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The wedding was in one week and the dome was buzzing with activity. The Eridians took the marriage of their savior, Ryland Grace, very seriously. Rocky and Adrien were the best man and matron of honor, and had performed their duties admirably. Adrien made beautiful engraved invitations. Rocky threw Grace a kick-ass bachelor party. The only thing that Grace and Simon lacked now were their wedding gifts to each other.
Grace and Rocky walked along the beach. “I want to do something really nice for Simon,” said Grace.
“Like what? What Simon not already have?” asked Rocky.
“I was thinking about his bracelet. It would be so nice to make it into something really special. Right now, the pendant just hangs from a leather cord. I mean, what if it falls off while he’s gardening or something. I think we can do better. What do you think, bud? Think you could design something?”
“Yes, yes, yes! Rocky make good bracelet for Simon. Will need pendant.”
“Thanks, bud. What would I do without you?”
“Die,” Rocky deadpanned. Grace laughed.
That night, Grace waited for Simon to fall asleep. He slipped out of bed and stealthily swiped the bracelet from Simon’s bedside table. He was excited to put his plan in motion.
The next morning, artificial sunlight streamed through the bedroom window. Simon had his arm draped around Grace, his nose nuzzled into the back of his neck. He gave it a soft kiss.
“Wake up, sleepyhead. You have class,” said Simon softly. Grace moaned and turned around to face Simon. He pressed a sleepy kiss to Simon’s lips.
“Good morning, love,” Grace replied. “I have a few minutes, right?”
“If you wanna be late,” said Simon.
Grace pouted and stole one more kiss as he got out of bed. Simon smiled and stretched and rolled over. He had all the time he wanted after all. That’s when he noticed his bedside table. There was his glass of water. There was his tablet. Where was the bracelet? He looked on the floor. Perhaps he knocked it to the ground while he was asleep. He looked under the bed.
“Angel? Have you seen my bracelet?” he asked as Grace returned from the shower. Grace’s skin broke out in goosebumps. He didn’t think he’d notice this fast. He knew he’d have to lie until the big reveal.
“No, sweetheart, haven’t seen it?” he said. Simon scratched his head as he scanned the floor.
“Ok, well if you come across it…”
“I’ll let you know,” finished Grace.
“You know, if I skip breakfast…”
“Get going!” Simon said, spanking him on the ass.
“Ok, ok, geez, just wanted to some quality time with my boyfriend!” Grace teased. Simon wanted Grace to get out the door on time because he was having Rocky over in a little while. They were going to discuss Simon’s gift to Grace. Simon pressed Grace against the wall and kissed him to shut him up.
“Ok, ok, I surrender!” said Grace.
“Good, now get going,” said Simon. Grace continued getting ready while Simon continued combing the room for his bracelet. Eventually he had to give up and get dressed without it. His wrist felt naked.
Chapter 2
Grace waved to Rocky who was walking across the beach toward him. He turned to make sure they were outside the view of the house.
“Hey buddy!”
“Friend Grace! Show me the bracelet! Want to hear,” said Rocky.
“Here it is,” he said, removing the bracelet from his pocket.
“Is beautiful!” said Rocky.
“You think you can do something with it?”
“Of course. Will make good gift for Simon.” Rocky tucked the bracelet in his pocket.
“Thanks. I want to make everything perfect. I know you’ll do great.” They said goodbye and Grace made his way to class.
Rocky pretended to walk back towards the air lock, but once Grace was out of sight he turned and headed for the house. He knocked at the door. Simon answered. “Come in,” he said. “Did Ryland see you?”
“No,” Rocky lied. “Came straight here.”
Simon closed the door behind them and they sat down in the living room. “Ok, good. I need your help. I want to give something special to Ryland for our wedding.”
“Excite, excite! What Simon give Grace?”
“I wanted to give him my bracelet. I wanted you to make it into something special for him. The problem is that I’ve lost it. I’ve looked all over the house and I can’t find it anywhere.”
“Sad, sad, sad,” Rocky said with a straight carapace.
“I know, so I need you to make a copy of it. Do you remember what it looks like?”
“Yes! Rocky make copy! Good, good, good copy!” He spun around.
“Thanks, Rocky. You’re a life saver,” said Simon. When Rocky left, Simon went back to scouring the house for the bracelet. There was still a chance it would turn up. When it did not, he started searching the beach. Maybe it slipped off somewhere. He was still wandering around the beach when Grace came along walking home from class.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he said, giving Simon a kiss on the cheek.
“Hey, angel,” said Simon, returning the kiss.
“Did you come out here to walk me home?” asked Grace, taking his hand.
“Y-yeah! Came to walk you home. Yup!” Grace draped his arms around Simon’s shoulders. He gave him a kiss.
“You’re so sweet. I can’t wait to marry you,” he said.
