Chapter 23

“I, Andrew, take thee, David, to be my wedded husband,” Andy began. “To honor, love and cherish, for richer or for poorer, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health,”—he had proven that one already—”forsaking all others, ‘til death do us part.”

I couldn’t repeat the vows I’d made to Patti, so I’d made up some of my own.

“I, David, take you, Andrew, to love for the rest of my life. I will rejoice with you in good times. I will suffer with you in bad. I will take care of you if you are sick as you have done for me. I will stay with you no matter what happens in our lives. You brought me back to life when I thought I was dead. I promise now to live my life in support of yours. And, until death takes either one of us, I will be steadfast in my love and faithfulness to you.”

The justice of the peace asked us to exchange rings. Brad, as Andy’s best man, stepped forward and pulled a ring out of his vest pocket. It was a gold horseshoe nail . He placed it on my finger.