“Nah,” he says as the brides pass us. “This one’s on steroids.”

“Maybe it’s because Kate turned Vincent down so many times,” I venture. “She told me it took Odette and her grandmother almost dying for her to change her mind and ask him.”

“And it took Arthur actually dying in front of her for Georgia to ask him,” Siaka adds.

Arriving at the front, the brides each lean in to give Papy a kiss on the cheek, then leave him with Mamie and go to stand with their grooms. The looks passing between the two couples are electric. You can practically hear it crackling and see the sparks fly.

“I can’t even,” Siaka says. He glances down at our entwined fingers and squeezes my hand tight in his. “I refuse to cry at a wedding.”

“Just don’t look up,” I tease him. “I’ll give you a running commentary. Okay, the grooms are basically devouring the brides with their eyes. And...vice versa.”

“Ssh!” Bran jabs me with his elbow.

Gaspard tells everyone to have a seat. “Welcome bardia of France, England, the United States, Germany, Spain and places further flung. I also welcome all who are not here... Our friends waiting at La Maison, unable to attend due to the crowd limit allowed by Paris’s rigorous fire safety standards.”

Everyone chuckles and Gaspard gives one of his bashful smiles.

“I won’t talk for long. Both couples have written their own vows...” Georgia interrupts him by raising a finger. “Correction,” Gaspard adds. “Georgia’s vows were written by an American poet named...” He glances down at his cue card. “Johnny Cash.”

Georgia looks pleased and nods for him to go ahead.

“You all know how important symbols are to us. For example, the symbol that proves a human has been taken into our confidence and can be trusted.”

At this, Papy and Mamie stand and hold up the signum bardia pendants that Gaspard gave them a few years ago. Georgia and Kate touch their signum bardia necklaces. Georgia’s are made of pearls and Kate’s of sapphire. On either side of me, Bran and Siaka stand. They pull back their sleeves and hold up their arms to show their own tattoos.

“Welcome kindred,” a hundred voices say as one, and the acoustics of the hall make the words echo before fading. Kate’s grandparents, Bran and Siaka take their seats, and Siaka grabs my hand between his again. I grin and nudge his knee with mine.

Gaspard resumes. “The signum bardia signals our chosen ones. Whereas the vows these couples trade today signal to us their chosen ones. A symbol of a choice.”

“A choice they took their sweet time making,” Ambrose murmurs.

“So, before I make a mess by saying something way too old-fashioned, I will allow these four beloved kindred to take over and officiate their own wedding. Love will guide their words.”