Cht 6
Marchesa. That's what the label said on her dress. That's why the lace was so extravagant and gorgeous, she reasoned. She was wearing a Marchesa gown for her wedding to Raymond Reddington. She felt the giddiest excitement from all of the above. Mr Kaplan had gone to step into her own suit, a sharp silver-toned sheath with an ivory hem-skimming overcoat. Samar popped in with the bottle of orange juice, humming appreciatively at the figure-hugging shaper Liz had chosen to go under her dress as she tugged it on.
"That looks great," she smiled mischieveously, "why don't you go down in that?"
"I might just go down in it later," Liz snarked back, grinning just as deviously. "Now help me get into this thing."
Samar awwwed appreciatively at the designer label, and again at the label with "Liz Reddington" embroidered onto it, before unzipping and helping Liz step gingerly into the frothy lace gown. Kaplan re-entered just as she was zipped into the dress and stood turning this way and that before the full-length mirror, staring frankly in awe of the image of herself.
"Wow, Kate," said Samar, "you're looking very mother-of-the-bride."
"Shut it," the older woman said tersely, but smiled ruefully at Liz, "I know your mother isn't here for this, but she handed you into my care as a baby, at Raymond's urging of course, and I did care for you for your first few years."
She choked up on the last bit and hastily accepted the tissue Samar offered her from the vanity.
"He may not like that I divulged that bit of information, dearie," she said, taking and clasping Liz's hand as she teared up as well, "but I knew you years ago and almost as well as your own mother."
"That's fine," Liz sniffled, "and thank you for standing in for her." She nodded as her throat constricted and the laughed tearfully at their reflections in the glass. "Mimosas?"
"Mimosas!" the other women chimed in. By the time Dembe came to tell them it was time to go downstairs, they were two mimosas in and reminiscing, sharing memories of Red. Kaplan's favorite was the time he tried to zipline over the Amazon. Liz realized watching her that she had never seen the woman laugh before.
"Ladies, you all look lovely, and I know you are having a good time, but I must take the bride to her groom," Dembe interjected with a quiet smile.
Liz took a deep breath and then his hand.
"Let's do this," she said a bit shakily, downing the last of her mimosa.
The banister railing was wrapped with purple ribbon, the baluster topped with hydrangea blossoms. Liz trailed her hand down it, noting the larger bouquets of hydrangea and lilies on the hall tables in the foyer. The butterflies in her stomach were swirling and she started to regret the mimosas.
She looked up as Samar stepped down after her in a swath of deep purple silk that made her mocha cream complexion glow. Kaplan came down as well with a flush-faced Agnes on her hip, with Mrs Hunnicutt carrying a still sleeping Lucia snugged under a light-weave lavender blanket. Agnes was fingering the flowery sash on her dress and looking sleepily down at her mother. Seeing the procession of females, Liz teared up again. All her life she had wanted a family, a mom, a sister, her own children. She had it. Liz looked at Dembe, seeing the brother she had long desired. In Sam she had had a father, had never wanted for that really. But the rest at last had fallen into place, because of one man. The one who waited for her now. The swirl of nervousness in her belly subsided, and she smiled at Dembe as first Mr Kaplan, then Samar stepped out onto the back terrace.
"Let's do it," she said a minute after the others exited the building and she saw them standing in their respective places. She could see people, the backs of heads, and the dim outline of Red standing a step below Cooper on a terrace. The sides of the terrace were flanked with ferns, lavender tree roses, and arbors of fragrant wisteria.
Dembe led her through the French doors and across a plum-colored damask runner as a string quartet struck up Pachelbel's "Canon in D Major." Liz licked her lips conscientiously and spared a look around. Everyone had stood when the music started and turned to watch her walk down the aisle. Her jaw dropped when she realized there were friends from Nebraska, as well as Quantico. Ellie, her neighbor during the Tom fiasco was there, as well as Nik. Ressler had come, with a girl beside him who she thought was an analyst at the Post Office. And there stood Raymond Reddington, for once in his life speechless.
Dembe stopped before the terrace as Red stepped forward. He placed her hand in Red's and stepped behind him, whispering, "Insha Allah, 'man tazawwaja faqad istakmala nisfa al-iman falyattiqi Allaha fiy an-nisf al-baaqiy.'" He then nodded to Cooper to begin.
"Friends and family," Cooper entoned, "we have gathered in this place to celebrate the union of what I would have believed to be the most unlikely pair imaginable."
He paused as the audience chuckled.
"When I first encountered Elizabeth as a rookie agent still wet behind the ears, I never imagined that the criminal I sent her down to interrogate would wind up asking me to officiate over their union before God and everyone they hold dear."
