12@

"I remember that, although I was at summer camp, so I only had to go on what you told me." I said. "I was so proud, bragging to all the kids around me about how my parents would beat up Nazis. But yeah, that incident really scared Alexa a lot, and we got married soon after that in the glade."

They simply looked at me, listening. My hands flexed as I tried to think of things to say. "It was about that time that we found out about you guys and Jeanie. Jeanie then caught us making love in our assigned office."

"Oh, Lord," mom said, pinching her eyes. "Are you insane, Alex? Not only could you have been caught by absolutely anybody, but you got caught by Jeanie. You know I adore her, but she's an idiot. She'd forget not to tell anyone the moment she walked back out the door."

"I guess we got lucky," I admitted. "She was really devoted to the idea of the two of us and she managed to keep her word."

"I can't believe you did that in the faculty office," mom sighed in exasperation. "What if you got caught?"

I couldn't go on a counter-offensive, because I had no right to do so, but I was so desperate to take the attention off my idiocy, even for a moment, that I tried a little gambit. I needed something. "We were pretty dumb about it. We made love in the hedge maze more than a few times late at night. One of our most terrifying moments happened in there."

"Someone nearly caught you?" mom asked, her tone unimpressed.

"Yeah, you two," I replied. "We were on the other side of a hedge wall when you both came in and began fooling around. We heard the whole thing, two feet away from us, and were petrified. The race to beat you back to the faculty had my heart ready to burst out of my chest."

My parents said nothing. Having nearly been caught themselves, by their son and sister, was giving them pause. I took advantage and drew several deep, quiet breaths, trying to compose myself. I was still wholly miserable, but at least I wasn't short of breath anymore.

"Well played, Alex," dad said finally. "Needed a moment, I take it?"

"You have no idea." I sighed heavily. "And then we went to the wedding in Gatineau and things were comically awkward there."

"Did you and Alli find time to get it on there?" mom asked.

I nodded. "You nearly caught us when you barged into my room naked."

Mom blinked. "That was Alli under the bed? Alli was pretending to be a Finnish girl you just met and were having sex with?"

I nodded sheepishly. She flopped back into the couch, looking at the ceiling. "This web is so tangled," she lamented. "That incident in the jacuzzi was the first time we noticed something about Alli. She was jiggling her breasts at you a little too eagerly, I thought. Not just enjoying teasing her nerdy nephew, but almost... needing to, I guess."

"You have no idea how badly I wanted to look." I muttered.

"But you just kept staring directly ahead, looking embarrassed as Hell," mom continued. "And then your wonderful performance where you got up and almost stormed out, and we sent Alli to retrieve you. I didn't think too much of it, because she was having sex that weekend with that woman. And you have a session or two with that uber-distant relative girl of ours."I put my face in my hands, rubbing it wearily.

"And you're sitting there trying to figure out why we have a problem with your marrying your aunt when we didn't blink about you fucking a girl who is a relative removed by a factor of twelve," she said dryly, not terribly impressed with my exasperation. "Alex, she's your aunt. A very direct relation to you, and she's my baby sister. Forgetting for a moment that avunculate marriage is legal nowhere in this country, how on Earth could I possibly be tra-la and whimsical about my sister and son getting being in love and getting married?"

She had me there. She sat back and sighed, making a motion with her hand. "Just continue, I refuse to believe this has ended."

"Well, Freja visited after that, which no doubt threw you off the trail again," I said. "I'll admit, they included me in their lovemaking as often as they could."

Mom raised an eye. "So at this point you were having sex with your aunt-wife and her soul-mate?"

"I... yeah. Freja totally approved of Alexa and I being in love. She even offered to legally marry me and carry a baby that Alexa and I would conceive, so that we were bonded."

"This gets more twisted-sounding with every moment," mom muttered. "And then Freja met Jeanie and they fell in love. And since Alli was involved with them sexually, I can only assume that means you were too."

I shrugged. "We had a foursome in the gym and that was when Jeanie asked Freja to marry her."

Mom was lost in thought. Dad stayed resolutely quiet beside her, a figure of towering calm. The more I looked at the two of them, the more obvious the folly of all this became to me. What had I done?

"The Edith Piaf song," mom murmured. "It was never about Freja, was it?"

