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jade-escobar · 8 months ago

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Wedding Bell Blues | Fadrigo

Featuring: Jade Clark, Frankie King, Emiliana Escobar, Jewel Clark; with Jeanette Shapiro, Fletcher Van Hall & Rodrigo Escobar Location: WildBride Bridal Shop; San Francisco, CA Time Frame: 2 weeks before the big day Notes: Jade has her final fitting for the wedding, and things don't go as anticipated.

JADE

Jade was standing inside one of the spacious dressing rooms receiving help from one of the shop employees for her final fitting. In a little over 1 week, she would be marrying Rodrigo. Each time the thought of this made the butterflies flutter inside her all over again. She was standing in the shoes, garter belt and underwear she intended to wear for the day of, and held the silicone bra inserts to her chest while the shop assistant held the gown for her to step into. With the utmost care, Jade took one step and then another and stood still as the assistant raised the gown and helped her thread her arms through the sleeves. The reality that she would be walking down the aisle in this gown very soon was hitting her even more as she stood in front of the mirror, holding still as the assistant did up each button and unbustled the delicate train. She'd been caught up in the moment until the assistant asked, "Ready to show your family?" to which Jade jolted out of her own wandering thoughts and returned the present, saying, "Yes," with a huge smile. Holding the front of the gown with one hand, she drew the curtain back and stepped out of the dressing room and onto the podium in front of where Frankie, Jewel and Emiliana were seated.

EMILIANA & FRANKIE

Emiliana had brought an uncrustable for a Jewel to munch on as Jade tried on her wedding dress. The young girl finished her snack and wiped her fingers clean. “Thanks, Emi. Do you think Jade will be ready soon?” And right on queue, Frankie poked their head out the boutique shop door and asked Emiliana and Jewel to come inside. They both practically squealed and went in just in time to catch Jade step out. Frankie already had tears in their eyes and they wiped them with her tissues, mindful to pass the box over to Emiliana. “Oh mija!” Emiliana burst into tears and Frankie rubber her shoulders. Jewel looked awestruck, a giant smile forming on her face upon seeing her sister. Frankie finally broke the silence, her hands on her chest. “You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen!” To which Emiliana agreed wholeheartedly. The oldest of the three, stood up to make sure every thread was in place. “Rodrigo won’t know what hit him, querida.” Jewel giggles and took her sister’s hand in hers to look into the mirror with her. “You look so pretty !”

JADE & JEANETTE

Jade stood in front of Frankie and smiled at her best friend, watching them go to get her sister and future mother-in-law. She had an inexplicable nervousness fluttering inside of her but it was snuffed out by the deep blushing the moment Emiliana and Jewel saw her and reacted. The tears from Frankie and Emiliana were threatening to make her own eyes misty. "Thank you, Frankie," she replied, cheeks still very warm. She glanced down at herself as Emiliana carefully inspected the garment, and then she looked to her little sister. "Thank you, Jewel. I can't wait to see you all dressed up for the big day too." She smiled more as Jewel beamed up at her. Jewel then added, "You look like you should be in a magazine!" Before Jade could respond appreciatively, a slightly distant voice shrewdly cut in, "Yes, and the headline would be Top Backstabbing Daughters in the US." Jade's once blushing face quickly went cold and ashen, feeling like all the blood fled her face and dropped to her feet. Jeanette was standing stiffly near a rack of hanging veils, one hand the strap of on her crossbody bag and the other propped on her hip. Her icy gaze was set on her daughter. "Hello, Jadey-kins," she said with none of the affected ever truly intoned.

EMILIANA & FRANKIE

When she heard the other voice, Emiliana tried to guard Jewel and Jade, her arms spread out as if they would protect them. Frankie stood their ground as well in case they needed to fling a punch or several. "Oh no, lady you have to go." Frankie announced and decided in that moment not to make a big dramatic mess of things just yet This was Jade's moment and Frankie didn't want that ruined although they had an inkling that was Jeanette's purpose. "Jeanette, please leave or I will call the authorities. You have no business here. If you were a mother at all, you'd understand that." Emiliana was ready to call a few people including her son and had already made up her mind that her brothers would be hearing about this. "Jade, you don't have to answer her, honey..." Jewel was hugging Jade's side, not knowing what was going on but she wouldn't leave her sister and the older two had decided the same.

JEANETTE & JADE

Jade felt like a mouse staring down a viper. Her once confident and buoyant demeanor had fled her entirely. No part of her expected or had reason to anticipate seeing her mother in the bridal shop. And although she heard Emiliana say that she didn't have to answer her, Jade couldn't stop herself from quietly asking, "W-what are you doing here?" She felt Jewel come up to her side and hug her; Jade automatically put an arm around the young girl but her fingers were trembling against her sister. Jeanette ignored Frankie and briefly cut her icy gaze to Emiliana. "Go ahead. I'll be gone before they get here." Her eyes slid back to Jade as she said, "And contrary to that feeble dig, I am her mother. She can deny me and take in whatever so-called 'chosen family' she wants but she can't deny or erase any part of her DNA." Her eyes narrowed a bit as she stepped closer, "I just want my precious daughter to know I don't appreciate being cut out of her life. That restraining order was dramatic at the least and grossly offensive at best." She stepped to the side, giving herself mor of a clear path to Jade while going on to say, "I raised you. Not your father and not any of these people. It's because of me that you excelled in your academics. It's because I pushed you that you learned how to speak more than just English, how to sing, dance, play piano, violin, how to compete and win." She crept a bit closer while her hand stayed on her crossbody bag. "It's because of me that you know how to manage your weight to even fit into a dress like that. And this is how you thank me? A TRO And a wedding to nobody? I guess I can thank you for not inviting me but really--how dare you make plans to go through with any of this after all I've done for you!"

Even though Jeanette hadn't raised her voice, her outrage reached a fever pitch. With a hand shoved into her bag, she charged at Jade and yanked her hand out of her bag, tearing the top off of a bottle and flinging its entire dark content across the front and side of Jade's ivory gown. "You selfish little bitch!" she spat, throwing the now empty bottle at Jade and sending a few flecks across the bottom of the gown. Jade gasped and jerked back, accidentally stepping on the train and tripping. In an effort to catch herself while also trying not to bring Jewel down with her, she doubled the firmness of her stance as best as possible, only to end up hearing a loud tear from where she stepped. Her heart was beating loud in her ears and while the shock was still raw and the reality of what just happened to her drss hadn't sunk in yet, her mind was currently focused on keeping Jewel safe.

FRANKIE & EMILIANA

Emiliana took immediate offense at Jeanette calling her son a nobody but she also knew how to pick her battles. This woman was unhinged. She called out to the employees to call 911, not caring about the rest of the woman's rant, and stayed as close as possible. It happened so fast. One moment Emiliana was trying to cover Jewel and Jade and the next, Jade was tripping over her dress and the two were on their way down. She reached for both their hands, getting some of what had already spilled all over Jade's gown onto herself but only caring about their well-being. She pulled them up and then brought them to her frame to embrace them. "Get her out of here!" "Oh hell no!" Frankie stepped in without skipping a beat and pulled Jeanette's hair intending to take her away from the scene. "What the fuck is your problem, lady?" Frankie looked over their shoulder to try to check in on Frankie but also keep her grip on Jeanette's hair. "You're going to jail. You are so fucking done!" Frankie was ready to pounce on the woman but didn't want to end up in jail. With one free hand, Frankie texted both Rodrigo and Fletcher to let them know Jeanette had showed up. If they got away somehow before the cops got there, there was enough evidence to get her out of Jade's life. Frankie looked around for cameras, glad to see them. "Is she okay? Jade?" Frankie called out, tightening the grip on a struggling Jeanette.

JADE

The shop assistant who helped Jade into her dress had stepped away to take a call for the shop, but returned at the sound of the commotion. Her eyes went wide seeing all she'd seen: in addition to the vehement words, one of the bride's family members had a newcomer by the hair while the mother of the groom was standing protectively in front of the little girl and the bride, who, to the employee's horror, now had a large, dark brown stain seeped into her wedding gown with flecks of the same brown color at the hem. She was ready to rush over to...she didn't know what, exactly, but the mother of the groom was calling out for 911 to be called. The assistant hurried off back to the phone at her prompting, glancing back once. Jade steadied herself and squeezed Emiliana's hand. She was trying not to get whatever was now stained into her dress on Emiliana while her future mother-in-law embraced her and Jewel. Carefully, politely and a little shakily, she ducked out of Emiliana's hold and looked to Frankie and Jeanette. Jeanette was thrashing swearing through her demands to be let go, entirely unsuccessful given Frankie's grip on her hair. "I'm okay," she lied, turning away to check on Jewel. Jewel was frowning deeply and clutching both Jade and Emiliana. "Jewel, honey, it's going to be okay. I promise," she whispered, knowing neither Jewel nor Jett had ever been exposed to Jeanette. Jade herself had been rattled by her mother showing up and everything that transpired thereafter but her concern at the moment was her little sister. Her phone was in the dressing room or else she would call Jasper and their dad but for the time being, she tried to drown out her mother’s non-stop protests and insults. "It’s going to be okay," she continued to whisper, squeezing Jewel's shoulders. "Your mom is..." Jewel hesitated, but Jade was sure she could fill in the blank. "I know," she whispered back, but Jewel, who was tearing up, said, "Your dress!"

Jade was trying not to look at the damage done, even though she felt the liquid hit her dress. All she could bring herself to say at the time was, "I'm not worried about it," which was a lie too. "I just want to make sure you're okay, and that my mom doesn't hurt you or Frankie or Emiliana, okay?" She hadn't included herself in that and really hoped Frankie was okay and that the police would be here soon.

FRANKIE & EMILIANA

Frankie was glad to hear from their best friend but it didn’t calm them at all. The only reassurance they had was that Emiliana had her and Jewel. Frankie would make sure Jeanette wouldn’t get close to them. Holding on to the woman’s hair, Frankie pulled a little harder the more she tried to protest and dig into her arms. “Try it. I will sue so hard you’ll be licking the floor for nutrition, I promise.” Emiliana looked down at the gown, completely in disbelief at what just happened. She wanted to get her hands on Jeanette but Frankie had it under control and someone had to be a matriarch. “It’s okay. The cops will be here soon. It’ll be okay.” She tried to reassure Jade and Jewel. “I text Fletcher and Rodrigo too.” Frankie once again tightened her grip the moment Jade’s mother tried to claw her again. “Lady, I am seconds away from— Jesus Christ, Fletcher. Thank God.” Emiliana was more than happy to see the younger man. “Hola hijo…” she frowned and looked around as if trying to paint a story for the other.

