Ch 96

While in Adelaide Nikki was having a bad morning. Her mother found her pacing nervously while on the phone again.

"What do you mean you can't find it? Yes! I've been calling every day for three days! I know it's Christmas day, but I'm getting married in six hours! No, I can't cancel the wedding! What do you mean why? Because this is the only chance, we got! We are in the Navy; it's our only time together with our families." She sighed. "Yes, I will be writing a complaint... Merry Christmas to you too," then she hung up and started crying once more.

"What's wrong?" her mother asked embracing her.

"They can't find the dress, and I spent a lot of money on it. It was pure luck that I packed the headpiece and shoes in my suitcase, but even if I find something to wear it won't be the same." She said finally walking away from her mother's embrace and dropping herself tiredly on the couch. "I'll call Josh and cancel the wedding."

"No, Nikki," her grandmother interrupted her. "You are not going to cancel your wedding," she finished lowering a box in front of Nikki. "You still can get married."

"But grandmother."

"Open it."

Nikki stood up and removed the lid. After lowering on the table, she flipped back the papers. Nikki was shocked when she saw what it was. Carefully, she lifted it up and out of its box.

"Grandma! It's your wedding dress!"

"Yes, it is. Do you remember when you were younger and were looking at my wedding photo."

"Yes, I remember grandma...thank you," she stepped forth and hugged her grandmother.

"I got a new undercoat a few years ago; I hope it will fit," Nikki picked the train and the box before she ran into her room.

"Thank you, mum. But how..."

"I called my neighbors when the airport misplaced Nikki's wedding dress."

"Well, if it fits then we will have to get the creases out of it."

"That won't take long," they walked to Nikki's bedroom only to see the door closed. They waited for a couple of minutes before her mom knocked the door.

"Nikki? Are you alright in there?"

"Yes, mum! You can come in!" She opened the door and walked inside with her mother behind her. They stopped dead in their tracks when Nikki turned around smiling. "Besides the creases, it fits!"

"This is wonderful Nikki!"

"The veil isn't just like I remember it, grandma."

"That's because it isn't the same. The old one got ruined by rats, so I had one made," Nikki nodded.

"Well, we better let you get changed, Nikki. Kim will be here soon to start working on your hair."

"I know, mum. Thanks!" They walked out of the room closing the door behind them.

"She looks like you on your wedding day, mum."

"I know! I felt like I was looking at my younger self!" The grandma said before they disappeared around the house to see what the other family members were doing. When Nikki got changed, she picked her cell phone and called Josh.

"Hello, beautiful!" He said making her smile.

"Hey, Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas! Any word on your wedding dress?" Nikki let out her breath.

"No," she pouted. "I called the airline, but they still haven't found it!"

"I'm sorry, Nikki! I know it took you months to find the right one without giving us away to the crew. But, Nikki, I don't care what you wear, you will always look beautiful to me. You could show up in your uniform or overall, and I'll still be the one drooling for you." Nikki laughed.

"I know you don't care what I wear, Josh. But our wedding day is an important day of our lives."

"I know it is. Do you want to call the wedding off for now?"

"No, Josh! We both know this is the only time."

"So true, you know the moment the crew know about this they will give us hell!" Nikki laughed.

"Oh, yeah! I can hear Kate complaining about why we didn't tell them. And even the guys!"

"Please, not the guys! I know Buffer's threat, and he still didn't have a chance to tell it himself."

"He won't be the only one on the threatening line, Josh," he groaned.

"Don't remind me!" He whined. "And the lectures I'll be getting from Commander Flynn!"

"We both will!"

"True, but we didn't break the rules. We keep it off the boat or tried to," she grinned.

"We were lucky, one day we will get caught."

"Do you think we can do it?"

"Yes, we can. But there will be strict rules while on board."

"And if I brake one of them?" Nikki thought about it and smiled when she remembers what Mike told her,

"Ah yes, that's cleaning the bathroom."

"I got a feeling there something else along with the regular toothbrush duty."

"Yes, doing it naked," she grinned knowing full well his eyes were widened by then.

"You are joking, right? I mean, cleaning the bathroom with a toothbrush buck naked!" His parents turned to him when they heard what he just said.

"Yup, so you'll see… you will have to behave."

"Nikki? Where are you? I hope you are not having phone sex with lover boy," Kim said loudly entering Nikki's room slowly.

"No, Kim! We are not having phone sex, get your mind out of the gutter will you!"

