Rex moved. His frail body quivered, and deep down below surfaced his final attempt to use what little strength he had left to force himself upright. Slowly, as if it were so hard to move, he stepped towards Constantin licking his hand gently but intentionally, as if to bless him, turned back and lay down beside Ileana and took his last breath.
Tears filled the eyes of those watching this. What was supposed to be a day of joy, turned into an unintentional heartbreaking goodbye.
And, fortuitously, a single white dove came from the sky.
It landed lightly on Ileana’s shoulder and looked at her. Its eyes were so calm, and knowing, that the chill ran down her spine. It was somehow so familiar.
Elena moved a little closer from the side. “Ileana… this is a sign,” she said softly.
The dove appeared to hang there for a moment in time and then took flight circling once over the church before it flew away into the blue sky.
The ceremony continued but it changed in all of its fullness. It was no longer just a wedding. It had become a kind of understated celebration of Es and all its forms of love – husbands and wives, and a girl and a dog who provided her with loyalty through it all.
Lastly, Father Adrián, acknowledged the importance of the moment and changed a little the homily, offering an unprecedented spoken heartfelt memorial to Rex, and the loyalty of love he provided.
And when the couple exchanged their vows, not one person present did not feel Rex still with them – steadfast, protective, and a permanent character in everyone’s story.