alex said softly. "Will you, Bess, have Alex to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort and keep him, and forsaking all others remain true to him for all eternity?" "I will," replied Bess. Alex then said, "With this ring I thee wed, and all my wordly goods I thee endow. In sickness and in health, in poverty and wealth, for all eternity." Bess answered in a like manner. The Baptist minister, Alice Mansfield, concluded the marriage ceremony with, "If anyone here should think this marriage should not be made, let him speak out now or forever hold his tongue." There was a five second pause and then the marriage couple's friend, Phin Billy, stood up in the rear of the Belchertown church and cried out, "I disapprove of this marriage!" Phin quickly sat down in the rear most pew of the hundred and fifty year old church. There was a quietness in the room that spoke louder than words. That lengthy, noiseless period was broken as the minister finished with the words, "I now pronounce you, Alex Samuels, and you, Bess Samuels, man and wife. You may kiss the bride, Alex." Phin stormed out of the congregation and onto the street. There were mixed feelings about Phin's outcry. Everyone knew that Phin liked Bess a lot and had actually courted her for a brief period before Alex started going with her. Alex's parents were concerned about the outburst but Bess's folks thought it was kind of comical. Alex worried about his best friend. Bess just laughed! "I think I'd better catch up to Phin and help him to resolve the anger he felt about our wedding vows," Alex said to his new wife. "He might get in an accident thinking about what he did. Phin usually gets in his car and drives around erratically when he's mad."