I shook my head. "It was Alexa singing to me, telling me that even if we never managed to work things out, she regretted nothing, and she would always be mine."

Mom's eyes were tearing again. "Alex... she's your aunt. It would have been the most beautiful story in the world, except for that. I... you know, your father and I could possibly have accepted you two having casual sex, because you were physically attracted to one another. I could possibly overlook that, if you were being careful. But in love? Were you planning to run away to somewhere that allowed avunculate marriage?"

"No," I said firmly, shaking my head. "We couldn't. She just got here, mom. That was never a serious consideration. It would have broken Alexa's heart to leave you behind so quickly."

"Just go on, Alex," dad said. "There's no doubt more."

"Freja had told her mother and her dad, and they approved, seemingly," I said. "I guess avunculate marriage is legal in Denmark, so it wasn't a big deal to them, if somewhat uncommon. Anyway, her mother was very kind in her advice to me, telling me to spend every moment I could with Alexa if I truly loved her. I guess she knew what was coming."

"I remember the bouquet incident," mom said distantly, remembering. "I convinced everyone to let her catch it. And her eyes shot immediately to you. You kept laughing and clapping, giving no indication of your feelings, but Alli's eyes betrayed hers. It was at that moment that your dad and I were convinced she was secretly in love with you and that we had to do something."

"Makes perfect sense when you put it that way," I sighed. "I... that's pretty much everything unless you want lewd details. I've been as honest as I could. So... now what?"

There was a long silence. I said nothing. Everything depended on mom now. Finally, she spoke. "I understand why Alli ran away. But it was the wrong thing to do. I need my sister back."

She couldn't hold it in any more and she turned to my father, her eyes brimming with tears. "Michael, I need my sister back..."

She burst into sobs and dad held her, caressing the back of her head, his eyes closed. I waited, my mother's tears slicing through me like knives. I'd caused her such anguish. Getting her sister back should have been one of the happiest days of her life, and I'd become the reason Alexa ran away.

"Alex, do you have your phone?" dad asked finally. I nodded and pulled it out. "Give it to your mother, please."

I unlocked it and gave it to mom, who disengaged from my dad and took the phone, sniffling as she composed herself. Her eyes were red and bleary, and I'd never seen her look so heartbroken. I felt like the worst person to ever live.

Mom composed herself and dialed a number in the phone and then activated the speaker function. We waited silently while it rang and finally someone picked up.

"Heya, Alex," Jeanie chirped cheerfully. "How's it hangin'?"

"Jeanie, sweetheart, it's Karen, Alex's mom." my mother replied.

There was a pause of confusion on the other end. I cold almost hear Jeanie looking at her phone screen to check the number, but she recovered quickly. "Hi, Lady Prof, how's your bod?"

"Jeanie, would you please put Freja on the phone?" mom asked levelly. Jeanie called out for her wife and the Danish girl answered seconds later.

"Hello, Mrs De Bourne?"

"Hello, Freja," mom said, trying to keep her voice from breaking. "I know you're still on your honeymoon in Muskoka, and I'm sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you'd heard from Alli."

"No, we have not, not in the last day or so," Freja replied. "Is everything alright?"

"No," mom almost choked. "Michael and I told her we knew she was in love with Alex. We gave her some time alone, but then she disappeared, leaving a note saying she loved us all."

What followed were several seconds of silence and then Freja spoke.

"We'll be down immediately."

***

Muskoka was normally three hours away, but there was a knock at the door within two. We'd mostly been sitting quietly, with mom crying against dad occasionally. There wasn't too much to say just yet. Dad got up and answered the door, while mom and I both stood. We heard him invite Jeanie and Freja inside.

Jeanie immediately rushed over to mom and hugged her, both of them bursting into tears. Freja, meanwhile, walked up to me, took me by the hand and led me out of the living room and into the kitchen. She turned around to look at me, taking my hand in hers and placing it against her heart. Her eyes were hard with fear and worry.

"What do they know, Alex?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Everything," I replied. "Everything."

She thought about my response and nodded. She then led me back into the living room and went to hug my mother, starting to cry with her while Jeanie came over to me and took my hand, watching.

"I am so sorry, Karen," whispered Freja. "So sorry for my part in this."

