Chapter Forty-one

Two months later, Sylvia stepped out of the white clapboard chapel into the spring sunshine, still gripping her new husband’s hand.

“It stopped raining,” Xavier said in amazement, looking up at the fluffy clouds in the blue sky. “Is that the sun? Finally, the day is a lot better and more beautiful.”

Was he implying that his new home in northern California wasn’t exactly the sunniest place in the world? She grinned at him, her heart full of love. “I wouldn’t know. Every day seems sunny to me,” she said over the lump in her throat, “as long as I’m with you.”

His dark eyes caressed her. Lifting her left hand to his lips, he gently kissed her fingers, and her simple gold wedding ring.

Family and friends followed them outside, cheering and throwing flower petals as Sylvia and Xavier headed for the car waiting to take them to the airport. They had no time to attend their own wedding reception; they barely had time for their honeymoon. Resting her hand on his arm, Sylvia looked at her incred