The wedding day passed like a dream. The choir sent chills down Sue Hudson's back when they burst into uplifting versions of Hallelujah. As for her and Jack's first dance – Sue had never known that dancing could be like this. She felt as if she were flying, guided by the rhythm of the music and Jack's arms.

After all the wedding guests had eaten a delicious meal and danced a great deal, the DJ explained that it was time for games.

"The bridegroom, Jack Hudson, has asked that our first game be one of his favorites – Marco Polo!"

A murmur of disbelief ran through the room. Sue saw her mother become red with rage. When Sue had been little, Mrs. Thomas had forbade her brothers and any visitors in the house from playing the game as it was impossible for Sue to participate fully in it. And now it was to be part of the entertainment at her daughter's wedding. The new Mrs. Hudson could see that her mother's reservations about Jack being a suitable husband were quickly multiplying.

Jack, pretending not to notice that anything was amiss, volunteered to go first. He picked Bobby, Myles, and a few other of their friends to help him in the game. Jack was blindfolded, set in the middle of the dance floor, and called out "Marco", to which the remainder replied, "Polo" and scurried out of the way. Agent Hudson followed them clumsily across the floor until he at last managed to tag Myles.

The game went on for a few minutes, the wedding guests becoming more and more uncomfortably as they watched the bride quietly sitting at her table alone. Suddenly, however, Sue stood, and walking into the middle of the floor, exclaimed,

"Now it is my turn! Jack Hudson, I shall catch you!"

To everyone's shock, Sue took the blindfold and tied it on herself. Then she cried out,

"Marco!"

The rest of the players sheepishly said,

"Polo," and made half-hearted attempts to move.

To everyone's surprise, Sue immediately turned towards her husband and began to pursue him. He moved away quickly, and she cried out again,

"Marco!"

"Polo!" everyone answered. However, Sue immediately turned towards Jack and ran in his direction.

"How is she doing it?" Lucy murmured in amazement from the sidelines. "Can she actually tell which footsteps are his just by the vibrations on the floor? Or could she be cheating?"

"Impossible," Sue's father said, overhearing her remark. "Even Sue is not that good to tell who is in the room simply by the vibration their steps make. And I just had that blindfold on me – there is not the slightest way she could see anything out of it. It covers your eyes and makes everything pitch black."

"Then how can she play the game so well?"

Sue's mother was watching her daughter intently. She was moving across the floor effortlessly. It was almost as if she….almost as if she could…Mrs. Thomas could not bring herself to finish the thought. But memories began to sweep in…Sue had suddenly wanted a full choir in the church, she had wanted the remainder of the event to be hosted in a music conservatory, and she had been replying just a bit too quickly on the phone recently, almost as if she no longer needed to read the words her translation service slowly printed across her screen.

With her heart in her throat, Mrs. Thomas stood up. Sue's back was to her. Even if the blindfold was not on properly, there was no way she could spot her or read her lips. Mrs. Thomas called out,

"Polo!"

Sue suddenly froze.

"New players are not allowed in the game in the middle of a round," she said slowly. "But I will make an exception for you this time, Mom. Marco!"

"You knew it was me!" Mrs. Thomas cried out.

"Of course I did."

Mrs. Thomas's eyes filled with tears. With a trembling voice, she asked her daughter a question which she never thought she would ask.

"Sue, can you hear me?"

Mrs. Hudson quickly walked across the dance floor and up to her mother. Taking off her blindfold, she looked into the trembling woman's face, and answered quietly,

"Yes, Mom, I can."

Mrs. Thomas could not speak. She had to sign her next question.

"How long?"

"A few months now. Ever since my injury at work." Sue looked around at the other wedding guests. "Jack has been helping me readjust. I wanted to surprise you all, and could not think of a more perfect day than this one to do so."

Her mother raised her hand and stroked her cheek, tears pouring down her cheeks.

"My baby can hear again," she whispered.

Sue hugged her tight.

Everyone swarmed in on the bride with embraces and exclamations. Over the sea of heads, however, Sue Hudson took a moment to catch the gaze of her husband and send him an amused, grateful look.

She would never need sound to let him know that she loved him.