"You're the best friend she could ask for, Freja," my mom breathed, trying to control herself. "Do not be sorry, just... help me get my baby sister back, please..."

"I think we'd all better sit down and discuss this," my father said, watching us passively. He gestured for Jeanie and Freja to sit on the love seat while he and mom sat back on the large chesterfield. I took my place in the lounger. He looked at us all and sighed. "I guess let's all get caught up so we're on the same page."

I recounted for Jeanie and Freja everything that had happened from my point of view and then mom filled in details from her end and let them read the letter. Jeanie was mostly silent, but Freja sighed at the conclusion of my mom's story.

"I am so sorry," she said sadly. "From what you have described, I have never seen her so despondent. Let me... let me call my parents."

She pulled out her phone and dialed a number. We could vaguely hear a woman's voice on the other end and Freja began speaking in Danish, her tone uncharacteristically serious. The voice on the other end lost its cheerful tone as Freja explained something. I heard her mention myself, my mom and dad, and of course, Alexa. The call did not seem to be an encouraging one. She finally hung up and sighed.

"My mother sends her regards and her... feelings?"

Mom nodded. "I know what you're trying to say, Freja. Thank you."

"Okay," said the Danish girl. "They have not heard from Alexa. But that does not surprise me. I... I do not think she wants to be found."

Mom burst into sobs again and dad hugged her. Jeanie balled her fists and squeezed her eyes shut, tears trickling down her cheeks. Freja put a hand on top of hers, consoling her.

"I chased my baby sister away..." mom choked.

"Oh, Mrs De Bourne, no!" Freja protested, crossing the floor quickly and kneeling in front of my mother, taking her hand in hers and looking up at her with tears in her eyes. "No, Karen, not at all. Alexa, she thinks she is protecting you all. This is not your fault."

"She wouldn't have left if I hadn't confronted her."

"But of course you had to," Freja insisted. "You didn't know the whole story, how could you have? We kept it from you. What you were doing made absolute sense at the time."

My mom pulled Freja to her and hugged her. Freja trembled as she fought back her tears and then looked at my mother again. "She had to go, Karen. She loved Alex too much to stay. I know her better than any of you. I've never seen her in love before, not like she was... is... with Alex."

My face flushed red. I found myself wishing again that the earth would swallow me.

"So, we all agree we want her back, but she doesn't want to be found," dad said, trying to gather our focus. "I guess we'd better start trying to piece things together. I'll start in her room. Alex? Freja? Which of you would know her room better?"

We looked at one another and I shrugged. "I... I've been in there more often, but I imagine Freja would have the better intuition about things concerning Alexa. She's known her longer."

"Let's go, Freja," dad said, rising. "Alex, you and your mom still have talking to do, I think. Jeanie, stay with them."

"Yessir." Jeanie said dutifully, nodding. They left without another word, heading upstairs to search Alexa's room. Several moments of silence passed before mom looked at me.

"I cannot believe how completely you had us fooled, Alex," she said quietly. "I never even suspected. I know a lot of parents are blind to how their kids behave, but your father and I always had a good bead on you."

I shrugged and smiled wanly. "It's... it's not something I'm proud of, mom, but I really didn't know what to do."

She sighed. "And I don't even know what to say, Alex. She's your aunt. She's my little sister. Was the sex really that good?"

"Oh, she's a total Bene Gesserit, Mrs De Bourne." Jeanie piped up.

We both looked at her, rather bewildered to hear anything like that coming out of her mouth.

"What?" she said somewhat defensively, frowning a little. "I liked the Dune novels and things that smell like cinnamon. Gimme a break already."

Mom shook her head and turned to look at me again. "It's just so unlike you, Alex. You've played it straight and safe most of your life. Brave, sure, but you've always been sensible. This is so out of character."

"You think I don't know that?" I replied. "I was the one living it."

Mom sighed and pinched her eyes for a moment. "Alex, I know your father and I do some strange things, like messing around with our students on occasion..."

"Thanks for that, beeteedubs." Jeanie added, smiling. Mom ignored her.

"And yes, your father and I even had a fling with some twin sisters," she continued. "But there were no implications for them, and none really even for us. This is on a whole different level."

"I know," I said quietly. "I... you have no idea how much we wanted to tell you. The stress of not saying anything got pretty immense on occasion."