JADE & FLETCHER

Jade wanted to get out of the gown, to not even look at the damage done to it. She very nearly asked Jewel to go in the dressing room and help her, but at the reminder from Emiliana that the cops were coming, she didn't know if they would need to see her in it or what the protocol would be. She just wanted Jewel to be safe and know that her little sister was okay. Her own adrenaline had her still shaking and hearing her mother still bad-mouthing Frankie, cursing her and the wedding, and demanding to be let go kept her rooted where she was. At hearing Fletcher's name, Jade's gaze snapped up.

Fletcher's eyes swept the scene, brows sloped low. He saw a bit of Jade's ruined dress and, knowing Emiliana had whatever was going with her under control, went to Frankie to pry the wild woman's fingernails from Frankie's arm and wrenched her hands behind her and up towards the middle of her back. "Get your hands off me!" Jeanette demanded, trying to throw her weight to get Fletcher to release her. "Sure, just as soon as the cops get here," Fletcher coolly replied. And as soon as she kicked her feet out and nearly caught Frankie with her shoe-clad foot, Fletcher used her momentum against her and forced her to the ground, still holding her hands to the middle of her back. Ignoring the woman, he looked over his shoulder to Frankie, "You okay?" He looked to Emiliana and nodded, "Hi," listening for Frankie's response while sternly grimacing at the look on Emiliana's face. He hated seeing her so upset but if the glimpse of Jade's dress was anything to go off of, Rodrigo was going to hit the roof. "Anyone have an ETA on the cops?" he asked, pressing Jeanette's hands further against her back to keep her pinned. She tried kicking her feet back in hopes of making contact with Fletcher but she missed. Glaring, he told her, "Lady, I'm telling you right now, if you kick me, I'm gonna kick you back and I promise you it'll hurt worse and I don’t give a fuck who you are. I'm not the one."

FRANKIE & RODRIGO

Frankie was glad that Fletcher had arrived to handle Jeanette. The woman was a beast and must be removed from the shop immediately. It was bad enough she had ruined Jade's dress, their best friend didn't need her cruel words too. Frankie skipped over Jeanette's feet just in time. They looked over their shoulder and grilled the woman before looking up at Fletcher and nodding. "I'm fine." They held up a clump of hair in front of Jeanette's face. "But can't say the same about your hair. I'll use this to my advantage, thanks." Frankie stuffed the clump into her bag, smirking at Fletcher's words. Frankie walked over to her best friend and held her in their arms. "They should be here shortly, Fletcher. You know how it is, hijo." Emiliana frowned, trying not to look at Jeanette and holding Jewel in the process. The sirens were music to her ear and soon enough two officers stepped inside to examine the scene. "Good afternoon, I'm officer Morgan and this is my partner, officer Bradshaw. We received a call about a disturbance. "Yeah you got that right, her name is Jeanette that would be J-E-A-N--" Frankie was cut off by Emiliana. "Honey, stay with Jade, it's okay. Yes, this woman here cme and attacked my daughter-in-law and assaulted Frankie over there...this is my son, he's trained so he came to assist until you showed up. We didn't want her to get away..." "Mr. Escobar?" Jewel looked up from Emiliana's embrace. "Hi... what the fuck is going on here?"

FLETCHER & JADE

Fletcher raised both brows at the sight of the hair Frankie was holding. He fought his reaction to whistle low and instead looked back to the woman he had pinned to the ground, noticing the small bald patch amidst all the otherwise formerly styled brunette hair. He shook his head, impressed and astounded the woman had any fight left in her after having a chunk of her hair ripped out so close to her roots. Jade was grateful for Emiliana and Frankie being there and comforting her and Jewel. She watched Jewel lean trustfully into Emiliana's side and then carefully stood to her own full but short height. When the officers showed up, Jade felt relief wash over her. They could all finally share what had happened. There could be more distance set between her mother and everyone else who had been there for her. And she might finally be able to get out of the dress and... and what? She and Rodrigo were getting married soon and she no longer had a dress. For the first time, Jade lowered her head and looked at the damage done. The dark brown stains were deeply set in the white fabric of the bodice and the upper part of the skirt, flecks of various sizes were splattered along the hem. When she twisted around and looked back, she saw that she'd accidentally stepped on and ripped the train. Tears filled Jade's eyes as she thought about the irreparable damage and the fact that she no longer had something to wear to her own wedding. She wasn't listening to Frankie or Emiliana recounting the situation to the police. Her mind was reeling, unsure of what she was going to do, all amidst hoping that Frankie was okay, that Jewel was okay; that her mother hadn't harmed Fletcher too, and that Emiliana was okay.

And then Jewel's voice cut through her thoughts. Mr. Escobar? she thought, glancing up. Even with tears blurring her vision, she could make out her fiance's familiar form. And while she wanted to run right into his arms, her heart sank into the pit of her stomach.The tradition of not seeing her dress before the wedding no longer mattered but she saw how terrible her dress now looked from her angle. She could only imagine how it looked from everyone else’s view. Barely keeping herself together, Jade grabbed a handful of her dress and train and hurried to the fitting room where she burst into tears, trembling hands covering her face. Meanwhile, Fletcher had released Jeanette to one of the two officers who detained her with handcuffs. As he massaged his palms, he walked over to Rodrigo who had newly been tackle-hugged by Jewel. “Your future mother-in-law’s worse than I thought.” He shook his head and then said, “You should go check on your girl though. I’m sure the cops’ll want a statement from her too, but…Jesus, what a fucked up sack of shit her so-called mom is.” He’d seen the dress and he knew this was supposed to be a happy occasion, maybe even a fun one for Jade. And in no time at all, it had been ruined.

RODRIGO

Rodrigo spent a lot of his time observing. It was something he was known to do. He was a loner in high school and a loner in college. He worked, came home, worked, came home. His best friend was Fletcher. They spent a considerable amount of time together and that was good enough for him. They were similar in so many ways. When they both got mad, it wasn't a pretty picture. Rodrigo tried to keep his anger at bay but it didn't mean he wouldn't get angry ever. When he met Jade, he was glad he had found the Ying to his Yang. She was kind, selfless, and one of the best people he's ever met. Those were just some of the reasons why he fell in love with her. So when he walked in and he observed and he put together a picture of what had happened to his kind and beautiful wife-to-be, he saw nothing but red. He spotted Jade. She was usually the one that centered him but she wouldn't even look at him in the eye. And that's when he knew. He was going to kill her mother. "I swear to God..." He murmured under clenched teeth. He massaged the back of Jewel's head and then quickly crouched down to meet her at eye-level. "Did she hurt you? She touch you?" Jewel shook her head and Rodrigo cupped her face before checking in on Frankie and his mother. "Todo bien, mama? Esa bruja te toco?" Emiliana also shook her head. Frankie looked sad and was silent. He tenderly squeezed their shoulder. When Fletcher gave him the quick run-down, he felt his blood boil, his gaze shifting toward the dressing room. Jade was usually the one to center him but this time, he wasn't going to be so patient. This time he wasn't going to be so nice. He'd deal with that later though. He made sure Jewel went to Emiliana and then patted Fletcher's arm before walking toward the dressing room. "Jade, honey...I'm here. Please, can I come in? I just want to see your face. We will deal with everything else together. Please... honey."

FLETCHER & JADE

Fletcher could only fill Rodrigo in on what little he knew from his own observations and what Frankie had told him happened. But he was sure it wasn't hard for Rodrigo to piece everything else together. The bottle was still on the floor, Fletcher noticed when Jade had left her spot. He watched Rodrigo console Jewel before reconnecting the young girl with his mom. And after assuring Rodrigo that he had things taken care of out here with unspoken communication between the two brothers, he went to give his own statement to the police, telling them his recounting of what happened once he'd gotten there and his part in the situation. Jewel had hugged Rodrigo one more time before going to be with his mom. The shop assistant who had helped Jade into her dress had returned to the area, offering bottles of water to Emiliana, Jewel, Fletcher and Frankie.

In the dressing room, Jade had been sobbing and shaking. She'd felt lost and mortified; it was too overwhelming for her to be angry in that moment. Her face was flush, her make-up had run, and she'd barely found the small bench in the room to sit down when she heard Rodrigo just on the other side of the curtain. "I... look... u-ugly... right n-now..." she sobbed, sucking in tiny gasps in between each word. It was an irrational response, especially when she wanted desperately to be with Rodrigo right now. But her embarrassment and shame bested her own desire at that moment.

RODRIGO

“No. Never that, honey. You can never look ugly. You’re the most beautiful girl to me and you know what? I’m going to take care of you. Remember? There is nothing we cannot face together. “ he couldn’t stand hearing her like this. After all the work Jade had put in to feel good about herself and the trauma she had to work through, he couldn’t believe Jeanette would come back into their lives to do something so disgusting. Then again, yes, he could believe it and that made it worse. “Hey… listen… if you come out here, I will hold your hand and we can talk to the cops and then she will never bother us. We’ve got tons of witnesses and I’m sure there’s a video somewhere. We aren’t going to let her win. And you’re still going to be my blushing bride. I don’t care what we are wearing. I just want to marry you. I’m so sorry she ruined your dress, honey. I can’t take away that pain but we will make her pay for that and we will do what it takes to fix this.” He wiped the corner of his eye before a tear managed to fall. “It’s going to be okay. Te prometo.”

