It was the day before Erica's wedding. She was at a luxurious resort on their own private Island. She had all her family and friends around her. It should have been one of the happiest days of her life… but it wasn't. She kept seeing the day from her youngest daughter's perspective and she realised she had made a terrible mistake...

…

All of the wedding guests had made themselves comfortable on the large sailing yacht that was bringing them to the island. It had been a long journey to get there. A six hour flight followed by a two hour coach journey, and now they were on a yacht bobbing up and down… up and down… on the sea.

Poor little Gabby was never a good traveller at the best of times, but today was a terrible for her. Bianca and Marissa had dosed her up with travel sickness medicine but that had stopped working an hour into the coach journey. Now they were on a boat Gabby was laying miserably on her mother's lap, her tears all cried out and her face grey. Erica watched Bianca, stroking her daughter's hair and whispering softly to her, but there was nothing anyone could do until they arrived at the island.

Miranda and AJ were unaffected by the journey. Miranda and Emma had taken it upon themselves to look after Ayesha, much to Camilla's amusement. They had offered to take care of Ian as well but Kendall was holding him tightly to her lap. She didn't want him running off and causing mischief. Spike had been eager to sit with AJ but AJ couldn't sit still. AJ was so excited by the fact that they were sailing he could hardly contain himself. The two boys stuck together, running back and forth between Jackson, Marissa and Reggie so AJ could tell them all about the sails and the wind and what the crew were doing.

Erica was sitting at the bow with Ryan and Opal. She couldn't take her eyes from Bianca and how she was handling a fretful Gabby. The sail boat had seemed such a romantic way to get to the island. They would be true mariners, searching for distant shores. The sun was slowly setting adding a magical orange glow to their surroundings, but Erica couldn't see it. She was too busy regretting the fact she had refused the helicopter which would have gotten them all to the island with much less trauma.

"Maybe this wasn't such a great way to travel?" she muttered.

"I think AJ would disagree." said Opal, nodding the direction of a blonde headed boy gazing lovingly at the yacht's tall sail.

"I think I would have to disagree as well." said Ryan, lounging back on his seat and taking a long sip of his beer. "This is the most civilised way to travel!"

Erica sighed. She knew Bianca wouldn't agree.

Just then there was a bustle of activity and they heard Cara's voice exclaim,

"Is that the island? It's beautiful!"

And there it was; their own private jewel in a sparking ocean; a little archipelago of palm trees and golden sand.

The boat turned and the sail was lowered as the anchor was dropped just beyond the Coral reef. There was one last form of transport expected to take them all to shore.

"Canoes!" cried Spike, being the first one to spot them.

"Outrigger canoes." corrected AJ. He turned to Jackson wide eyed. "Are we going on a canoe?"

"We are."

AJ tore excited along to the mid-deck where Cara, Scott, Marissa, Miranda and Emma were sitting. Bianca was sitting a little down-wind from the others with Gabby.

"Mom… mom… we're going on an outrigger canoe!" AJ shouted. "Miranda… Binks… Gabby… we're going on an outrigger canoe!"

…

The next wave of guilt engulfed Erica when they started boarding the canoes.

Griffin, Kendall, Ian and Spike climbed into the first boat but there was room for two more passengers. AJ looked pleadingly at his mom; he so desperately wanted to go on the first canoe. Marissa didn't want him going alone, but she also didn't want to leave Bianca with Gabby so unwell.

Jackson stepped forward and put his hand on the boy's shoulders.

"I can take him." he offered.

"Okay." said Marissa. "Thank you."

AJ whooped for joy and almost leaped into the canoe before the pilot was ready.

Ryan, Emma, Cara, Scott, Camilla and Ayesha boarded the second boat. It was simple to get the little kids across. They were passed from one adult to another; Ian sat in Griffin's arms without much complaint and Ayesha travelled happily on her mother's lap as each canoe headed for shore.