"I can imagine," she agreed. "I don't even know what to do if we somehow convince her to come back, because there's still your situation to deal with. Breaking you two up as soon as she gets back here can't possibly improve anything, and we can't pretend it isn't happening, either."

"I know... I know..." I sighed, putting my face in my hands, trying to compose myself.

A few moments passed and then something I didn't expect- the feel of my mother's arms around me, hugging me tight.

I held her as well and we said nothing for some time. I know how hard this was on her and now we were just trying to get through it, one way or another. Jeanie sat quietly and watched us until dad and Freja returned. Mom looked up at them.

"Anything?" she asked.

"Nothing terribly useful," dad replied grimly as he sat on the chesterfield and mom joined him. "Just about everything is still here. Only things gone are her laptop and any personal identification, along with her phone. She left pretty much everything else, as far as I can tell."

"I tried calling her, of course," Freja added. "No response."

"She must be hurting real bad if she's cut you out too," Jeanie said, caressing Freja's cheek. "We can't get her back if we can't find her."

"And there's not even any guarantee she'll come back anyway," Freja sighed. "I've never seen her like this."

"I think we've been sort of dancing around the obvious issue, too," dad now stated. "Whether we like it or not, it's the reason she left."

I looked away, which my mother saw. "Alex, we're not going to talk about this like you're not here. It's okay to speak."

"I can't, mom. I'm sorry." I said quietly.

"Why, baby?"

I drew a deep breath. "Because I can't talk about Alexa except... except as my wife. That's the only context I have for you. Maybe it's silly to you, maybe it's absurd. But it's the only frame of reference I can give you about any of this. And so I don't really have anything to add."

Mom and dad said nothing. Jeanie and Freja looked on quietly. Yes, they were involved, but this moment didn't concern them.

"You got married, hm?" dad mused.

I nodded. "You guys had a kegger that night, you left us a note that we found after we got back from the glade. We had a rather pleasant honeymoon as a result."

Mom grimaced. "Not on my bed, right?"

"No," I said, trying not to chuckle while Jeanie snickered. "I promise."

Mom sighed. "You already know it won't stand up legally. This whole thing still overwhelms me in so many ways. The length of time it's being going on, the scope of it..."

She looked at our guests. "Anything you two can add to shed some light on this can of worms?"

Freja made a wry face and looked at Jeanie. "Can of worms?" Jeanie shrugged helplessly. Mom might as well have said antidisestablishmentarianism. Nonetheless, they both contributed what they could to the narrative. Freja related many late-night Skype conversations with Alexa where she talked endlessly about Alex, to the place where Freja was convinced her friend was in love. Since avunculate marriage was legal in Denmark (if unusual), she didn't care at all, as long as Alexa was happy. She just cautioned her about the implications here.

Jeanie was every bit as honest, if somewhat less insightful, for the most part. She mentioned her sex with Alexa and then teasing Alex with nude videos of her aunt, thinking she was being a silly pest by suggesting that Alexa and I having sex would be hot.

Then she walked in on us making love in our office and she was struck by exactly how beautiful and perfect we were together, that she was even jealous, sad because she'd never find a love that deep and meaningful. Freja bit her lip and hugged Jeanie while she spoke. The brunette continued.

"I... I guess I never really stopped to consider how much this could fuck things up for you two," she murmured, looking at my parents. "I mean, you guys've been inside me, so I guess I just figured you were sorta untouchable, y'know?"

"Jeeeez..." I groused, putting my hands over my ears.

"A little late for that reaction from you, Mister Lannister," mom said dryly. I didn't know whether the return of her sarcasm was a good thing or a bad thing in these circumstances. Although I was happy that she'd stopped crying, at least for now. "Please continue, Jeanie."

Jeanie considered her next words. "No word of a lie, I was so happy for them, I never really considered anything else except keeping their secret."

"You're a good friend, Jeanie," mom said. "I'm sure Alex and Alli appreciated that."

"Wish we hadn't had to." I sighed. "I don't even know if 'sorry' is the right thing to say, mom."

"I don't know either, Alex," she said wearily. "I don't even know what to think. This has torn our family apart in one way, but if I'm practical, then I consider what might have happened if this thing between you two had gotten out at the university."

