Chapter 29
It had been an ideal two weeks of laid back vacation bliss. Once everyone got used to a house filled with lots of vampire love. Mornings had been early for some with jogging on the beach and lazy for others. Days were filled with playing in the water, volleyball and sunbathing. At night the ones that could cook took turns showing off their talents and typically everyone gravitated to the kitchen to help out and share conversation and laughter.
Today there was a marked change in the atmosphere however and Klaus growled into his pillow trying to ignore the early morning commotion outside his bedroom door. By the time he got up the house was silent once again and as he made his way downstairs Stefan was the only person he encountered.
"Did you kill them all? I have to admit the thought crossed my mind…"
"They're decorating for the wedding tomorrow," Stefan said. "I've got crab cakes and lobster rolls prepared for lunch in a little while."
"Maybe I should go see if Caroline needs anything," Klaus said. Now that he was up he didn't really want his brothers being helpful and everyone wondering where he was.
"They're up at the northern most end of the island. Apparently there's some sort of a pavilion…"
Klaus took the Lamborghini up to the end of the island where he discovered there was a country club. The back was an incredibly lush garden setting and just about the water's edge was a large pavilion. It was essentially a roof held up by as few wooden columns as necessary. The walls were tri-fold solid glass doors that could be opened and hidden away entirely if the weather was nice enough. At the moment the glass on the sides was in place while the wall facing the ocean was open.
Klaus noticed a van that seemed to be full of wedding paraphernalia and he grabbed four full-height silver candelabras and walked towards the pavilion. Caroline was standing there with a clipboard designating where everything needed to go while Elijah and Elena placed items. Bonnie was standing on top of Kol's shoulders while he held her ankles and she seemed to be attaching silk floral arrangements to the rafters.
"Be careful up there," Kol worried.
"Because I can what – break something for two minutes?" Bonnie scoffed.
"Klaus! Oh thanks!" Caroline beamed, "two of those go on the left front and back of the aisle and the other two on the right."
"You know there's not actually an aisle yet," Klaus motioned to the lack of any seating.
"Yes well…" Caroline said but before she could answer the reason became self-evident as Bonnie over-reached, Kol over-compensated, Elijah tried to help and three vampires landed on the ground.
"Chairs last, got it," Klaus smiled. He reached a hand in to help Bonnie up and then left his two brothers to fend for themselves.
"Are you alright?" Kol worried.
"Kind of unbreakable remember?"
"I still worry," Kol smiled. There were beautiful silk floral arrangements attached to the rafters and columns while the candelabras were treated to more over-sized white arrangements attached to their sides. The white theme from the Debutante ball had clearly spilled over to the wedding.
Once the rafters were all decorated and Bonnie was safely back on terra firma then they began to put the white wooden chairs into neat rows. The girls tied big chiffon ribbons around each chair with bows at the back. The chairs that lined the aisles had more oversized arrangements attached. In the end there was chiffon and silk ribbons and white floral everywhere.
"It's going to be a beautiful wedding," Elena enthused as they were admiring the pavilion while they ate lobster rolls and crab cakes.
"Oops, you've got a little…" Bonnie gestured to Kol's mouth but then decided the best fix was just to kiss it off. This led to another kiss and then another.
"Who's getting married tomorrow?" Caroline teased.
Klaus saw Rebekah smelling her bouquet that she had asked Caroline to create and he smiled, realizing that she was all grown up instead of seeing her the way that he had wanted to see her-a little girl with a big heart who never wanted to grow up.
"So tomorrow's the big day," he got out in a hoarse voice and she turned to stare at him. "I just…I wanted to see you one last time. Before you leave to go off on your own with Stefan…" he couldn't speak otherwise he would go mushy and he just couldn't do that yet.
She smiled and as she placed the flowers back in the vase they were in, she flashed right into his arms, her arms going around his neck and her legs around his waist.
"I'm not going to go off on my own with Stefan until after I know that you all are doing great and we will always come over for visits. I promise you."
He nodded gruffly as he held her in his arms and as he set her down, kissing her cheeks and wiping away her tears.
"Just know that the promise Elijah made us-always and forever-not only applies to you but to Stefan, Kol and the girls."
She gave him a watery smile. "Thank you Nik for bringing him back to me."
"Anything for you sister. Anything for you."
She was surprised that her next visitor was Kol and he was smirking.
"So you're getting everything that you've ever wanted-I just hope that he doesn't hurt you." She laughed.
"Still protective of me?" she teased. He nodded.
"Me, Nik and 'Lijah will always be protective of you as you're our baby sister."
"I love you Kol." He smiled and returned her sentiment.
"I love you too Bekah."
"So…" Rebekah said as she walked outside to see Elijah was preparing the grill in a pair of khaki shorts and a grey colored short sleeved polo. He turned and smiled at her. "You're going to barbecue tonight."
"I am." He beckoned her over and as soon as she got close, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her nose. "I am happy for you sister."
"I know you are." She looked up at him and smiled. Out of all her brothers, Elijah was her favorite one. "I was hoping that you would walk me down the aisle tomorrow?" She looked at him nervously as she nibbled on the inside of her cheek.
"I will be honored to." He gave her a kiss on her forehead and murmured, "I hope that you'll get the chance to see all the good in the world again."
"I hope so as well." Together, she watched him barbecue burgers, hot dogs and chicken skewers that were covered in a barbecue sauce that was on the mild side.
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