When the last boat was being loaded, Erica and Opal were the first to step aboard at the pilot's insistence. Gabby started crying in fear even before she was passed to Marissa. She struggled in her mama's arms, howling and utterly miserable. But then everything stopped. How was Bianca going to get into a canoe? Even though they could use the diving deck which was lowered at the back of the yacht, Bianca couldn't just step across like the others. But there was no other way to shore.

Miranda was refusing to board without her mommy and was getting upset about the thought of leaving her behind.

"Carry me." said Bianca turning to Reggie. She could see her eldest daughter was close to tears and Marissa was getting restless too. She clearly wanted to get back on the yacht and be with Bianca but she couldn't do it with Gabby wriggling about in her arms.

"You're sure?" Reggie asked.

"I can't see another way." Bianca said uncomfortably. "Just don't drop me."

Bianca passed her crutches into the boat and then Reggie hoisted her up onto his shoulder in a fireman's lift before stepping across to the canoe. There was a nervous moment as the boat rocked alarmingly, but no one fell in and no one was dropped. Bianca settled unsteadily in her seat as Miranda hopped aboard to sit beside her.

"We made it." Bianca said with a sigh, her cheeks red with embarrassment.

Unfortunately the trauma of this journey was not over yet.

…

"AJ's all wet!" cried Miranda, pointing toward everyone waiting on the shore.

AJ, Emma and Spike were waving to them enthusiastically, but AJ was the only one soaked to the skin, and then they noticed a lot of the adults were wet too.

The reason for their sogginess quickly became apparent as the boat glided into shore. The beach was so steep that the boat couldn't land. The pilot jumped from the canoe and tried to pull it further up the sand, fighting the waves that were trying to pulling the boat back out to sea. All the time the pilot was waving at everyone to dismount into the water.

Jackson, Ryan and Griffin all hurried into the sea to help. Reggie leaped off into the water too. Griffin and Ryan grabbed the side of the canoe to help the pilot steady it against the waves.

Reggie quickly lifted Gabby from the boat and onto the beach into Kendall's waiting arms. Marissa gave Bianca a worried look before jumping from the boat herself. She couldn't wait to be carried ashore, not when Gabby needed her.

Jackson lifted Erica from the canoe and carried her to safety. Reggie came back to do the same for Opal. Then Jackson returned to lift Miranda onto the beach to be with Gabby and Marissa. Finally Reggie returned to rescue Bianca. Ryan let go of the boat so he could throw Bianca's crutches onto the sand where AJ and Spike quickly retrieved them. He then got together with Reggie to help carry Bianca from the canoe.

Once they had waded ashore the pilot jumped easily back into his boat, waved goodbye and then paddled back out to sea.

Bianca found her feet as the boys helpfully brought her crutches. Unfortunately it was quickly noticed, as the crutches sank into the sand, that she wasn't going to get very far, very easily.

"I think we are going to have to keep carrying you." said Griffin, looking in concern at her leg as she struggled to keep her balance.

Bianca frowned. That was not what she wanted to hear; but there was no way she could climb the sand bank on her own.

"If you must." she sighed.

All of the men shared a look, and Reggie and Griffin were the ones to step forward to help to lift her up between them.

"So where are we going?" Kendall asked scanning the seashore for clues. The sun was almost beyond the horizon, it was going to be dark soon.

Cara and Scott were higher up the beach.

"Can you see anything?" Ryan called, climbing the steep sand bank to join them.

"The resort's just here!" Cara called back, pointing over the ridge and through the trees. "I can see the lights."

…

The group trudged through the sand towards the cluster of Beach houses built around a beautifully manicure garden.

"They could have dropped us closer." sighed Camilla as she laboured along with Ayesha in her arms.

"Not really." explained Jackson. "The beach houses face the lagoon which isn't accessible from the sea."

Marissa was having a similar struggle carrying a much heavier Gabby through the deep sand. Scott had hung back to offer his help, but Gabby wouldn't let anyone else carry her. If mommy couldn't do it then momma was next best.

AJ and Spike were still carrying one of Bianca's crutches each, although they had turned it into a game and were trailing the ends in the sand to make patterns.