JADE

Jade shook her head a bit, feeling far from beautiful at the moment. And she tried to grasp onto Rodrigo's reminder that they could face anything together. She held onto that like it was the lifeline she needed at this moment. She still felt deep shame and embarrassment, and she felt was struggling not to completely backslide emotionally, mentally, psychologically. Through the struggle though, she was fighting with her inner demon so that she could listen to Rodrigo and take his words to heart. She was trying to calm herself down enough to respond to him, challenging as it was at the time. Fletcher had been watching from a short distance away after giving his statement to the police. He knew the officer wanted to get Jade's statement but was currently speaking with Emiliana and Jewel. Walking quietly over to Rodrigo and hearing the wet sniffs from the inside of the dressing room, he clasped a hand to the younger man's shoulder and, with a stern expression and jerked his head in the direction of the room, indicating for him to go inside. He followed with a firm push to the curtain while lifting it out of Rodrigo's way. And then he stepped away to give the couple a little privacy. Jade lifted her head from her hands and looked in the direction of the curtain, making out Rodrigo's familiar frame once again. She wiped her eyes and mascara-streaked cheeks, trying to clear her face as best as possible and then stood, going to him as quickly as her dress would allow. Her unsteady fingers clung to him and she buried her face in the center of his chest and cried. Her body shuddered, wracked by her sobs. Tears fell freely and by the time she was able to settle down some time later, the front of Rodrigo's shirt had a wet spot and a small eyeliner stain. "I'm sorry," Jade croaked when she managed to find her voice again, trying to wipe the stain away with her thumb. "I know it's just a dress, but..." She let the words trail off, struggling not to sound like she whining.

RODRIGO

When he felt Fletcher’s presence, Rodrigo felt determined. He was glad for the little push and so he whispered “thanks” to his brother. While it was important he gave Jade the space she deserved and needed, Rodrigo knew that there were urgent matters that needed to be taken care of. Once in the fitting room area, he knelt down to embrace Jade and let her cry into his chest. He tried to soothe her the best way possible and kissed the top of her head. “No, no don’t apologize to me. It’s not just a dress and this isn’t well, what happened is awful. But we will figure this out. I know we will. Right now we have to go talk to the cops, okay? And as soon as they leave, I’ll make sure everyone gets home safely and we will go home and I’ll take the day off tomorrow and spend it with you figuring this out. But right now? It’s really important that you tell those cops what she did.” He gently took her shoulders and massaged them before wiping her tears with the end of his sleeve. “Come on, I’ll stick by your side the entire time.” He held out his hand, hoping she’d take it.

JADE

Jade listened to her fiance and nodded when he reminded her about speaking with the cops. She knew he was right and the rational side of her brain was reminding her that the sooner she did this, the sooner she could get out of the ruined dress and go home with him. Nodding a few times and giving another sniff, Jade told him, "Okay," in just above a whisper. She took his hand and squeezed it firmly, walking with him to the curtain and out of the dressing room. When she got out there, it looked like one of the officers was speaking with the shop assistant who'd helped her while the other officer had just finished taking the last statement from everyone in her party. She was the last one. Still holding Rodrigo's hand tightly for support and to hide the lingering tremors, Jade approached the officer. Upon prompting, he took down her full name, age and phone number, explained her relation to Jeanette, and answered every question asked of her. She told the officer everything that took place and about the TRO, which she hadn't realized recently ended. if she wanted to press charges and, after a moment's hesitation--knowing it would mean a court case because her mother wouldn't plead 'guilty'--she looked around at her family, and up to Rodrigo, and then to the officer to tell him, "Yes." And then, after agreeing to the officer taking photos of the dress for evidence, she asked, "Excuse me, but where is my...Jeanette...where is she?" "Detained in the back of a patrol car. But seeing the evidence on your dress and with the witnesses here and the employees, as well as them being willing to turn over copies of their security footage, we'll be placing her under arrest shortly."

RODRIGO

Rodrigo was listening to Jade recount what had happened all the while holding onto her hand tightly. He tried searching out the window for a glimpse of Jeanette but didn't have the pleasure of spotting her. When Jade asked where Jeanette was, he was more than glad to hear that the woman was apprehended and in the back of the patrol car. He just wished he had a moment with her. He had to remember he needed to support Jade during this time. Everything else was unimportant. Rodrigo took a deep breath when Jade was asked if she'd be pressing charges but he nodded once, internally relieved when his future wife said yes. "Thank you, officer. Are we free to go?" He placed his free hand on Jade's back, massaging her there in hopes that she'd stay calm with him. He knew this wasn't easy and that she wouldn't be in the right state of mind but it had to be done. When they got the green light to go, Rodrigo led Jade back to their family and friends but not before saying, "We'll be home soon and have a shower and relax together, okay?"

JADE

Jade was listening to the officer and mechanically nodded when he explained what would be happening to her mother. She was staeinf around nothing in particular when Rodrigo asked if they could go. The officer held out a business card but soon moved his hand to offer it to Rodrigo when Jade hadn't extended a hand to take it. "If anything else comes to mind thar needs to be reported, you can call directly," the officer said, and then let them know that they could go. Jade hadn't snapped out of her fixed stare of stance until Rodrigo spoke to her. She blinked and looked up at him, giving him one nod, "Okay." And while the officer gave his card to Frankie and Emiliana as well, Jade touched Rodrigo's arm, "I'm gonna go change and get my clothes back on." She looked for her little sister and asked, "Would you help me out, Jewel?" She squeezed Rodrigo's forearm and said, "I'll be back out in five minutes." And with Jewel accompanying her, she went back to the fitting room to get out of the dress once and for all. Fletcher was looming by the shop doors where he could see Jeanette in the back of the squad car. One of the officers was still speaking with the shop staff and his partner looked like they were about to join them. Fletcher pushed off the wall and went over to Rodrigo. "You need anything?"

RODRIGO

Rodrigo felt immense sadness for his fiance. He hated feeling like he couldn't help but also knew that the severity of the situation was something he'd need time with. Taking the cop's card, Rodrigo kept his arm around Jade as they approached their family. When Jade told him she would change, he nodded and let her go, nodding to Jewel that it was okay for her to go with Jade as well. "Okay, honey." "Um, thank you for everything." He announced to the employees in the shop. "We will make sure that any damage is taken care of. The shop owner was kind enough to reassure him and the others that they wouldn't be holding anything against them but would also be pressing charges at the woman in the patrol car. "Good." was all Rodrigo could say before looking out along with Fletcher, finally catching Jeanette's stank face in the window. "I don't hit women..." He murmured and then Frankie chimed in quickly, "But I do so let's go." Before she went back to gathering everyone's things to load Emiliana's car. He chuckled at Frankie's words and shook his head, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "I'm not sure. A smoke. Not the cigarette kind. A damn good lawyer. I' sure Jade will update Jasper.... He sighed. "And I need that woman as far away from Jade, from my mother, from Frankie, from you...from everyone I have ever loved because this is the last time she gets that close. Maybe I should call my uncles."

JADE

Fletcher gave a mirthless chuckle at the suggestion Rodrigo made about calling his uncles. "I can't tell if you're joking or not. Maybe wait and see if the woman ends up behind bars or not." Normally he wouldn't indulge the idea of Rodrigo involving his uncles but he could tell that Rodrigo was furious about the situation, and was doing a good job at keeping a lid on it. "How'd you get here? You drive Jade's van?" he asked, prepared to offer to drive the couple home if necessary. Inside the dressing room, Jewel helped undo the many buttons at the top and the zipper halfway down the middle of Jade's back. She saw the empty garment bag and helped Jade put the dress inside, all the while frequently stealing glances at her sister. "Jadey?" Jewel softly spoke, zipping the bag shut. "Are you okay?" Jade was pulling her skirt on but paused, fingers at her hips. She took in her sister's sad and concerned expression and sat down on the bench, inviting Jewel to sit with her. She put her arms around Jewel's shoulder and bent her head to rest on top of her sister's. "I will be. I know today didn't go as planned but... I'm glad that you were here." Jewel leaned into her and asked, "What... what are you going to do?" And when Jade admitted that she didn't know, Jewel said, "You know, technically I've known Mr. Escobar longer than you. And I know he really loves you. He's still going to marry you no matter what. He'd even marry you in jeans!" Jade smiled sadly and hugged Jewel tightly. "Thank you, Jewel. I know you're right. I really love him too." She knew it wasn't just about wearing something Rodrigo would marry her in but she appreciated her sister comforting her. After another minute, she said, "Come on. We should get you home, and I know Jasper and Dad will want to know about all of this." With a soft sigh, she stood, shouldered her purse and then took the dress bag off the hook with some reluctance, unsure of what to do with the dress now. Still, she left the room to join her fiancé. Going home with Rodrigo, having a shower and being away from others for the rest of the day sounded like the best next steps.

RODRIGO

Rodrigo nodded, agreeing to wait to see what happens with Jeanette. “It would be for protection. Just to make sure no one goes near us again. I’ll wait though…” he looked over his shoulder to see if Jade would emerge. “I drove her van. I’m sure she’ll want to drop off Jewel first and then talk to her dad and brother about everything.” He looked down at his phone. “Gotta thank Ziggy for handing in my midterm grades.” He sent a quick text and reassured his friend that everything was alright. “I think my mom drove here but if she didn’t, she can go with you? Is that alright?” Rodrigo knew that Frankie drove everywhere they went and they’d be okay. When Jade came out with Jewel, he offered her a smile and took her hand before taking her purse. He noticed the dress bag and took that as well. He had seen the damage and Rodrigo knew there was no fixing that but keeping the dress for evidence would be necessary. “Jewel! You’re riding with us! How’s that sound?” He tried to cheer the tween up and smiled at her before walking to his mother. “Mami, te llamo más luego?” “Sure. I promise Drew some flautas tonight. I’ll make extra for you two if you decide to stop by at the end of the night.” Frankie approached their best friend and then hugged her tightly. “Love you.” They whispered over her shoulder and nodded at Rodrigo. “You too” Frankie then waved at everyone and playfully punched Fletcher in the arm. “I could have taken her…” they whispered only to Fletcher and then went off to find their Mustang.

