Definitions:
felicitations
fe·lic·i·ta·tions
/fəˌlisəˈtāSH(ə)nz/
noun
words expressing praise for an achievement or good wishes on a special occasion
They lay in their marital bed, the second one for both.
She on the right, lying on her right side, and he on the left, lying on his back with his eyes open.
It is 3am.
He had been a bachelor for decades since his first and only divorce.
People often asked, usually with judgment behind their smiles: “Why haven’t you remarried?”
His answer was always: “That’s easy, I never want to get divorced again.”
When they married, he suggested getting a Queen size bed, an upgrade from the full size they had been sleeping in.
She had said, with a wink and coy smile: “Already trying to get away from me!? We’re only married two days! Your bed is perfect. Our bodies are always touching all night and that is how I need it.”
He always had faith that if he met his true wife, he would quickly know, and he would finally buy that 5 carat engagement ring and drop to one knee.
6 months to the day they met he dropped to that knee at the top of the Eiffel tower. He held up an open ring box.
A small crowd of tourists gathered.
He had said: “I love you. I know you are my wife and…. “
She interrupted him: “Are you out of your mind?! We hardly know each other! And in front of all these people?”
She grabbed the ring box and closed it.
A loud collective gasp was heard.
He was speechless.
Then she burst out laughing and said: “Just kidding!” and reopened the box.
He took out the ring and placed it on her ring finger.
The crowd cheered.
She knelt down as well and said: “I knew you were my husband the moment I laid eyes on you. What took you so long?”
She then threw herself on him and they fell backwards with her landing perfectly on top of him.
They lie there, a true husband and wife, not yet married, at the top of the Eiffel Tower, she on top of him, passionately kissing in front of all the other tourists.
Suddenly, they hear someone clearing his throat.
They both looked up.
The Priest, in French, said: “J'ai aussi une cérémonie à 14 heures, ça vous dérange si nous continuons ?”
“I have a 2pm ceremony as well, do you mind if we get on with it?”
She looked at her husband without a word. Of course he had a priest ready just in case she said yes. How did she find someone so romantic?
They stood and faced the priest. All the other tourists formed a circle and were silent as if they were watching a dramatic romantic movie.
He picked a man from the crowd to be the witness.
In a few moments it was done.
Priest: “Vous pouvez embrasser la mariée.”
“You may kiss the bride.”
He did.
The Priest ended with a traditional French saying you will hear at all French weddings.
“Tous mes vœux et félicitations pour votre mariage.”
“All my best wishes and felicitations for your marriage.”
Then he was gone as he didn’t want to be late for his 2pm appointment.
That was five years ago and here they lay in their full sized bed where their bodies were always touching.
She on the right, lying on her right side, and he on the left, lying on his back with his eyes open.
It is 3am.
To this day, people ask him, how can he be so sure that they were meant to be.
He tells them that God told him so it was easy.
Deep in her sleep, she reaches her left hand behind her searching for his left hand. She finds it, and pulls it around her, bringing his entire body with it to enwrap her in his warm cocoon.
He falls asleep with his nose pressed against her soft hair, and knows what bliss feels like.