The staff were waiting the courtyard with trays of food and drink and wearing wide smiles. That is until they spotted Bianca being carried. Fearing there had been an injury they dropped their trays and hurried over to help.

Explanations and apologies followed and it took people a while to notice a surprising face was there amongst the island staff.

Kendall was the first to recognise her.

"Francois! What are you doing here?" She exclaimed. It was Bianca's old nanny who had left almost a year ago to go and live in France.

Miranda, AJ and Spike all gave a cheer when they noticed her.

"Francois!" gasped Bianca too. "…How?"

"Erica called me." Francois explained. "She wanted to organise help with childcare so that everyone would have the chance at a holiday. How could I say no?"

"Well it's great to see you." said Marissa peering over Gabby's huddle shoulder.

Noticing the youngest Montgomery's condition Francois looked concerned.

"Is she alright?"

"She will be. She's sea sick. But she'll get better now there is no more sea… Won't you Gabby… you'll get better now there is no more sea?"

Gabby didn't even lift her head.

…

Bianca was put down once they had reached the gravel paths of the resort garden. She looked tired, embarrassed by the attention and unhappy.

It seemed they had arrived, but it wasn't the exciting or romantic adventure it was supposed to be.

"Which one's our bungalow?" Bianca asked. "Do we just pick one?"

"You are here in one of the family cabins." said Francois pointing to one of the furthest cabins. "And your luggage is waiting for you."

"Thank you." said Marissa. Gabby was still an unhappy weight in her arms. "Come on baby-girl, let's get you cleaned up and tucked into bed and you'll feel better in the morning."

Gabby only moaned unhappily.

"Miranda, AJ… come on its bedtime for you too." called Bianca.

"Aw, Binks." moaned AJ. "I want to explore the island."

"Maybe in the morning." said Bianca, reaching to shepherd him towards the house. "It's been a long day, you and Miranda need to dry off, and we all need a rest. Say good night to everyone please."

"Good night." chorused Miranda and AJ, before heading to their temporary new home.

"Good night all." said Bianca wearily, before following. She didn't meet her mother's eyes as she spoke.

"That actually sounds like a good idea." said Kendall. "We need to be rested for the big day tomorrow."

There were murmurs of agreement as the groups slowly split apart and were directed to their respective bungalows.

Erica didn't move. She couldn't take her eyes from the door her youngest daughter had disappeared through. Today couldn't have gone worse if she'd tried. How would she make her peace with Bianca now..?

…

As she stared in contemplation she felt an arm around her shoulder. She looked up to see Jackson smiling down at her.

"Hey." he said. "Why the long face? Tomorrow I am going to make you the happiest woman in the world."

Looking up at his handsome grin Erica could only smile back.

"You already have." she sighed.

"That's more like it!" he said bending down for a kiss; a kiss that lingered.

"Oh-no!" exclaimed Opal stepping between them. "None of that! It's bed-time! Jackson, you go off to the 'Bachelor' cabin… Go on… Go! And Erica you come with me."

"Opal… we're adults…" began Erica confused by her friend's intervention.

"No… no…" said Opal, shaking her head. "It's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding. Look what happened last time when you ignored the superstition – there was no wedding and Erica had an awful time! Now shoo Jackson… after tomorrow she's all yours but tonight she on her own."

The pair shared a look. Opal wasn't wrong about the disaster their last attempt at marriage was.

"I'll see you tomorrow." said Erica, with a sad smile.

Jackson's smile grew a little rakish and he bowed and kissed her dashingly on the hand.

"Until then, my love! I shall be counting the hours!"

…

That night Erica lay awake, but she wasn't nervous about her wedding day, she was nervous about her daughter. Her thoughtlessness had once more condemned Bianca to embarrassment and distress. Why didn't she choose a simple ceremony at home? Why did she think this grand expensive resort would be a better option? Her stomach turned a little when she remembered her reason… Back then it had been an attempt to get Bianca far away where Marissa couldn't reach her….

Erica groaned and stared at the ceiling. Today had been a disaster. She only had to hope tomorrow would be better.

…