JADE

Fletcher listened and nodded, still understanding why Rodrigo brought up his uncles. "Maybe talk to them and see what they can do for the wedding, especially if Mommy Dearest isn't still behind bars." He listened to Rodrigo some more and nodded. "Yeah, I can take Emiliana home or to my house. Frankie's timing was actually good because I was only gonna be at the shop for an hour today while Phoebe napped. So I wasn't far when she texted." Jade looked to her fiancé and their family when she and Jewel came out of the dressing room. She let go of her purse and then the garment bag to Rodrigo with a soft-spoken, "Thank you," while keeping her hand in his. She half-listened to the brief exchange between Rodrigo and Jewel, and him and Emiliana. Jewel smiled a bit to Rodrigo and said, "Okay, sure!" Jade looked to Frankie and was grateful when they approached her and hugged her. She needed it more than she realized. A hand still in Rodrigo's, her free arm returned the hug for as long as possible. "Love you too," she whispered back. "Thank you for being here," she said to her best friend. Fletcher affectionately nudged Frankie with his elbow after they gave his arm a harmless punch. "I know. I saw the bald spot," he mumbled back with a smirk and then he went to Emiliana, while clapping an hand to Rodrigo's shoulder. "Alright, Emiliana, let's get outta here." He looked to Rodrigo, "Talk to you guys later. Jade, I'm sorry about all this. Anything I can do to help make this right, you let me know." Jade nodded, "Thank you, Fletcher, Emiliana." And after watching them go to the exit for Fletcher's Shelby, Jade looked to Jewel and Rodrigo. Emotionally, she was feeling drained and wrung out. On their way out of the shop though, the shop assistant stepped away from the officers to give Jade a business card. "If you find something new with us, we'll do our best to get it altered before your big day--no charge."

She thanked the woman and headed out with her sister and fiancé, frowning when she saw the squad car parked along the nearby curb. Her mother’s silhouette was mildly visible from the rear window and for a few seconds, she was pierced with fire, unbridled anger. For those few seconds, she wanted to step outside of herself and lash out at her mother--not only for her showing up to ruin the day, but everything she'd done to Jade before then. Moments like this occasionally hit Jade throughout her life. But she never acted on it. The temptation was there now, like it always was, but this time, she had Rodrigo holding one of her hands and Jewel standing on her other side. Drawing in a slow, deep breath, she looked up to Rodrigo and said, "Let's go. Please?"

RODRIGO

"That's a good idea, Fletcher. Thanks." He smiled at his best friend and thanked him for taking his mother. Rodrigo and Jade were fortunate to have such a supportive group of people in their corner. "I'm glad you were around. Really." Rodrigo kept Jade close. He knew she was tired and was glad that all arrangements had been taken care of so he could focus on getting her home. It was nice seeing Frankie go up to Jade for a hug. Jade was going to need as much help as possible. With everyone dispersing, Rodrigo watched them all leave the shop. He was glad that the shop owner looked as concerned and was willing to work with Jade on quick alterations if needed. "Okay, honey, let's go." He helped Jade climb into the van and Jewel as well. "We'll drop Jewel off first. I'm assuming you will want to speak to your dad and Jasper?" He started the engine. "And then we'll go home." He looked over his shoulder to Jade's sister and nodded once, concerned about how much of today's events would be plaguing her mind. As he drove off, Rodrigo reached for Jade's hand and squeezed it before bringing it to his lips to kiss her knuckles. He didn't want to offer any more advise or words of comfort. She looked to drained for that. Instead, he kept quiet as the radio played some soft tunes in the background.

JADE

Jade opened one of the van's side doors for Jewel and helped relieve Rodrigo of the dress bag to put in the far back. She set her purse in the seat beside Jewel and then accepted his help into the passenger's seat with a, "Thank you." As she pulled her seatbelt on, she heard Rodrigo's question and was pleasantly amazed at how attuned he was to her, even when she was so out of sorts. Nodding, she said, "I have to tell them what happened." She knew there was no way she couldn't tell them. With Jewel having witnessed it all, she would want to make sure their dad would check in on her especially when Jade couldn't. And Jasper would undoubtedly represent her through the charges being pressed and anything else legal that came with that. Initially, Jade had her hands in her lap but she let Rodrigo take one and she shut her eyes when he kissed her knuckles. It was a small but meaningful and soothing gesture. Even with all that had gone on that afternoon and her mother continuing to torment her, Rodrigo really did make her feel like the most treasured person in the world. Still, she rode in silence to her father's home. When they arrived, Jade walked Jewel up to the front doors. Her father hadn't been home but Jewel's mother, Wendy was there. Jade told her what happens and apologized to Wendy for her mother’s actions and behavior in front of Jewel. Wendy gave a somewhat stiff acceptance while also telling Jade that she wasn't responsible for her mother’s actions. She thanked Jade and Rodrigo for bringing Jewel home; after declining an offer for tea, Jade left with Rodrigo, promising to contact Richard and Jasper. Deciding to get all the retellings over as soon as possible, she conference called her father and brother on their way home to fill them, giving no response to their outrage and expressed concern over Jade's wellbeing and her being without a dress so close to the wedding.

With a listless tone, she told them, "I'll figure something out. Rodrigo and I are going home now though, so I'll talk to you both later. Or tomorrow. Just please promise me that you'll keep an eye on Jewel. I don't know how much my mom or the whole situation may have scared her, and I just want to make sure she's okay." After getting assurances from both men that they would look out for Jewel, Jade ended the call and shut her eyes for the remainder of the car ride home. When they arrived, Jade took her purse and suggested that the dress go in the downstairs closet--a space that only got used when they had guests over, which wouldn't likely be the case anytime soon. Once inside their home, Jade set her purse down on the nearest table and started for the stairs. "I'm sorry I'm not the best company to be around right now, Rodrigo."

RODRIGO

Rodrigo went with Jade to drop off Jewel and kept quiet for most of the exchange except for the part that he explained he got there after it had all happened. He shook Wendy's hand and then offered the reassurance that he would take care of not only Jade by anyone in the family as they were now his family. When they arrived at their home, he watched his future wife with keen eyes, mindful of what could be going through her head. Rodrigo placed the dress in the closet, making sure to hide it so that it wasn't too obvious in the view. He didn't want Jade to dwell on the incident for too long but he also knew better. When Jade apologized, he shook his head and walked in front of her so he could cup her face gently. "Don't think about me right now, okay? Please. Tell me what I can do for you. If you want me to leave you alone, I can. Just let me check in every so often. Do you want some tea? I can draw you a bath. I'm here for you. Are you tired? We can lie down and take a small nap." He dropped his arms and took a few steps back. "Or we can watch a stupidly funny movie until we both pass out."

JADE

Jade couldn't help thinking about how telling Wendy about the whole ordeal about the bridal shop didn't do any favors for the already flimsy relationship she had with the mother of her siblings. She knew she couldn't do anything to change it and logically, she knew that her mother's actions and behavior weren't her fault. But knowing the logic didn't make her feel any better. At home, Jade couldn't help her apology to Rodrigo. It wasn't the day she thought it would be and while she knew she couldn't meticulously plan everything--she was well aware of that at this point in her life--nothing had prepared her for the terrible turn the day had taken. Her eyes had been lowered even when Rodrigo held her face in his hands. But she looked up to him when he let her go and stepped back. Stepping forward to him, she wrapped her arms around his middle and took a few deep breaths, trying to figure out what she wanted that was attainable. "I don't want you to leave me alone, unless you need the space." Her cheek was pressed to his chest as she went on to tell him, "A bath sounds nice. And... a nap, or at least laying down together."

RODRIGO

He held his fiance close when she wrapped her arms around him. Rodrigo shook his head at her words and kissed the top of her head. "No. I don't need any space. I want to be there for you in any way that I can." He massaged her hair. "I'll draw you a bath and I'll stay there with you. I'll get some of that lavender you like that's calming. And I'll put some soft music on and when you're done, we'll go take a nice nap together, okay?" He kissed the top of her head once more. "I'll take care of you, Jade. We'll get through this." Rodrigo looked down and met her gaze. "Come on, let's get everything ready and set it all up. I can read you some sonnets while you enjoy your bath too. Hey, that sounds kinda nice..." Rodrigo lifted her chin and smiled.

JADE

Jade listened as she kept herself pressed to Rodrigo’s front for the time being. It wasn’t until he shifted and she looked up to him that she responded to him. "How are you real?" she asked a little helplessly and with a sad smile. "Would you join me in the tub instead? Maybe just listen to the music and unwind with me in the water?" Her arms were still around him as he lifted her chin. "I'd really love that. Maybe you can read some of the sonnets after, when we're in bed?" She leaned in and kissed his chest near his heart. "Thank you for being so wonderful."

RODRIGO

“I would love that. And sonnets in bed sounds so romantic ooo la la.” He grinned at Jade and massaged her hair when she kissed his chest. “Funny story, I find myself constantly wondering how you’re real” Rodrigo wrapped his arms around Jade once again. “You deserve that and then some.” He swayed with her a little as they stop together in an embrace. “When you’re ready, I’ll go draw our bath and you get whatever you need.”

JADE

Jade rolled her eyes but he'd drawn some of the sadness out of her smile. But she said nothing when he reciprocated her question, especially when she was feeling like she'd brought a heap of drama in the form of her mother, along with her scars that were a result of her mother's abuse and her father's neglect for most of her life. Yet Rodrigo still loved her. Squeezing him tightly as they swayed, she told him, "I'm ready. And I just need... some peace, time to figure out what Im gonna do for the wedding, and... you." She swayed a little longer with him and then pulled back so that they could go upstairs together. Keeping a hand in his, she went upstairs with Rodrigo and sat down on their bed, removing her shoes and beginning to undress. She would empty her wedding shoes and undergarments from her purse later. For bow though, the bath sounded best. After undressing completely and putting her clothes in the hamper, she gathered her hair up in a messy bun and pulled out some clean pajamas for herself and pajama pants for her fiancé. Her mind was replaying the worst part of the day--her mother throwing the oily liquid on her and her dress, calling her a selfish little bitch, and making a scene at the bridal shop. Jade tried to push the thoughts away as she walked to the bathroom to join Rodrigo.

RODRIGO

Rodrigo happily stayed swaying with Jade until she was ready to go. He listened intently to the things she needed I hoped he’d be able to provide most of those things for her. “We’re going to work it out. We are going to have the most beautiful wedding and we are going to be so happy by the end of it. We deserve that. We deserve good things.” He let her go and get ready while he ran their bath, making sure the water was the perfect temperature. As he prepared the bath with the lavender bubble bath, his mind couldn’t stop running. He assumed it was the same for Jade. Rodrigo kept thinking about what he had walked into, the sadness in Jade’s eyes, the pure shock that poured over his mother and Jewel. It was too much for anyone to take in. How could a mother do this to her daughter? He hoped that Jeanette ended behind bars for a long time. Jade needed to have that woman out of her life. “Hey, beautiful.” Rodrigo greeted his future wife, taking her hand to lead into the bath. He undressed himself so that he could join her from across. Everything’s gonna be alright played in the background and Rodrigo hummed along, smiling at his woman.

