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Christian Romance Fiction

“Ladies and gentlemen may I introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Emilio Anenta.” The DJ announces to the guest as they all applauded and Amber watches her older sister Julie and brother-in-law Emilio coming into the reception hall as husband and wife, which made her very happy for them. Amber watches the happy couple as they share their first dance together and at the same time, Amber wonders when she will get married, but only time will tell, and best not to think about it now since she is in Rome and has two amazing weeks to enjoy herself. 


As time went on the wedding went on splendidly. The food was delicious, great music to dance to, heartwarming speeches from family members and friends, the ceremony of the cake, and now comes one of the most important traditions the bouquet and garter toss. 


“Alright everyone let's gather on the dance floor because it’s time for the bouquet and garter toss, where one lucky guy and the lucky lady will be the next to marry.” The Dj announces as guests started to come over to the dance floor. Julie and Emilio come to the center of the dance floor as a chair and Julie's bouquet is being brought over to them. 


“Alright ladies, who’s ready to catch this?” Julie holds her bouquet as all the single ladies come together to the dance floor Amber tries to stand in a good spot as all the ladies wanted to catch the bouquet. “Ready? one, two…three!” Julie tosses her bouquet and...

Amber catches the bouquet and felt happy that she caught it as the wedding guest applauds her, but then Amber realizes that she isn’t seeing anyone right now, so was it a mistake to catch her sister’s flowers? Soon all the ladies leave the dance floor and Amber floors them as the gentleman comes to the dance floor, where Emilio takes Julie’s garter off and tosses over the bachelors, when one of them catches it and cheers to sees it is the best man Ernesto caught the garter. Amber looks over at him to see he’s looking at her and walks over to her as well.


“Hi, Amber right?” 


“Yes, and you’re Ernesto. Looks like we’re the lucky winners today huh?” 


“Yep, we are. So do you have a lucky guy that will be your future groom?” 


“Sorry no. I don’t have a future groom. Do you have a future bride?” 


“No, not lately. Been too busy with work, but ever since I took on the role of the best man I’ve been more relaxed.” 


“You’re telling me. As the maid of honor I’ve never been so busy, but I enjoyed it. I never felt so organized and now that the wedding is over I’m a little bored, but I’ll figure something out since I’m here for 2 weeks.” 


“Well, why don’t you come with me to enjoy the sights? I know all the best places to enjoy Rome.” Ernesto asked politely as Amber thought about the offer for a moment since she has never done anything spontaneous before, but at the same time it would be something different she has never tried. 


“You know that doesn’t sound like a bad idea. Pick me up at the Trevi Fountain at nine o’clock?” 


“How do you like your coffee?” 


“2 sugars please.” 

Amber tries to catch the bouquet but missed by a split second where one of the other bridesmaids catches the bouquet and is happy for her. Once it was over Amber decides to head outside to feel the cool breeze as she watches the beautiful night sky filled with stars like diamonds and wondered what was going to happen in the next two weeks while she is in Rome. 


“There you are,” Julie calls out to Amber and walks over. “What are you doing out here?” 


“Oh, I just needed to take a break from the celebration, but I’m so happy for you.” 


“Thank you, and I’m sorry you didn’t catch my flowers. I was hoping you would catch them.” 


“Don’t worry about it. One day I’ll find the right guy.” Amber smiles as she thought about her future of what will happen. “Well, I’m gonna head back to the hotel. I’ve been so tired for the past two days.” 


“Are you sure, we still have an hour or so left of the wedding?” 


“I do want to stay but I’m just too tired. If I stay any longer I probably won’t be able to leave here.” 


“Well alright, I’ll help you get a cab.” 


“Thank you.” Amber walks out with her sister to the entrance with luck a taxi cab pulls up to the building and stops and Amber gets inside after hugging her sister goodbye. “Have a great honeymoon, Julie. I love you” 


“Thank you, I love you too. Have a great time here Amber. You’ll love it.” Julie says as the cab pulls away. 


“I will!” Amber says out loud then relaxes in her cab as she told the driver to take her back to her hotel. 

