History Lesson

"Honey, can I ask you a favor? It's quite a large one. I'd... I'd like to visit someone." She knew immediately what I was asking.

"Of course, Ieuan. Do you want me to come with you?"

"Actually... yes, I think I would. I want them to meet you."

We left Coral with my parents. We were quiet and contemplative on the drive to the cemetery where they were buried together. We walked hand-in-hand across the greensward to the simple headstone. Jenny read the inscription aloud as I wept unashamedly.

Olivia Constance Davies (1988-2014)

Margaret Dilys Davies (2014)

Remember

Remember me when I am gone away,

Gone far away into the silent land;

When you can no more hold me by the hand,

Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.

Remember me when no more day by day

You tell me of our future that you planned:

Only remember me; you understand

It will be late to counsel then or pray.

Yet if you should forget me for a while

And afterwards remember, do not grieve:

For if the darkness and corruption leave

A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,

Better by far you should forget and smile

Than that you should remember and be sad.

- Christina Rosetti

Jenny was crying too, when she finished the poem. After a long time, she said, "That's beautiful. Who was she? The poet, I mean. Italian?"

"You'd think, wouldn't you? Rosetti? But no, she was English. But I can't hold that against her; not when she writes like that." I smiled briefly. "Her uncle was Lord Byron's doctor, John Polidori. Not sure why I retained that last bit of knowledge, or why it even matters. But there you have it." I realized I was blathering and stopped.

Sensibly, Jenny ignored me. She crouched down and reached out to lay her fingertips on the stone. "Hello, Olivia. Hi, Maggie. I'm Jenny. I want you to know that I am going to do my very best to take care of Ieuan. He loves you both, and I... I know I c-can never replace you, and I don't intend to. But I love him too! I just want to love him. And for him to love Coral and me. I hope that w-we... that I... have your b-blessing." She was hardly able to talk.

Just then, a light breeze came up, swirling around us, just for a moment, and then it was gone.

I took Jenny in my arms, and she buried her face in my chest. I stroked her hair, and looking up to the sky, I whispered, "I'll always love you and miss you, Livvie. And you, little Maggie. I love Jenny too, now. I know you'd like her. It took me a long time, but I'm finally happy again, Livvie. Thank you for everything."

The breeze swirled around us again.

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June

Jenny's father did make it to the wedding. "Nothing in the world could keep me from my baby's wedding," he said, shaking my hand, when I thanked him. Unfortunately, her mother would not bend. Harold offered to drive so she wouldn't have to fly, but she merely told him they couldn't both be away from the farm for that long. I think we all knew that wasn't the reason.

Jenny told me that she was pretty sure her mother would find some excuse, and so, wasn't terribly surprised. Still, it hurt.

"Cariad," I told her, "You can borrow mine anytime. She thinks you hung the moon, she does."

"How could I have done, when I know you did?" she replied, with the sweetest smile, and I suddenly got something in my eye. Just for a moment.

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When we had told him of our engagement, Rogers practically begged to be allowed to officiate, and it took all of two seconds to agree. I thought he might be offended when I didn't ask him to be my best man, but he thought my choice was perfect.

Now, we were getting married. Right now. How did I get here? Standing here, bemused and nervous and excited and... I felt like I might fly out of my skin. I looked at Rogers, and he gave me a nod and a smile. I regarded my sister, who looked beautiful in her dress. She smiled back at me and winked. I grinned, then turned to exchange a glance with my tiny best 'man'. We'd managed to find her a tuxedo that matched mine, but her hair was done just so, and I think she had some makeup on, just a little, and she looked... well, I was beyond proud to be her uncle, and to have her there with me.

She looked up at me and gave me the exact same wink that Beca had, and I laughed out loud.

"Love you to pieces, little bird," I told her.

She just held my hand and grinned at me.

Then I heard the quartet change from "Pavane" to the "Bridal Chorus," and I looked up. For a moment, I saw Harold, and he was as proud as a peacock to be there, to be able to walk his daughter down the aisle. But then my gaze... my whole being... was drawn... pulled... to the wondrous creature beside him. And after that, I couldn't see anything else, really.

