𝐃𝐘𝐍𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐘 ── 𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒛𝒚 𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒔. ✔︎

𝟬𝟬𝟱.

             THE LATE AFTERNOON SUN hovered over the crest of the Santa Ynez Mountains, suffusing everything in a golden haze. The bamboo trellis had been fully restored to its former glory, creating a luxuriant canopy of hanging wisteria and jasmine over the central aisle, its delicately sweet scent wafting across the guests as they took their seats on the portico. 

With a neoclassical music pavilion carved from Tuscan stone as a backdrop and towering two-hundred-year-old oaks framing the gardens, the scene looked like something straight out of a Maxfield Parrish painting.

At the appointed moment, Nick emerged from the pavilion with his best man, Colin, and took his place beside an arch majestically radiating with white dendrobium orchids. 

He surveyed the hundred or so guests, noticing that his father—just arrived from Sydney and wearing an extremely rumpled gray suit—was seated next to Theodore, and Astrid, while his mother was a row behind gossiping with Araminta, who had minutes ago caused a stir when she entered the portico in a show-stopping emerald green Giambattista Valli gown with a deconstructed-ruffle neckline that plunged all the way down to her navel.

Ramona couldn't help but recall the skinny boy in soccer shorts who used to run around with her in the gardens of Tyersall Park, scaling trees and jumping into ponds. 

They were forever inventing games and getting lost in fantasy worlds, Nicky always the Peter Pan to her Wendy, but now here he was, all grown up and looking utterly dashing in his celestial blue Henry Poole tuxedo, ready to create his own new world with Rachel. There would be great trouble to come once their grandmother found out about the wedding, but at least for tonight, Nicky was getting to marry the girl of his dreams.

Ramona's eyes began to well with tears as Peik Lin had noticed and handed her a handkerchief. She took it and began to dab her eyes. 

The wall of French doors at the front of the pavilion opened, and from inside a musician on a grand piano began to play a vaguely familiar melody as Rachel's bridesmaids—Ramona, Peik Lin, Samantha, and Sylvia, in pearl gray bias-cut silk dresses—began the procession up the aisle.

 Auntie Belinda, in a gold lamé St. John gown with matching bolero top, suddenly recognized that the pianist was playing Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" and began to sob uncontrollably into her Chanel handkerchief. 

After the pianist had finished, another surprise awaited the crowd as the lights inside the pavilion dimmed and a scrim hanging above the building came down, revealing a full ensemble of musicians from the San Francisco Symphony on the roof. 

The conductor raised his baton, and as the delicate opening strains of Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring" began to fill the air, Rachel appeared at the steps of the portico on the arm of her uncle Walt.

The wedding guests murmured in approval at the bride, who looked stunning in a figure-hugging gown of silk crepe de chine with delicate knife pleats that fanned out over the fitted bodice and a column skirt that draped across the front in romantic cascading folds. 

With her long, luxuriant hair worn down in loose curls and pinned on the sides with a pair of feather-shaped art deco diamond clips, she was the epitome of a relaxed, modern bride with just a touch of 1930s Hollywood glamour.

"I can't believe how beautiful you look," Nick whispered when Rachel reached his side.

Rachel too moved to say anything, simply nodded. Ramona locked eyes with Theo. Her eyes were slightly watery and his gleamed with pride. He mouthed to her, "I love you,"

Ramona couldn't take it anymore and she began to sob into Colin's shoulder who was standing right next to her. Colin who was frozen began to rub her back awkwardly. 

After the ceremony, as the wedding guests adjourned to a reception inside the music pavilion, Ramona rested her head on Theo's shoulder. "I can't believe I ugly cried right in front of the Chu's," she murmured, sniffling as her eyes were puffy red. Thank the lord she didn't wear any mascara.

"You could never look ugly in my eyes," Theo gushed, kissing her cheek. "And, what you said this morning... Do you really want to marry me?"

Ramona nodded, "I can't imagine marrying anyone else but you," she admitted, "Who else would be able to take my shit?" 

Theo snickered as they shared a quick kiss. "But really, don't think of it as rushing you," Ramona told him, "I don't want to be a boring married couple so soon,"

"Oh, please! When I marry you, Ramona Young, I knew I'd be signing up for a lifetime of surprises. I wouldn't want it any other way."

The sunken garden behind the music pavilion had been transformed into an alfresco ballroom. Hundreds of candles in antique crystal orbs sparkled in the eucalyptus trees surrounding the garden, while old-fashioned klieg lights cast a silver-screen glow onto the dance floor.

The guests began gathering on the terrace to watch the newlyweds have their first dance, but before the music started up, Colin suddenly began clinking loudly on his champagne glass to get everybody's attention.

"Hello everyone, I'm Nicky's best man, Colin. Don't worry, I'm not going to bore anyone with a long-winded toast. I just felt that on this most special of occasions, the happy couple needed a little surprise."

Nick shot Colin a look that said, What the hell are you doing?

Grinning from ear to ear, Colin continued, "A few months ago, my wife and I ran into a friend of Rachel's at the Churchill Club." He looked over at Peik Lin, who raised her champagne glass conspiratorially.

 "It turns out that all through college, Rachel would play a certain song over and over until it drove Peik Lin up the wall. And guess what? I just happen to know it was one of Nick's favorite songs too. Thanks, little Mona Lisa for the confirmation," Ramona raised her champagne glass knowingly.

 "So Nick and Rachel thought they would be dancing to some romantic waltz by the San Francisco Symphony right now, but they're not. Ladies and gentlemen, please help me welcome Mr. and Mrs. Young to the dance floor for the very first time, accompanied by one of the world's greatest singers."

With those words, a band of musicians entered the small stage at the edge of the garden, followed by a petite woman with a shock of platinum blond hair. The crowd began to scream in excitement, while many of the older folks looked utterly baffled by all the excitement.

Nick and Rachel stared first at Ramona, then Colin, and then at Peik Lin, their mouths agape.

"I can't believe it! Did you know anything about this?" Rachel exclaimed.

"No! Sneaky bastards!" Nick said as he led Rachel onto the dance floor. The first chords of a familiar hit song began to fill the air, and the crowd roared in approval.

Nick gave Rachel a long tender kiss as the wedding guests broke out into applause. Then he waved for everybody to join them on the dance floor

Ramona and Theo joined the dancefloor, as they swayed together to the rhythm of the song, feeling almost delirious with happiness. "Hey, after this, we need to go to Shanghai," Ramona told him, almost as if it were an afterthought. "I have some business there that I need to take care of,"

"Wherever you go, I go," Theo murmured, "I could use a visit to the Shanghai location,"

 Theodore, besides owning the Mount Elizabeth Hospital, had begun to open hospitals and medical internationally. Just last year, he had opened 20 hospitals around Asia in big and small cities alike, five hospitals in Europe, 30 centers in the U.S, and 25 hospitals in small countries in Africa under a charity that helped open as many medical centers for the unfortunate as quickly as possible. 

It was called the Ling Foundation, and in only a year, it was one of the most renowned hospital chains around the world. Her boyfriend was making bank every hour while still being a great boyfriend. 

As Cyndi Lauper continued her song, the newlyweds began to sing along:

If you're lost, you can look and you will find me,

time after time.