JADE

Jade nodded, trying to take solace in Rodrigo's affirming words. He was right. They deserved to be happy and have good things. And she knew the whole wedding wasn't ruined because of this one incident but she was hoping that her mother didn't know anything more about their wedding; Jade had no idea how she found her at the bridal shop and had been in too much shock at the time to ask. Jade gave Rodrigo a faint smile when he greeted her. She accepted his hand and stepped into the tub, already soothed by the lavender aroma much like she'd been comforted smelling Rodrigo's cologne each time she'd been in his arms. She sat in the tub, drawing her knees up towards her chest and resting her cheek to her kneecaps, eyes watching Rodrigo undress and ears listening to him hum. "Is this a playlist of yours?" she asked, lowering a hand into the water and then tracing circles along its surface.

RODRIGO

"mm hmm. Love me some Bob Marley." Rodrigo looked over his shoulder and smiled at Jade. He hated seeing her so sad but would spend the rest of his life ensuring she didn't. He joined her in the bathtub, looking across toward her, and reached for a loofah before he started to scrub her legs. "I know you probably don't feel like it much but you should put something in your tummy. Even if it's tea and toast. Something warm and soothing. Okay?" He was very much aware of Jade's eating disorder. They talked about it here and there and he had, from the beginning of their relationship tried to present a positive relationship with food for her. He'd never judge her. Instead, he'd frame questions and suggestions in a way that would make sense. No pushing or anything but he'd be glad if she tried and for the most part, he could see a change in her. She was doing better and that's all that mattered for now. That's why he offered something soft for her stomach. He knew she hadn't probably eaten since earlier in the afternoon and she was at risk of ignoring any meal after what happened. It was just another reason why he hated her mother. Rodrigo could never forgive that woman. He continued washing her legs, under her knees and calves, and the soft music played in the background and he hummed along.

JADE

She nodded to her fiancé, all the while certain he'd intentionally started with this song. When he'd gotten in the water and faced her on the opposite side, Jade lifted her head and was prepared to go sit in front of him, lay against him and soak. But he'd begun cleaning her legs and in that moment, she felt as though she might cry again. She didn't, but Rodrigo's unfailing love and kindness to her overwhelmed her emotions. For the moment, Jade took some deep breaths to try and keep herself together. She'd heard Rodrigo's suggestion that she eat something and truthfully, he was right. He was right that she didn't feel like it, and he was right that she should have something. But her stomach still felt like it was in knots although not as severely as when she was in the bridal shop. After another measured breath in and out, she said, "I will. After the nap, I promise." It was the best she could do without defaulting to her usual deflecting responses when unaware people brought up her eating something. When Rodrigo finished cleaning her legs, Jade thanked him and then shifted around in the tub, trying to be careful not to slosh the water out despite her short, tiny frame's mindful movements. She settled herself in front of Rodrigo between his legs, resting her back to his chest and her hands on his thighs. Letting out a soft sigh, Jade shut her eyes. "I love listening to you humming along to the music."

RODRIGO

When Jade shifted to sit in front of him, Rodrigo began to soap her shoulder, leaning in to kiss the back of her neck before soaping down her back. He listened to her speak and nodded. He wouldn't push now but he'd make her the tea after their nap. "Okay, my love. After the nap." Rodrigo smiled at the comment of loving to hear him hum and he then joked, "If teaching fails, I can audition for American Idol. OR I can become a rapper, get my beatbox skills out there." He chuckled. "We can take this show on the road, have babies while I'm touring, make them famous too. They can play instruments once they turn two. We can call ourselves the Toddler Beatz. " He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "love you."

JADE

Jade leaned forward as Rodrigo washed her back, resting her chin on her knees. She smiled a little while listening to him. "Silly," she murmured and then rested against his chest again after he was done with her back. "I love you too." She reached for his hand to take the loofah out and set it in the water, and then she guided his hands around her, holding him to her. After a while of not saying anything and shutting her eyes again, a thought crossed Jade's mind and she asked, "Honey? What were you doing before you came to the bridal shop?"

RODRIGO

Rodrigo let Jade take the loofah and he wrapped his arms around her as she guided him. They were both sitting in silence, his chin resting on her shoulder. When Jade broke the silence and asked her question, he mused over it for a bit. Even though the altercation with Jade's mother had happened on the same day, it felt like days ago. "I was grading midterms. I rushed through the last batch because they were due today but Ziggy was kind enough to submit them for me. Getting all my T's crossed and I's dotted before Spring Break and all." He sighed. "I was so relieved to see you weren't alone."

JADE

Amidst the low music, Jade listened to her fiancé share whay he had been doing prior to coming to the bridal shop. She was relieved that Ziggy was around to help him get his midterms in. Eccentric as he was, Jade knew he was an important friend to Rodrigo and he'd really tried to be helpful with their wedding planning. Jade turned her head and slid down a little in the water so her cheek was resting to his warm skin--her head tucked just beneath his chin. "I'm glad I wasn't either. But... I also wish Jewel hadn't been there. She and Jett had never met my mother before today. And I don't think that what happened today will help anything between Wendy and me, now that Jewel has seen for herself what my mother's like." She traced random shapes on Rodrigo's knuckles. "I wish you hadn't had to see me like that... but I'm also glad that you were there. You've always been there when I've needed you the most."

RODRIGO

“I’m there with you on Jewel being there. She didn’t need to see that and I worry what that could do to her psyche.” Rodrigo thought of a young Jade and the damage that Jeanette had done to her up until her adulthood. “All I can say about that is none of that is your fault or on you. And some people need to grow up. Wendy seemed cordial and all and I’m glad she was but nothing needs to be placed over your head. You’re an adult too with feelings and you had no say as a child how your mother was going to go about a lot of things. You’re not Jeanette’s keeper nor are you responsible for her doings. Not then, not now, not ever.” He kept his embrace. “I hope Wendy understands that at some point. Jasper is an amazing brother and he wants to be close to you and Jewel and Jett seem to want the same too and they’re kids! They’re able to see past the bullshit. And I’m glad I was there. I want to always be there for every moment the good ones and the hard ones. We’re about to get married. We are not at that stage where we want to hide what we think are our ugly sides.” He chuckled softly. “As soon as I heard you needed me there, it was all I could think of doing.”!

JADE

"That's my worry too," Jade admitted with a frown, her mind flashing back to Jewel clutching her, and then Rodrigo and Emiliana. "Does the school have counselors or mental health supports for the student" she wondered and hoped, in case Jewel did want to talk with someone else at some point. The thought made Jade think about reaching out to her therapist to see if she could get a session in before the wedding. But she listened to Rodrigo and continued tracing patterns along his knuckles as he weighed in about the twins' mother. "You're right. And honestly it's probably because they're kids, and because Jasper and I were young adults that we've all had no problem accepting each other and caring for each other like siblings..like a family." She molded her fingers over Rodrigo's larger hands and shut her eyes again, feeling the vibrations of his words and his chuckles. "I know. You're right about that too. It was just... I was in my dress. And I know it's ruined now so it doesn't matter and it shouldn't have mattered then but..." She drew in a deep breath and softly sighed, "It would've been harder to deal with everything that happened in the shop if you hadn't shown up." Reaching up, she rested a hand on the side of his face and then whispered, "Thank you. I know you're probably going to tell me that I don't need to thank you but yes, I do. You're wonderful to me and it's not something I ever want to take for granted."

RODRIGO

"We do. We have counselors there and provide resources too for the kids. I can speak to Jewel if you want me to, it's completely confidential." He would make sure to speak to Jewel if Jade thought it was a good idea. "I think that's a great idea. Even if it didn't get to her that way, it would be good for her to speak to someone. You too." He kissed the top of her head. "Yeah, that's probably the reason but it does make it disappointing that the so-called adults aren't behaving." Rodrigo had a lot of anger in him toward anyone that had hurt Jade. Rodrigo listened intently and understood what Jade was saying. "I know. I'm so sorry she ruined what should have been one of the most wonderful days for you but I do believe that you'll still get your moment. I know it." He took a deep breath, gently pushing her hair over one shoulder. "I'm glad Frankie was quick to text me, then." Rodrigo smiled at his future bride. "You don't but I won't fight you." He grinned. "There's never been a time where I've thought you've taken me for granted." He kissed the hand cupping his cheek. "Now, after a nice nap, we can plan to call your father. Tomorrow or in a couple of days, I'm sure Frankie and my mom would be happy to do another bridal shop visit with you. Emma too. How does that sound?

JADE

"She's likely to come to you anyway. She trusts you and you're her favorite teacher. Plus, you were there in the end. If she doesn't go talk to a counselor, she'll probably talk to you. I just... in case she doesn't, if you don't mind just checking in with her sometime tomorrow, maybe?" Her loose bun came undone, falling to one side after he kissed the top of her head. Jade reached up for the hair band and set it on the edge of the tub. She gazed at the water while listening on to Rodrigo, nodding in agreement but saying nothing verbally about the adults in her life. "I owe Frankie a thank you for that too," she thought aloud. His kiss to her palm was as soothing as the soak in the tub had been. And she listened to the plan Rodrigo proposed, giving him a couple more shallow nods. "Okay." Lifting her unkissed hand, she turned them palm-side up to looked at them and noticed her fingertips were beginning to prune. "Let's get out and dry off now, okay?" She scooted forward a bit and braced her hands on the side of the tub to stand, taking thr hair band to pull her hair back up into another loose bun. And after carefully stepping out, she picked up a towel to hand to Rodrigo and then wound one around her own body to keep from dripping water into their bedroom. Looking to her fiancé, she said, "I laid out pajama pants for you, with my pajamas."

