“We are gathered here today to unite Aria Marie Montgomery and Hallbjorn Fyodor Gunterson.” He stumbled a little over Hallbjorn’s name, and Aria nervously giggled.
Elvis continued with all of the typical marriage lines Aria had heard in countless movies and read in hundreds of books. He made them repeat how they would take each other for better or worse, through sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, as long as they both shall live. Aria’s hands shook as Hallbjorn slid the snake ring on her finger. She reached for the plain gold band they’d bought for Hallbjorn at the same jewelry store and pushed it past his knuckle.
“I now pronounce you man and wife,” she heard Elvis say, and then suddenly Hallbjorn was kissing her, and Cher and the showgirl were cheering. Aria’s heart thrummed fast, all of this feeling like a dream. When she opened her eyes, confetti was falling from the ceiling. A band appeared from the back, quickly plugged their instruments into amps, and Elvis grabbed the microphone he’d spoken into to marry them and began belting out “All Shook Up.”
The chapel turned into a dance party. Hallbjorn swung Aria’s hands back and forth. Cher grabbed Aria and gave her a little twirl. The showgirl shook her boobs and did some high kicks. A few elderly tourists in heavy wool coats wandered in, and Elvis invited them to join the celebration as well. Aria paused for a moment, drinking the whole thing in. It was all so . . . her, down to the stolen flowers behind her ear and the fact that Hallbjorn had forgotten to rent shoes with his tux and was still wearing his Icelandic climbing boots. A rush of happiness washed over her, and she broke into a wide, euphoric grin. She couldn’t have imagined a more perfect wedding.
Chapter 11
The Couple Who Breaks the Law Together . . .
When Aria and Hallbjorn emerged from the Chapel of Luv an hour and a half later, their voices croaky from singing along to Elvis songs and their feet aching from dancing with Cher, their tandem bicycle now had a flag affixed to the back that said JUST MARRIED in pink letters. A bunch of empty cans had been tied to the back, too.
“That was the best wedding ever,” Aria said, climbing aboard the bike. “Now I can’t wait to get you back to our hotel room, husband.”
“I agree, wife.” Hallbjorn turned his new wedding ring around on his finger. “But I want to show you something first.”
“Is it another surprise?” Aria asked, her mind whirling. Maybe Hallbjorn had arranged some kind of amazing dinner. Or booked them tickets on a mini-honeymoon.
“You’ll see when we get there.” Hallbjorn threw his leg over the seat and began to pedal.
They took off down the street, the cans clanging. Instead of turning into the Borgata’s main entrance, Hallbjorn bypassed it and banked left into a back driveway. They snaked through a bunch of parking lots and loading zones until they stopped at a large metal garage door. Hallbjorn dismounted from the bike and dusted off his tuxedo, which had gotten sprayed from some salt on the road.
Aria looked around. Not a soul was in sight, and they were hemmed in by huge, dirty snowdrifts. A bunch of semitrucks stood waiting, their cabs unoccupied. She thought she heard a cough and froze, but as she waited, no more sounds came.
“Why are we here?” she asked shakily.
“I’ll show you.” Hallbjorn walked to the garage door and began to pull on the small handle at the bottom. Before Aria could stop him, he’d hefted up the door to reveal a small, dark room. The smell of cat pee hit Aria’s nostrils immediately, and she suppressed a gag. When Aria’s vision adjusted, she saw two black cages on opposite ends of the room. Large shapes huddled behind the bars. Then she heard a loud, menacing roar.
She turned to Hallbjorn, momentarily dumbstruck. “Are these the panthers from the show?”
“Yes.” Hallbjorn flipped on a light, which just made the beasts growl louder. They looked even bigger up close, their bodies solid muscle, their eyes glowing yellow. They were shut into two tiny cages barely big enough for them to properly turn around or lie down in. Their food and water bowls were empty. There was poop all over the floor, and the room seemed way too cold for an animal to be comfortable.
“How did you find them?” Aria gasped.
“I did some poking around while you were getting your makeup done,” Hallbjorn explained. “It was easier to find them than I thought. No one looks after them for most of the day. They’re only important when they have to perform.” He gestured to one of the panthers. It was now huddled in a ball, shivering.
Tears came to Aria’s eyes. “The poor things.”
Hallbjorn turned to her, his face suddenly full of excitement. “But we can help them. I want us to set them free. Give them the life they deserve.”