I squirmed uncomfortably.

"Not everyone likes your father and I," she explained. "There are lots of people who resent our influence over the departments. Something like this would give them a lot of slander material to work with. The university could reject that nonsense outright, but if a big enough stink was made, however undeserved, they could also decide it was just easier to let us go. And what legal action could we take, since the premise we're fighting to keep our jobs on, an incestuous relationship, is illegal?"

I said nothing.

"Even if we won, there would be a cloud over us for a long time to come," mom said quietly. "Alex, I'm not saying that your father's and my careers take precedence over your happiness, but there are very serious considerations to be examined here. If this got out, forget the effect it would have on us, what would it do to you and Alli? If it was widely-known, who would hire you for jobs? You couldn't even attend a church in peace."

My face was in my hands. I couldn't say anything. I just let her talk, I owed her that. To the most dreadful depths, of every aspect I'd ever avoided, I would let her take me there. Because it had to be faced, for all of our sakes.

"I mean, you could move out of the country," she pointed out. "But I can't imagine that suiting Alli, after nineteen years of desperately wanting to know her family. She just came home. She wants to be here."

"It's true, she does," Freja agreed. "She wants to live here more than anything. It has always been her ambition, even when we first got to know one another. To come home, it was... everything to her."

Mom stopped talking and wrestled with her tears again. Dad had an arm around her. I think it killed them both to do it, but they didn't console me or put their arms around me, because I needed to feel this and face it alone, even if they were so nearby. In some ways, they might as well have been across the continent.

"I need a rest," mom said finally, rising and holding a hand out for dad, which he willingly took. "Alex, we'll talk again when I get up. Ladies, I'm so sorry we had to disrupt your honeymoon."

"There is no honeymoon for us if Alexa and Alexa are in distress, Karen," Freja said readily. "Or you and Michael. We're your friends, and we will remain here until this has seen its end, whatever that is."

Mom smiled and wiped her eye. "Please keep Alex company, then? See if you can figure something out?"

Both girls nodded and walked up and hugged her. Then mom came up and hugged me.

"I love you so much, Alex..." she said in a tiny voice.

Then they were gone. Freja and Jeanie took me to the chesterfield and sat me down cuddling me and whispering their condolences. There was nothing at all sexual about this, even if their hands were on me. We were all worried sick about Alexa.

"My parents will do what they can to see if she arrives in Denmark," Freja assured me. "We will also try to determine if she returned to Cardiff, since that is where Miranda rests."

Jeanie was trying not to cry, caressing my cheek and kissing it gently. She had little to offer except emotional support, which she gave the only way she knew how, with affection."I've never lost anyone important to me, Alex," she murmured. "I mean, you know I was worried about being alone my whole life, but... to lose someone who was your everything... oh, God, Alex, I'm so sorry..."

She wept quietly on my shoulder while I caressed hers. Freja now knelt in front of me, between my legs, and gently lifted my chin, not at all bothered by my red eyes or worn expression.

"Alex," she said softly. "I will be honest with you. We may never find Alexa. If she has gone away and does not wish to be found, it would be rather easy for her. She is not only a citizen of the EU, but also the Commonwealth, so she could go anywhere. And like you, she is a polyglot, she speaks many languages, so she'd be comfortable in many places."

"My Klingon is better than hers." I mumbled, smiling weakly. She smiled back, shaking her head slightly.

"You do not need to try and cheer us up, my friend. Let us be here for you. And to that end, let me promise you something, on Alexa's behalf..."

Her tone was now quiet but serious as she stared into my eyes. "If we do not see her, ever again, then Jeanie and I will act as wives for you. We cannot replace her, we know that, but we both loved her, and we will look after you in her name. Even children. We talked about it on the way down when we suspected the worst. It's... it's what she'd want, she wouldn't want you to be alone, Alex."

I didn't really have anything to say, but I smiled and nodded. She got back on the chesterfield and pulled a cover over us, in spite of the late summer warmth. The two of them nestled into me, caressing me slowly and whispering comforting words. In a cocoon, my weary mind drifted and I fell back asleep, wondering where my beloved wife had gone.

