Sid had decided to risk it. It wasn't his first choice, by any means. He liked to choose things himself. That way he would be sure to approve. But Katherine had wanted to surprise him with her wedding outfit. She would meet him on the Grand Staircase outside the Opera House at 4. The Chief Justice would perform the ceremony and, of course, the media had been fully alerted. Afterwards, a large yacht moored nearby would take them out on the harbor for the night.

Then back to the Glen.
 
With his bride.

He smiled. He liked the concept. Checking his watch, he stood looking at the harbor from just inside the Opera House. She would, of course she would, appear in something suitably media-worthy. It would be unthinkable that she could let him down. He'd also requested she wear pearls. Pearls were good.
They were made in the secret depths from an irritant and then one must rip the secreting enclosure apart to reveal the treasure within. "As many pearls as you like," he'd told her.

Kate was thrilled that Sid had agreed to let her surprise him this way. She knew exactly the style of dress she wanted and after a bit of research, instructed the limo driver to take her to the exclusive shop so she could make her purchase. She would have liked to have been able to have one tailor made for her, but under the circumstances and their time frame, she would make due.

Finally, after much searching, Kate narrowed her dress choice down and decided on a beautiful, off-white, form-fitted satin gown, encrusted with pearls on the bodice, and flaring out to form a fishtail bottom. An Armani original, of course; only the best for her wedding with Sid would do. She added a matching veil and an elegant pair of heels, along with an exquisite pearl necklace and matching bracelet. Then, it was off to the salon to have her hair and make-up done, and straight to the Opera House, just in time for the wedding.

Sid came out and stood at the top of the wide flight of stairs when he saw the white stretch limo pull up near their base. The Chief Justice was with him and as they made their appearance, the media lined thickly down both sides of the blocked-off area, raised their cameras and their microphones. Rather than the bride coming down the steps to her groom, Sid waited at the top, just slightly tense to see what Katherine might have chosen. He let out a long sigh of relief as the chauffeur opened a side door and she stepped gracefully out. "Armani," he breathed, pleased, instantly recognizing the cut of the gown. She had done well. He had left her for the first time to her own devices and she had done well. Which, of course, meant he had done well in choosing her. His smile widened. She was lovely and the entire international press corp was present to witness and record that such loveliness was his.

Kate took a deep breath as she walked slowly up the long row of steps of the Opera House. She couldn't believe this was actually happening - she was about to marry the man of her dreams....here....in front of the entire world to see. Her hands shook and her heart raced as she neared the top of the stairs. The press was here! She never imagined...of all things...that the press would be covering her marriage to Sid! Truly, the man still had quite a few surprises in store for her, and she smiled at the thought of how their marriage would be anything but boring, to be sure! Finally, Kate reached the top step and stood smiling ear-to-ear beside her husband-to-be.

Sid stepped forward, taking both her hands in his. "You chose wisely, my dear. I am...pleased." They stood facing the crowds, with the Chief Justice's back to the cameras. The Justice made an announcement so it would be clear to all just whose nuptials it was they were privileged enough to witness. Then he looked at Sid. "Do you promise to love this woman, Katherine, for the rest of her life?"

That was easy. Of course it would not be for the rest of HIS life as he didn't age or do other disgusting things like that. She, howsoever, would age, but he couldn't, not in front of so many cameras, promise to love her until she got the least bit old or until he tired of her. If she did something so uncouth, his keeping his promise to love her for the rest of HER life would be easy enough to manage. Besides, he was quite smitten with her right now and right now was all that mattered.

"I do," he smiled.

The Justice turned his gaze to the bride. "And do you, Katherine, promise that you will, honor, and obey Sid for the remainder of your days...that you will always put what is good for him above anything you might possibly need or want, that you will be absolutely, utterly, completely faithful to him and be his true and steadfast companion?"

Kate's mind was reeling and she barely heard a word the Justice had said, so it took her a moment to finally answer, "I do." She grinned and gazed up at Sid, lost in the sea-green of his eyes.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," The Justice said, seeming to be in somewhat of a hurry to leave. "Oh, and you may kiss your bride."

Sid swept Katherine into a low, deep embrace, kissing her thoroughly, aware of the cameras. He made it a long kiss, as long as he could make it, which was, of course, terribly long. It was only when Katherine began to turn slightly blue from lack of air that he released his lips from hers. "Mine," he whispered. "All mine!" His eyes found the nearby yacht, already his vitals tense in anticipation.

"Wow!" exclaimed Kate, after she finally caught her breath again. She stood holding her chest for a moment, still breathing quite heavily. She could hear cameras snapping all around her - the bright lights from their flashes making it difficult for her to see. Suddenly, she felt Sid grasp her hand and then felt herself being led quickly down the steps, the clicking of the cameras still sounding all around them as they went.

By the time they reached the yacht, she had begun to regain her senses and then a thought suddenly dawned on her. "Umm....Sid," she said, hesitantly. "I just realized, I don't even know my new last name!"

"Our bed awaits and you think about names?" he replied, his brow knitting. He didn't have a last name, not a regular, ordinary one, anyway, like regular, ordinary people did. He needed her terribly and he needed her now and he was being forced to think of a NAME? His glance went through the expanse of windows of the main cabin. Sydney harbor stretched in every direction, magnificent, glorious. He buried his face in her hair. "Harbor," he whispered. "Sidney Harbor." 

"Mrs. Sidney Harbor...." Kate sighed aloud, dreamily, as Sid's warm breath on her neck sent a wave of goose-bumps over her body. Wait...was he...serious? Well, no wonder he had never told her his name. Obviously, his parents had quite the sense of humor when naming their son. Kate decided against commenting on this aloud, for fear she'd hurt his feelings, instead, she smiled at him and purred, "I like the way that sounds."

"Let me demonstrate to you how much you'll like the way this...feels," he murmured, his fingers finding the buttons down the back of her bodice. "And pearls...you did pearls." He looked in her eyes, his own glazing over with passion. "I find pearls such a turn on." It was not until she had nothing on but the strand of pearls around her neck that he stopped in his smooth undressing of her person. He wanted those left in place, white and round and perfect against the pulse throbbing in her throat. He lay against her, his tongue rolling the individual pearls around on their string, and only very, very slowly moved his mouth downwards. The rhythm of the harbor swells rocking the craft became meshed with that of the two lovers on the bed and he spent the entire night and well into the morning making his bride his own. Tomorrow he would fly with her back to Coffs then on to the Glen. Surely as pitiful as the local news-rag was, even it would have heard by then of what took place on the Grand Staircase of the Sydney Opera House. But for now the morning sun had risen well over the Heads and was reflecting off the bridge. Katherine...his bride...his wife...lay limp, exhausted beneath him. One more time. Yes, she should be able to survive that. She could rest on the flight north. Maybe. He wasn't sure. He couldn't seem to get enough of her.