clean. He grinned when she stepped away slightly dazed.
She heard Julie giggling behind her.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
The clapping set a small group of birds scattering further up the beach. Charity reached for Elijah’s hand the same time he reached for hers. He pointed to the birds. “Those are your little buddies.” A harp began plinking a beautiful melody, almost in beat with the little running birds.
She shielded her eyes against the sun with her free hand. There were man-made markers, birdhouses and feeding areas set up. Elijah’s mother had gone the extra mile in an effort to protect the endangered kiwis. There were even little baby ones running and chasing after their mothers. It was perfect.
Elijah pulled her hand bringing her back to the moment. They were married! She leaned her head back and smiled, soaking up the sun a moment before grabbing Elijah and wrapping her arms around him. He lifted her up and swung her around.
Julie squeezed in and hugged her when Elijah set her down. Simon slapped Elijah on the back and then bear-hugged Charity. Her father shook Elijah’s hand and stood obstinate before Charity laughed and hugged him. He stiffened a moment before putting his arms awkwardly around her. “Congratulations,” he murmured.
Elijah put his arm around his mother and kissed her on the forehead. “Mom, here’s your awesome daughter-in-law. She’s a bit stubborn, but totally loveable. Give her a chance and you won’t regret it.”
“Let’s hope she can put up with you long enough to give me a few grandchildren. This house needs some little ones running around.”
Charity blinked. Kids? Here? That was a conversation for a completely different day. Not today. No arguments or disagreements of any kind were allowed today.
Simon, with Julie at his side, spoke, “I took the liberty of scoring a few champagne bottles from the bar in the grand room.” He pulled two bottles from behind his back and held them up. “I believe this moment calls for a drink!”
Julie handed a bottle she had been holding to Elijah. “Shake that sucker and bless this marriage.” She shot Charity a glance before adding, “Just aim the bubbly toward the water. Don’t want to mess that gorgeous dress your bride is wearing.”
Albert Rapt Bach’s groundskeeper, and his wife, Mia, came forward carrying a tray of champagne glasses. “Congrats, mate.” He handed Elijah a glass before changing his mind and giving it to Charity. “Ladies first.” He handed her the glass and kissed her on the cheek. “He’s done right by you, sweetie.” He began giving everyone else a crystal flute.
Elijah chuckled. “You been hanging out with Simon? I knew something was up last night when the two of you started smoking a cigar together.”
“They had a cigar?” Dr. Thompson’s eyebrows went up. “And nobody thought to invite me?”
Simon nodded at Elijah’s mother. “You were too busy talking with the missus.”
Elijah shook the champagne bottle and pointed it at Simon. “So was I. What are you saying?”
Simon jumped out of the way and gently directly Elijah’s aim toward the ocean water. “Just crack that bloody bottle open, please.”
POP!!
An arc of champagne shot out of the bottle, creating a sparkly rainbow against the sun, water and wind. Bubbly foam ran down the neck of the bottle. Elijah held it at arm’s length as he poured it into the two glasses Charity held. Albert and Simon opened the other bottles and poured them into the other glasses.
“To my beautiful bride,” Elijah toasted, holding his glass up. “I never dreamed I could be this lucky.” He tapped his glass to Charity’s.
She smiled and savoured the ice-cold bubbly liquid.
“Cheers,” everyone said in unison as glasses clinked. They all sipped on the champagne as the harpist finished a song and began another.
The wind picked up, a gust sending some of the white cloth on the ground into a rumple. The bright sky
She heard Julie giggling behind her.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
The clapping set a small group of birds scattering further up the beach. Charity reached for Elijah’s hand the same time he reached for hers. He pointed to the birds. “Those are your little buddies.” A harp began plinking a beautiful melody, almost in beat with the little running birds.
She shielded her eyes against the sun with her free hand. There were man-made markers, birdhouses and feeding areas set up. Elijah’s mother had gone the extra mile in an effort to protect the endangered kiwis. There were even little baby ones running and chasing after their mothers. It was perfect.
Elijah pulled her hand bringing her back to the moment. They were married! She leaned her head back and smiled, soaking up the sun a moment before grabbing Elijah and wrapping her arms around him. He lifted her up and swung her around.
Julie squeezed in and hugged her when Elijah set her down. Simon slapped Elijah on the back and then bear-hugged Charity. Her father shook Elijah’s hand and stood obstinate before Charity laughed and hugged him. He stiffened a moment before putting his arms awkwardly around her. “Congratulations,” he murmured.
Elijah put his arm around his mother and kissed her on the forehead. “Mom, here’s your awesome daughter-in-law. She’s a bit stubborn, but totally loveable. Give her a chance and you won’t regret it.”
“Let’s hope she can put up with you long enough to give me a few grandchildren. This house needs some little ones running around.”
Charity blinked. Kids? Here? That was a conversation for a completely different day. Not today. No arguments or disagreements of any kind were allowed today.
Simon, with Julie at his side, spoke, “I took the liberty of scoring a few champagne bottles from the bar in the grand room.” He pulled two bottles from behind his back and held them up. “I believe this moment calls for a drink!”
Julie handed a bottle she had been holding to Elijah. “Shake that sucker and bless this marriage.” She shot Charity a glance before adding, “Just aim the bubbly toward the water. Don’t want to mess that gorgeous dress your bride is wearing.”
Albert Rapt Bach’s groundskeeper, and his wife, Mia, came forward carrying a tray of champagne glasses. “Congrats, mate.” He handed Elijah a glass before changing his mind and giving it to Charity. “Ladies first.” He handed her the glass and kissed her on the cheek. “He’s done right by you, sweetie.” He began giving everyone else a crystal flute.
Elijah chuckled. “You been hanging out with Simon? I knew something was up last night when the two of you started smoking a cigar together.”
“They had a cigar?” Dr. Thompson’s eyebrows went up. “And nobody thought to invite me?”
Simon nodded at Elijah’s mother. “You were too busy talking with the missus.”
Elijah shook the champagne bottle and pointed it at Simon. “So was I. What are you saying?”
Simon jumped out of the way and gently directly Elijah’s aim toward the ocean water. “Just crack that bloody bottle open, please.”
POP!!
An arc of champagne shot out of the bottle, creating a sparkly rainbow against the sun, water and wind. Bubbly foam ran down the neck of the bottle. Elijah held it at arm’s length as he poured it into the two glasses Charity held. Albert and Simon opened the other bottles and poured them into the other glasses.
“To my beautiful bride,” Elijah toasted, holding his glass up. “I never dreamed I could be this lucky.” He tapped his glass to Charity’s.
She smiled and savoured the ice-cold bubbly liquid.
“Cheers,” everyone said in unison as glasses clinked. They all sipped on the champagne as the harpist finished a song and began another.
The wind picked up, a gust sending some of the white cloth on the ground into a rumple. The bright sky
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