Surprise, Surprise Part 2

By Jo and Bridgid

Joimus was relieved at how well Bridgid had taken the surprise announcement but, then, she also was well aware of how much her cousin loved the sea captain. So it was with great delight she fetched the bouquet of sunflowers from the car, handing them to the bride.

Meanwhile, Alistair had taken Jack aside. "Is there, um, a ring, Jack? I need to know if we are going to make that part of the ceremony."

Jack had not thought of that part. Of course he wanted to have a magnificent ring for Bridgid but in his haste this had slipped his mind.

"A ring?" Jack said, subconsciously buying time. "Perhaps I could find a temporary...a replacement."

Overhearing, Bridgid ducked away down into the main cabin. She had something for Jack that had belonged to her grandfather. The old ring from Scotland had a series of Celtic knots made from the body of a heron and it was left to her when she was a child. It never left her jewelry box but today she had a good reason to bring it out. Of course, that fact that the heron was a sign of fertility to the Celts was on her mind when she emerged with the prize.

Handing the ring to Alistar, she shrugged. "It's okay if you don't have one for me, Jack, but I've had this for you for quite a long time. It belonged to my grandfather, Sean's father."

"I am sorry, Siren."

"Don't be. I'm just happy to finally become you're wife."

The tone in her voice when she said that made Jack's heart warm. "Then let us begin. You have been patient with me, Bridgid Morgan. You will have my name, today."

"Just a minute, Jack."  It was quiet, gentle Ahnna speaking up, pulling a slender gold chain around her neck so that in a moment a ring that had been beneath the top of her dress was revealed. Quickly she unhooked the clasp and held a golden circlet out toward the Captain. "If...if it would be all right with you, Sir, you could borrow this to use until, until you can acquire one of your choosing."

As Jack looked at the ring on her palm she explained. "It's olive leaves. My great, great grandfather had it specially made for my great, great grandmother on their 50th wedding anniversary." She smiled as she gazed down at the ring. "He said it was because she'd given him 50 years of peace in his life. I...I keep it polished so it looks new, but it's quite old. Do you think it would...serve?"

Jack gingerly took the ring from Ahnna's hand with a smile. "This is precious to you, Aye?"

Seeing her nod he took Ahnna's hand in his and lifted it to his lips. He kissed her knuckles. "Miss Ahnna, I would be honored to borrow your ring on this special occasion. You have my word that it will be returned to you as soon as possible in perfect condition. Thank you."

"Wait a minute!" Bridgid spoke up. "Ahnna, your ring is beautiful and I'd love to have this deal sealed with it but I have to ask one thing first. Would you mind if ...if we had it copied? It's just so beautiful and perfect that I'd love to have one just like it."

"Why, Bridgid, I think that would be lovely. It makes me feel like I did the right thing in offering it."  She smiled and blushed and smiled some more.

Alistair took her hand, squeezing it lightly and whispered, "You are the most precious thing in the world to me, my darling wife."

Alistair's words resounded into Jack's being. 'My darling wife' he said. Soon Jack would be able to use that same phrase for his beloved. He gazed at her at just the right time to see the sun form a kind of corona around her. The gold of her hair and the tan of her bare feet seemed to resonate warmth, needed warmth like that of hearth and home to a lonely sailor too long at sea.

It seemed such a blessing that both Ahnna and Bridgid had rings that were heirlooms. Maybe that was an omen as to their futures. They would both be treasured by their husbands and perhaps, just perhaps, they'd pass these treasures on to their future generations.

Handing Ahnna's ring to Alistair, Jack reached to take Bridgid's hands in his. "Let us begin if you will, Vicar. I believe my soon to be wife has a feast in the galley to help us celebrate and I hear rumblings from the General's stomach. My best man, who is a happily married man I might add, should be fed and filled with joy."

At that moment, Tua stumbled up on the deck from below. He, being a Maori, had quickly carved infinity loops out of bone and shell for Jack and B. He offered them to Alistair.

"It's about time you got here, Tua." Bridgid kind of scolded him. She introduced him all around.

"Was a bit bizzy, missus." He grinned, "Reverend, I dunno if these need your blessing or not but they are a Maori tradition. One for the blushing bride and the other for the groom. Can't say as I've ever seen him blush."

"They are beautiful, Tua, thank you," Bridgid said as she looked at the pieces in Alistair's hand.

Jack was just shifting from foot to foot, wondering if he'd ever say those two little words to his bride to be. "How did you know that I planned this, Tua?" he asked, not remembering speaking to him before leaving to get their guests.

"Got my ways, Captain," Tua winked. He just put two and two together and came up with the obvious.

Alistair looked at the Captain standing just to the right of the General and under his breath quoted, "Home is the sailor, home from the sea, and the hunter, home from the hill."  He didn't mean it as part of the ceremony. It was just something that sprang to his mind as he gazed at the two men. Then he lifted the two loops up. "God our Father, I ask Your blessing on these symbols of Your infinite love. Make them now also symbols of the infinite and everlasting love between this man and this woman. Amen." 

