avbfdAs the limo turned right onto the cobblestone street in downtown, New Bedford a peculiar silence came over everyone. I could feel the warm tear drop trickle down my cheek. My heart began to beat faster and faster, the sound echoed to my ears sounding like a race track. As the limo pulled up in front of the church I took a deep breath. I could not remember if I had been breathing the whole time or not. It was such a warm day in late June, my dress was very full and heavy, I had to remind myself to keep breathing to keep from passing out. The door to the limo began to open. My bridesmaids gasped and began to cry out "Here we go; this is it, Mrs. Peixoto". Mrs. Peixoto? I wasn't married yet. I nervously chuckled back at them. They exited the limo, while I sat anxious, nervously contemplating my decision which had come so suddenly. Time seemed to have jumped forward.
"I need to go to Brasil." He stated only four months earlier.
I was devastated. In such a short period of time of dating he had helped me change so many aspects of myself I loved him so much and I knew he felt the same for me. Here he was telling me he could no longer stay in the United States because he was only on a tourist visa.
"What if I make you stay and we get married" I said only half joking. We had only been dating for about two and a half months. I was waiting for the "No way, your crazy" or "we are too young", but those words never came. Instead we gazed into each others eyes and he said "Eu te amo!" That night we picked out our wedding date using a deck of cards.
Exiting the limo in my beautiful off-the-shoulder wedding gown with full skirt, scalloped lace trim, hand sewn beads, and a Spanish mantilla veil, I looked up at the Seaman's Bethel. I was only nineteen. Here I was marrying a man who I loved more than any person could love another. I knew at that moment my life would change forever. Our courtship was not typical. We didn't communicate in the same language...