***

We were all sitting around the coffee table, staring into our cups. Mom and dad had been gone to their bedroom for several hours and I admit I slept for most of those. Dad had made some obligatory calls to the airport, of course, but they had no information to give him. We couldn't even file a missing persons report, since Alexa was an adult and had left a perfectly cogent letter saying goodbye that indicated she was in no danger. She was just... going away.

How do you find someone who doesn't want to be found? And even if you do find them... what then?

Jeanie had made some sandwiches and salad, and we all picked away at them dutifully, even if none of us felt like eating. Still, protein and carbs to help us think were not a bad thing.

I could tell dad was agitated- he wanted to make sure his wife wasn't in distress, and he could do nothing about it. Thankfully, he didn't blame me, because he clearly felt awful for me as well. Nothing was harder on my dad than not being able to help the people he loved. Why had I allowed this to happen?

"I still can't believe she took off and none of us noticed," mom said finally. "I didn't, your father didn't, you didn't... she must have been so careful."

"Can't be sure, but she might have gone out her bedroom window and shimmied down that lattice," dad mused. "She kept that window open a lot on pleasant nights."

Freja nodded. "And she is, oh, how do you say it... a real monkey. She was always climbing trees and into her bedroom when she was out past curfew. It was amazing to watch how agile she could be."

"Well, you said she was a good little gymnast, which accounts for her HR-inappropriate level of flexibility," mom sighed. "So, when we were all asleep, she went out her window and took off to God-knows-where. I've contacted both sides of my family and told them she went AWOL, on the off-chance she shows up with any of them to learn more about herself. Obviously that won't happen, but being thorough keeps me focused."

Freja had told mom and dad about their offer to look after me in Alexa's place. They both seemed to not really mind, but why would they? I wasn't related to either of these girls and it did little or nothing to solve the primary aspect of this crisis from their point of view. Ancillary solutions were far from their minds at the moment. Since my parents hadn't known about our relationship or that Alexa and I considered ourselves husband and wife, the offer was rather moot. I think everyone was just wanting to keep all lines of communication clear at this point, no secrets or surprises.

"You saw them marry one another, Freja?" dad asked, looking at her.

She smiled warmly. "Only after the fact, but they recorded it. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Even considering my wedding to Jeanie. They were so in love, Michael."

"Alex?" mom intoned, looking at me. "Would you like to take us there?"

I hadn't expected that question, but I also knew better than to say no. To be honest, I didn't really feel a reason to say no either. What was the glade to me now, except a shrine of memory? I nodded my agreement.

"Bring your laptop along," she said as she rose. "We'll all go."

"Then we will follow you." Freja said, nodding. "We will take Jeanie's car and meet-"

"No, come in the van with us," dad said, his voice gentle but brooking no argument. "The family's grown small enough recently, I see no point in anyone being separated, even for a short drive. We'll meet in the living room in five minutes."

I went and got dressed while the girls waited patiently. Dad was getting the van ready. I don't know why, but I got into clothes one would consider a little bit dressy for a walk through a provincial park. I guess because I associated the glade with Alexa, and now it was almost a shrine to her in my mind...

I took a deep breath, steeling myself.

***

It was dark now as we stood in the glade. The night was clear, and the moon's silvery rays pierced the canopy to touch the emerald grass and crystalline waters of the brook. A light breeze rustling leaves overhead was the only sound we could hear.

"It's beautiful," mom said quietly, almost reverently as she looked around in wonder. "I can see why you two chose it."

"Thanks," I said rather uncertainly, rubbing my neck. Jeanie and Freja were also standing nearby, holding one another's hand, having removed their shoes and enjoying the feel of their grass under their feet. "So, uh, yeah... this is where it all happened."

"The first time you made love to Alli, and where you married her," dad mused. "I agree with your mother, it's enchanting. Day or night, this place would be magical."

"It's a shame Alli's not here," mom said almost wistfully, although I could see her eyes were glassy with tears. It was as if she expected to never see her sister again. "Alex, I..."

"Yeah, mom?" I asked, wondering what she wanted to say.

"Do you have the video you took of you marrying Alli on your laptop? If you do... could we see it?"

I was quiet for a moment but then nodded. There was no need to protect anything now, was there? "Yeah, mom. I guess you should."

