Broken Together Read Online Free PDF Page A

wine as the nose of the aircraft lifted.
Where to begin with my inquiry? “How long is our flight?”
    Rafael
stacked meat and cheese on top of a slice of bread. “Twelve and a half hours,
which includes a two hour layover while we refuel the jet.” He popped the tiny sandwich
into his mouth.
    My
eyes widened. “Twelve and a half hours? Clearly, we’re sleeping on the plane.”
    He
nodded. “We should arrive at our final destination around seven-thirty tomorrow
morning… their time, not ours.”
    I
paired a piece of bread with some cheese. I still couldn’t believe Rafael sang
to me. “You have such a beautiful voice. How is it I’ve never heard you sing?”
    “‘Make
you Feel My Love’ is the only song I can sing. I was going to search for the
man who sang that song to you the first time, but I didn’t want you gazing into
his eyes while I was proposing. I decided to take singing lessons. I started
about three months ago, so I could sing the song myself.” A boyish grin lit his
handsome face.
    I
shook my head in disbelief. “You have got to be the most romantic man to have
ever walked the planet.” I tasted the pear and another piece of cheese.
    “I’m
glad you think so.” Rafael smiled. “Shall we set a wedding date?”
    “Sure.”
I glanced out the window. The jet was already beginning to level off. “When
would you like to be married?”
    “Tomorrow.”
He looked… serious.
    My
eyebrows shot up. “Tomorrow? Is that even possible?”
    He
laughed. “Anything is possible.”
    My
curiosity piqued. “What type of wedding would you like to have? Aren’t there
people you’d like to invite?”
    Rafael
looked thoughtful. “Honestly? No.”
    The
man had a point. Aside from the minister or priest and the two requisite
witnesses, we were the only two people who really had to be there. Large
wedding ceremonies could be stressful. They seldom focused on the bride and
groom. Besides, I had a good sized family to include, while Rafael had no
family to speak of. Having my family present could make Rafael feel the absence
of his parents and brother even more. I reached for his hand. “I have to admit,
the thought that our wedding would be focused solely on our vows, our
relationship, and our marriage is appealing.” I truly didn’t feel the need for
a large wedding.
    His
eyes softened.
    A
soft “ding” sounded before the captain made his announcement. “We’ve reached
cruising altitude. The flight attendant and passengers are now free to move
about the cabin.”
    We
exchanged smiles.
    “The
bedroom?” I bit my bottom lip.
    Rafael
unfastened his seatbelt and mine. He grabbed the food and bottled water while I
finished my wine.
    “About
that date,” I murmured. “Can we wait until after I graduate in May? Even if we
have a small, intimate wedding, I’d rather not juggle all of the last minute preparations
against work and school.”
    Rafael
offered me his elbow since his hands were full. “If we were married tomorrow,
there would be no juggling.”
    “I
hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there’s paperwork involved.” We walked
back to the bedroom.
    Rafael
set the appetizers and bottled water on top of the dresser. “Paperwork? What
kind of paperwork?” He began to undress.
    I
fidgeted nervously. “Well, if I remember correctly, we’ll need our birth
certificates. I’ll probably need to provide my divorce decree. We’ll need
baptismal records and my annulment paperwork if you want to be married by a
priest.” Suddenly, I felt like damaged goods. I took a deep breath and
continued. “The Catholic Church requires engaged couples to attend a marriage
preparation course in advance of the wedding. Some states require blood tests,
and we have to fill out an application for a marriage license.”
    Rafael
looked thoughtful. “Are you Catholic?”
    I
shook my head. “Lutheran.”
    He
pulled the sweater over my head. “But you were married in the Catholic Church
when you were married to