RODRIGO

Rodrigo smiled when Jade let him know that he was Jewel's favorite teacher. He adored all his kids and had grown close to the twins. Coming into Jade's family, he knew he'd end up being a brother to them and he took that seriously. "Of course. I'll check in on her tomorrow." Rodrigo would make sure to privately pull her to the side. "I do too. Quick thinking." Rodrigo chuckled softly and nodded in response to getting out of the tub. He took the towel from Jade and also stood up, tying it around his waist after drying off. "Always so thoughtful." Rodrigo followed Jade into their bedroom and finished drying off before pulling up the pajama pants left for him. He combed through his hair to get any knots out of his waves and then pulled their comforter up and over. He watched Jade get ready and then patted the bed beside him to invite her over. "I'll set like...an hour alarm? Is that okay?" He'd probably end up sleeping through it if they were both very tired but he knew Jade had things she wanted to do and not destroy her sleep schedule. He extended his arms, wanting Jade in them right away, and chuckled.

JADE

Jade returned to the restroom after drying off and unplugged the tub to drain the water. She then got her scented lotion and went through her usual bedtime routine of moisturizing her body, gathering her hair in two loose braids and then capping it in a satin hair bonnet. She then rejoined Rodrigo in their bedroom, pulling on her pajamas and climbing into bed where he'd been patting the empty space beside him. "Two hours?" she asked, tugging the bedding up to her shoulders while snuggling up to Rodrigo. Her head came to rest on his chest and she shut her eyes, an arm draped around his waist. Her mind was still buzzing about the afternoon's events and the aftermath with the police and taking Jewel home but she hoped that the emotional exhaust would be enough for her to fall asleep quickly. Drawing in a deep breath and sighing it back out, she quietly said, "I don't know if we'll sleep that whole time but I wouldn't mind a long nap today." Usually she would go for a run to help keep her head clear and her depressive lows at bay while also staying in shape, but today, a nap after the bath with Rodrigo felt perfect.

RODRIGO

"Two hours." He murmured as he brought her close to his frame and then edited the alarm on his phone. He wouldn't mind resting with her for a bit. Jade was probably exhausted and a nap would help tremendously. He just hoped that her brain could shut off. He kept her close and kissed the top of her head, humming a few tunes until he felt himself doze off. Before he did, he looked down to check on Jade and she was slowly blinking. "Love you, honey. We've got this." He cuddled up with her and waited a few minutes for Jade to fall asleep. When she did, Rodrigo stared at the ceiling thinking back on what had just happened. Even with knowing how cruel Jeanette could be, he had never imagined this type of absurdity. He hoped that they'd all find a way to keep this woman far away from Jade and from their future family. Blinking a few times as his eyes became heavier, Rodrigo took a deep breath, ready to shut the thoughts off for now. He was confident they'd find another dress but he hoped that Jade's psyche wasn't too affected. He'd make it better. He had to.

#Rodrigo #Frankie #Fletcher #guest: Emiliana #guest: Jeanette #guest: Jewel #Wedding Bell Blues para

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neli-draws · 5 months ago

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One of the hallmarks of luxury bridal shops in San Francisco is their exclusive access to designer collections. Whether you're enamored with the romantic designs of Oscar de la Renta or the modern sophistication of Vera Wang, these boutiques showcase coveted pieces that embody the epitome of bridal elegance. Explore a range of styles, from classic ball gowns to contemporary sheath dresses, all created with the finest materials and attention to detail.

Opulent Settings and Ambiance

Step into luxury bridal shops in San Francisco and immerse yourself in opulent settings and ambiance. These boutiques are designed to evoke a sense of glamour and sophistication, offering a serene environment where brides can indulge in the bridal shopping experience. Enjoy spacious fitting rooms, plush seating areas, and elegant décor that enhance the overall luxury shopping experience.

Comprehensive Bridal Shops in San Francisco California

Luxury bridal shops in San Francisco offer comprehensive bridal services beyond dress selection. From accessories like veils and jewelry to bridal party attire consultations, these boutiques cater to every aspect of your wedding day ensemble. Experienced consultants can advise on complementary pieces and styling options to ensure a cohesive and refined bridal look.

Exclusive Events and Trunk Shows

Stay updated on the latest trends and collections by attending exclusive events and trunk shows hosted by luxury bridal shops in San Francisco. These events often feature previews of upcoming designs or limited-edition pieces not available elsewhere. It's an excellent opportunity to discover unique bridal options and possibly meet with designers or brand representatives in person.

Planning Your Visit to Bridal Shops in San Francisco California

When planning your visit to luxury bridal shops in San Francisco, consider scheduling appointments well in advance, especially during peak wedding seasons. Arrive prepared with inspirational photos, a clear vision of your wedding theme, and an open mind to explore different styles and designers. Take advantage of the personalized service offered by consultants to make informed decisions about your dream wedding dress.

Conclusion

Luxury bridal shops in San Francisco, California, offer a sophisticated and indulgent shopping experience for brides seeking couture excellence and unparalleled quality. Whether you're drawn to iconic designers or searching for a one-of-a-kind gown, these boutiques ensure a memorable journey toward finding the dress of your dreams.

#bridal shops in san francisco california

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winniecouture · 5 months ago

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Timeless Trends: Top Necklines Defining Nashville's Bridal Fashion This Year

Fashion is a perpetually evolving concept, and your wedding dress is the best time to flaunt your knowledge about it. From styles to silhouettes to neck designs, they are multiple elements that combine together to bring the final look and feel of the wedding gown in Nashville.

Among so many designs available at the bridal shop in Nashville TN, it can get quite baffling to understand which is the one for you. But we got in talks with the head designer of Winnie Couture, a luxury store accommodating a wide range of wedding gowns in Nashville, and gathered the names of the top-selling neckline designs of this year.

Neck designs that are here to stay for a long time

Sweetheart Neckline: Lately, there has been a hyped penchant for wedding dresses in Nashville that have sweetheart necklines as it draws attention to the décolletage giving a sexier look. It is like the shape of a heart that is synonymously called a princess neckline as well. It is perfect for women who are seeking an outfit that can cast an illusion of a longer torso. In case you are a bit apprehensive about the extra skin show, you have the option to select semi sweetheart neckline, which is more modest. In this, the cut sits above the breast line, making it subtle.

Bateau Neckline: Also called as Sabrina neckline and boat neckline, it follows the natural curves of your collarbone and touches the shoulder. Pairing it up with a sleeveless style with a loose wavy bun will bring a minimalistic yet ravishing appearance.

Scoop Neckline: This is just a simple deep U-neck cut that has been ruling the collection of wedding gowns in Nashville. The most flattering aspect is that it can be stitched in all the depths, low or high. You can find scoop necklines at the backside, too, doubling the sizzling factor in your outfit. This is again an appreciating option if you desire to flaunt your collarbone tattoo.

Halter Neckline: This can be seen as one of the most celebrity-loved styles not only for wedding gowns but else wise too. Halter necks are like straps that go all the way to the back of the neck and have a low armhole cut. Women with toned arms should pick such gowns as they will flatter their assets.

Portrait Neckline: This is just like the off-shoulder neckline; however, there is an additional fabric. In an easier sense, it can be seen as a wide and soft scoop joining the tip of both shoulders. So, if you are arranging a formal event with a vintage theme, then this is your style. Go for it without a second thought. Moreover, for women who want to adorn an arresting necklace, portrait necklines are apt for you.

Winnie Couture- a store for the modern bride

Winnie Couture is being run by a power couple who has been presiding over the realm for over two decades now. The branch stores are open in 10 cities of the United States; Beverly Hills, Atlanta, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Charlotte, Nashville, and Columbus GA.

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alex-sweetoblivion · 5 months ago

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Elegant and Unique: San Francisco Bridal Shops You Must Visit

San Francisco is home to a range of elegant and unique bridal shops that cater to every bride's dream. Bridal Galleria offers luxurious designer gowns, perfect for a sophisticated wedding. Jinza Couture Bridal specializes in custom-made dresses, ensuring a one-of-a-kind look. Marina Morrison features high-end designers and personalized service, while Lovely Bride showcases trendy and modern styles from independent designers. For those seeking designer gowns at a discount, Glamour Closet is a must-visit. Each shop provides a unique selection and exceptional service, making San Francisco an ideal destination for brides searching for the perfect wedding dress.

Discover the Best San Francisco Bridal Shops for Your Dream Wedding Gown

San Francisco Bridal Shops is a treasure trove of bridal shops that offer stunning wedding gowns for every bride's taste and style. From luxurious designer boutiques to charming custom dressmakers, the city's bridal shops provide an array of options. Discover shops like Bridal Galleria for high-end designer dresses, Jinza Couture Bridal for custom-made gowns, and Glamour Closet for discounted designer finds. Each shop offers a unique selection, ensuring you can find your dream wedding gown in San Francisco.

Top 10 San Francisco Bridal Shops for Unforgettable Bridal Experiences

Your wedding dress shopping experience should be as memorable as your big day. San Francisco Bridal Shops offer personalized service, exquisite collections, and a memorable shopping experience. Visit Marina Morrison for a luxurious bridal experience with designer gowns, or head to Lovely Bride for trendy and modern styles. Other notable shops include Bridal Galleria, Jinza Couture Bridal, and Glamour Closet, each offering a unique experience tailored to your bridal needs. Discover the top 10 bridal shops in San Francisco that will make your dress shopping unforgettable.

San Francisco Bridal Shops: Where to Find Designer Wedding Dresses

For brides seeking designer wedding dresses, San Francisco's bridal shops are the perfect destination. Bridal Galleria is known for its exclusive collection of gowns from renowned designers like Vera Wang and Monique Lhuillier. Marina Morrison features high-end designers such as Carolina Herrera and Marchesa. Lovely Bride showcases unique designs from independent designers, offering modern and trendy options. Jinza Couture Bridal provides custom-made gowns, ensuring a perfect fit and personalized design. Explore these top San Francisco bridal shops to find your perfect designer wedding dress.

A Bride's Guide to the Best Bridal Shops in San Francisco

Planning your wedding in San Francisco? This guide will help you navigate the city's best bridal shops. Start with Bridal Galleria for a luxurious selection of designer gowns. Visit Lovely Bride for a contemporary and chic collection. For custom-made dresses, Jinza Couture Bridal is a must-visit. If you're looking for a great deal, check out Glamour Closet for discounted designer gowns. Marina Morrison offers a high-end bridal experience with personalized service. This guide will ensure you find the perfect bridal shop to meet your needs in San Francisco.

