“Life, with its rules, its obligations, and its freedoms, is like a sonnet: You're given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself. - Mrs. Whatsit” ― Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time

I

They met in Arad, a small town on the edge of the Judean desert. Rose returned to Israel a few weeks prior, after finishing her degree in Education in the US, and Lev, an American accountant fresh out of college and new in town. Arad, not more than a big village, if we want to stick to the facts, was the last bus stop on a lonely winding road that cut through Bedouin villages of dusty black tents and several clusters of Salt Cedar trees bent to the ground as a useless cry against the desert winds.

To the east the town opened to a panoramic vista of rolling hills ending at the shore of the Dead Sea, bordered on its opposed shore by a wall of red sandstone and gray granite, the snow clad Edom mountain range, following the outline of the Jordanian border. 

It could have been the primal scenery that made them bond so quickly; Nature has an immense power on people’s emotions. But more likely it was the fact that she needed to walk her dog every afternoon after work, and he was consumed by boredom. The long walks yielded conversations that soon detoured from the beauty of the desert at sunset and revolved around their life.

Lev talked about growing up in a small town USA and how one day he decided to break out of what expected of him, packed few necessities in his back-pack and took a one way flight to Israel.

“That was a brave move,” Rose nodded in appreciation. “Now you are free to make your own decisions.”

“Isn’t it funny that you left, then came back and we met here of all places?” Lev mulled over what he called serendipity.

Soon their conversations became more personal and over coffee in the only café in town they marveled to discover that even though their backgrounds were so different they had so much in common. Many captivating hours were spent over coffee, discussing plans and investigating ideas for their life together. They both agreed that theirs was not going to become the usual, rather stereotypic two kids, one dog, and apartment on the second floor kind of life. Rose wanted to travel, and Lev felt that with his profession they can settle anywhere in the world.

“We’re lucky, “he kept saying to her, “That our parents are far away and cannot interfere with our plans.”

“Yes,” Rose agreed wholeheartedly, “My parents would never agree a wedding in the US, let alone skipping it all together.”

II           

At the time Lev and Rose decided to tie the knot their parents were far away. Rose’s in South America, where they run a Hebrew school and Lev’s in Connecticut, USA. They thought they would be able to avoid the wedding ceremony altogether and just announce it after the fact. But Lev’s parents informed them that it would not do to rob them of the opportunity to invite all the friends that over the years invited them, to their family events. Lev and Rose planned to travel to South America to see all the places she dreamed on for years; Rio, Tierra del Fuego, Machu Fichu.  So they granted their consent to a small gathering with her parents and brother, a few members of Lev’s family, and some chosen friends.

“Weddings,” Rose mused,” The carefully picked dress, the hair- do, the flowers, being the center of attention, so many expectations all wrapped together into few hours of total craziness that some women dream of all their lives.”She was so amused by the idea of a wedding full of strangers; she decided to up the entertainment and did not even get a bridal gown.

On Thursday, the day before the flight to the US, they visited her aunts, uncles, and cousins to say their goodbyes. Everyone expressed their disappointment not being able to attend the wedding. They returned the notion but inwardly were relieved. On Friday morning they met Rose’s best friend, Rina for a last cup of coffee and took photos on the Tel-Aviv beach. A picture of Rose and Lev standing on the pier, Rose’s hair flying in the ocean breeze still stands on Rina’s desk. They accepted Rose’s cousin’s offer to drive them to the airport, where he dropped them with their luggage, shortly before midnight and wished them good luck.

III

The empty parking lot as they drove in should have been their first clue. But they were so occupied with their luggage and tired after a long day of goodbyes that they didn't notice when they entered the Ben-Gurion International Airport Terminal, that it was completely deserted.

The lights were dimmed, and it was dead quiet. An empty terminal that is typically exploding with people and security was so eerie that the sinking feeling in Rose's chest became overpowering. She looked at Lev, who like her, was moving his eyes from side to side taking in the empty departure hall. They were both waiting for the lights to come up and flood the big space revealing the people like a big surprise party. After all, they were getting married and on the way to their wedding.

But nothing happened, just a short elderly lady with a big broom appeared from the other side of the hall, dragging her feet and humming an unknown melody under her breath. She almost bumped into them, gave them a tired look, as if by now she has seen everything and nothing will surprise her. She then shrugged her shoulders and turned in the other direction.

“Hey, where is everybody?” Rose said just to break the silence, and her voice sounded strange and hollow in her ears. Lev pulled out the tickets from the blue pouch holding the passports and other vital papers. He leafed through them looking hopeful. Rose did not have to look; she knew what was written there, they checked the tickets many times, but now she suddenly got it.  Damn! They were one day too late. Flight on midnight, they should have been more careful when the travel-agent convinced them that they would not get a better rate, and then smiled a broad smile that revealed a black gap on his upper jaw where he lost a tooth.

From the look on his face, Rose knew that Lev had the same epiphany. In the years to come this was going to be funny, she heard people say that,  but standing in the airport looking into the emptiness Rose wished she could miraculously disappear, or leap into the future and avoid trying to explain to her parents and friends what happened.

At that moment Lev leaned and whispered in her ear “Every bride’s worst nightmare,”

“Every groom’s secret wish, “she whispered back, and a big grin was starting to form inside her.

“Rose, Mary Hill will you still marry me?” Lev was suddenly kneeling in front of her, holding a sparkly article in his hand.

“Will you?” he repeated seeing her surprised face.

“What the Hell, “she said, wondering why she was still whispering.

“To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.” They recited, the marriage vows, in loud voices, holding hands in front of a non-existing audience. They bowed slightly with a lot of dignity, but no one was cheering so they collected their luggage and walked towards the entrance doors, which opened unanimously, in a quiet whoosh and then closed behind them.