She was wearing a delicately embroidered cap-sleeve topper over a V-neck backless gown. Simple, understated, and elegant. Her hair was pulled back into a thick, loose braid, with several deliberately loosened tendrils framing her face. The braid had wildflowers woven into it, and she looked...

Linnet whispered, "Uncle Yaya, she looks like a fairy princess!'

I noticed that I was still holding her hand. I raised it to my lips. "She does at that, doesn't she?"

I vaguely remember Rogers saying something; I'm sure it was heartfelt and witty and amazing, but honestly, I didn't hear a thing. Linnet had to poke me when it was time for the rings, and then I was kissing my bride.

I looked out at our guests... friends and family, and I couldn't help but think, just for a moment, about the loves of my life. I thought of Briallen and her dark, dark hair, under the stars. I thought of Olivia, bathed in sunlight, smiling at me with complete contentment.

Then, I thought of Jenny. My Jenny. I turned to look at her, and she gazed right back, her eyes full of trust and boundless love.

I held her hand, and we took our first steps toward our future.

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Glossary of Names and Translations from Welsh (to the best of my knowledge). I used Chat GPT v3.5 and Google Translate, and they didn't always agree. Please feel free to offer corrections.

Addaf: I promise. Pronounced 'AH-thahv." The 'ah' as in 'father,' and the 'th' as in 'this.' The emphasis is on the first syllable.

Aderyn bach: Little bird. Pronounced 'ah-deh-rin bahkh'

Awn ni: Let's go (literally, we will go). Pronounced 'ow-n nee'

Calon annwyl: Dear heart. Pronounced 'KA-lon an-will' with the emphasis on the ka, and the 'a' as in 'cat'

Cariad: Has several meanings, but in the context of this story, it means love or sweetheart. Pronounced 'KA-ree-ahd'

Caru bach: Little love. Term of endearment, especially for a small child. Pronounced 'kah-ree bahkh'

Caru ti: Love you. Pronounced 'ka-ree tee'

Cau dy ben: Shut up (literally, shut your head). Pronounced 'kai dee ben'

Cywir: Correct, right. Pronounced 'kuh-weer'

Dim trafferth: No trouble. Pronounced 'deem trah-ferth,' with the accent on the second syllable of 'trafferth'

Dw i yma: I'm here. Pronounced 'Doo-ee uhm-ah', with the emphasis on the 'Dw'

Dwliwch chi: An expression of disbelief or skepticism, similar to "You're kidding." Pronounced 'Doo-lee-ookh khee'

Eitha reit: an informal expression that can be loosely interpreted as 'Quite right' or 'Fair enough.' Pronounced 'ay-thah rayt'

Fy annwyl un: My dear, or my darling. Can also say 'fy annwyl,' but the addition of 'un' signifies the uniqueness of the person being addressed. Pronounced 'vuh AN-nwil een'

Fy carreg: This is a deliberately incorrect translation of 'My rock," showing that Jenny tried but missed one of the many nuances of the Welsh language. 'Carreg' (pronounced 'KAH-rehg') is the correct word for 'rock,' but if trying to say 'my rock' or 'your rock,' the pronunciation is altered such that it becomes 'ngharreg' (pronounced "n-gah-rehg) to indicate the possessive. So... the correct translation for 'my rock' is 'fy ngharreg'

Fy merch: My girl. Pronounced 'vee mehrkh'

Fy nghariad: My lass, or my love, depending on context. When Ieuan uses it after Sheila's departure, he means the former. As explained before, 'nghariad' is an altered pronunciation of 'cariad,' to show the possessive. Pronounced 'vuh n-gah-ree-ad'

Fy nith ffefryn: My favorite niece. Pronounced 'vuh neeth feh-vrin'

Git: (British) A mildly insulting derogatory slang term used to describe a person who is considered unpleasant, annoying, or contemptible