Elegant and Unique: San Francisco Bridal Shops You Must Visit

San Francisco Bridal Shops: Where Style Meets Tradition

San Francisco bridal shops beautifully blend modern style with traditional elegance. Bridal Galleria and Marina Morrison offer classic designer gowns with a contemporary twist, perfect for brides who want a timeless yet stylish look. Lovely Bride caters to modern brides with trendy, fashion-forward designs. Jinza Couture Bridal combines traditional craftsmanship with modern aesthetics in their custom-made gowns. Explore these San Francisco bridal shops where style meets tradition, ensuring a perfect balance for your wedding day attire.

Personalized Bridal Experiences at San Francisco Bridal Shops

The best bridal shops in San Francisco offer personalized experiences that make dress shopping a joy. At Bridal Galleria, brides receive individual attention and access to exclusive designer gowns. Jinza Couture Bridal provides bespoke services, creating custom gowns tailored to each bride's vision. Marina Morrison offers private appointments with expert stylists and a luxurious selection of dresses. Lovely Bride’s intimate and friendly atmosphere ensures a stress-free shopping experience. Glamour Closet’s knowledgeable staff help brides find designer gowns at great prices. These shops prioritize personalized service, ensuring every bride feels special and well-cared-for.

Conclusion

San Francisco's bridal shops offer an exceptional blend of elegance and uniqueness, making the city an ideal destination for brides-to-be. With a variety of options, from luxurious designer boutiques like Bridal Galleria and Marina Morrison to custom-made gown specialists like Jinza Couture Bridal, there's something for every bride's style and budget. Lovely Bride offers trendy, modern designs, while Glamour Closet provides access to discounted designer gowns. Each shop provides personalized service and a unique selection, ensuring an unforgettable shopping experience. Exploring San Francisco's bridal shops guarantees you'll find the perfect dress for your special day.

#San Francisco Bridal Shops

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mohifashion · 8 months ago

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Best Indian Clothing Boutiques in USA

Are you in search of Indian attire that combines tradition with modern style? Look no further! We've curated a list of the top Indian clothing boutiques spread across the United States, each renowned for its unique offerings and exceptional quality. Let's delve into the world of Indian fashion and explore these ten boutiques that stand out for their exceptional craftsmanship, diverse collections, and rich cultural heritage. In the United States, the demand for Indian attire has surged, prompting the establishment of several esteemed Indian clothing stores. These boutiques not only cater to the Indian diaspora but also attract fashion enthusiasts keen on embracing the vibrant colors and intricate designs of Indian fashion.

Nalli Silks

Nalli Silks, originating from Chennai, India, has been specialised in silk sarees since 1928. The US store, established in 1996 by Nagarathna Nalli, proudly continues this tradition. Located at 1603 North Aurora Road, Ste. 105 & 107, Chicago, IL-60563, the store offers a magnificent collection of pure silk sarees, soft silk sarees, sarees in pattu, mysore ilk sarees, silk sarees online, wedding sarees and ethnic wear. Additionally, Nalli Silks has stores in Houston and Dallas, Texas, Fremont in California, and Iselin in New Jersey.

Sakkhi Style

In 2012, Kalyani founded the SakkhiStyle, initially as a home boutique. Her vision was to bring Indian traditional attire to international markets through creativity and imagination. SakkhiStyle offers a diverse range of products, including beautifully designed lehenga choli for women, lehenga for engagement, sarees, kurtis, salwars, kids' attire, jewelry, exclusive SakkhiStyle designs, handloom varieties, accessories, and carefully selected products from market catalogues. The success of SakkhiStyle can be attributed to its high customer satisfaction, largely driven by positive "word of mouth publicity." You can find SakkhiStyle located at 15600 NE 8th St F5, Bellevue, WA 98008, United States.

Sai’s Boutique

Chinmayi founded Sai's Boutique in 1998 to showcase her innate Indian Style and Fashion sense. Regular trips to India enable her to personally curate the inventory, ensuring the latest trends are always available. The boutique offers a wide range of casual and formal wear, lehenga for woman, ghagra choli for women meticulously handpicked to cater to diverse tastes. Located at 8840 Michigan Rd Suite 102, Indianapolis, IN 46268, Sai's Boutique is a premier destination for Indian Fashion, Jewelry, and Accessories.

Fab India

Established in 1960 by John Bissell, Fabindia initially focused on exporting India's diverse craft traditions in home furnishings. Their first retail store opened in Greater Kailash, New Delhi, in 1975. Fabindia is celebrated for blending contemporary designs with traditional Indian craftsmanship. Their offerings span ethnic wear, wedding guest dresses, plus size wedding guest dresses and accessories. Visit them at 456 Maple Avenue, San Francisco, CA, to explore their exquisite collection.

Mohi Fashion

Mohi is a curated multi-designer online marketplace offering bridal lehengas, sarees, designer wear, lehenga for woman and men's groom wear. They source their products from renowned Indian designers like Bhasin Brothers, Label PSB, Harshitha Singhvi, Ikshitha Choudhary, House of Supriya, Vastra, Juhi Choksi, Esha Koul, Sougat Paul and so on providing a focus on reflecting the diversity of South Asian fashion. Mohi Fashion provides a 10% discount on all MRPs year-round and exclusive offers, along with video consultations for brides and customizable outfits in all sizes.

Omnama Fashions

Omnama Fashions, founded by Shweta, aims to provide a budget-friendly shopping experience for Indian clothing in the Denver area and its surroundings. Established as a home-based boutique, Omnama Fashions caters to the Denver metro area by offering a wide range of Ethnic Indian clothing, including party wear suits, sarees, bridesmaid lehenga, lehenga party wear, lehenga saree and anarkalis. Shweta recognized the challenge of finding suitable Indian ethnic attire upon her move to Denver a decade ago, prompting her to collaborate with her designer friend in India and launch Omnama Fashions. Leveraging her friend's expertise in Indian clothing, Shweta ensures that the boutique meets the growing demand of the Indian community while maintaining affordability. Located at 6398 Tremolite Dr, Castle Rock, CO 80108, United States, Omnama Fashions continues to serve its clients with dedication.

Kalaaz Indian Ethnic Wear

In 2023, Kalaaz Indian Ethnic Wear emerged to address the challenge of finding traditional Indian attire in the United States within budget constraints. Boasting a vast inventory of over 1000 products, including exquisite sarees, ghagra choli for ladies, lehenga choli designs, choli with lehenga, kurtis, ghaghra cholis, dazzling lehengas, vibrant salwar suits, anarkali suits, and indo-western gowns, Kalaaz bridges the gap between rich cultural heritage and contemporary tastes. With meticulous attention to quality and craftsmanship, their finest fabrics and handcrafted designs evoke a sense of royalty. Whether for weddings, festivals, or everyday wear, Kalaaz ensures a diverse array of options. Visit them at 1246 US-46 Floor 1, Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ 07054, United States, to explore their magnificent collection.

Jyotika Patel

Jyotika Patel, the visionary behind Jyotika Patel Designs, initially established Fashion Point in 2003 in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania. Recognizing the growing demand for her designs, she expanded her presence to Dallas, Texas. In late 2015, Jyotika Patel Designs formally launched to cater to the burgeoning demand in Dallas and across the United States. Specializing in original, ethnic yet contemporary Indian designs, women lehenga, lehenga designs for women. Jyotika's creations reflect the rich tradition of embroidery, fabric, and color, particularly from her ancestral region of Gujarat. Located at 608 Valley Ranch Pkwy S Suite 126, Irving, TX 75063, United States, Jyotika Patel Designs offers a diverse range of lehenga for wedding, lehenga for reception, chaniya cholis, sarees, and long gowns, each crafted to capture hearts with their elegance and charm.

#indianwedding #lehenga #indian ethnic wear #boutiqueshopping #indians in usa #indianfashion #style boutique

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wedding-dress-shop · 1 year ago

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The Official Guide to Justin Alexander Wedding Dress Shopping: Tips and Cost

When it comes to the most important dress of your life, Justin Alexander wedding dress is synonymous with timeless elegance and sophistication. However, shopping for the perfect gown is no small feat. To help you navigate through Justin Alexander wedding dresses, we will explore tips and insights into the cost of these exquisite gowns.

Tips for Shopping for a Justin Alexander Wedding Dress

A Justin Alexander dress is always in trend for its quality, classic designs, and a touch of modernity. Consider these tips to shop the best Justin Alexander wedding dress for you-

1. Do Your Research- Start by browsing through the Justin Alexander website and look at the various collections. Pay attention to the styles and details that resonate with your personal taste.

2. Set a Budget- Determine your budget for the wedding dress. Justin Alexander offers a wide range of gowns, so having a clear budget in mind will help narrow down your choices.

3. Visit Authorized Retailers- Justin Alexander wedding dresses are typically available at authorized bridal boutiques. Find a reputable boutique near you that carries the brand and offers a personalized shopping experience. If you live anywhere near San Francisco or Walnut creek you can visit a wedding dress store San Francisco.

4. Book VIP Appointments- Bridal boutiques often operate by appointment. Booking in advance ensures you have dedicated time with a consultant who can assist you in finding the perfect dress.

5. Consider Your Body Type: Keep your body type in mind when trying on gowns. Different silhouettes will flatter different figures. Justin Alexander offers a variety of styles to suit various body types just like a unique plus size wedding dress.

Cost of Justin Alexander Wedding Dresses

Not costly though, but Justin Alexander wedding dress range can vary significantly as your chosen style, and level of embellishment. Generally, you will find Justin Alexander wedding dress ranging from $1,500 to $4,000, with some couture pieces going beyond this range as well.

Conclusion

Shopping for a Justin Alexander wedding dress is an exciting and memorable experience. With attention to detail, a range of styles to choose from and a variety of price points, there is a Justin Alexander gown to suit every bride. By following these tips and being mindful of your budget, you can confidently find the dress that fulfils your bridal dreams.

#wedding dresses #wedding dress #bridal dress

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awhitehead17 · 4 years ago

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Whumptober 2020: Day 10 - They look so pretty when they bleed

Prompt: Trail of blood

Summary: After a nice day out, the Titan’s day takes a turn when they discover blood smeared all over the kitchen in the Tower.

Enjoy! :D

Up to now, it had been a good day. They finally had the chance, for the first time in so long, to go outside and just act like regular teenagers. The three of them went into the city of San Francisco and spent the afternoon milling about, visiting shops, eating cheap café food and watching the world go by.