“I can’t wait to marry you, too, angel,” said Simon. They walked back to the house holding hands.
…
Rocky sat at his workbench and considered the bracelet. He hated lying to his friends. He was in a real bind. He wanted to help both of them, but how? There was only one bracelet.
Adrien walked in, their large turquoise frame filling the doorway. They could see Rocky’s carapace dipped low. “What’s wrong, my love?” asked Adrien.
“Must make mate gift for Grace to give Simon. Must make mate gift for Simon to give Grace. Both want to give same thing!” he said, holding up the bracelet.
Adrien studied the bracelet. “Rocky just make two. One identical to this maybe?”
Rocky hummed. “That is what I must do, love. So smart you are. But what about seed?”
“Hmm. Can’t make real seed. Must make copy out of xenonite.”
“Yes, yes, a xenonite seed!”
Adrien gave a trill. “How can I help?”
Rocky gave Adrien a list of supplies. “I will fetch these for you. You will do a great job!”
Chapter 3
The wedding day arrived. Simon and Grace lay in bed, entwined. “We’re getting married today,” said Grace, smiling.
“We’re getting married today,” said Simon, eyes wide. “We need to get up! There’s so much to do!”
Grace kissed Simon gently on the lips. “Relax, my love. Everything is gonna go great.”
Simon’s nervous energy would not abate, however. He flung the covers off of them and hurried to the shower. He turned around to Grace, still lounging in the bed. “You coming?” he asked.
Grace sat straight up and hurried to follow Simon into the shower.
Simon was much calmer after the shower, thanks to Grace. They sat at the kitchen table with their simulated coffees going over their plans. “I’ll leave to go get ready shortly,” said Grace. “You’ll have the house to yourself. We’ll meet at the beach at 3:00. You nervous?”
Simon paused. He didn’t want to be nervous, but in a few hours he’d be standing in front of dozens of Eridian dignitaries saying his vows. It was a lot. He had to be honest. “A little. It’s a big wedding, you know? I would have been fine with a small ceremony with friends. The last time I had to get in front of a big crowd of people was at my trial,” he frowned.
“I know,” said Grace, “but you know there was no way around it. We’re very important to the Eridians. They want to make a big deal. It’s kind of sweet.”
“You’re important. I’m nobody,” said Simon.
“No, no, no. I won’t have you talking like that. Especially today,” said Grace, circling around the table to drape over Simon’s back. He whispered in his ear. “You are the most important person in the world to me. Never talk bad about yourself. I love you. It’s gonna be great, you’ll see.” Grace gave Simon a kiss on the cheek before going to the bedroom to fetch his Eridian-made suit.
Simon wasn’t going to tell Grace the other reason he was nervous was about the gift. Rocky assured him that it was coming along perfectly, but he couldn’t be sure until he saw it later that day. He didn’t want Grace to realize it was a fake.
Grace came back through the kitchen to give Simon another kiss before setting out to get ready in a private area the Eridians set up for him. Simon knew it was Earth tradition to get ready separately, but he just wished he could have Grace by his side all day. He sat down on the couch with his tablet and tried to ignore the butterflies in his stomach.
…
“What take so long, human?” Rocky said, stomping his limb twice as Grace entered his tent.
“Sorry! Simon’s nervous. I had to, uh, calm him down.”
“Rocky show Grace gift now, statement.” He pulled out a large, xenonite box with a hinged opening. Grace opened the lid. Inside was a shiny silver cuff, with Eridian engravings and scrollwork, embedded with the glass seed pendant. He picked it up and admired it.
“Wow, Rocky, this is beautiful! Thank you. It’s exactly what I wanted for him. He’s going to love it!”
“Rocky aim to please,” he said. Grace placed the cuff carefully back in the box. Rocky went over to a table with a decanter of Eridian-made vodka and poured a shot for Grace and one for himself. He couldn’t drink it of course, but he knew the Earth tradition of “cheers!” required two cups.
“To Grace Simon!” he said, raising his cup and handing the other to Grace.
“To our wedding!” said Grace.
They clanked their cups together and Grace downed his shot. Then Rocky said goodbye, leaving Grace to get ready in private.
…
Rocky knocked at the door.
“Come in,” hollered Simon from the bathroom. Rocky found him standing in front of the mirror struggling with his tie. Simon sighed and leaned on the counter.
“I just can’t get this. My hand is shaking,” he laughed ruefully.
“Rocky help. Rocky know many human things. Can tie tie for Simon.”
“Really? You can do that?”
“Yes, come,” Rocky said, gesturing for Simon to bend down. Simon bent down to Rocky’s level and let the Eridian tie his tie for him. He was shaking a little less now.
“Thank you, Rocky,” he said.
“Simon welcome. Now Rocky show gift!”