She smiled and covered her mouth while dad took her other hand. "I guess I had daydreams of being at Alli's wedding, either as her Maid of Honour or giving her away, since mom and dad aren't with us anymore. And now, it turns out I... I missed the whole thing..."

Dad hugged mom and she fought back her tears while I pulled out my laptop, checking the battery power when I turned it on. It would be good for at least three hours. I gave it to mom and she knelt in the grass, with my device on her lap. Dad knelt behind her while Jeanie sidled into one side with Freja behind her and me on the other. I found the folder with the clip in question and clicked Play...

***

"Pourquoi sous tes cheveux me cacher ton visage? Laisse mes doigts jaloux écarter ce nuage : Rougis-tu d'être belle, ô charme de mes yeux? L'aurore, ainsi que toi, de ses roses s'ombrage. Pudeur! honte céleste! instinct mystérieux, Ce qui brille le plus se voile davantage ; Comme si la beauté, cette divine image, N'était faite que pour les cieux! Tes yeux sont deux sources vives Où vient se peindre un ciel pur, Quand les rameaux de leurs rives Leur découvrent son azur. Dans ce miroir retracées, Chacune de tes pensées Jette en passant son éclair, Comme on voit sur l'eau limpide Flotter l'image rapide Des cygnes qui fendent l'air! Ton front, que ton voile ombrage Et découvre tour à tour, Est une nuit sans nuage Prête à recevoir le jour ; Ta bouche, qui va sourire, Est l'onde qui se retire Au souffle errant du zéphyr, Et, sur ces bords qu'elle quitte, Laisse au regard qu'elle invite, Compter les perles d'Ophyr! Ton cou, penché sur l'épaule, Tombe sous son doux fardeau, Comme les branches du saule Sous le poids d'un passereau ; Ton sein, que l'oeil voit à peine Soulevant à chaque haleine Le poids léger de ton coeur, Est comme deux tourterelles Qui font palpiter leurs ailes Dans la main de l'oiseleur. Tes deux mains sont deux corbeilles Qui laissent passer le jour ; Tes doigts de roses vermeilles En couronnent le contour. Sur le gazon qui l'embrasse Ton pied se pose, et la grâce, Comme un divin instrument, Aux sons égaux d'une lyre Semble accorder et conduire Ton plus léger mouvement."

Alexa's eyes shone as she listened to my recitation of Lamartine, who she had previously told me was one of her favourite chanseurs. I watched myself cough and somewhat apologetically smile.

"I had to get some French in there for you somehow. But you know I love you. I... have no choice, Alexa. If there is indeed such a thing as being 'fated', this is it. And I wouldn't resist it if it was true."

We all watched I slipped the blue ring-pop onto her finger, still looking into her eyes. "I wed thee now. I devote my heart and soul to you, Alexa. And you are forever mine, come what may."

Her eyes were shining with tears as I spoke the words she was so desperate to hear. She nodded when I finished and drew a deep breath.

"Alex, I don't speak Sumerian, you're better at the ancient languages than I am. But this is the world's oldest known love poem, from Sumer, because I feel our souls have been bonded as one since before recorded history..."

"Bridegroom, dear to my heart, Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet, Lion, dear to my heart, Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet.

Bridegroom, let me caress you, My precious caress is more savory than honey, In the bedchamber, honey-filled, Let me enjoy your goodly beauty, Lion, let me caress you.

My precious caress is more savory than honey. Bridegroom, you have taken your pleasure of me, Tell my mother, she will give you delicacies, My father, he will give you gifts.

You, because you love me, Give me pray of your caresses, My lord god, my lord protector, My Shu-Sin, who gladdens Enlil's heart, Give me pray of your caresses."

She looked into my eyes as she slipped my ring-pop onto my finger, quoting the play Much Ado About Nothing.

"As you are mine, so now am I yours."

We all watched the screen as I pulled Alexa to me and kissed her deeply. Tears trickled down mom's face as she watched. Freja and Jeanie were both tearing up as well, even thought they'd both watched it before.

"Slick editing, Alex," mom said softly, putting her hand on mine. "It was beautiful."

"Yeah, thanks," I said as I closed the laptop before Alexa and I started making love. I was determined to be honest with my parents, I wasn't sure I was ready for them to watch me make love to mom's sister, though. "It helps when the subject matter is Alexa."