He smiled, then continued, "yet here we are. I cannot convey what a long and arduous journey it has been for both of them—and us—"more polite chuckles and a more feeling laugh from Ressler. "But they have made it, and they have come through it stronger and better for it. So we join them here today to wish upon them all the blessings we have gained from knowing them and seeing them forge first an alliance, then a friendship, and finally a love bond that no one above nor below can break. We celebrate with them as they pledge their devotion and their lives to each other. Raymond," he nodded, cueing Red.
"When I suggested to Elizabeth that we write our own vows, Lizzie agreed on one condition—that I not launch into a story," Red began, more than half the crowd chuckling at the thought, knowing full well why she would say this. "So just this once I will get straight to the point."
He stopped, gauged the audience, and then plowed on laughing and shaking his head.
"No I won't. It seems I'm incapable," he shrugged, holding up his hands and shifting his stance. "When I first met Lizzie, I was unimpressed."
Liz snorted, "thanks a bunch."
"She was chubby, skinned-knees, and…she had a dangler," he said pointing to his nose. Liz and several others laughed. She squeezed his hand admonishingly.
"But I digress," he said, smiling winningly back at her. "I did the one thing any upstanding intelligence professional would do—I handed her off to someone else for safekeeping." More chuckles. "From the day she was entrusted to my care though I did what I thought was right for a child. Saw to her needs through a go-between, made sure she was educated, wanted for nothing, and I would get pictures from time to time. A botched first haircut, braces, godawful highlights."
"Then one day she was standing before me. Not some distant photograph that could well have been the stock photo that came with the frame, but a real live independent grown up woman, in full realization of her potential. A venerable psychologist, a full-fledged federal agent. An amazing, bright woman with a future in front of her. I was in awe of what she had become. I came to know her, to see details that I had missed from afar. The quirks and nuances of her face that no photo could capture, the maturity and verve. And I loved her. From that moment on, I endeavored to be worthy of her. And her finding me worthy, I pledge to never make her regret…me."
Liz sniffled, squeezing his hand this time in assurance and took a deep breath.
"Raymond," she began throatily, swallowing and blinking back the tears that came unbidden. Then she thought of the words she was about to say and laughed wetly, stammering at first then her voice growing stronger with humor, "I—ah—I would love to talk about when I first met you, but it's classified," the guests laughed and Ressler chimed in, "just don't tell what's redacted!" Liz laughed back and continued, "suffice to say you were handcuffed and yet I was scared to death. You struck a chord in me then, and from that moment, you have struck many chords. At first I was afraid that as you plucked my heartstrings and I felt it resonating in me that you were playing me like a violin. But that isn't it at all," she said, her throat thickening with emotion again. "You brought a music into my life, a life that was silent before. You've said that I am your light, your star pointing you home. But you are my song," she finished weeping, "with my girls you are the melody that is playing in my ear and my heart. And you make my soul sing. I pledge to you to make a symphony of life."
Everyone looked to Cooper as he cleared his throat and dabbed at his eyes with a handkerchief. "With your vows pledged, you may now exchange the rings."
Dembe produced one from his breast pocket and handed it to Red, even as Samar removed Red's from her pinky for Liz to give him. Red and Liz took turns sliding each other's on, Liz laughing that both their hands were shaking.
"You may now kiss your bride."
The crowd cheered and Samar wolf whistled when Red dipped Lizzie backwards laughing as he planted a firm kiss on her mouth. When they straightened, Liz leapt into Red's arms and he spun her once while she smooched him back just as firmly, laughing.
"By the powers vested in me to bear witness on this glorious day, I now pronounce you man and wife."
Cheers erupted as the wedding party stood, Red scooped her up and carrying her swiftly down the aisle as the attendants followed behind.
As Dembe caught up and passed them, catching the door for Reddington he looked at his Lizzie and smiled. "I said I'd make you famous love, and you turned around and made me the happiest I've ever been."
Liz leaned up and kissed his temple, "you gave me a huge extended family and everything I ever wanted. You said the day I met you that if anyone could give you a second chance it was me, I didn't see how I could and I have to confess, I didn't believe you."
"Well why should you have," he gloated, "criminals are notorious liars."
"And you are an absolute scoundrel," she smirked back as he set her down inside the foyer. She stayed there with her arms still linked around his neck while their loved ones moved in around them. "You're my most wanted. And my number one."
Fin.
** "God willing, whoever marries has completed half of his faith. So let him beware of Allah regarding the other half." (hadith)