The next morning Amber leaves her hotel room and heads out to the Trevi fountain to meet Ernesto as she wears her favorite blue dress with ballet flats, and sunglasses. “I can’t believe I’m doing this. Amber Knight, you have to be the craziest person to do this, but there are some things that are just crazy enough to try.” Soon a gust of wind blew by for a moment and she fixes herself up before continuing walking. “Good thing I’m not wearing a hat today.” 


Amber kept on walking through the city until she finally made it to the Trevi Fountain, where she also sees Ernesto with two coffees in his hand. 


“Good morning. You look wonderful, and here’s your coffee. 2 sugars as promised.” 


“Good morning, and thank you. You look handsome yourself.” Amber takes her coffee and tastes the richness of it. “Mmm, now that’s coffee.” 


“Well if you like coffee, wait until you taste my family’s wine. Best in all of Italy.” 


“I’ll take your word for it.” Amber takes another sip of her coffee and enjoys the sight of the Trevi Fountain.


“Shall we.” Ernesto leads the path for Amber as she is very pleased. 


“Charming and a gentleman. I like it.” 


“Well my family taught me, if I disrespect my lady, then God won’t respond to my prayers.” 


“Amen to that.” Amber walks with Ernesto as she enjoys her time with him in Rome. 

Amber decides to wake up a little earlier than she planned to take a nice walk through Rome to see what might happen today while wearing her light blue button up blouse, jeans, dark brown boots, and tan fedora hat. When Amber arrives at the Trevi fountain she thought it would be nice to make a wish, but then a gust of wind blew by and blows her hat off of her head. Amber quickly goes after her hat as the wind kept taking it away. 


“Alright God, this is not funny. What are you doing?” Amber asked as she kept on chasing her hat until it was stopped in front of a table where a charming-looking man picks it up as he saw Amber coming towards him. 


“I believe this is yours.” The gentleman hands Amber her hat. 


“Thank you. I’m terribly sorry. The wind blew my hat away from me all the way from the Trevi Fountain.” Amber takes her hat back and puts it on her head after dusting it off.


“Really? Wow.” The guy acting all sarcastically. 


“What? It really did. This gust of wind shows up out of nowhere, takes my hat away, and leads me here.” 


“Right.” The guy still doesn’t believe her until Amber gives her a serious look to him and then the guy realizes she’s telling the truth. “Oh, you’re serious.” 


“You think?! I can’t believe I’m wasting my vacation time talking to you, where I need to find my way back since I have no idea where I am, and still haven’t had my morning coffee, so goodbye.” Amber felt so irritated as she walked away. 


“Wait, wait. I’m sorry that was really rude of me. I didn’t mean to misjudge you. I get hit on girls all the time just for my looks, and I took it out on you.” The guy felt terrible and wants to help Amber out. “And speaking of coffee, this is the best place to have coffee, would you care to join me?” 


Amber thought about it, as he is being generous and apologized to her, so it wouldn’t hurt to accept his apology. 


“I like my coffee with 2 sugars, please. I’m Amber by the way.” Amber holds out her hand and the guy takes hers and kisses it sweetly. 


“Armand. I’ll get your coffee, do you like fruit tarts?” 


“Love them.” 


“Be right back.” 


Armand heads back inside as Amber sat down at his table and wonders what is going on right now. “Alright God, I’m listening.” 

Amber and Ernesto walk around the beautiful city of Rome, where everywhere is just breathtaking. They finally arrived at The Colosseum, where Amber is curious about what it was like back in the day. 


“This place is incredible. Thousand’s of people would watch the greatest champions of all or the best place to watch theater and of course one of the seven wonders of the world.” Amber is just in awe of how beautiful this place is as they both walk the Colosseum.


“I come here all the time when I’m in town. I live in the countryside to help my family’s vineyard. We have a wine store here in town, which I’m looking forward to showing you. But besides that when I visit this place it helps me to remind myself, that the Gladiators that fought here, fought with their lives, and did not give up on themselves. So with my family’s business, I kept on battling on how to make it a success, and it’s growing. All of my family’s wine is being tasted all over the world. America, France, Australia, everywhere.” 


Amber is amazed at how Ernesto expressed himself in his work and family where he loves them both and tries to fight for them and won’t stop fighting. 


“It’s good there are brave men that are still out there fighting for what they want and never giving up. Wish I had the same courage as you do.” 


