"Let's go Gladys!" Harvey said with barely veiled fear, as he slammed the car door and sped away. "What's up with him now?" Martha asked aloud. "Nothing," Jonathan said, heading down the steps toward some toys, "Just the Captain wanting to say goodbye too I guess, that's why he asked me for some of the rice."
"Jonathan!" Carolyn warned, looking about but not seeing their ghost. "What did I tell you about scaring your sister?" "Aw, it's nothing," Candy answered, joining him on the lawn, "he just has too much fun making all this stuff up. Don't worry Mom."
Carolyn turned toward Martha and gave her a noncommittal shrug, "It was a spectacular breakfast Martha. Think I'll take a walk down on the beach before I settle back down to work." "Well change your shoes first," Martha chided, "you'll ruin those heels in the sand otherwise."
Nodding, Carolyn made her way upstairs, "Sometimes I wonder if she isn't the mother, and we're all her children," she murmured to herself. "I'd have said grandmother actually," the Captain grinned meeting her at the landing, "or perhaps great-grandmother if we're talking about the children."
"Nice of you to show yourself," Carolyn grumbled at him, "you couldn't resist scaring that nice young couple one last time, could you!"
"Madam!" he argued, "Really, you couldn't be more wrong – it would have been unconscionable to let them go off without protection." Understanding by her raised eyebrow she really didn't understand, he pointed the way into the master cabin and pulled out her chair. Sitting quietly, she looked toward him with deep curiosity.
He looked at her thoughtfully, "Surely when you were married, Madam, you were also showered with rice?" Looking down, Carolyn let a rather long silence build before responding. "Actually no, that wasn't any part of my marriage, and if you don't mind, I'd prefer to not go into that right now." Confused, the Captain nodded, but noting it as another mystery he'd try to solve going forward. "In any event," he smiled, charitably changing the topic, "Throwing things at a newly married couple is a very old tradition that dates back to ancient Rome or Egypt or even further. The custom was intended to give all newlyweds good luck, and most of the items thrown at the couple are meant to bring fertility and abundance. But in fact, as I know now from my current perspective, this action protects the couple by feeding the uninvited evil spirits who always attended such ceremonies. Essentially, the practice truly wards off evil, as well-fed evil spirits bring no harm to the blissful couple. All in all a far better option than the old Irish tradition that had a newly married couple pelted with pots and pans in honor of their new domestic life. "
"Ouch," Carolyn smiled, "I guess I should be happy you didn't opt to give them an ounce of Irish protection, shouldn't I?"
"Indeed," the Captain smiled in return, "So I trust my actions, my intentions now meet with your approval?" "They do Captain," she offered, slipping on flats for her walk on the beach. "Care to join me?" she asked, pausing by the door. "I'd be delighted Madam," he smiled and the two headed down the stairs toward the shore.