Confession Chapter 73
"Getting a little Christmas joy?" Martha inquires as a slightly mussed Castle and Kate finally return to the great room.
Alexis's eyes light on Kate's hand. "Wow! Is that an engagement ring?"
Martha strides over to take a look. "So you two finally did it. It's about time."
Nodding at Castle, Jim Beckett opens his arms to Kate. "So what are your plans, Katie, he asks after the seeming signature of the Beckett family, an awkward hug.
"Actually, that's something I need to talk to you about, Dad," Kate says, gesturing her father toward the tall windows across the room.
"So, what's on your mind, Katie?" Jim inquires.
"I was thinking of leaving the NYPD."
Jim blows out a deep sigh. "Thank God! You may give me the first full night's sleep I've had since you joined the force. But that's your decision, Katie. You'd have my blessing, but you wouldn't need it. What does Castle think?"
"He understands what I want to do and he's OK with it."
"And what is it you want to do?"
"Go after corporate monsters the way you do."
"You want to go to law school?"
"I haven't decided about that yet. But I'd like to work as your investigator – if you'll accept me."
"If I'll accept you? Katie, you're the best detective in the city, maybe one of the best in the country. Of course, I'll accept you. But I can't pay as well as the NYPD. Sometimes it takes years to get an award from one of my class action suits. And there's never a guarantee. The seminars and such that I give help keep the office going."
"I don't care, Dad. What I've done has never been about the money."
"And you will be married to a millionaire writer," Jim realizes.
The corners of Kate's mouth tug upwards as she fingers her ring. "I guess I will."
"So any idea when the big day will be?" Jim asks.
"Castle and I haven't talked about a date yet."
"If I read your fiancé right, he put in a vote for as soon as possible," Jim offers.
Kate chuckles. "I did get that impression."
Anderson Cross conducts his usual search for mentions of Richard Castle or Kate Beckett in the press or any of the summaries issued by the various agencies. He notes that the murder closure rate from the NYPD took a slight dip, similar to the one after Kate Beckett was shot. The grooves in his brow deepen until he gets more details. Kate Beckett left the NYPD which will mean his son's departure as well. He supposes that makes sense. Richard's muse was always driven by the Bracken affair. With Bracken finally locked up, that impetus is gone. But now what is she going to do with herself and will Richard still be trailing after her?"
He decides to check the pop culture news. Much of the information about celebrities, even minor ones like Richard, is wrong or exaggerated. But occasionally he can find a useful nugget or two. He finds one – a small notice about the upcoming nuptials of Richard Castle and Katherine Beckett. No location or exact time is given, but he can determine that easily enough with some surveillance. For the sake of his family's safety, he's kept his distance as much as possible. But somehow or another, this is an event he would like to see.
Kate regards herself in the triple mirror of the dressing room of the Church of Universal Love. While she had attended Catholic services as a kid, marrying twice-divorced Castle in the church of her youth would be tantamount to impossible.
For his part, Castle was forced into chapel attendance at his various boarding schools and was never taken with much of anything about them except some of the gorier stories he could read in a pew Bible during sermons. He would be deliriously happy if they could get married in space, particularly if he could dress up as his favorite space cowboy. But it will be years before they can get tickets on any civilian space flight and he doesn't want to wait that long. So Universal Love is a good choice. As far as Pastor Aurora is concerned, any joining made in love is blessed. What couples call the higher power is a matter of choice.
The dress, having belonged to Johanna Beckett, is perfect. Joe Bugatti was right about Kate's resemblance to her mother – at least as far as her measurements go. The costume mistress Martha called in to do any necessary alterations only had to take a couple of tiny tucks. Kate's never been a fan of bridal veils. She prefers to go into marriage with her vision unobstructed. But a hair stylist, again called in by Martha, managed to incorporate a few sparkles that enhance the effect of the dress. And the subtle makeup Lanie applied looks just right.
Not that all of that will matter much to Castle. He's made it clear on numerous occasions that she is most beautiful to him bed-mussed with no adornments except those that come naturally. But even in as liberal a church as Universal Love, that wouldn't go over very well. And Aunt Theresa would probably have a heart attack.
Kate can hear the string quartet warming up. She'd given some thought to walking down the aisle to the strains of something from the present era, but she'd decided to save pop music for the reception. She'll be at least semi-traditional and approach the altar to the strains of the Pachelbel Canon in D.
Lanie sticks her head in the door. "It looks like everyone's here and your dad's pacing around out there waiting for you. Alexis says Castle's about to jump out of his skin. Are you ready?"
"Yes!" Kate declares, surprised at her own surety. "Let's go!"
Anderson Cross studies his video feed. He tied into the video recording system at the church – one of the perks offered to couples getting married there. Cross examines the image on the screen of his iPad. The quality probably beats what most couples would get from hiring a videographer. And it's better than a lot of what he's had to work with on missions. The sound certainly is, he notes as strains of the processional start. Not only can he watch his son get married, but he'll also hear whatever Richard and his bride decide to say. For a moment he feels a pang of regret that he can't sit in the front row like any other father of the groom. But it's safer for his family if he stays away. It always has been. And as wedding gifts go, safety is the most he can offer.
Following Lanie, Kate slowly makes her way down the white-satin-covered aisle. Irises, a bow to her favorite color scheme, are at the ends of the pews along her short journey. She can see Castle watching her approach. The love in his eyes is unmistakable and something she's never seen in any other man's gaze except her father's when he looked at her mother. She glances sideways and sees one of Jim Beckett's rare smiles – or what passes for one. Pastor Aurora will be leaving the part about giving a woman in marriage, out. Kate is her own woman and no one's to give. She unwinds herself from Jim Beckett's arm as she reaches Castle's side and waits for the ceremony they chose to begin.