It is a difficult to aspire to eternal happiness in a mortal world where imperfection traces and defines the schemes of an ideal marriage; unless you are willing to respect, forgive, love without limits, and persevere day by day, without losing the focus that has led us to establish a union by common consent as we walk facing challenges on the road of life. Learning to live and enjoy every moment that we spend with our loved one. Strengthening every quality or aspect that has taught us to LOVE.
Nora remained ecstatic, with the image of Eduardo kneeling in front of her embedded in her pupils, where the universe of her love shone among thousands of stars. Tears began to well up in her eyes. Her heart raced, her thoughts floated between unfulfilled dreams and wishes that wanted to materialize, her lips trembling as she said, “YES!”
Eduardo stood up, took Nora’s left hand, and placed the engagement ring on her ring finger as a symbol of the love they both felt. Then they melted into a warm embrace, while tender words of love were said.
The next day they began to prepare for the wedding, neither of them wanting to wait too long to get married. Alicia collaborated financially to cover the expenses of the wedding despite not feeling happy about the marriage of Nora and Eduardo.
Eduardo informed his parents of his decision to marry a second time. His parents expressed their desire to be present on the day of the wedding, but Eduardo replied that they were not present when he had married Ana and that they did not have to be present on the day of his wedding with Nora. Eduardo’s parents did not understand why they could not be at the wedding, but they decided to respect his son’s decision. However, Eduardo’s mother spread the news among all her friends.
Irene, Susana’s friend found out about the news and immediately told Susana. Upon learning that Eduardo was getting married for the second time, many memories flooded Susana’s heart. But she didn’t give it importance because when Eduardo left, he carried with him the goal of being happy again. And in that process, Susana knew that Eduardo would forget about Ana. Although for a moment her heart was shocked to think that when Eduardo married, he would want to take the twins to live with him.
Irene told Susana that she should talk to Eduardo and reestablish the harmonious relationship they had before Ana’s death. She also insisted that she should attend that wedding and bring the twins with her so that they could accompany their father. Irene told her that she could get the address of where the wedding would take place. Susana seemed to have no interest in being part of Eduardo’s life in any way, after all Eduardo had walked away of his own volition and left the twins practically abandoned.
For Nora, the following days began to flow like water between her fingers, which she wanted to hold back, but it was inevitable that it escaped from her no matter how hard the fingers of her hand were squeezed. She struggled to fulfill her assignments from university and the wedding preparations. On the contrary, for Eduardo the days were too long as he waited for his wedding day.
Every day a new adventure unfolded, like a short story that begins at dawn and ends at dusk, with nothing pending for the next day, since the young couple fully complied with what was planned for each day. Their love was strengthened in such a way that they communicated lovingly through tender glances, with picaresque gestures or subtle actions, and without words as if they could discern their thoughts or transmit their wishes with the rise of their fingers.
Nora and Eduardo planned their professional future, the number of children they wanted to have, the city where they would like to live, the house they would buy, the trips they would take together and the solid home they would establish, striving to be happy all their lives. Every time Nora and Eduardo talked about the future, they did so while looking directly into each other’s eyes, with a smile on their lips and sealing what was planned with a passionate kiss.
Nora taught Eduardo to smile with happiness drawn from the depths of his heart. Eduardo taught Nora to love sunsets and to observe the beauty of nature with her soul. Both complemented each other fully just as the chemical elements that make us blush complement each other every time we feel like inside our bodies there’s a magical elixir spreads that accelerates our senses, that making us vibrate or live unrepeatable sensations and that is called LOVE.
The day of the wedding arrived, like the morning dew after a hot day. Full of freshness and light. Nora was very nervous but extremely happy. Alicia let herself be infected by the happiness of her daughter and decided to move away all wrong thoughts that made her feel fear for Nora’s wedding. So, she began to enjoy everything that they had prepared for that day with her heart.
It was ten o’clock in the morning when Eduardo and Nora were legally joined in marriage, in the city hall where they lived. They were accompanied by some friends from the university and Alicia witnessed the civil wedding. Afterwards they all went to Alicia’s house, toasted, and ate some appetizers that Nora had prepared. At one in the afternoon Eduardo went to his house to prepare for the religious wedding that would take place at six in the afternoon.
The hours passed quickly. Nora was beautiful when she entered the church, dressed in white with a bouquet of yellow roses in her hands, accompanied by her mother. When the religious ceremony was over, they all went to Alicia’s house where they had prepared a reception. Everything was organized in the backyard of the house. There were already some guests waiting for the newlyweds, including Susana and the twins.
When Eduardo and Nora entered the house, all the guests stood up. Susana had decided to surprise Eduardo by arriving at the wedding with the twins even without being invited, because she wanted to demonstrate with her presence that she was willing to respect and support Eduardo’s marriage. Susana thought that if she did it that way, Eduardo would not try to get the twins back in the future. When Susana saw Eduardo, she approached to talk to him, but the sensation she received when she saw Nora instantly silenced her. April and John, seeing Nora, began to yell, “Mom, mom!”. They both ran to her, hugging her tightly. Then Susana experienced severe pain in her chest as she fell to the ground.
TO BE CONTINUED…
EMOTIONS AND PAPER STRIPS 
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