Forgot, you forgot…it’s important, what you forgot, chanted the annoying little voice in the back of her head. It got so loud that Alli could barely hear the music—a lovely string quartet she and Douglas had picked especially for this occasion.
Speaking of Douglas, there he was, standing at the end of the aisle in front of the Priestess who was to perform the ceremony. He was smiling, apparently oblivious to the turmoil churning within Alli, though she was certain it must show on her face. He even raised his eyebrows and tapped his watch as if to say, Hurry up, you’re running late!
Douglas was always so punctual, she thought distractedly. He had probably brought some paperwork up to the Mother Ship and he wanted to get through with the ceremony and reception in time to get some of it done. That would be like him and of course she couldn’t complain—both of them had agreed when they got together that their jobs would always come first and the relationship would be second.
There was someone else who put you first, the little voice in Alli’s brain informed her. He loved you, cared for you, spent hours pleasuring you…
Shut up! Alli told it fiercely. I don’t know what you’re talking about—there was nobody like that!
To distract herself, she looked around at the guests—various friends and family from work and from the Mother Ship. There was Dr. Lambert with her handsome Kindred husband who had apparently come through the PORTAL from another universe…
No, don’t think about that! Don’t think about other universes! Alli told herself. Quickly, she looked around for other familiar faces. Liv and Sophie were sitting on the bride’s side. Right beside them was Imani, the sweet young attorney that Alli had mentored before she came to work for the Kindred.
Imani had lovely, creamy brown skin like dark chocolate and big, dark, almond-shaped eyes. Doe eyes, Alli had always thought. She was a tiny little slip of a thing—short but solid, as she liked to say. But her diminutive stature and shy smile belied a fiery spirit. She was working as a civil rights attorney, fighting mainly for those who had been wrongly imprisoned. Alli had been proud to see her grow from a timid intern to a self-confident Councilor.
“You look beautiful!” her protégée mouthed.
“Thank you!” Alli mouthed back.
And then she was past the row where Imani sat and there was nothing to do but join Douglas in front of the priestess.
“There you are, darling—I was worried for a moment,” he murmured, taking her hand with a condescending smile. “Always late—even to your own wedding.”
Alli had to fight to keep from yanking her hand out of his. His touch on her skin felt awful—like sandpaper and slime combined—how was that even possible?
“Sorry.” She smiled at him, hoping the expression looked more sincere than it felt. Right at that moment her smile felt so brittle she thought it might fall off her face and shatter into a million pieces in the grass beneath their feet. But again, Douglas didn’t seem to notice anything unusual.
“My Children,” the Priestess began, addressing the assembly. She was an older woman with the green streaks in her hair and the green-within-green eyes that most priestesses of the Mother of All Life had. “We are here today to Join these two souls in the sight of the Goddess.” She smiled at Alli and Douglas. “Allisandra and Douglas have chosen to write their own vows and they will speak them now.”
This was Alli’s cue to start, but suddenly her mind was a total blank. She had some lovely vows she’d written out and memorized ages ago—back when she and Douglas had first planned the wedding and decided to have it aboard the Mother Ship. But now not a single word would come to Alli’s mind—there was nothing in her head but the little voice chanting,
Mistake, mistake, you’re making a mistake. Forgot, forgot, there’s something you forgot…
Over and over again until Alli thought she might go crazy.
“Darling?” Douglas frowned at her.
Alli shook her head.
“I…I…you go first,” she said.
He shrugged and nodded.
“All right. Ahem…Allisandra,” he began loudly, speaking for the benefit of the assembled guests as well as for her. “When I first met you, I was struck by your practicality. I said to myself—this is a woman who knows how to prioritize. A woman who will let me get on with my life while she lives hers to the fullest as well. A woman I can coexist with peacefully with minimal friction for the rest of my days.” He gave Alli a small, self-deprecating smile. “I know that might not be considered romantic by some, but that’s one thing I like about you, darling—you don’t demand any grand romantic gestures. I guess what I’m trying to say is, will you be mine?”