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Chapter 29: More Surprises
"Presenting for the first time in public, Mr. and Mrs. Darren and Faith
Hayes!" Daniel hollered into his mic as Darren ran into the room where the
reception was being held with Faith in his arms. She was laughing as he stopped
in the middle of the huge dance floor out on the patio. The moon was already
hanging low in the sky. Darren put her down, and Daniel continued to speak.
"And now for the first dance of the evening. Guys, go ahead."
The music began to play in the background. Faith immediately recognized it with
the flutes began to hum. She looked over at Darren and smiled. "I stand at
your gate. And the song that I sing is of moonlight. I stand and I wait for a
touch of your hand in an April night. The roses are sign of moonlight
serenade," he sang. "The stars are all aglow. And tonight how their
light set me dreaming. My love, do you know that your eyes are like stars
brightly beaming? I bring you, and I sing you a moonlight serenade."
Faith rested her cheek on his shoulder as he continued, "Let us trace 'til
break of day in love's valley of dreams. Just you and I, a summer sky, a
heavenly breeze, kiss on a tree. So don't let me wait. Come to me tenderly in
the April night. I stand at your gate and I sing you a song in the moonlight, a
love song, my darling, a moonlight serenade."
Sniffling, Faith said, "That was so sweet. And it's so perfect for
tonight."
"I know, that's why I chose it," Darren replied as he bent down and
kissed her.
Faith licked her lips and said, "I have something for you. I finished it a
few days ago. I hope you like it." She sat down at the piano and gently
began to play the tune of something Darren had never heard before. Softly, she
began to sing, "When I think how life used to be, always walking in the
shadows. Then I look at what you've given me; I feel like dancing on my tiptoes.
I must say everyday I pray when realize you're by my side; I know I'm truly...
Blessed for everything you've given me. Blessed for all the tenderness you show.
Do my best with every breath that's in me. Blessed to make sure you never go.
"There are times that I test your faith 'til you think you might surrender.
Baby I'm, I'm not ashamed to say that my hopes will grow in splendor. You walked
by in the nick of time looking like an answered prayer. You know I'm truly...
Blessed for everything you've given me. Blessed for all the tenderness you show.
Do my best with every breath that's in me. Blessed to make sure you never go.
"Blessed with love and understanding. Blessed when I hear you call my name.
Do my best with faith that's never-ending. Blessed to make sure you feel the
same. Deep inside you fill me with your tender touch... Blessed for everything
you've given me. Blessed for all the tenderness you show. Do my best with every
breath that's in me. Blessed to make sure you never go."
Faith stood up from the piano and walked over to where Darren was standing.
"Did you really write that?" he asked.
"Yeah, and I mean every word of it," she replied as she crowd began to
applaud their performances. They bowed and quickly took their seats at the main
table so dinner could start.
After the wine had been served, Daniel stood up and tapped his glass to make
sure everyone was watching him. Pulling a sheet of paper out of his breast
pocket, he began to read, "Darren, in the ten years that I've known you,
I've seen you get married twice, record two albums with me, write several hit
singles, get divorced, start working on a solo album, break up Savage Garden,
release several of your own hit singles, start touring, find the right woman,
have a beautiful baby girl, and get married again. Let me just say after all of
that, you finally picked the right best man." Laughter rolled from the
small crowd. "But getting serious, I've also seen you fall in love with
someone so deeply that I know the bond you share with her can never be broken.
You've finally found yourself the perfect girl, and even though your time
together might be short, at least you'll have each other and you'll have Hope,
in both senses of the word." Daniel held up his glass and waited until
everyone else had also before adding, "To Darren and Faith, may your time
on this earth be longer than what the doctors are predicting, and may your love
continue to grow strong."
Clapping erupted from the crowd as he sat down and Morgan stood up. "What
the hell," she said. "My speech sucks compared to his." Everyone
began to laugh again. "Okay . . . Faith, Darren, I'm so glad that you two
finally got married. It was about time! We even had a bet going on between the
band members to see how long it would take before you two finally realized you
were meant to be. Let me just say, I won, but that really doesn't mean anything
here, now, does it? Anyway, Faith, my best friend and my confidant, I'm so happy
for you. I hope your life with Darren is filled with love and passion as it has
always been. Darren, thank God you found Faith before someone else did. She
really needed someone like you in her life and you apparently needed someone
like her too. I'm so glad you two found each other. You really are soul mates,
two star crossed lovers, but without all the Romeo and Juliet crap. I hope you
have a wonderful life together. So a toast to you and your eternal love."
She held up her glass.
With the two speeches out of the way, it was time for dinner, then the cutting
of the cake, and finally the bouquet and garter toss. To everyone's surprise,
Leonie was the one who caught the bouquet and Ben caught the garter.
The reception continued until the break of dawn the next morning, when almost
everyone was partied out and falling asleep. Limos pulled out of the restaurant
from five to seven in the morning, when Darren, Faith, Morgan, and the others
finally left.
Faith was already asleep at the main table when Darren knew it was time to
leave. He gently picked her up and carried her out to the car where Morgan and
Ben were waiting. They were going to stay at the apartment that night and take
care of Hope so Darren and Faith could have a little bit of time alone before
responsibilities started to set in again. There was to be no honeymoon since
Faith had become too weak to travel anywhere besides Illinois and maybe Indiana.
The others finally piled into the limo and it was off to the Drake to drop
everyone off.
"We'll see you guys tomorrow, probably," Darren whispered as Leonie,
Angi, Tracy, Pete, Daniel, and Lee stepped out of the limo.
"Okay, we'll get together and do something," Daniel suggested as he
stuck his head back inside.
"I'll give you guys a call," Darren replied before Daniel gently
closed the door and the driver rode off to the apartment.
Faith let out a low moan as she woke up. "Where are we?" she asked.
"We're in the limo, going home," Darren answered as he brushed a
strand of her hair away from her face. She still lay in his lap.
"Oh, okay. Goodnight then," Faith replied as she closed her eyes and
fell asleep again.
Darren laughed softly as he looked over at Ben and Morgan, their arms wrapped
around each other as they slept. 'What a night,' he thought.
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