{Author's Note: Due to family obligations this is going out a bit later than usual. As atonement, two chapters will be published. Enjoy!}
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Mort pulled up to the valet in the rather full parking lot at the elegant Dockside Restaurant just after the rest of the family had arrived in their rental cars.
By the time Seth and Mort had gotten out and gone around to help Jessica and Adele get out of the sedan the cheerful little family group had gathered at the door.
"We're all here? Good. Let's go on in," remarked Seth as he escorted Jessica through the front door.
"Welcome! Welcome!" greeted old Barnaby, the owner, as they entered the foyer. "Blessings on you both," the small, spry man said as he gave them both hugs. "We have the alcove all ready for you. Lizzie and Marie will take you to your table and be your servers. I have chilled champagne waiting for you - my treat. If there's anything at all that you desire, just ask."
"Thank you Barnaby," exclaimed Jessica. "That's very kind of you."
"Nothing's too good for my friends and two of my best customers," he retorted. "I'm so happy for you!"
"Mort," Seth addressed the sheriff, "would you please lead everyone over to the table? Jess and I will be right there."
"Of course," Mort acquiesced as he motioned for the group to follow the servers into the dining area.
Turning to the proprietor, Seth instructed him as he handed over his plastic rectangle, "Before it get's too late in the evening take an imprint of my credit card to cover tonight's expenses. Please add a 25% tip for the servers, too."
"How generous! Excuse me, I'll be right back," Barnaby said as he walked to the cashier's station on the side.
"Seth, you've got to let me start paying for some of these expenses," Jessica whispered. "By the way, just how old is Barnaby now?"
"He's got to be about 95 years old, if he's a day," Seth quietly replied. "Let's save our discussion about finances until another day, hmm? I promise you it'll be surprising, but in a pleasant way," he said cryptically just as the proprietor returned and handed Seth back his credit card. "Now, please follow me," the elderly fellow instructed them.
When the happy couple stepped through the foyer into the main dining room they found a full crowd enjoying their dinners in the softly lit room, all seated at white linen covered tables complete with a candle on each.
Several of the diners noticed Jessica and Seth entering and started applauding. The rest of the crowd joined in along with cries of "Congratulations!" and "Best Wishes!" and a few quieter, "It's About Time!"
As they acknowledged the crowd with a nod and a small wave while progressing toward their private table, Seth leaned in closer to Jessica and said through smiling, albeit gritted teeth, "If I never hear that phrase again, it'll be too soon!"
"Me too!" agreed Jessica wholeheartedly. "But it's just for today; let them have their fun teasing us."
Barnaby delivered them to their private table off to one side of the restaurant. The cozy alcove was separated from the main dining area by a stout half wall that was decorated with various greenery and vases of flowers, giving it privacy, but not isolation. The fireplace on the north side held a candelabra of cheerfully flickering tapers.
At the opposite end the alcove opened onto a large outdoor dance floor which was covered by a white pergola and enclosed by white lattice along the perimeter. Leafy green vines were twined everywhere and were draped with small white lights that twinkled merrily as a quartet finished setting up in the far corner. Since the evening was still on the warm side, the doors from the main dining area were also open and tuneful strains from the quartet began wafting throughout the restaurant along with a slight salty scent from the nearby water.
"Isn't this just beautiful?" asked Donna as Jessica and Seth arrived at the long, white linen covered table that was adorned with several small vases of short stemmed red roses. Stands of silver ice buckets filled with champagne stood off to the side.
"It's very nice," admitted Seth, "and what is that delicious smell? Mmmmm, I think you may have missed your deduction on the dinner special Jess. Smells more like beef to me."
The servers had been busy filling everyones' glasses with champagne and, after Jessica and Seth were seated at the center of the table, Mort stood to deliver a toast to the newlyweds.
"Jessica, Seth," he stood as he addressed them and raised his glass. "Here's to a long, happy, and exceptionally peaceful marriage." Chuckles accompanied the clinking of glasses as the wedding party all joined in the toast.
Seth and Jessica rose to return the honor. Standing close to Seth, Jessica spoke; "We can't thank you all enough for sharing in our joy by joining us on such very short notice."
