Page 136 of Perfect Three

Chapter Fifty-Five

Lucy would be turningfifty-five at the end of February, and they’d thought it would be the perfect date for their wedding.Plus, it would be twelve months since they first met.In the end, they decided Lucy should marry Jack.Actually, they’d drawn straws and Jack had won.Her birthday was on a Sunday, but they chose to marry on the Saturday afternoon.The three of them wanted to get married outdoors, and had decided on the Honeymoon Lookout that looked out over the Three Sisters.It didn’t give them much time to organize things, just a few weeks.But none of them cared about the rush—they wanted to marry as soon as possible.

An older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples relation of Sebastian’s came, along with some of his younger relations.JimmyJupurrurlaRose was of the same skin group as Sebastian and therefore related.He was called ‘grandfather’, as he was also an elder with his people.

Lucy had gotten Billy to teach her how to formally welcome Jimmy.When she repeated the words, albeit a little clumsily, Jimmy had begun to formally reply but only managed to get partway through before he pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead.He told her he was honored that she’d taken the time to learn the traditional ways.

At dinner with all of Lucy, Sebastian, and Jack’s families the night before, in a very serious voice, he had asked Sebastian and Jack what bride price they had paid for Lucy.Straight faced, Sebastian told his grandfather he and Jack had thought very hard on the matter and in the end had given six chickens to the family as well as a whole pig, a sheep, and half a steer to be cooked at the reception the next day.

His grandfather nodded wisely as Sebastian spoke.He looked over to Matt and said, “Japaljarri,your son honors you.”

Matt thanked him as Jimmy then said something in theWarlpiridialect to Sebastian, who nodded then translated for everyone.

Looking at Geoffrey, he said, “Grandfather Jimmy declares you asmalirdi,son-in-law, who should be happy to receive such wealth for such a beautiful and caring woman as Lucy.”

Solemnly, Geoffrey bowed his head to grandfather and replied.“Sebastian and Jack have done great honor to Lucy.My family appreciate their generosity.”

Grandfather turned to Lucy, saying she didn’t have to use ‘avoidance language’ on those occasions when she had to speak with Geoffrey.

He spoke with a kindly tone, “I know it would be difficult to follow the traditional way in regards to you and Geoffrey.You are always permitted to speak with him as you would to any other person.”

“Thank you, Grandfather.I appreciate your understanding.”

Lucy, immensely grateful, as Geoffrey nodded his agreement, smiled over at Sebastian who winked.

Later that evening, Grandfather Jimmy sat on the floor with the children.He told them tales from the Dreamtime, and they were enthralled.

As Lucy sat listening, she glanced around the room.All of the adults, including Allison, were hanging onto the words of the old man as he spun Dreamtime stories that simply delighted all the listeners.

When the party broke up, the old man went to Sebastian and formally told him he didn’t have to wear a kangaroo or eagle bone through his nose during the ceremony as he felt thekardiya,non-Aboriginals, wouldn’t understand.

Lucy was very grateful for that!

Many of Sebastian’s aunties, brothers, sisters, uncles, and cousins had come down from the Northern Territory for the ceremony.It seemed as long as they were from the same skin name subsection, they were related.Members of the same subsection referred to each other as siblings, whether or not they actually had the same parent.

He went on to tell her that if anyone from the tribe married a westerner, they, thekardiya,would immediately be classed as uncles, aunts, grandparents, and so on.That meant her family was now formally adopted and considered as being Warlpiri and related to his skin name.

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Lucy woke the nextmorning filled with excitement.She’d spent the night at Allison’s and was woken early by the twins jumping on the bed.They were so thrilled to be going to the wedding.Neither could contain their excitement as they jumped up and down screaming in delight.

Since the reconciliation, Lucy had been very surprised at the change in Allison.It was as if she was determined to make up for her despicable behavior.She treated the two men as if they were close friends, and if anyone thought it was strange, no one said anything.She’d earnestly offered to help with anything that needed being done, and Lucy had graciously accepted the help in the manner it was given.In the end it was Allison who liaised with Brad over the meal and decorations.

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