I whip around toward Charlie. “Where’d you get a string quartet?”
“What, do you think privateers are uncultured?” she asks. “We have a few on board who play the fiddle.”
I turn, amazed, to Nolan, who pats me on the arm, leans in, and says softly, “That’s my cue, love. See you on the other side.”
And then he walks across the deck and toward the aisle, where the rest of the pirates are sitting quietly.
“It’s odd, seeing them behave,” says Charlie from behind me. Then she appears next to me and wraps me in a hug. “I hope all of this isn’t too much?”
I try and fail to stop a stinging tear from rolling down my eye. “I’m afraid no one is ever going to be able to show they care for me too much.”
Charlie offers me a soft smile, then squeezes my hand. “I thought you would want Michael to walk you down the aisle.”
I nod, ruffling my brother’s hair against my best judgment. He’s dressed in a small suit, one Charlie must have gone to shore to purchase today.
Charlie glides off, hearing her cue. “Wait,” I say as she leaves, realizing I don’t know when to walk down the aisle, but she’s already out of earshot.
Anxiety wracks through me as I wait, unsure of when to move. As happy as I am to have Michael walk me down the aisle, it’s not as if he cares about things such as wedding procedure.
We stand there, listening to the song I’m pretty sure Charlie picked out herself, and I hold onto Michael’s hand, wishing there was an additional arm on my other side that I could loop my arm through like I did for so many balls.
“You didn’t think I would miss my sister’s wedding, did you?” says a familiar voice next to me.
I gasp, whipping around. Of course, it’s not him, not John. Just his wraith.
But still.
I smile. “It’s not like you enjoy weddings all that much,” I tease, glad to get to hear my brother’s voice once more, even if it isn’t real.
“Well, no. I happen to think they’re quite the waste of money. But the marriage part? Now, that’s a reasonable decision.”
“You don’t think I’m an idiot for marrying him?” I ask.
“Of the many reasons I think you’re an idiot, this would not make the list.”
I laugh, and when my brother’s wraith offers me his arm, I take it, fully aware of how strange it will look to everyone else on board, unable to see him.
I don’t really care if I look strange.
The music changes, but by the time John tells me that’s my cue, I’ve already taken a step forward.
When I reach the beginning of the aisle, the entire crew stands, everyone’s eyes on me. As we pace down the aisle, Michael making up lyrics to the song, I can’t help the smile that breaks across my face.
Normally, that would make me uncomfortable, everyone’s attention. But I hardly notice, because my eyes are on Nolan, and it might as well just be him and me and my brothers on this boat.
He’s stiller than I’ve ever seen him, back rigid. Like he’s worried that if he moves the slightest bit, all of this will disappear, turn out to just be a dream.
I understand the feeling.
But I’ve dreamed of this moment before; I’ve gotten pretty good at recognizing the difference.
So I smile at Nolan, and my Mate’s throat bobs, his chin quivering as he gazes on me with wonder and disbelief, his green eyes filling with tears.
I’ve always heard this moment described as the bride’s feet floating down the aisle, carrying her along with them. But I don’t want to be carried along anymore. And each step I take toward my Mate is weighted, grounded, my very own.
By the time I reach Nolan, Michael is clearly tired of the ceremony and runs toward Charlie, who turns him to face me and Nolan. She wraps her arms around my brother, wiping tears from her cheek with her shoulder.
As Nolan takes my hands and turns me to face him, I glance back toward the aisle. John’s wraith is already fading, but he tips his head, his glasses threatening to fall off his shadowy nose. “I’m glad to see you happy,” he says, and then he is gone.
