Chapter 5: Then Comes Marriage

The shallow cove beyond the breakwater was crowded with boats of every shape and size, lying at anchor — most registered in Jamaica. A corresponding number of dinghies lined the beach. Casa Hartley was packed to the gills with guests and well-wishers who came to attend the wedding.

The first troublesome encounter occurred with the arrival of Bobby’s siblings. Bethany was still unhappy with him getting married at so young an age, but she made an effort to be respectful and accommodating. Billy shocked everyone with his unsettling transformation from a mostly responsible college athlete, to a dark-complexioned, carefree, drop-out with little concern for society or its oppressive rules. He had dyed his once brown hair, jet black and let it grow into an unruly mop. He wore gothic-style make-up and painted his nails black to match his new dark persona. He stood out like a sore thumb with his dour complexion and dark clothes, keeping himself apart from the others and smoking cigarettes.

Fortunately, plenty of other distractions kept the happy couple preoccupied. It seemed like the list of pressing chores was never-ending and kept them rushing about frantically up until the moment they were pulled away and made to change into their wedding apparel. An instant later they were still catching their breaths when they found themselves before the crisp white altar, facing one another and holding hands. Bobby felt awkward wearing white linen slacks for the first time in years along with a bright cotton shirt. His discomfort paled compared to the amazing transformation of the lovely Jamaican girl before him. Tavia wore a simple flowing gown of white and had her long sun-bleached hair put up with decorative wooden combs. She wore a pretty crown of pink and gold Plumeria. Otherwise, she eschewed all skin and beauty products. She didn’t need them; her beauty was radiant in the eyes of everyone around them.

It was a simple ceremony, in keeping with the traditions of the island cultures. There was no music or brides march, no handoffs or prayers. Jennifer presided over them as they each exchanged their simple devotions and then presented each of them with the ring intended for their mate. Up until that moment Tai had not seen even a hint of the band that Bobby had been so secretive about. He grinned like a fool as Jen discretely handed him the pink coral and white gold ring. He took his bride’s left hand gently and made her wait for several heartbeats until she began bouncing on her toes excitedly.

“C’mon, Mon! Get on with it already!” she demanded crossly causing a chorus of laughter from the group of onlookers that surrounded them.

With a small laugh, he held up the intricately carved ring and slipped it onto her finger. It was a perfect fit. She drew her hand back and her eyes grew wide as she studied it. The bright pink band completely encircled her finger and was carved in the shape of a branching stag coral. A thin ribbon of white gold blended seamlessly with the rose-colored mineral and was inset with random pieces of deep blue gemstones. “Oh my ... oh my God!” she gasped and put her opposite hand over her mouth as she gazed at it in astonishment. A shrill keening sound escaped her lips as she squealed with delight. “Oh, baby! It’s incredible!” she cried. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful!” She sprang forward and attacked him with a firm hug and kiss. “I love it!” she yelled out, releasing him and turning to her puffy-eyed father. “Look, Daddy!” she exclaimed, holding her hand out for him to see. “Look at what your son-in-law did!” She didn’t wait for his response as she spun about and dashed towards her favorite Aunt.

“Hey!” Bobby called after her, irritably. She stopped and turned back to find him frowning at her. Those closest to him were laughing. “We’re not done here!” he chided.

For her part, she assumed a properly crestfallen expression as she placed both of her hands over her mouth and blushed furiously. With reddened cheeks, she stepped delicately back over to the altar and faced him with contrition. “Sorry!” she whispered earnestly before turning to Jennifer who smiled brightly and gave her the blue coral band to give to her betrothed. She took the ring and gasped as she studied it. In the sunlight, the blue iridescent coral became milky and translucent like liquid opal. “Oh my God!” she breathed as she held it next to her own. The yellow gold with encrusted sapphires contrasted perfectly with the white gold and chips of the blue coral in hers.

“Ahem,” Bobby prompted once more and she looked up into his eyes with loving adoration. She carefully slid the band onto his finger and then pressed herself against him once more as she hungrily sought his lips. They ignored the outcry of cheers and clapping while they held each other as husband and wife for the first time.

“Well, I guess that’s that,” the professor declared, blowing his nose noisily in his kerchief. “What say we drink a toast?”

The celebration lasted well into the night, with a large beach fire lit once the sun had set. Food, music, dancing, and the shrill cries of children playing and dogs barking — all gave the event a carnival atmosphere. Bobby quickly slipped away to change out of the long pants, reappearing in his customary board shorts and tank top — while Tavia stayed in her flowing gown. Family, friends, and neighbors all praised the couple as they casually made their rounds through the mansion, up and down the breakwater, and along the expansive beach.

Bethany surprised both of them and his parents when she timidly came up and hugged each of them before sheepishly recanting her misgivings. “I had no idea, having never met you Tai,” she told the gorgeous Jamaican girl. She nodded toward her little brother, “Hell, I don’t even know this guy anymore!” she exclaimed. “He sure isn’t the annoying little twerp I grew up with.” She took a deep breath and sighed contritely. “Seeing for myself how much you two love and respect each other, gives me hope that maybe one day I will find the same. I’m so happy for you both.”