Ie: Yes (informal). Pronounced 'yeah'

Ieuan: Welsh version of 'John.' Pronounced 'ee-YAY-an' but the 'ee' sound is just barely enunciated

Je mets fin à mon cas: (French) Literally, 'I am ending my case,' but can be interpreted as 'I rest my case'

Lechyd Da: Good health (a Welsh toast). Pronounced 'LEH-chid Dah,' where the 'ch' is as in the Scottish word 'loch'

Linnet: Besides being a girl's name, it is a small bird in the finch family. Why Ieuan calls her 'little bird.' Pronounced 'LIN-it'

Llanelli: A town in Wales, about 20 minutes northwest of Swansea. Pronounced 'thlan-ETH-lee'

Na: No. Pronounced 'nah'

Ni all hynny fod: That can't be. Pronounced 'knee ahl hun-ee vod'

Nos da, chwaer: Goodnight, sister. Pronounced 'noss dah ch-why-er' - the 'noss' rhymes with 'moss' and the 'ch' again as in the Scottish 'loch'

Oes oes: Oh dear, or in this case, oh shit! Pronounced 'oyss oyss' with the 'oy' as in 'boy'

Oma: (German/Austrian) It is, for the purposes of this story, what an Austrian paternal grandmother would be called. Pronounced 'oh-mah'

Pawb at y peth y bo: Each to their own. Pronounced 'poub aht uh peth uh boh,' where the 'ou' is as in 'ouch'

Peidiwch â phoeni: Don't worry. Pronounced 'peh-dee-ookh ah foh-eh-nee'

Pen carreg: Literally, 'rock head'. Pronounced 'pen KAH-rehg'

Prat: (British) derogatory and mildly insulting way to refer to someone who is considered foolish, silly, or inept. It's a relatively informal and somewhat humorous term

Rwy'n dy golli di: I miss you. Pronounced 'roo-een duh goh-lee dee'

Mae'n ddrwg gen i: I'm sorry. Pronounced 'myne throog ghen ee', with a soft 'g'. The 'dd' doesn't have an exact equivalent sound in English

Mam-gu: Grandmother (paternal). Pronounced 'mam-gee', with a short 'a' and a soft 'g'.

Merch dwyllodrus: Deceitful girl. Pronounced '"mehrkh DWUH-loh-driss' The 'ch' as in the Scottish 'loch', the 'e' as in 'bet', and roll the 'r' slightly. The 'o' as in 'go'

Rwy'n addo: I promise. Pronounced 'roo-in ah-tho', with that unique 'dd'

Seren: Star. Also, I believe it is a term of endearment. Apologies if that's not correct, but I wanted to use it as Ieuan and Briallen were stargazing. Pronounced 'seh-ren'

St. Dwynwen's Day: The Welsh equivalent of St. Valentine, celebrated on January 25^th. Elaborately carved wooden spoons are a traditional gift. Pronounced 'dwin-wen'

Swansea: Second-largest city in Wales, about an hour from Cardiff. Pronounced 'SWON-zee'

Tadcu: South Wales term for grandfather. Pronounced 'tahd-kee'

Wrth gwrs: Of course. Pronounced 'ooth goors'

Yaya: Just a child's made-up nickname for Ieuan

Quotations:

"What! You too? I thought I was the only one" is from 'The Four Loves' by C.S. Lewis.

"Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see" is often attributed to Mark Twain.

"Her heart was a secret garden, and the walls were very high." is the correct quote, and is from 'The Princess Bride' by William Goldman.

"I must be cruel only to be kind" is from Hamlet, Act III, Scene IV.

"There are none so blind as those who will not see..." is sometimes attributed to 'Polite Conversation' by Jonathan Swift, but similar expressions can be found elsewhere, in various cultures and texts.

"This above all: to thine own self be true. And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man" is from Hamlet, Act I, Scene III

"Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same," and "I cannot live without my soul," are from 'Wuthering Heights' by Emily Brontë.