“Well, don’t you already have it? I mean last night, even though you are not in a relationship, you took a risk of catching your sister's bouquet and caught them meaning you are taking a risk that you are fighting for wanting to become the next bride. Meaning you have a lot of courage in yourself.” 


Ernesto couldn’t be more poetic and puts Amber's feelings in motion. Amber jumps right in and kisses Ernesto without thinking and felt him kissing back which is sure spontaneous. Amber quickly pulls back from what she just did and feels her face turning red, and Ernesto felt flattered. “Now that’s taking courage.” 


“Well if you keep talking with your heart like that, we might have wedding bells sooner than you think.” Amber bit her lip as she feels overwhelmed at this moment but doesn’t regret it at all. 


“I hope so.” Ernesto kisses Amber once more before they enjoy the rest of the day together.


“So what brings you to Rome?” Armand asked Amber as she enjoyed her breakfast with him. 


“My sister’s wedding, it was last night, and probably on her way to enjoy the rest of the country as her honeymoon, while I’m here for two weeks in Rome to enjoy myself. I usually have my day planned out because I like being busy, but I guess God has a different plan for me today.” Amber finishes up her coffee as she tries to figure out what God’s plan is. 


“You’re very close to him aren’t you?” 


“Yes, I am very thankful for his kindness and forgiveness.” Amber smiled as she held onto her necklace of a cross with the mustard seed. 


“So he said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, “Move from here to there, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” Armand's quotes from the Bible astound Amber at that moment. 


“Matthew 17:20. That’s my favorite bible quote.” 


“The way how you’re holding the mustard seed on your necklace means you believe in the power of God and no matter how big or small your faith is, you still love him.” 


“Very much.” Amber’s heart glowed as she never thought she would find someone who has faith in God as she does. 


“Do you want to be closer to God?”


“How?” Amber is very curious about what Armand means by that.


“I’ll show you.” Armand gets up from his seat as Amber did as well and walks together through the city to their destination. 


It took them both about 20 minutes to walk over to their destination where they finally arrived at The Sistine Chapel, where they walk inside together and see the most beautiful art piece there is. 


Amber looks up and sees the painting “The Creation of Adam”. Looking up at the painting feels so much closer as if the painting is coming down to you as you look up. Amber started to cry softly as she can feel God’s presents of how powerful this masterpiece is. 


“What’s wrong?” Armand asked as he is concerned for her. 


“Nothing’s wrong. I just feel really happy right now. How God brought me to you, and you brought me to him in this sacred place.” Amber dries her tears as she felt better as Armand thinks Amber is a real genuine person. 


“I’ve never met anyone like you before Amber.” 


“You haven’t?” 


“No. Many people are looking on the outside, not the inside that matters as well. This day in age people are cruel making assumptions of each other but you don't. You still see true beauty and love, and I would like to get to know you more if that is alright with you?” Armand holds out his hand so Amber may take it.


“I’d be honored.” Amber takes his hand as they walk together hand in hand.

--

The day went by in both realities where Amber is getting to know the guy that she is with and feeling happy for once in her life that all changed when it happened at her sister’s wedding to catch the bouquet. 


As the day began to sunset both realities came back to the Trevi Fountain to take a rest and Amber decided to do something that they wanted to do today. They both take a penny out of her little change purse, making a wish and toss the coin backward then wait for a moment and turn around to watch her coin sink down. 


“So what did you wish for?” Ernesto and Armand asked Amber as she looks at the fountain feeling at peace with the universe. 


“Wouldn’t you like to know?” 


The End

May 06, 2023 03:11

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2 comments

17:30 May 27, 2023

I liked the story, it was nice that it was very simple in the idea, just the split moment of whether or not she catches the bouquet. It was also interesting to bring in God as a connection between the two realities, possibly you could bring in the theme of God earlier in the story, since it comes in really strong towards the end and it feels like the idea of faith could link the whole story if it was brought up at the start. The character mentions work a few times, and it makes me wonder if maybe she is overworked and needs time to love, and...

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Ashli Dinkelman
05:19 Sep 07, 2023

Thank you for your reply, and I'm glad you enjoyed it. I wish I could have made the story longer but since there was a limit on word count I did the best I could on this story. My apologies for taking so long to reply back, hope you have a nice day.

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