"We love you all very much," continued Seth as he glanced around the group. He then turned to Jessica and they raised their glasses to their friends and family. "Here's to all of you!" finished Jessica as they touched flutes and sipped the champagne in homage to the wedding party. Without a conscious thought, they then leaned in and kissed softly.
"Dong!" faintly sounded from the other side of the restaurant as old Barnaby struck the ancient ship's bell overhanging the bar. Everyone at the bar, and many of the full house of diners, took a long drink from their glasses. Grinning, he refilled the empty shot glass in front of him and also took a drink. Then he refilled the glass of the patron across the bar who thanked him and asked in amazement of his good fortune, "You mean every time they kiss the whole restaurant gets a free drink?"
"That's right," replied the owner with a huge grin. "Everyone's wishing for a lot of romance in the air tonight!" Just then Martin started clinking his knife against the side of his water glass. Jessica and Seth obliged with another smooch and the whole restaurant gulped more spirits as "dong!" was again heard.
Once they were seated the servers arrived and detailed the night's offerings to the bride and groom.
"Tonight's specials are Chateaubriand with Roasted Root Vegetables…" Seth looked over at Jessica with a self satisfied smile and a wink. "…, and Herbed Baked Striped Bass with Jasmine Rice and Mixed Greens," concluded Marie. Jessica wrinkled her nose back at Seth and they both laughed as she gave him a peck on the cheek.
"Dong!" sounded faintly again. The bar patron said to Barnaby, "Hey, I'm not complaining, but that wasn't a real kiss."
"I'm not that fussy," replied Barnaby.
Neither were most of the other patrons of the establishment as sounds of "Cheers!" could be heard over the quartet's music.
"Well, the whole place seems to be in a very good mood this evening," remarked Grady to Susan, who happened to be sitting next to him. They and their spouses were across the table from Jessica and Seth.
"They sure are," replied Susan, who had a good view of the bar and was getting suspicious of the cause of the jovial crowd.
"By the way," Grady asked of her, did you remember our bet? You owe me a dollar; pay up!" Donna, who had overheard the exchange, started giggling.
"Yes, I did," answered Susan, "and this is the happiest debt that I'll ever pay." She grinned widely as she pulled a crisp, folded, bill out of her purse. Opening it flat, she offered it to Grady by laying it over both of her palms. "Here you go - brother!"
John was watching the proceedings from the other side of his wife with considerable amusement as she offered the dollar up with great fanfare. Grady replied, "Thank you - dear sister." With that he leaned in and gave her a peck on the cheek.
"Dong!"
"Wait!" said the slightly tipsy bar patron to old Barnaby. "They're not even the newlyweds!"
"I told you that I wasn't fussy…" came the reply.
Jessica and Seth had just finished ordering their dinners and caught only the end of the exchange between Grady and Donna.
"Grady!" Jessica exclaimed to her nephew. "Do I understand correctly that you and Donna had some kind of wager on us?"
"A very old bet," admitted Grady. "Many years ago Susan and I, both being only children, talked about how it would be wonderful to have a sibling. Since it was obvious that you and Uncle Seth cared deeply for each other we figured that the two of you getting married was our best chance of getting an older sister," he said as he looked at Susan.
"Or a younger brother," continued Susan as she glanced at Jessica and her father with a huge smile. "We tried to bet on when you two would finally get together, but we couldn't figure out a good way to bet that, so we decided to bet on who would propose to whom. I bet that my Dad would be the one to pop the question."
"And I bet on Aunt Jessica going first; so I win our wager. One dollar," finished Grady. "But I also get a sister and someone who's been like a father to me when I needed him, so I consider myself a really big winner!" said Grady with a grin.
"And I get a brother and someone I can talk to like a mother again," remarked Susan. "We're both big winners!"
Seth and Jessica sat silent and dumbfounded while everyone around them chuckled and smiled at the story. After a moment they looked at each other and shook their heads while joining in the snickers. Jessica could do no more than dab at her eyes, she was so touched. Seth found it necessary to blow his nose at that particular moment.
