Hanoi Wedding

Chapter 1
Rachel Jamie-Twigs peeked through the room in the Hanoi villa, she was wearing a red and pink Áo đái.

"Ma'am, can you follow me?" Dinh's brother, Dac Kien had said.

It should be the happiest day of her life, she walks into the villa, holding back tears of sadness.

They couldn't get married in Canada, due to her adoptive brother, who was a very abusive man and they both had to get married in Vietnam instead after Dinh was attacked by John.

She didn't hate the country of Vietnam, in truth she loved it, but none of her family from Canada could come, this included her own nieces and nephews.

A side door opens and Nguyen Xuan Dinh is walked in, he was barefoot, and wore an his costume from Night of the Sun without the hat.

Dinh was thirty and Rachel was twenty-nine, they decided to get married a month after the filming of a Night of the Sun.

It was a very quiet wedding, Satoko, the director of Night of the Sun was sick and couldn't really come to Vietnam.

So, it was a quiet wedding with Dinh's brother, his wife and parents as witnesses.

A priest walks in, neither of the both spoke.

"Please, remember that there will be no touching or embracing, you must only speak to the answers I ask you." He warned

A shiver went up Rachel's spine.

"Do you understand, Herr Dinh?" He asked Dinh.

He nodded.

"We have come together in the presence of spiritual beings to witness, celebrate and bless the joining together of Rachel Jamie-Twigs and Nguyen Xuan Dinh...." He said.

They both looked at the priest.

"A spiritual life is a path of transformation of one’s inner potential, a path dedicated to serving others, and helping others to awaken their own potential.  Marriage is a vehicle for the practice of serving others." He said as they both looked at him.

The young couple hired a Buddhist German priest, he couldn't speak Vietnamese, but worked in Vietnam.

They both looked at eachother.

"Unconditional love is the wish that others have happiness and the causes of happiness.  Marriage is the equal commitment to the happiness of your partner, toward their awakening." He said.

They both smiled, maybe their wedding didn't have to suck.

"Rachel and Dinh, dedicate their marriage to the happiness of all living beings.  All of those gathered here today are the representatives of all living beings." He said.

He then touched the two on their shoulders.

"The bond and covenant of marriage is established by previous positive actions, and blessed by spiritual beings.  It signifies to us the union of Rachel and Dinh in this Holy Place....." He said.....

Then he started with the vows.

"Rachel and Dinh, do you pledge to help each other to develop your hearts and minds, cultivating compassion, generosity, ethics, patience, enthusiasm, concentration and wisdom as you age and undergo the various ups and downs of life and to transform them into the path of love, compassion, joy and equanimity?"

"We do." Both of them said.

"Recognizing that the external conditions in life will not always be smooth and that internally your own minds and emotions will sometimes get stuck in negativity, do you pledge to see all these circumstances as a challenge to help you grow, to open your hearts, to accept yourselves, and each other; and to generate compassion for others who are suffering?" He asked.

"We do." Both said.

"Understanding that just as we are a mystery to ourselves, each other person is also a mystery to us, do you pledge to seek to understand yourselves, each other, and all living beings, to examine your own minds continually and to regard all the mysteries of life with curiosity and joy?" He said

"We do." They said

"Do you pledge to preserve and enrich your affection for each other, and to share it with all beings? To take the loving feelings you have for one another and your vision of each other’s potential and inner beauty as an example and rather than spiraling inwards and becoming self absorbed, to radiate this love outwards to all beings?" He asked

"We do." They said

"When it comes time to part, do you pledge to look back at your time together with joy– joy that you met and shared what you have–and acceptance that we cannot hold on to anything forever?" He asked.

"We do." They said.

"Do you pledge to remember the disadvantages of ignorance, anger and clinging attachment, to apply antidotes when these arise in your minds, and to remember the kindness of all other beings and your connection to them? Do you pledge to work for the welfare of others, with all of your compassion, wisdom and skill?" He asked.

"We do." They said.

"Do you pledge day to day, to be patient with yourselves and others, knowing that change comes slowly and gradually, and to seek inspiration from your teachers not to become discouraged?" He said,

"We do." They said

Dinh and Rachel now had their wedding rings.

"Do you, Dinh, promise to love, cherish and work day and night to bring total happiness to Rachel?  Do you promise to practice generosity, morality, patience, and joy in all you do; mindfulness and wisdom to treat Rachel and all others with loving kindness and compassion, for all the time you are together, knowing that this marriage can only be as good as the two of you make it." He asked.

"I do." He said.

"Please place the ring on Rachel's finger." He told Dinh.

Dinh done what he was told, he smiled warmly, she wore such beautiful nail polish.

The priest then turned to Rachel.

"Do you, Rachel, promise to love, cherish and work day and night to bring total happiness to Dinh?  Do you promise to practice generosity, morality, patience, and joy in all you do; mindfulness and wisdom to treat Dinh and all others with loving kindness and compassion, for all the time you are together, knowing that this marriage can only be as good as the two of you make it." He said to her.

"I do." She said.

"Please place the ring on Dinh's finger." He told her.

She done what she was told, she loved feeling Dinh's hands, they were very soft, even at the age of thirty.

"By the power vested in me by the country of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and through the wishes of Rachel and Dinh, as well as the blessing of the lineage of our Spiritual Friends, I now pronounce you Husband and Wife." He said,

They looked at eachother.

"You may kiss the bride." He said.

The two shared a kiss, Dinh's family clapped.

When they walked out of the chapel, Dinh looked at her, and Rachel looked at him.

The walked out, linking arms.

"Dinh, I have to tell you something..." She said.

"What is it?" He asked.

"I have been to the doctors, I am one month pregnant." She said.

"So....." He said.

"Yes, we are going to have a baby." She said.

He gave a small smile, unlike many expectant fathers, he was not as open with emotions in having children.