Chapter 246

• Fred was a chicken; a rooster actually. Chickens ran free all over the island, and we had adopted this one. Or he had adopted us. Either way, this time he was particularly talkative, clucking away, as though wishing us luck. He spent extra time, too, hanging out with us until Kelly was to head out for her hair appointment. When she kissed me and left, he followed. Smart chicken.
• The plan was for Tama to pick us up, on our beach, an hour before sunset. He would ferry us across to the largest motu, where the ceremony would take place. Afterwards, he would drop us off just down our beach, at a restaurant, where we would have our first dinner as husband and wife.
• Until then, I could relax, but Kelly was going all out... Hair, makeup, manicure, pedicure... and a dress I had been forbidden to peek at, even in the luggage. I could have looked now, but I'd waited this long, so I let her surprise stay that way.