“Are you two taking a wedding trip after this?” Detective Roger Armbrand of the ICPD asked the newlyweds.
“Only a short one,” Nick noted. “There’s so much work to do in rebuilding the IPD Headquarters, I didn’t feel like I could afford to be gone very long.”
“But it’ll be a nice one,” Cally said, her face dimpling with her grin. “We wanted to go to Java, in the Sunda Sector, but it’s too far away and would take too long, never mind being incredibly expensive, so we’re doing the next best thing – we’re headed to the Kawali-Krakatau Resort, over on the coast!”
“Ooo,” Detective Stefan Gorski hummed. “That’s the posh resort chain that’s headquartered on Java, right? With the tropical-island theme?”
“That’s the one!” Cally exclaimed in excitement. “We’ve been saving up ever since Nick came back from Catalonia, and with him a detective now, our combined salaries aren’t half bad.”
“It’s about to get better, young lady,” Maia Peterson told her. “After that robbery you solved last month over near the Imperial University, it’s been decided to shave off the last few weeks of your time-in-grade. When you and Nick get back and you return to duty, you’ll be promoted to full detective, yourself.”
“YAAY!” Cally yelled in glee, and Nick grinned from ear to ear, even as Laura Ames, Cally’s mother, clapped her hands in delight, and her father Alexandre smiled.
“Easy does it there, son,” Lee Carter warned Nick. “You’ll pop the gold buttons on your uniform, and we’ll never find ‘em if they get out into the wildflowers. And believe me, you’d think they were real solid gold, as damned expensive as those things are to replace!”
Everyone laughed.
The first course of the reception luncheon was a fresh fruit cocktail, with fresh peaches, nectarines, strawberries, and pineapple chunks, topped with clotted cream. This was followed with a shrimp and lobster bisque, then an entrée of chicken cordon bleu with green beans amandine and a wild mushroom risotto, and plum tarts for dessert. A small but beautifully decorated wedding cake was also served – after the bride and groom cut it, of course. It was an ancient custom that seemed to fit the equally-ancient words of their vows, and Cally and Nick had loved the idea.
It was over all too soon, and the couple ducked into the nearby hall to change into suitable travel clothing. Cally gave her mother her bouquet and the flowers in her hair to preserve, as well as the wedding dress and sandals. Nick handed off his dress uniform to his boss and surrogate father, Lee Carter.
“No worries, Nick,” Carter told him. “Not only will I get this cleaned and over to your new place, but this bunch,” he waved at ‘The Team,’ as Nick had come to think of his ICPD colleagues, “will help us get the two of you moved into it, too. I got the key cards you two gave me, and we’ll get it done.”
“With no bomb blasts in the night, this time,” Maia Peterson decreed.
“No shit,” Ashton said in a heartfelt, vehement tone. “You guys be careful, just in case, though.”
“We will be,” Carter averred.
“And we’re off!” Cally exclaimed. “Here comes the taxi to take us to our flight!”
“Congratulations!” everyone called, as the pair ran for the taxi that pulled up to the front of the pavilion across the street from the hall.
Late that night, the two finally curled up to actually sleep – they had come to bed fully two hours prior, but sleep wasn’t in the plans at that point – in the big, comfy bed in the luxurious hotel’s newlywed suite, tired but happy. Cally looked around at the lush, tropical-styled bedroom, dimly lit from the floor-to-ceiling windows, which were open to allow the gentle sea breeze, lending the air a salt tang. Outside the windows was a patio-like balcony overlooking the beach and the ocean beyond.
“This is so lovely, Nick,” she murmured. “I know it’s kind of expensive, but I’ll never forget this.”
“Well, that was kinda the point,” he replied. “Given my current assignment to rebuild the Investigative division, and all the work that goes along with it, Lee didn’t have a problem giving me the salary that came with the division lead…”
“I think he’s gonna make you the division lead, for official keeps,” Cally declared.
“Nah, he can’t, honey,” Nick said. “You keep saying that, but it won’t wash. The position requires an inspector, with time in grade, so he or she has seniority and authority over everybody else. And I only just got the promotion to detective about six months back. I’ve got years, maybe decades, in front of me before I qualify for this position on a permanent basis.”
“Aw.”
“Yeah. So that salary is only temporary,” Nick pointed out. “Yeah, a chunk of it went to this honeymoon, and another chunk went into the new place. But after that, I think if we’re smart, we’ll sink most of the rest into our bank account, and probably some good investments.”
“I think that’s a good plan,” Cally agreed. “I’m glad we got the accounts worked out before the wedding.”
“Me too.”
They were silent for several moments.
“I still bet you wind up pretty high in the hierarchy when it’s all done,” Cally said then.
“Eventually, maybe,” Nick said, “when I’ve made Inspector and got some more experience under my belt.”
“Honey, even if he can’t give you the job formally, ‘cause of how the requirements are written, I’d eat my badge