Smiling again, Jessica remarked, "And on that note, I'm going to powder my nose."
"I have to go in that direction, too," enjoined Seth. "I'll come along."
As they walked toward the front of the restaurant Seth asked, "Can you believe those two? After all these years…"
Jessica laughed, "I never would have bet on either of them doing such a thing!"
"Heh, heh, heh!" laughed Seth at the joke. Just before they reached the foyer Jonathan Bryce, a reporter for the local Cabot Cove Weekly met them.
"Mrs. Fletcher, oh, excuse me - Mrs. Hazlitt, and Doctor Hazlitt. Best wishes and congratulations to you!"
"Thank you Jonathan, how are things at the Weekly?" asked Jessica.
"Oh, going along fairly well, thanks. Say, in case you don't know about it, the New York paparazzi has a bet going on about who can interview you first."
"There seems to be a lot of that going around lately," commented Seth.
"Oh yes, we've heard," answered Jessica. "In fact, we've been pleasantly surprised that there hasn't been a press mob waiting for us here."
"Well, I may have had something to do with that," chuckled the newspaper man. "If you remember, I'm the local contact with the Boston papers and we have sort of an ongoing rivalry with the New York reporters. I couldn't have them interfering with Cabot Cove's finest on their wedding day so I let slip some er, misleading information and sent them on a wild goose chase - in New York. I imagine they've had your apartment there staked out for several days now," he said with a sly grin.
"Why Jonathan, that's so wonderfully devious of you!" exclaimed Seth. "How can we ever thank you?"
"Oh, that's not necessary. In fact, please consider it my wedding gift to the both of you."
"How very gracious of you," said Jessica. "But perhaps we can repay your kindness in some little way," she looked meaningfully at Seth who nodded his assent to her unasked question.
"Jonathan, how would you like the exclusive interview about my trilogy? You may even want to add a line or two about our wedding."
"Mrs., uh, Hazlitt! That would be quite a feather in my cap! Would you mind if I included a photograph or two? In fact, I'll be happy to have copies made of everything I take as mementos for you."
"That would be lovely, Jonathan. Let's see if we can use Barnaby's office for a few minutes. I do have one favor to ask of you. Would you please send a copy of your story to my publisher so he can put out a notice just after your story goes to press?"
"It would be my pleasure," he agreed. "That means that I'll probably also get my by-line on the international wires. Thank you!"
Barnaby heartily approved for the use of his office space for the quick interview and once concluded the happy couple returned to their seats just in time to be served dinner. Chateaubriand for Seth and Herbed Baked Sea Bass for Jessica.
"Oh Jess, this is wonderful beef. Here, try a bite," insisted Seth as he fed Jessica a forkful.
"Yum, that is good. So is the bass. Try a bit," she said as she lifted a bite to Seth's mouth.
Click! Click! went the camera as those were the latest in a series of photos that Jonathan had taken over the last couple of hours. This story is going to be such a feather in my cap, he contentedly thought.
While everyone was enjoying their scrumptious meals the band was busy playing music that enticed many diners out onto the dance floor.
"That was great!" exclaimed Seth, patting his belly as he polished off his tasty dish. "Dessert will have to wait, I'm stuffed! A little exercise would do me good. Jessica dear, would you care to dance?"
"I though you'd never ask," laughed Jessica as she rose and took Seth's hand. They stepped onto the dance floor just as the band began playing "Cheek to Cheek."
"I'm too full to dance very fast right now, Jess. How about if we make this a slow dance and do as they suggest?" asked Seth as he gathered Jessica into his arms and brought his cheek next to hers.
"That sounds good to me," she replied as she stepped closer into Seth and curled her right hand into his. Seth brought them both over his heart.
They were so caught up in each other that they didn't notice the other dancers clearing the area around them and admiring what an attractive appearance they made as they melded closely together. Seth, so handsome and silvery with his white hair and in a tuxedo, and Jessica with blonde locks accentuated by the golden hue of her gown.
"Seth," Jessica murmured, "I feel like we're dancing on a cloud."
"Well, I am dancing with an angel, so that might be true," he softly replied.
