A lot of glancing is going on…

“I, Daniel, take you, Alexa, to be my lawfully wedded wife,” Daniel repeated what Father Tobias had told him to say.

The priest then turning to Alexa. “Alexa, please repeat after me. I Alexa. Take you, Daniel. To be my lawfully wedded husband.”

Alexa repeated the words back just as Daniel had done before her.

As Alexa was repeating the words, Vinny noticed two sets of eyes were on him then. Firstly, and not unexpectedly, Bernice was gazing at Vinny with unabashed admiring eyes. Fluttering her eyes at him and trying to look coy and cute at the same time. Fair less friendly were Melissa’s Asian eyes on him. Narrowed and suspicious, Melissa studied Vinny keenly, perhaps trying to read his thoughts and motives.

The happy couple up on the landing stairs exchanged rings as they shared a few short words with each other before Father Tobias prepared to draw the whole ceremony to a close.

In a loud projecting voice, “Should anyone here present know of any reason that this couple should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

Vinny knew that Melissa would be focusing in on him now more than ever so kept his expression benign and pleasant. As he focused his attention on Alexa and Daniel, he caught Alexa looking past Daniel’s shoulder at him. What was the look on her face; regret, resolve, pleading? Whatever it was he hoped that Melissa hadn’t caught Alexa staring at him then.

“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you Man and Wife! You may now kiss the bride.”

A round of cheering and applause went up then as Daniel leaning and gave his new wife an enthusiastic and powerful kiss that had her dipped and leaning over. Alexa, now beaming, took her husbands hand and waved to the assembled guests looking for all the world, the happiest woman in the room. Vinny wrote off her earlier expression as harmless nothing, a look at an old friend who’d shared much together and was present to witness the next step of her life.

From their the newly weds were the first to make their way back down the aisle. Vinny linking his arm in with Bernice as they joined the process to were Daniel and Alexa waited to receive the well wishes from their guests. The bridesmaids the first to congratulate them, followed quickly by the groomsmen. Vinny shaking Daniel’s hand vigorously and congratulating him on a job well done.

The plan from there was that the wedding photographer would begin getting photos of the bridal party in a handful of the most picturesque spots the Treasury complex had to offer. The wedding guests would be treated to some light refreshments and drinks from everyone would regroup to begin the reception.

The first spot chosen for photos was higher up on the fort’s walls were it over looked the sea. The photographer wanted first Alexa and Daniel posing together on the ramparts. For the moment Alexa was being tended to by Bernice giving Vinny some respite from her entreating looks. Luckily for the rest of the bridal party a cooler full of drinks had been dragged up onto the fort walls. Vinny was a little parched after the drawn-out ceremony in the full sun and was in need of a drink. Helping himself to a cold beer, Vinny cracked open the icy cold drink and perched himself up on the wall out of the frame of the pictures.

Seeing him by himself and Alexa tied up in photos, Melissa used the opportunity to come and confront Vinny without having any of the others over hearing.

“Melissa. Lovely ceremony wasn’t it. Your dress looks beautiful might I add,” Vinny began his charm offensive.

Melissa gave him her most intimidating courtroom glare. “Cut the bullshit Vinny. You picked Alexa up from the hairdressers today didn’t you.”

“I did. I collected the Jag and she texted me to come and get her,” he told her having a feeling where this was going.

“Then how come her hair came back such a mess?” Melissa accused him rather than asked him.

“Did it? I thought she looked quite fetching up there,” Vinny deflected, “but now that you mention it, Astryd did mention something about some bobby pins coming lose. Why don’t you talk to her?” It was a bit of a long shot but Vinny had got the impression that Astryd was sweet with him before in the elevator and might help deflect some of Melissa’s probing.

“I know you and Alexa have something going on and I’m going to prove it,” Melissa said finally, her already almond eyes narrowing even further.

“Strange I thought you were a defence lawyer not a prosecutor,” Vinny glibbed.

Melissa not dignifying Vinny with a response.