Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove Resort – Resort Steps

Argh! Maybe you shouldn’t have stayed up so late last night. Your head is thick and your throat is dry from over-zealous air-conditioning. The memory of winning every round of Uno against your pseudo cousins was worth the lack of sleep, though. Images of their frustrated little faces vibrate wickedly around your head. You nudge your sunnies above your eyes a fraction and are instantly blinded by a supernatural light – Queensland sunshine.

Squinting at the cascading palate of terracotta and aquamarines stretching before you, you suck in a lungful of salt-laced air and have to admit, the view from the top of the stairs across the resort pools to the Coomera River is magnificent.

Are all the pools in Queensland really this blue?

You’re trying to work out what the strange cone-shaped carvings are that line the fountain in front of you when up bounds Fergus, Delilah’s goof-ball Irish setter. You still can’t believe resort management is allowing her beloved pet in the wedding ceremony. You shudder in spite of the subtropical heat as it dawns on you – today is D-Day, Delilah’s wedding day.

Delilah, your velvet-voiced godmother, has been your favourite go-to-relative for as long as you can remember, you love her more than chips and have probably spent more time with her in Queensland than your own home, but the thought of having an Elvis impersonator as your step-god-father-in-law, is almost as nauseating as the mussel risotto served last night. You wonder, not for the first time, why she couldn’t help falling in love with someone like him?

Fergus lurches over to the terrace window and gives it a slobbery lick. Stupid dog. On the other side of the glass, seated behind a mountainous plate of scrambled eggs is Elvis aka Barry-the-groom. He looks decidedly moody. Delilah is standing beside him flapping her arms madly. That’s odd, isn’t the bride supposed to remain unseen on her wedding day until the ceremony?

She heads outside towards you, her face a canvas of crazy.

“It’s gone!” She exclaims. “I can’t get married without my bouquet!”

No big deal, you think, there’s a florist in the marine village and plenty of time to get a new one. The protruding gut of Elvis…er Barry, abruptly blots your view.

“It’s the rings,” he says. “We decided to hide the rings in the bouquet to make the ceremony more…entertaining.”

“You mean, you decided,” Delilah snaps.

Why can’t anything about this wedding be normal? you wonder.

“You must know where they are,” Barry glares at you. “You’re the ring bearer.”

You’re incredulous. “Wait what? I didn’t know they were in there. When were you going to share this inspired idea with me, anyway? I’m just the ‘ring bearer’ not the bouquet-sitter.” Barry’s attitude smacks of accusation even though his stupidity is hardly your fault.

You strain to remember the last time you saw the gaudy purple and orange rose bouquet. The rings were Delilah’s grandparents’, almost antique and worth a fortune, a fortune you are likely to inherit someday being her only kin, now. It’s not just her wealth you care about though, her happiness is what really rocks your boat and if being with Elvis rocks hers, well then maybe it is your job to find those rings. On the other hand, you long to have your godmother all to yourself again, she hardly sings with you anymore like she used to, not since Elvis rocked up. This could be your best chance to kibosh their relationship.

Do you:

Poinciana Gate Opposite Riverside: Offer to help find the missing bouquet because Delilah’s happiness is all that matters? You suggest the three of you go for a calming walk around the resort so everyone can relax enough to start searching. You head past the pool to the river’s edge, aiming for the winding riverside path to the two huge Poinciana trees guarding the north gates.

Or

The Chapel:  Adopt the same poker face you used for all those Uno wins last night and casually explain you need some time alone to work out where the bouquet might be. You don’t want to hurt Delilah, however you’d secretly love it if this wedding folded. If you can locate the rings yourself without Barry knowing, perhaps it will give Delilah time to realise she really can live without him.  Without waiting for a response, you march off down the stairs towards the sand-fringed lagoon, swerving left at the bank of accommodation buildings. You follow snaking tarmac paths through lush gardens then take the first set of stairs down under the breezeway to the resort chapel. It’s possible somebody took the bouquet there along with the other floral arrangements by mistake.

BONUS ACTIVITY

Barry is one of the most ordinary impersonators you’ve ever heard. You could sing rings around him! You’d love to show Delilah you’re a way better Elvis so set out to learn some less familiar recordings inspired by what is happening around you.

Hint: look for the songs highlighted in the text to help you. Record a brief video of yourself singing them in your best Elvis impersonation, and then upload it to Facebook/Twitter using #StoryCity

OR!

The thought of performing Elvis classics makes you want to heave. You’d rather channel your creative prowess into photography, capturing as many memories as you can to turn into a photo-book for Delilah. It might be the best keepsake she gets of her Sanctuary Cove wedding. Take a photo of yourself at each location, and then upload it to Facebook/Twitter using #StoryCity.