"Oh you!" Jessica smiled, moving her head back slightly and tilting it to the left a bit as she gently kissed Seth.
Those who were watching, and there were many, including all of the wedding party, just sighed in delight at the image of the golden Sun and the silvery Moon dancing together and sharing a kiss.
Jonathan Bryce thought the same thing as he took their picture. This shot's going to make my career. And what a perfect caption; "Sun and Moon Dance."
And of course, "dong!" pealed the bell softly.
Grady and Donna had been dancing nearby and after the song ended they stepped over to the newlyweds and Grady inquired of Jessica, "May I have this next dance, Aunt Jess?"
"Of course, Grady," cheerfully agreed Jessica to her favorite nephew.
"Then it's only fair that I get to whirl about with this lovely lady," grinned Seth, taking Donna's hand as she returned his smile and took her position as the next song began.
"Grady," Jessica gently admonished as they waltzed away, "so that's why you were smiling so broadly at the church after I told the story about how Seth and I got engaged. You knew that you'd won the bet."
"That's right," Grady chuckled. "But I also was so very, very happy for you and Uncle Seth. He's a good man and he deserves a wonderful, beautiful woman like you."
"My goodness, you're going to make me blush."
"I mean it. You're just glowing Aunt Jess! And Uncle Seth helped me a lot after Uncle Frank's death."
"You talked to him about it?"
"Yes, several times. I missed Uncle Frank so terribly and needed to have some, you know, guy talk. Uncle Seth was always there for me."
"He never told me…"
"He couldn't. I swore him to secrecy and even told him that I was his patient so it would all be confidential. He was like a third father to me and spoke to me like a man would to a son. I'll always be grateful to him."
"Oh Grady honey, I'm so sorry. I know it was terribly hard for you to lose your parents and then Uncle Frank. How can you be smiling so after all that?" asked a puzzled Jessica.
"Because Aunt Jess, I have a wife who loves me more that anything and I've had three great men as fathers. And, I've had two of the best mothers in the world! I'm the luckiest guy on Earth! Oh, Aunt Jess! I'm sorry, please don't cry!" said Grady with alarm as he noticed several glistening drops on Jessica's cheeks.
"These are tears of joy, Grady. Tears of joy, my dear boy," responded Jessica giving the man she had helped raise from childhood a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.
The bell rang again.
"What in Sam Hill is it with that bell tonight?" wondered Seth aloud as he and Donna gamboled around the dance floor.
"I'm not sure," replied Donna, "but everyone seems to be enjoying their beverages, a lot! You look very handsome Uncle Seth; and very happy as well," she added.
"That I am, my dear. I'm so happy I may just bust!"
Giggling, Donna replied, "Oh no, don't do that, it would leave a mess on this nice dance floor."
"A big mess!" joked Seth.
Donna giggled harder. Suddenly, she hiccuped. "Oh, please excuse me! How embarrassing, and I haven't even had anything to drink tonight other than water."
"Just don't say I have that effect on you," laughed Seth.
"Oh my, we're getting positively slap-happy, aren't we," Donna noted, letting slip a deeper drawl.
"It does my heart good to hear a Southern accent again," said Seth, looking into Donna's face. After a moment he tilted his head slightly to the side and asked, "Young lady, is that a twinkle I see in your eye?"
Catching his meaning immediately Donna gasped, "How did you know?"
"I've been a doctor for a long, long time. How far along are you?"
"About seven weeks or so. Grady and I didn't want to say anything until after the wedding. And we think it might be two twinkles."
"How wonderful! That was very considerate of you. Why don't you and Grady announce it tomorrow on the plane ride home? Your Aunt Jessica will be overjoyed!"
"In addition to little Frank, will you be happy to have a couple more grandnephews or nieces, too?" smiled Donna.
"My dear, I didn't think that I could be any happier today but, by gum, you've done it!" Seth replied as he leaned in and kissed her cheek.
The melodic tone of metal striking metal wafted through the air. Again. The bar patron, who had taken turns with Barnaby manning the clapper slurred, "That's it for me! I'm giving up alcohol forever! I'll have a ginger ale, please!"