"Captain Jack Aubrey and Bridgid Morgan, you have been drawn to one another as the moon draws the tides of the sea, and as that same moon makes its path of silver across the waters, guiding to the horizon, so the two of you have followed the paths of life and have come now to this moment of public proclamation of the commitment you feel in your hearts. Jack, will you look into Bridgid's eyes as you repeat after me:

"I, Jack Aubrey, do take you, Bridgid Morgan, as my lawfully wedded wife. I promise to love you always, to be by your side in both weather that blows storms and in seas that are calm. You are the one I choose freely and with all my heart, to be my wife, to be my companion, to be at my side. My love for you is true and honorableand I promise you your trust is safe in my care. Your welfare will always be my concern, your safety and happiness my joy. I give into your keeping my hope for the future and the key to my heart. You are mine. I am yours.  Bridgid, my beloved, I vow that my heart is yours and yours alone."

"Bridgid, now it's your turn. I, Bridgid Morgan, take you, Jack Aubrey, as my lawfully wedded husband. In you my heart has found its harbor and its home. I trust you with my life and with all that I am and all I hope to be. I promise you my faithfulness and devotion and say to you that I choose you and none other all the days of my life. I know my happiness is safe in your keeping and I take unto myself the vows you have made and pledge back to you that I will be ever true and that you, my Captain, are the one I choose freely and forever. You are my beloved and I am yours, now and always."

Alistair handed the infinity symbols to Jack and Bridgid. "Please give the one you hold to the one to whom you have made your pledge and promise and say to them
whatever comes into your heart."

After the symbols had been given, Alistair asked, "Jack, may I have Bridgid's ring."  Maximus handed the ring to Jack, who gave it to Alistair. "Lord, I ask Your blessing on this ring, on the one who gives it and the one who wears it."

"Jack, please slide it on Bridgid's finger as you repeat after me: With this ring I thee wed, promising you my heart and all that I am, taking you as my wife."

When Alistair had blessed the second ring, Bridgid slid it on Jack's finger, repeating the same words.

"Please continue holding hands," Alistair smiled. He'd spied a length of slender rope about three feet long lying to one side. Quickly he bent, picked it up, draped it over Jack and Bridgid's wrists, then looped it once more about each one. He hadn't known he was going to do this, but the rope inspired him and he began to sing, "Bind us together, Lord, bind us together...with cords that cannot be broken; Bind us together, Lord, bind us together, bind us together in love." Then he smiled, raised his hand in blessing, and said, "Jack and Bridgid, you have made pledge and promise each to the other in the face of God and of this company and it is my great and good pleasure now to pronounce that you are husband and wife in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Jack, you may kiss your bride!"

Jack and Bridgid stood looking at each other for a moment as if neither one of them believed this had just happened. He smiled at her before saying "Missus Aubrey, if I may?" and then he kissed her. He kissed her the same way he had the very first time he did many years ago.

Bridgid was so breathless, the lovely sunflower bouquet she held slipped from her hand that was draped over Jack's shoulder. With the speed of a cat, Tua reached out to save it just before it hit the floor. No one would say if the cheers that came from the guests were for Jack and B or for the prospects of Tua being the next to take the plunge but it didn't really matter.

"I love you so much, Jack Aubrey."

Letting out a huzzah, Jack was full of both pride and humbleness when he invited everyone below for a feast of spirits and fruits de mer, the best Neptune had to offer.

"Thankee all for coming to help us celebrate this moment in our lives." He said, shaking hands with Maximus, Alistair and Tua. He gave Ahnna and Joi each a bear hug and a kiss on the cheek as was his way.

As they were descending into the cabin, Bridgid moved up alongside Joimus.

"Can you pinch me? I'm sure that I'm sleeping. This all seems surreal to me."

Joimus obliged, just a little, and then she laughed. "I'm so happy for you, for you both."

Bridgid cocked up a brow much the same way Jack does on occasion. "You mean to tell me that I am really, honestly completely and fully married to that big sailor who just hit his head on the great cabin beam up in front of us?"

"The very one. And it pleases me more than I can say."

Maximus had been beside Jack during his collision with the beam. "Are you all right?" he asked quickly as Jack was standing there, his hand pressed to the top of his head.  The General had spent very little time on boats and had almost hit the beam himself, being of a height with Jack.

"I am fine." Jack replied with a "Thank you." to the General. He wondered if that be the case with Bridgid. Seeing her now he noticed she seemed to have lost her color and there were signs that her knees were weak.

"Missus Aubrey?" he said as he moved back to place an arm around her. "Is something amiss?"

"Hoh no, Jack. I'm just realizing that this is no dream, no trick. It's sinking in now that we are actually married."

"Yes!" he chuckled. "I reckon we will have to do this all again so the rest of our friends can celebrate with us but for now, you can serve dinner."

"Orders, already?"

"Never. It was a cloaked request," he replied

She smiled lovingly at him. "You'll learn, someday, Captain Aubrey."

After giving him a kiss and a cuddle she directed everyone to have a seat. "If I knew this was to be my wedding reception, I'd have got someone else to cook but I'm equally as happy to show off my culinary skills. Let's eat, drink and be merry."

Bending down to whisper in Jack's ear, she reminded him that he should eat hearty because he'll need his strength later that night.

TBC