SPOILER WARNING!
For those who haven't finished BK 6, Trumped, and don't want spoilers, don't read this entry!
But to read more, scroll down....
I'm putting a huge space here, trying to prevent you from seeing a spoiler if you don't want to.
However, if you're scrolling down this far, I assume you don't mind. Let's continue!
SAL & ZACK'S WEDDING
Author's Whys: This scene was cut due to the length of the novel, the comments from a pre-reader saying there are too many weddings at the end, and Sal and Zack are just the type of couple that'll run off and elope.
In the book there's only a small mention of the two of them having returned from their honeymoon in Chapter 33.
But in truth, we originally wrote it with all in attendance.
Chapter: Short
Version
When she woke the following morning, Taps was on the
vacation beach. She wore a poet’s shirt
and denim skirt. Someone had painted her
toenails with glow-in-the-dark rainbow polish.
“She’s up!” shouted Dee, capping a bottle of nail
polish.
The smells of a barbeque drifted to her nose and her
stomach growled, surprising her with its ferocity.
“Give her a few minutes,” Jacer admonished his wife.
“We’ve been waiting all day!” Dee complained, holding
their son who was now the size of a three-year-old.
“What’s happening?” Taps asked, sitting up.
“Miss Sally’s getting married,” Jeffrey answered
soberly, walking toward her from the surf.
She blinked. He
was wiping his wet hair dry and he looked…very fit in his wet attire. She
averted her eyes to Dee as she tried to think of anything else.
“This is the wedding banquet we decided to have for Sal
and Zack,” Lori explained, watching Dare playfully toss Dev and Kory into the
water.
The beach was full of family, friends, and guests. Torches were stuck in the sand. Stationary balloons were gathered at the many
tables where the guests were laughing and talking.
Many guests were mingling near a long table covered
with food. Haberlie’s plate was piled with ripe fruit and she was currently
studying a purple polka-dot pineapple.
Sal was wearing a simple white dress that changed to
dragon-scale armor.
“Queen Oni made good on her promise,” Jeffrey
commented. “Miss Sally, for fun, has
allowed people to try to burn her dress.”
“Double-Club, what can you say? When I think about it,
time has been flying since I’ve been feeling better. It’s almost as if the wedding hasn’t taken
any time at all.”
“As I recall, you’ve done a few hasty weddings in the
past. Including Lacey and Orson’s.” He gently reached out a hand and took hers,
pulling her up and walking her over to stand in the empty space in the center
of the tables.
Seeing Taps, Sal changed the dress back into its white
wedding-style and climbed on Zack’s back.
He gave her a piggyback ride over to the center spot, which sported a
bullseye.
The barefoot Sal’s hazel eyes were bright as Zack put
her down. He took her hand and they
stood in front of Taps.
Taps looked over at Sarah, who gave her a slight smile
and nodded. The tapper appeared. Just having the familiar weight in her hand
settled her.
“We want the shortest version,” Sal said bluntly, eyes
sparkling.
“I’ll do my best.” Taps cleared her throat in good
humor, “Zackary and Sally, today is but the beginning. Do you both swear on the love you have for
one another that you will always be true, rejoice in the time you share, and
never forget to be as one?”
“Yes!” they chorused.
“Then you are man and wife, now and forever.”
The couple shared a kiss and the hugs began.
Zack took a moment to give Taps a gentle hug and say,
“Thank you, Taps. We never would have
met if not for you.”
“My pleasure,” she assured him.
After a round of warm hugs from Zack and Sal, they all
heard a whinny. Trox, Sal’s unicorn,
appeared on the beach.
Zack swung Sal up onto the sturdy white back and then
climbed on. The newlyweds waved as Trox
began to gallop on top of the water,
out across the ocean toward the setting sun.
They were undoubtedly headed to Alcatrel.
Amidst cheers, Taps looked over at Sarah, who was
staring at Ransom and the dear boy was staring back, his heart in his
eyes.
It was one of the major problems she was going to fix!
Piedee couldn’t stop her now. The children were worthy and had proven their
love countless times.
The teapot is the
solution.
As the party continued, with more laughter and eating,
she became aware Jeffrey was silently sitting next to her chair, also
watching.
“Jeffrey, what do you think I should do about Sarah?”
“Madam?”
“Men are not all equal,” she began and looked into his
eyes, surprised when her heart beat harder as the grey eyes smiled. “How does one gain the right man?”
Jeffrey gave a slightly crooked smile and she realized
how much she had failed to appreciate about Jeffrey as a little girl.
“I assume you’re speaking of Master Ransom?” he was
tense.
“Of course!”
He seemed disappointed, but she shrugged it off as her
imagination. “Master Ransom is a good
man.”
“So are you.”
He quickly looked her way and then down at the
sand. “Thank you, Madam.”
“That’s why you should know how to get such a man.”
He chuckled instead of barking a laugh.
Her face colored.
“I mean, you know what would attract one because you are one.”
He laughed harder and she felt her cheeks flame, “I
mean, that is-!” She pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes, “I’m
quite distraught! I just keep digging myself in deeper don’t I?”
Jeffery’s continued laughing was a good answer.
“Drat.”-T. Erickson
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