"Well, good. And you better say goodbye to lover boy because Maggie's here to do your hands."

"Oh, ok. Josh, I got to go, see you this afternoon!"

"I'm looking forth to it. Hey, we could just show up naked!"

"JOSH!" Nikki and his parents yelled at the same time.

"I'm just joking!" he said laughing

"Bye, Josh. I love you."

"I love you too." They both close there cell phones while grinning.

"What was that about?" Kim asked.

"You don't want to know," Nikki stood up picking up the dress

"Whose dress is that? Where is yours?"

"The airline misplaced mine, this is grandma wedding dress."

"And you are going to wear it."

"Yes, I am. Now, let's go before Maggie comes looking for us."

Later that afternoon, Josh and Nikki's families were waiting up at port Hughes for the wedding. They found the venue the last time they were in Adelaide; they fell in love with the view to the ocean and booked it for Christmas after talking to the wedding planner.

Josh was already standing at the front with his brother as best man and Nikki's twin brother Daniel. They were looking handsome with suits.

The celebrant was a longtime friend of Nikki's parents and agreed to marry them after they explained to her that it was the only time they could get due to their jobs.

When it was time, the two limos showed up. Josh looked out to sea, while everyone else looked at the bride's maid walking quickly to the second limo to help Nikki. They helped her to reach her father that was waiting for her at the start of the carpet. Her train was lowered into the floor, and then, Nikki nodded.

The music started and Josh's younger sister Maggie walked down the aisle. Followed by Kim. The two women floated on their coral reef pink wide strap tank bodice with supportive, sweetheart neckline and wide shoulder straps with tea length skirts. Their hair was kept back with a headband of the same color, and diamond pendant in white gold was the only decoration they had besides the lilies bouquet.

Sooner than Nikki expected, the music changed; everyone stood up at once and turned to see as her father walked his only daughter down the aisle.

And then, Josh turned around.

Nikki smiled brightly, and he left out a 'wow.' She was beautiful wearing her grandmother's nineteen forty ivory satin dress. It was a V neckline, and the bodice gathered with slightly puffy sleeves, and A-line skirt was followed with a cathedral train. She complimented the dress with Austrian's crystals, and beads decoration with a generous measure of 8 1/2 inches of the silver toned 15 3/4-inch band and is just under 3/4 inch at its center peak tiara with triple layer veil.

The one that went over her face went down to her elbow. The other two went to the back, one as low as her backside, and the second one on the length of her train. For the new, she was wearing ivory shoes she brought before leaving for the patrol on the new the Hammersley and pearl earrings that her parents gifted her; for the borrowed, she had her grandmother's pearl necklaces.

As for the blue, her bouquet was a teardrop-shaped bouquet of blue irises with white roses, lilies and baby's breath.

Her father kissed her cheek before she walked the last steps that kept her away from Josh. Soon, the guests were all smiling and crying of happiness as Nikki and Josh said their wedding vows. The veil was lifted, and they finally kissed.

"It gives me immense pleasure the chance of introducing Josh and Nikki Holiday," everyone clapped and cheered them on.

They walked down the aisle and only stopped to have their photos taken. The photographer was Nikki's older brother and the pictures where his wedding gift for the newlyweds. After the photo session, they were talking with her brother when Nikki's eyes found a Navy ship close to the shore.

"Ian!"

"Yeah, sis?"

"Can you do one more, please?"

"Nikki, you already have a ton of pics," he chuckled.

"Please! It will be worthy."

"Ok," he said rolling her eyes. "Now, where?" they walked over to a spot.

"Josh!" she called him over.

"Yes, Nikki?"

"What do you think of one more picture with you here and I'll be here."

"Okay," Josh chuckled. "But, why the enthusiasm with this spot?"

"That's why!" She pointed, Josh smiled.

"Now, I get it," Ian sighed. "I'll get the picture. Just, look at each other, please". He looked at the picture and grinned. Before he walked towards them, the picture had them looking at each other and the Navy frigate in the back behind them.

"It's perfect, Ian!"

"It's a shame it's not the Hammersley," Josh said.

"I can always edit it in, sent me different photos of the Hammersley so that I can replace it."

"Sure, I'll send you some when we get the chance," Josh grinned.

"Great!"

"Everyone starting to leave," Josh said

"We'll better go, I'll see you tonight for dinner," Nikki grinned.

"I'll be there!" Ian waved as Nikki and Josh entered the waiting limo.