The Ghost of The Lightner Museum

Chapter Forty Two

Aaron led me down the cobbled, olden Marion street towards a small house. With curiosity, I silently watched as he raised his free hand, balling it into a fist and banging loudly on the wooden front door until it swung wide open.

"Who the devi--Oh, dammit, Aaron, what do you want now, man?" The same tall, lanky man who worked at the front desk of the hotel greeted us with a baffled scowl of annoyance. Aaron merely grinned and replied with a chipper voice,

"Nice to see you too, Stephen! You and your wife hurry up, I need you to be witnesses in my wedding."

I nearly burst into laughter at his audacious bluntness and the surprised look that bloomed across Stephen's face at the same time. Aaron only grinned broadly and wrapped one arm around me.

When Stephen turned to look at me, he frowned with confusion before turning back to Aaron and remarking in a loud voice, "What, you mean her?! Gah, I knew she wasn't your damn sister! But why would you marry a prostitute? Are you sauced, man?"

Oh hell, not this again.

I thought sullenly as I immediately scowled at Stephen with disdain. Aaron immediately took one step closer towards him as he shot back,

"She isn't a damn prostitute, she is about to be my wife so watch your mouth, or I'll paint a pretty picture of you in the Russian Sauna, you little shit. Now are you coming or what?"

Stephen instantly paled and raised both hands as if to fend off Aaron's verbal attack. Nodding emphatically, he said quickly,

"Yeah, yeah, alright whatever you say, mate. No need to get your bollocks in a knot, just hold on." Stephen then jerked his head halfway to the side as he suddenly barked into the open doorway of his house behind him, "Becky! Get your ass out here and grab your bonnet! We're going to a wedding!"

Aaron and I stood quietly while a feminine voice came from inside the house.

"What?! A wedding?! No, I've got to sweep the pantry, you idiot!"

Stephen scowled and sighed in exasperation before he turned his back to us and shouted loudly back into the doorway, loudly enough for the entire street to hear,

"You can sweep the damn pantry later, woman, now hurry up, you sauced hussy!"

"Pshaw, alright!"

All at once, a large, busty woman with frizzy black hair swept in a bun, emerged inside the doorway, wiping her hands on her apron. She frowned at Stephen before turning to look at me and Aaron, both of us standing there with pale faces.

"Yer gettin' married, huh? Well finally, Aaron, I thought you were never gonna find a woman outside the bar!"

Upon her words, Aaron choked and raised a hand to his mouth while veering his gaze away from my surprised one, "Hi, Becky." He muttered.

The woman then turned to me and beamed happily as she immediately stepped forward and enveloped me into a huge hug. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face from her open kindness.

"My, you're a lovely one, ain't Aaron a lucky man! My name is Becky and I'm Stephen's wife, I hope we can be good friends!"

"Alright, we all know each other now. Come on, let's go quickly." Aaron announced before grabbing ahold of Stephen and dragging him along.

I walked in step with Becky behind them, chatting happily as we made our way to the little church at the end of the lane. The rain had finally scattered away, leaving sunlight bursting down in warm, golden rays from the parting clouds above our heads. The cobbled streets still shone with a wet gleam that reflected off the light in sporadic puddles.