They went into the living room. On the coffee table was a large xenonite box. Simon opened the lid. Inside was a shiny silver cuff with Eridian engraving and scrollwork, embedded with the seed pendant. It was identical to the one Rocky had given to Grace.
“Wow, Rocky, this is perfect. It looks just like the real one! Thank you!”
“Rocky make seed from xenonite. Cannot tell difference?”
“No, Rock. It looks exactly the same.”
“Good, good.”
“I really can’t thank you enough,” said Simon, a tear slipping down his face.
“No need. Rocky happy to give. Grace say Simon nervous, question?”
“Yeah, can’t you tell,” he said, sniffling. “I’m kind of a mess today.”
Rocky put a hand on Simon’s shoulder. “Grace love Simon. All that matter.”
“Yeah, yeah you’re right. Thanks, Rocky.” He gave the rock spider a hug.
Rocky said, “Is time go?”
Simon laughed and said “It’s time go.”
Chapter 4
A choir of Eridians sang the Wedding Chorus as Grace and Simon, holding hands, walked down the aisle together, flanked by rows and rows of Eirdian guests and dignitaries. Each row was decorated with a bouquet of delicate xenonite flowers and ribbons. At the edge of the beach was a gazebo which was specially made for this occasion. Rocky and Adrien sat in the front row with their pebbles. Grace and Simon walked up the steps and stood facing each other in front of an elder Eridian.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Savior Grace and Simon. This is an Earth tradition, and now Savior Grace and Simon will say their own vows,” said the elder.
Grace went first. “All my life, especially after I left Earth, I never thought I’d meet someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Simon, you are more than my friend, my partner. You are my treasure. I promise to treasure you every day because it’s what you deserve. I promise to comfort you in sorrow, to love and to cherish you all the days of our lives.”
Simon went next, but there were already tears in his eyes. He tried to speak up, but his voice was trembling. “Ryland, you saved my life. I can never repay you for what you’ve given me, but I promise I will show you every day how much I love you. I take you to be my husband to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”
Then the elder spoke. “Savior Grace, do you take Simon as your mate?”
“I do,” said Grace. He took out a gold ring from his pocket and slipped it on Simon’s ring finger. “With this ring, I thee wed.”
The elder spoke again. “Simon, do you take Savior Grace as your husband?”
“I do,” said Simon. He fumbled with the ring a little, but got it on Grace’s finger. “With this ring, I thee wed.”
“Now,” said the elder, “as is Earth tradition, you may kiss!”
Grace took Simon in his arms. He leaned in slowly. They both closed their eyes as their lips touched. For a few moments it was just the two of them on the beach.
When they parted everyone was cheering and doing jazz hands. They smiled and walked back down the aisle together, hand in hand.
…
At the reception, Grace and Simon sat together at the head table. There was music and dancing on the massive dance floor that was built for the event.
“Hey,” said Grace, squeezing Simon’s leg, “we did it.”
“Yeah, we did,” said Simon, who was much more relaxed now.
“I have something for you,” said Grace, pulling out the xenonite box. He handed it to Simon.
“What? You didn’t have to get me anything,” said Simon, opening the box. Inside he saw the cuff.
“Uh,” he said, stunned. Grace’s brow furrowed.
“What? I messed up, didn’t I? You don’t like it.”
“No, uh, I like it, but I’m confused.” He took out his own box and gave it to Grace. Grace looked at him quizzically and opened the box.
“Rocky!” they both yelled.
Rocky came scrambling over from the dance floor.
“What? Rocky dancing.”
They both held up their identical cuffs. “What did you do?” asked Grace.
“Rocky make bracelet for Simon like Grace want. Rocky make bracelet for Grace like Simon want. Happy, happy, happy!”
Grace and Simon looked at each other and laughed. “This is why I couldn’t find my bracelet?” asked Simon.
Grace blushed, embarrassed. “Yes, but Rocky,” he said, turning, “which one is real?”
“Can’t tell you.”
“Can’t or won’t?” asked Grace.
“Won’t tell because only way for both to be happy.” Grace rolled his eyes.
“Angel, I don’t need to know. As long as you like it, I’m happy,” said Simon.
“I do! I like it very much. Do you like yours?”
Simon puts his on. “Yes. Definitely an upgrade.”
Grace turned to Rocky. “You are a rascal, you know that, right?”
“Yes, Rocky know,” and with that he scrambled back over to the dance floor.
“Well, so much for my surprise,” said Grace.
“Oh, don’t worry, I was very surprised,” said Simon, reaching over to cup Grace’s cheek. They leaned in for a kiss.
“Come on, let’s go. I still need to pay you back for this morning,” he growled. Grace let out a little moan. They walked back to the house hand in hand, their matching silver cuffs shining in the moonlight as the Eridians danced the night away.