Dark Blood

Chapter 5

She rolled her head to the side, removing a crick that was forming in her neck. Her arms were suspended, her fingers poised. The cello had been tuned to perfection and polished until it shone brilliantly. The bow hovered mere centimeters above the strings. One move would create a sound. Despite the beautiful weather, droplets of sweat trickled down her back and seeped into the fabric of her dress. She was nervous, as she always was before a performance, her eye plastered on the aisle to her right.

There were rows of white chairs lined up on the beach, ringed by lanterns and white ribbon. Every single one of them was full. The sand was scattered with vibrant rose petals leading to a large silk gazebo decked out in flowers and random greenery. Kara and two other people, both on violin, were to the left. Next to them were three bridesmaids. On the opposite side were the groomsmen, and the priest standing patiently under the gazebo next to a jittery Lukas. It was oddly quiet for so many people in one place. The only sound was the soft wind and the ocean waves rolling behind them. Everyone was waiting.

Finally, she came. Kayla carefully walked over the sand led by her father. Her wedding dress was absolutely stunning. Her hair and makeup were done to perfection. The wind blew just right, causing her vile to billow out behind her. She absolutely glowed.

The bow struck the strings and the crowd stood as "Here Comes the Bride" radiated through the air. Kara swayed with song, leaning into the mellow tone that came from beneath her fingers. The song reached a crescendo and faded as the bride reached the gazebo and turned to face her husband-to-be. Kara opened her eyes to see the couple beaming at each other. She laughed quietly to herself. Her brother's smile always had an innocent, goofy, lopsided angle to it.

The priest cleared his throat and began the long sermon that would bind Kayla and Lukas as partners. Kara took this moment to drift in and out of consciousness. The ocean in the background helped lull her into a daze. She had heard this spiel countless times from all of the venues she had attended.

Eventually, Kara snapped out of her stupor as the priest reached the end.

"Lukas Morgan, do you take Kayla to be your lawfully-wedded wife?"

The "I do's" were said, tears were shed, and the newlyweds kissed. She returned her bow to the strings and played a suit as the two walked back towards the rented venue, surrounded by cheering relatives. The violinists shook Kara's hand, complementing her talent with the cello, then quickly followed the crowd. She bet that they were heading to the cocktail bar. She laughed at the thought of their disappointed faces when they get there and find no alcohol. Lukas was wholeheartedly against the consumption of such drinks at the biggest event of his life.

Kara stood and stretched, cracking her back. She was alone on the beach. She looked at the building where Lukas and his beautiful wife were now celebrating the future. Laughter could already be heard drifting across the sand and through the palm fronds. She smiled, gazing out at the light sparking on the waves. Words couldn't describe how proud she was of her brother. He had achieved so much in such a short amount of time; a great education, a steady career, a wife... Kara always said that Lukas had the brightest future out of the two of them.

A few happy tears roll down her cheeks, letting out her emotions now that she was away from everyone. She never liked crying in front of people and she wasn't the best at opening up. Unfortunately, this heartfelt moment was ruined by the loud obnoxious roar of a helicopter. She looked down the beach and saw the thing emerge above the tree line. It was small, black, and it glinted in the sun like an annoying beetle. Her eyes followed it as it flew overhead, the thumping of its blade drowning out the crashing waves. She raised her arm and wave a single finger at the pilot. Thanks for wrecking the moment, bro! Kara sighed, running her fingers across her cheeks and flicking away the tears as the sound of the helicopter faded into the distance. She locked her cello in its case, taking one last look at the beautiful beach scene before trekking over the sand towards the venue.

One other thing she loved about her brother: he always kept his word. He said he'd be married on the same beach as their parents. And she thought he delivered pretty well on that promise.

As the hours passed, the party didn't die down one bit. Everyone was talking, laughing, eating, and dancing nonstop. The tables were full of delicious delicacies, deserts, and sparkling drinks (to substitute for alcohol). A few children chased each other around, and the parents chased their children. There was no shortage of photography either. Cameras and iPhones flashed everywhere. It was a wonder how they didn't run out of storage. Kara was sure peoples' faces were going to ache tomorrow from all of the smiling.

Kara had just struck up the band, consisting of friends from her years playing at FSU, and they were blasting an upbeat, old-timey swing tune. She put her lips to her mouthpiece and breathed life into her saxophone as the music started to seep into the air, taking affect rather quickly. Lukas took Kayla by the hand and led her out onto the dance floor. She shrieked happily as he spun her around and waltzed her around the dance floor. Those who were outgoing and not afraid of making fools of themselves were the next ones on the dance floor, followed by the more quiet and shy of the attendants. It wasn't too long before the whole venue was on their feet.

Kara smiled around her mouthpiece, looking over her stand at her brother. He was so indescribably happy as he dance with Kayla in his arms. The love could be seen clearly in their eyes, even felt in the air around them. She laughed to herself. Those two were adorable. And the height difference made it even better.

As Kara sat there, surrounded by friends, family, and music, determined to do nothing but play the night away, she thought that there was nothing in the world that could shroud the bright future before her brother and her family.

If only she knew what was waiting for them just down the beach.