Until Death Do Us Part - Julie Grinberg

"I take thee to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part." his lips trembled upwards as the woman of his dreams smiled back.

"From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew that we were destined to be together. Every day I saw you, we laughed and we cried together, and I know that the coming years will be filled with happiness and with love." The tears he had been trying to suppress finally lept out, and he smeared them into his cheeks with a rough hand awaiting its ring. He held back the impulse to go up to his love and nuzzle his head in her hair like he used to. He could not do that now.

She too was holding back tears, patting her under eyes with a crisp sterile handkerchief, and her teary love just made her all the more beautiful.

His voice quivered slightly as he finished his vows.

"My love, I adore you and I look forward to our life together. We have gone through so much, fought alongside one another, and I am so so very lucky to have you as..." He paused, looking into her dewy eyes.

"My beautiful beautiful bride." Fighting back more tears from coming, he cupped her hands into his. They were thin, as Lauri would probably say dainty, the type of hands she always dreamed of having.

"The rings?" She whispered softly the utterance of those two words sent a chill up his spine. Despite all that had happened, he was going to marry her. He thought that this day would never come.

The priest took the rings from the table beside her, holding them gently in his palm, first to the groom than to the blushing bride.

"Lauri, love, I'm so happy that we were able to do this. I love you no matter what happens next." He smiled, the tears flowing now as he slid the ring onto her finger. He bought the rings months ago, and it was loose around her now narrow ring finger. He tried not to think about it, he should just have gotten them resized but there was no time too.

"I want you to know, that I am so so grateful for you coming into my life. And I want you to know that no matter what happens I will always be with you. Even when...if there comes a time when I can't be by your side, I'll be in your heart. I promise." She gave his hand a little squeeze and then slid the ring onto his finger. He couldn't help but notice how small and fragile her hand was compared to his healthy one.

This time it was the priest who hesitated, and with a meek voice he proclaimed "You may now kiss the bride."

He leaned down and lifted her veil, his knees hitting the side of the metal bed frame which her bed lay on. The garland hanging from the ceiling brushed against his shoulder as he kissed her. All the while all he could think about was how thin her face was, how her cheeks protruded in a way her once plump face did not show.

The moment was bittersweet, an escape from their harsh reality, but what should have been the happiest moment of their lives just led their minds into their darkest corners.She had always wanted a spring wedding, surrounded by her friends and family, with the flowers blooming around her he thought to himself.

Their lips parted, and he held her head close to his chest afraid to let go, afraid of what would happen next. The doctors who had been waiting patiently outside now came in, and with red eyes remarked that it was time to go.

He told himself over and over that he would stay strong, for her, that he would only cry out of love and happiness, but he couldn't stop the wave that overtook him. He smiled at her pale face.

"I'll see you soon. I was thinking of a honeymoon in France, so we can visit your parents." He took the sight of her in, for what could be the last time. Her eyes were the same, a pale brown color, but her skin was white now, her long hair gone-shaved when they first found out, her skin paper-thin.

"I would love that" She hesitated, toying with the loose ring. "I'll see you soon."

She didn't.