Lies and Weddings(63)
“It’s actually nearly impossible to be this synchronized. That’s why we’re up so early—the wind currents are calmest in the morning. And we’ve got basically most of the top balloonists in the world right here, and this is a fun challenge for all of us,” Mehmet replied.
“I take it you’re not from Morocco?”
“No, I fly mainly in Cappadocia. This is new terrain for me, but we’ve been rehearsing all week, and praying for the weather to cooperate. Today has been perfect, although I’m sure quite a few balloons will be blown off course. Thankfully, there’s a Jeep assigned to each balloon, following from below. So if we land in Agadir, so be it.”
As John continued to converse with the pilot, Martha saw Rufus leaning out the other side of the gondola taking pictures with his phone.
“Hey, don’t lean out too far! I’m getting dizzy just watching you,” Martha gasped.
“Are you okay?” Rufus turned around in concern, putting his arm around her shoulders.
“Better now, thanks. I just won’t look down.”
“I just took a picture of my aunt in that balloon over there,” Rufus said as he showed off the photo on his phone.
“Is Rosina Leung really your aunt?” Martha asked.
“Of course she is. What else could she be?”
“There was a bet going around our table last night that you were her fuckboy.”
Rufus made a face like he was going to retch as Martha giggled.
“May I ask what you are famous for?”
“Absolutely nothing. I was born the Viscount St. Ives, and one day I’ll become the Earl of Greshamsbury. But I come into that title only when my father dies. So it’s a promotion I’m not exactly looking forward to.”
“I see. You’re Eurasian, aren’t you?”
“I am. My dad’s English, and Mum’s from Hong Kong.”
“That’s where I was born! You know, right after my mom gave birth, my father bought a ninety-carat yellow diamond at auction from Christie’s and presented it to me at the hospital. It was an extremely rare diamond called the Golden Star, and he renamed it the Golden Martha. It made the front pages of all the newspapers. ‘Billionaire Buys Newborn Daughter Forty-Eight-Million-Dollar Diamond.’ Ever since then, I’ve been fodder for the papers, mainly in Asia. So I understand your problem.”
“You’re rather famous in certain circles too.”
“Yes, but thankfully when I went to boarding school in Sydney, it was such a relief because no one knew who I was. The attention only returned when my father died and I got my promotion.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, it’s just my life. I always knew it would be inevitable.”
“That’s precisely how I feel,” Rufus said with a wry smile.
A majestic white balloon rose up in the center of the circle of balloons, and on board were the bride and groom with the priest. Mehmet handed Rufus, Martha, and John each an iPad that had a live video feed of the bridal balloon along with headphones so they could listen to the ceremony.
The priest began to speak:
“I have known Amanda Joy for several years now, and Christian I’ve recently come to know. What strikes me most about this beautiful couple is how well matched they are when it comes to their generosity of spirit, how they seem to put their families, friends, and community ahead of themselves. When Amanda and Christian first told me about their idea to get married in a hot-air balloon surrounded by all their loved ones, I thought, to be honest, that they were both a little insane. But after further discussion, I came to realize that Amanda and Christian were doing what they always do—they wanted to do something special for everyone on their wedding day, not just for themselves. They wanted to take you all on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, as you witness their vows in the most unforgettable way. So here we are together in the clouds, witnessing the miracle of God’s creation, this beautiful planet of ours. We are also witnessing the miracle of science, thanks to the Montgolfier brothers, who created the first balloon to take flight in 1783. But perhaps most important, we are witnessing together the miracle of love, when two fine people find each other and decide to dedicate their lives to one another. So, without any further ado, Christian, do you take Amanda to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
“I do,” Christian replied.
“And, Amanda, do you take Christian to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“I do,” Amanda could be heard saying.
“Then by the powers vested in me by the state of California, I pronounce you husband and wife.”
As the couple kissed, the cheers of a hundred and fifty guests hovering high above the Atlas Mountains filled the air. Mehmet opened a side basket and took out a bottle of chilled Bollinger along with champagne flutes for everyone. “Time for the toast!”
For a moment, the popping of corks high above Marrakech sounded like a fifty-gun salute. The wedding guests shared a toast as the fleet of balloons drifted east toward the rising sun.
“To Christian and Amanda!” Martha cheered.
“To the high life!” John toasted.
“To the coolest wedding ever!” Rufus declared, clinking glasses with everyone as he thought for the first time about his own wedding and how he could make it even more epic than this one. He gazed at the empyrean sky and the snow-flecked mountains in the distance, wishing he could be sharing this incredible occasion with Eden. He missed her terribly and wondered what she was doing at this very moment…it was Saturday, and they were supposed to be spending the day together. He had planned to take her on a drive down the Devon coast, or perhaps even as far as St. Michael’s Mount in Cornwall, but here he was, stuck on a balloon in the sky. He snapped another photo of all the balloons in formation and texted it to Eden, only to discover that the photo wasn’t sending. Apparently none of his numerous texts to her all weekend had gone through.