We'd both been recording the event with our phones, along with our laptops, meaning I had plenty of angles to choose from when making the final video of our marriage. Alexa and I had watched it countless times, falling more in love every time we did so.

And now... nothing.

***

We were all sitting around the dining table, drinking coffee. My laptop sat in front of me. No one was saying much of anything at the moment.

"You... you and dad should keep my laptop for now," I said finally. "I'll give you the password. I mean, yeah, there's probably a lot of videos you won't want to watch, but there'll be a lot you do, too. If you really want to know what we meant to one another."

"I do, baby," mom said, looking at me, her eyes soft with love. "I only want your happiness, and I don't know how to give it to you. The other complications aside, we can't even find her."

"Well... could we try to figure it out?" Jeanie asked. "I mean, she'll be somewhere in the Commonwealth or the EU, right? That's what Freja said."

"That's pretty much half the planet, darling," mom sighed. "A little more daunting than it might seem."

"Yeah, but she won't go anywhere that random." Jeanie insisted. "Just because she speaks Arabic doesn't mean she'll head to Iran."

"True, my love, but she won't go anywhere that will remind her of her pain, either." Freja added, ignoring her beloved's error in geography. "Not Cardiff, and not Roskilde. She was never truly happy anywhere. She always wanted to be here."

We all sat silently for several seconds, unsure what to say.

"Paris." I said finally. Everyone looked at me.

"Remember karaoke night?" I continued. "Freja said that even Alexa got tired of Paris and Alexa disagreed, said... what was it... she said that if she'd been older when she lived there, with her own money, she might've stayed. But grandma's career took her elsewhere."

"Alex is right," dad said, nodding. "You were sharp to catch that and remember it."

"I, I remember just about everything she says, to be honest. If I had to hazard a guess, she will go to Paris."

"Even if she did, it's a big city," Freja sighed. "We could all go and still never find her."

We were all silent again before mom finally looked up at dad. "Michael?"

I knew that tone. She was officially deferring to my dad. About this whole situation. I know it often seems like mom runs the roost, but when the chips were down, there was no question who the head of our household was.

Dad closed his eyes and we all waited for several minutes while he wrestled with this entire mess in his mind. All I could hear was the summer breeze outside and the sound of my heart beating.

When he opened his eyes, he smiled at me. "I think we'd better dig up your passport, Alex," he said cheerfully. "You've got a wife to bring home..."

***

"Non, rien de rien, non, je ne regrette rien

Ni le bien qu`on m`a fait, ni le mal

Tout ça m`est bien égal

Non, rien de rien, non, je ne regrette rien

C`est paye, balaye, oublie, je me fous do passe

The haunting strains of Edith Piaf's voice reached me as I stepped through the front door of the café. It sent chills through me, making me tremble, as I thought of Alexa singing the song, a touching ballad of no regrets, come what may.

The Sixteenth Arrondisments, where she had lived many years ago. Simple inquiries eventually confirmed that a beautiful blonde girl had indeed been seen in the neighbourhood. She had only just arrived three days before, but people were already speaking of her, that she had apparently lived there once before. In spite of her beauty, she seemed supremely sad. My heart pounded, it could only be her.

Avec mes souvenirs j`ai allume le feu

Mes chagrins, mes plaisirs,

Je n`ai plus besoin d`eux

Balaye les amours avec leurs trémolos

Balaye pour toujours

Je réparas a zéro

There she is...

Beautiful beyond words, even when she was wracked with grief. She sat at a small table, looking out the window to her side. Even across the room, I could see her eyes were red with grief, her fingers gently touching her lips. Surrounded by people, she still seemed so alone. That was no doubt how she wanted it.

She turned her head and our eyes met.

I smiled gently and held up my hand, showing her the little plastic ring on my wedding finger.

Non, rien de rien, non, je ne regrette rien

Ni le bien qu`on m`a fait, ni le mal

Tout ça m`est bien égal

Non, rien de rien, non, je ne regrette rien

Car ma vie, car me joies

Aujourd'hui ça commence avec toi!"

There were tears in her eyes as she smiled and held up her hand, showing me the little yellow ring she'd always sworn to wear.

"Because my life, because my joy, today they begin with you!"