“The man of the hour! Captain, may I have the honor to introduce you to Reverend Pinder of the African Baptist Church, who has graciously agreed to perform the marriage ceremony this fine evenin.’ A wonderful evenin’ for it, sir.”
Pinder spoke immediately, the lilting Bahamian drawl accentuating some of the words in a deep bass voice.
“Captain Wake, it is my honor to perform this marriage ceremony. I admire and appreciate your work, sir. And I respect your personal commitment to the covenant of marriage even with all the odds arrayed against you. This marriage will surely be blessed. I have done several funerals here. It will be a pleasure to do a marriage. We of the African community are honored by your presence here.”
Wake was oddly calmed by the black man’s demeanor. He had what the navy would call command presence. Wake responded to the man’s sincerity in kind.
“Thank you, Reverend Pinder, for honoring Linda and me by doing this service. We shall always be indebted to you, sir.”
The naval men out of habit formed several lines, seniormost in the front, and waited for the proceedings to begin, nodding their hellos to Wake. Linda and her friend were not visible, making Wake worry that they could not get away from the house in time. Rork, sensing his friend’s worry, explained that Linda and Ann Mary were certainly there but behind a laurel tree and would soon emerge to take their places.
Reverend Pinder called for those congregated to gather around as he stood at the high point of the sandy ridge overlooking the ocean, gently lapping the shore fifty feet away. Directly behind him stood one of his assistants holding the crossed palm fronds over the reverend’s head. The other assistant stood on the beach, head bowed, arms folded in front, holding the shell. In his sonorous voice Pinder thanked everyone for coming and showing their support. Then he began the ceremony.
To Wake it all seemed impossibly beautiful and profoundly emotional. Pastel colors among the scattered clouds above them formed a majestic backdrop to the scene framed by the white of the beach, the faded steel blue of the ocean, and the green of the grassy graves. The heavy air coming off the sea mixed with the smells of the jasmine and frangipani planted around the edges of the cemetery. The surf provided a solemn backbeat for the slow intonation of the preacher as he explained the coming together of man and wife and the solemnity of the covenant. Then he called for the bride to come forward.
From behind the tree at the rear of the cemetery, a tall man with gold braid on the sleeves of his dark uniform stepped out. He was in the shadow of the tree and Wake couldn’t make out his face and identity. He held his left arm out as Linda came into view, wearing a white dress that must have been for church going. She looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her as she accepted the officer’s arm and they slowly walked forward to the sound of the waves landing on the beach. A shaft of sunlight, one of the last of the day, came through the laurel trees to illuminate the couple as they made their way between the lines of men. Then Wake was able to see who was escorting his bride. Lieutenant James Williams had come to show his friendship and respect.
It was almost too much for Wake to maintain his composure. He could feel the tears welling up, so proud to have these men attend his marriage ceremony, so proud to have a woman who would forgo the trappings of a society wedding to pledge herself to him in such humble surroundings. He knew that he would remember this moment for the rest of his life. Beside him Rork, struggling to stop the tears himself, put a hand on Wake’s shoulder to steady them both as Williams and Linda arrived in front of the preacher.
James gave the needed reply to the required question, shook Wake’s hand with a smile, and walked to the front line of sailors. Ann Mary took her place beside Linda and all turned to face Reverend Pinder, whose serious inflection now described the volition of the man and woman who were about to marry. When both Linda and Wake had given their assent, the preacher increased the pitch of his voice as he listed the requirements of a good marriage. The man’s words boomed out in a measured cadence like a ship’s gun salute, every person present listening to every word spoken.
And then the final assents were given, Linda in a frail voice filled with awe and Wake with a quiet simple genuineness. Wake looked into her green eyes and said he loved her as he slid the plain gold band on her finger. After she received her ring, Reverend Pinder’s bearing changed from solemn to light-hearted as he gave permission to Wake to kiss his bride.
The sun made a last burst of luminescent colors on the western horizon as Wake held his new wife tightly to him, closing out the world as he touched her lips with his. Tears streamed down both their cheeks as they held each other, physically and symbolically, against all they knew would come their way. When they released themselves the misty-eyed sailors raised three cheers for the newly wedded couple, who laughed shyly with the nervous newness of it all.
The black man standing alone on the beach now came into his own, as he faced the final speck of molten red glowing far out at sea. Puffing out his face, he blew deeply into the seashell, producing an alternately rising and descending sound of joy that went on for many minutes. It was a wail of pure emotion from deep within his
