The rings had the same design of their original ones, and now, it was a déjà vu to see them resting on their hands like two fallen pieces of the Milky Way.

They looked at each other, smiled, and tightened their grip.

Alice stood there, wondering what the couple would say next, completely forgot it was her job to carry the ceremony. Michelangelo poked her side timidly and whispered. “Antie Alice? I think it’s time to kiss the bride.”

“Is that right? Ok, who wants to kiss the bride?”

“Alice!” Bette shot eye daggers at their extremely muddled pastor. “I haven’t kissed my bride.”

“Oops, my bad. Hold that thought. Let the… uh… let the bride kiss the bride.” It felt strange to announce it that way, but she said it anyway.

As the couple kissed, the beholders cheered and clapped again. They escorted them out to the area where it used to be the gym. From the old radio, came the raspy rustle of a mixed CD loading. “First dance!” Shane whistled and leaned back to the wall, with a smile so bright that didn’t suit her smoky makeup very well.

Bette readily put a hand on the small of Tina’s back, guided her to the middle of the floor, and held her closely. The CD finally started to play, and to the blonde’s delight, it was the old song “Wind Beneath My Wings”. “Alice…!” The brunette hissed between her teeth and rolled her eyes. She specifically told Alice no cliches like this. But she couldn’t rally a sparkle of anger. Tina was laughing at the choice of song, twinkling of tears in her hazel eyes, she laughed even more hysterically when Alice shrugged with her palms up and said, “it’s not a wedding without the classics!”

They swayed together, bodies pressed, in half the speed of the already slow song, and listened to the lyrics, uttered with such strength and sincerity.

“I want you to know I know the truth…”

“Of course I know it.” Bette whispered beside her ear.

“I would be nothing without you.

Did you ever know that you’re my hero,

everything I wish I could be.

I could fly higher than an eagle,

for you are the wind beneath my wings.”

Tina rested her cheek against the taller women’s neck, Bette’s aroma easily enveloped her. Their first dance in the Planet, their dance in the present, the pictures interplayed in front of her eyes, like a dream she was dreaming. Back then, she also had a simple T-shirt on, jeans, canvas shoes. That innocent, timid young girl fell in love just like that wrapped in Bette’s arms. Now, now she let herself fall freely.

Bette was flying on the highest sky. She closed her eyes to the gentle movement and suddenly her heart was flooded by the overwhelming sense of appreciation. Nothing else in the world could make her appreciate life like she did now.

“Oh you, you, the wind beneath my wings.

Fly, fly so high against the sky,

so high I almost touch the sky.

Thank you,

thank you,

thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings.”

The song ended, and the rest of the family started to mingle in for the following songs. Father/daughter dance was next. Tina danced with Sam while Bette put her arms on William’s thin shoulders. They also took turn dancing with Michelangelo, who already reached the height of Bette’s shoulder. He was such a dependable boy. His mothers were damn sure he’d make a great man. Even grandmother stretched her limbs to show off a little dancing with her granddaughter, and it gave everybody a good laugh.

Alice’s mixed CD turned out not to be a disaster. It brought up sweet, funny memories from the greatest days of their high school years. What was even better, more sweet, funny memories were made today. And on this day, they were reminded that this time around, there would be a deserving outcome to their favorite love story.

The couple danced, with everybody, and finally they met together again. Under the blessing stares of their family, they embraced. Such a long way they had both come, suffering and hardship they had endured, round and round they searched, then they found the path that led them back to each other.

Some years ago, Bette had heard a love poem when she worked in China. She couldn’t stop thinking about it. The piece roughly translated as “I don’t want the night to go by, for I can worship you thoroughly. I don’t want the night to linger, for I wish we both become grey by the morning so we’ll never have to separate.”

The night was yet to fall.