As if fate was listening Bobby suddenly looked around and frowned. “Has anyone seen Billy recently?”

It only took a few more inquiries before Tavia began cursing under her breath and stormed down the beach, away from the fire. Bobby frowned and grabbed a torch from the boat shed as they passed it. Continuing into the darkness, beneath the pier, they walked side by side until they both smelled the cloying stench of burning pot.

“I’m going to skin that little witch!” she growled furiously as they continued toward the boulder-strewn boundary that marked the other end of the cove.

They soon heard the lusty pants and groans of two people engaged in heavy sexual intercourse, and they followed the sounds to a small clearing within a ring of large rocks.

“Oh God Mon! That’s it, baby! Give it to me harder, white boy!” they heard a frantic female voice call out in the darkness. Her panting cries were nearly drowned out by a man’s breathless grunts of exertion.

Bobby snapped on the bright torch and flooded the area with light, revealing Billy’s pale white frame mounted over the darker and smaller Gemma, who had her legs hooked around his calves and her hands clutching his ass cheeks tightly. Both screamed in outrage and fright as their coital engagement was interrupted.

“Get off of her!” Tai screamed angrily, stepping forward to deliver a swift and solid kick to the man’s ribs.

Billy cried out in pain and fell back, rolling off the girl and onto his back. His pale erection glistened with moisture as he grabbed for his side. The naked girl hissed in outrage as she closed her legs and tried to cover her small breasts and crotch with her hands.

Tavia lunged forward and grabbed a handful of the woman’s hair, jerking violently and causing her aunt to scream in pain. “Get up!” she yelled furiously as she pulled the smaller woman to her feet. “How dare you sully my wedding celebration with your whorish behavior and ... drugs!” The smaller woman tried to fight back as her furious niece began pulling her back towards the manor by her hair. When she tried a second time Tavia slapped her across the face and screamed, “Move! You cum-guzzling, gutter-slut!”

The two of them faded into the dark as Bobby stepped over to his brother who lay curled in a fetal position and stared down at him with a dark expression.

“Ow! Fuck!” Billy cried out in anguish. “That fucking cunt kicked me! I think she broke my rib!”

“Get up! You fucking piece of trash!” He reached down and followed his wife’s example by grabbing a handful of his older brother’s hair and pulling him painfully to his knees. “I said, get UP!”

“Man, get your fucking hands off of me!” Billy yelled swinging wildly and knocking Bobby’s hand away. He lunged to his feet and assumed an aggressive stance. “Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to, boy?” he spat. “You think you’re better than me you little punk?”

“Come at me and find out, dick-face!” the younger boy challenged calmly.

There was a time, only a few years prior when Bobby was a meek, sad little boy who wallowed in self-pity for the utter lack of a loving environment. He was frequently bullied and beat up by the likes of his older brother who looked down on him as nothing more than a waste of air. This was before he became a part of his current family, adopted by the only parent who ever loved him — despite having no biological connection. It was before he found himself taken in by Chad’s beloved wife Jess who began instructing him in self-defense and hand-to-hand combat. And it was well before he moved to the Caribbean, where he spent nearly every moment of his life on the water — sailing, swimming, toiling aboard charters and ferries as a deckhand and merchant marine. Over the last four years, Bobby had grown and developed the strength and agility of a maritime sailor and dive master. The trials he endured and the many times he looked death in the face, gave him the maturity to know when to be afraid and when to stand his ground.

Unfortunately, Billy saw none of this in his stoned condition. He screamed in rage and charged his brother, swinging his fist wildly, intending to smash the hateful little dweeb into pieces. What he didn’t expect was to feel a sudden agonizing pain in his shoulder as his arm was seized, bent in a manner it wasn’t designed for, and twisted cruelly behind his back. He wasn’t even aware of his feet being swept from under him or of floating in the darkness. His next observation was striking the ground hard and his vision exploding with bright lights as pain erupted through his entire body. He tried to scream in agony but couldn’t catch his breath to do so.

“That was pathetic!” he heard his brother snort derisively. “Get up!”

Once again, he felt his head being pulled up and he cried out weakly as he struggled back to his feet. He swung his arm once more to knock away the hand that ripped the hair painfully from his scalp, only to meet thin air when he was released.

“Okay, my turn,” Bobby growled. He attacked like a coiled snake, springing forward to deliver a vicious jab to his naked brother’s abdomen, causing his breath to explode from his lungs. As he bent over retching and gagging, he was struck in the face by a knee as hard as granite. Billy felt his nose shatter and screamed in anguish as he began toppling. Bobby anticipated his fall and delivered a final devastating roundhouse kick to his head, arresting the fall and lifting his older brother once more off his feet to crumple backward in the sand.