By early evening they decided that they’ve had enough and headed back to the Tower. The plan, once they got there, was to simply watch movies before calling it a night. The three of them head straight for the kitchen and once there they started to raid the cupboards in search for snacks.

It was here where the day does a complete 180 turn around.

As Kon turned around to open the cutlery draw a dark spot on the light grey counter above it catches his eye. He pauses frowning at it, wondering what it could potentially be. It looked like liquid that hasn’t yet dried meaning it was from something recent. To his knowledge no one else was in the Tower or had been for the entire day so where did it come from?

Kon reaches out and touches it with his finger and upon further inspection he finds out that it’s blood. He turns to the others. “Hey guys, neither of you are bleeding are you?” They both pause their actions and send him questioning glances. He gestures to the blood, “There’s blood on the counter and it’s recent as it hasn’t dried yet.”

“Huh?” Cassie frowns standing next to him inspecting the patch.

“Uh, guys…”

Bart gets their attention and points to the other side of the kitchen towards the exit. It’s then that they see other dark patches spread around the kitchen and even smeared on the floor leading out of the room.

The three of them instantly go on alert.

“Somethings happened.” Cassie states taking the lead. She walks to the other side of the room, studying each dark stain before moving onto the next. “It’s all blood, fresh blood at that. It leads out of the kitchen and down the corridor.”

“I’ll have a look!” Bart suddenly exclaims. Kon just barely gets his hand on his shoulder before he speeds out of the room.

“Woah, hang on a minute. We have no idea what it is or what’s happened. We move together and go from there.”

Bart pouts at him but a firm look from Cassie tells him that it was the right thing to do. The three of them carefully make their way out of the kitchen and down the corridor leading towards the bedrooms.

As they go they follow the continuous blood trail that was left behind, some of it covered the floor, while other parts were on the wall. It was hard to work out what had happened but by how much blood there visibly was, it didn’t mean anything good.

They follow the trail right into the bedrooms corridor. They all end up gawking at one another when they come to find the trail of blood leads into Tim’s bedroom. It didn’t make sense. Tim’s in Gotham, he wasn’t coming to the Tower until next week. Why was there blood leading into his room?

With any prompting, Kon steps up to Tim’s door, by passes his best friend’s security and carefully opens the door up. The bedroom’s light is on meaning they could easily see how the blood trails continues into the room and leads over to Tim’s bathroom.

Kon takes the lead and walks over to the bathroom. The light is on and the door is slightly open allowing Kon to peer inside of it with ease.

What he sees makes him freeze with horror.

He had fallen into some kind of shocked trance and it’s only when a nudge against his back happens that he comes out of it. He bursts into the bathroom staring at the scene. “What the fuck?!”

Cassie and Bart fill in behind him and he hears their shocked gasps and quiet mutters of “oh my god” when they finally see the scene in front of him.

In Tim’s bathroom was Tim himself. His best friend is perched on the toilet, covered in blood, half dressed in his Red Robin suit, which is shredded to pieces and he’s pale in an almost grey way with a giant gash across his stomach. By the looks of it he’s trying to patch himself up but was failing miserably at it. He must have dragged himself all the way here, hence the smeared blood stains everywhere.

At Kon’s exclamation Tim startles and looks their way. His gaze is glassy and he had this sort of faraway look in his eyes. After a moment a dopey grin appears on his face. “Oh hey guys, how’s it going?”

Rubbing a hand over her forehead Cassie sighs. “Please tell me I didn’t hear what I just heard?” She quickly folds her arms over her chest and glares at Tim. “What the hell Tim? We thought you were in Gotham! Why are you in the Tower bleeding to death? You’ve left blood everywhere!”

Tim blinks at her, not seeming to interpret her words. Cassie throws her arms up in the air, “Oh Hera, help me.”

Without any more words she storms forwards and crouches so she’s level with Tim. Slapping his hands away from his wound, she gathers up the first aid kit and starts folding a large bandage in half. “Bart can you go and prepare the med bay, he’s going to need anaesthetic and stitches. Kon, pick him up for me and take him there.”

While a gust of wind announces Bart’s departure, Kon moves forward as Cassie presses the bandage over Tim’s wound, firmly telling him to keep it there. Once she backs away Kon moves in and gently picks Tim up bridal style, trying as much as he can to not put any pressure on his wound.

Of course Tim had to protest to this, as weak as it was. “You guys I’m fine! It’s just a little stab wound. I can handle it.”

“Just a stab wound!” Cassie shouts at the same time as Kon says “Tim, buddy this is way more than a stab wound. Now shut up and let us treat you because you’re not getting out of this one.”

Tim grumbles his annoyance but ultimately slumps against Kon in his hold and doesn’t protest further. Kon sighs, shaking his head. What is it with bats and their lack of self-preservation? Once Tim is better they need to have a serious conversation with their resident bird about it, again.

#Whumptober2020 #day 10 #trail of blood #Tim Drake #Kon-El #cassie sandsmark #bart allen #core four #blood #blood loss #bit angsty #injury #injured tim #Tim's lack of self-preservation #friendship #Teen Titans #fanfiction

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happyweddingblogs · 3 years ago

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11 Best Honeymoon Destinations in The USA

After a stressful wedding planning experience, you deserve to have the most relaxing honeymoon possible, with plenty of privacy and time to enjoy your spouse and union on the whole. Choosing a honeymoon destination is thus critical, and you should carefully consider your options so that you have beautiful memories to cherish for the rest of your life. Out of many fantastic locations worldwide, the USA is one of the perfect places for celebrating your new marriage. But how can you lay your hands on the best honeymoon destinations in the USA that match your individual preferences?

Fret not! In the post, we shall discuss both the best honeymoon destinations in the USA and the tips to select the best destination.

Let’s get started��

When it comes to honeymoon destinations in the USA, there is no dearth of them. The United States is the best place to enjoy post-marriage bliss, as it has a wide range of internationally acclaimed tourist destinations as well as excellent accommodation facilities. The United States, the Honeymooner’s Mecca, offers exclusive honeymoon and bridal suites at various tourist destinations’ luxurious hotels, ensuring a perfect time for the newlyweds.

Though it isn’t easy to narrow down the best honeymoon destinations in the United States as the place is swamped with myriads of the amazing location. Still, we have tried to pen down some of the top honeymoon destinations in the United States that are worth visiting for the celebration of marital bonding. Take a look…

1. Asheville

Asheville, North Carolina, is the ideal location to escape for a honeymoon if you and your spouse want a nice blend of city and country options. Nestled on the outskirts of the incredible Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Asheville is a place for making memories for a lifetime. And the hipster food and art scenes in Asheville are just worthwhile, allowing you to enjoy delectable meals and enjoy life to the fullest. Apart from that, you can enjoy the nearby hiking, white water rafting, and sceneries. Make time to visit the insanely ostentatious Biltmore Estate, which will have you wondering if you’ve been shuttled across the pond to a European honeymoon.

2. Aspen

Aspen is an ideal location for a romantic honeymoon that you will remember for the rest of your life. This picturesque mountain town looks like it came straight out of a snow globe, with picturesque mountain chalets cuddled by the sky-high Colorado Rockies. Though skiing is the main attraction of Aspen, and there are four premier ski areas nearby, besides that, the place provides you with unlimited options to keep yourself entertained, from high-end shopping to visiting fascinating museums, funky galleries, and fun festivals. Whatever you decide to do with your time in Aspen, it will be a honeymoon you will never forget. For decades, this village has been the crown jewel of the Roaring Fork Valley. Besides, this small ski town has long been a haven for celebrities from all over the world.

3. California

With its iconic bay area, California is an ideal location for honeymooners to have the best time of their lives. California has a lot to offer whether you’re a honeymooner or just a backpacker. You can visit California cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and so on that are sure to mesmerize you and your spouse with their variety of entertainment options.

4. Florida

From theme parks to beaches, Florida has a lot to offer. The famous Miami Beach is located in the state of Florida and is an ideal place for honeymoon couples to relax and rejuvenate. Then, Orlando is the MUST VISIT place that many honeymooners choose to visit in Florida because of the presence of theme parks such as Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Universal Studios, Sea World, and others. All of these locations are bestowed with thrilling rides and joyous fun activities that entice tourists, particularly the honeymooners.

Related: Planning Honeymoon? Find The list of Exclusive Tips

5. Hawaii

If you want to have the most romantic start of your nuptial bonding, then Hawaii is the place. The romantic Hawaiian Islands can provide a wonderful start to your married life. Hawaii, with its hidden coves and picturesque beaches, is one of the top tourist destinations in the United States. The essence of Hawaii is mind-blowing natural wonders combined with eclectic beaches and rocking nightlife. And Hawaii’s perfect weather ensures that it remains a popular honeymoon destination throughout the year.

6. Las Vegas

Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the United States, is located in the state of Nevada and is also a great place to visit after getting married. Las Vegas’ perfect nightlife, with its pubs, clubs, discos, casinos, and opulent restaurants, leaves tourists wanting more. The posh restaurants of Las Vegas serve delectable cuisines from around the world. Furthermore, the popular shows and plays presented in the various theatres of Las Vegas hotels are of international caliber and well-received by tourists. It is one of the best honeymoon destinations in the USA for newlyweds wanting to have a modish honeymoon.

7. Maui

Maui, located between the Big Island and the much smaller Molokai, is one of the archipelago’s most popular tourist destinations. This location is ideal for getting a taste of everything the Aloha State offers, from spectacular wildlife to enthralling history and culture. You can wiggle alongside professional hula dancers, sail down a zip line, golf along breathtaking coastal fairways, or do nothing, just relax on some of Hawaii’s most famous beaches while visiting here.

8. Minneapolis

Head to Minneapolis for an edgy spin on a honeymoon getaway, where you can spend a romantic weekend biking around the city, visiting fascinating galleries, and seeing the latest shows. Minneapolis is a big city in Minnesota that forms the “Twin Cities” with St. Paul, the state capital. It’s known for its beautiful lakes and enchanting parks. It has a lot to offer to honeymooners and vacationers. The city is divided by the Mississippi River. Many cultural landmarks such as the Walker Art Center, a contemporary art museum, and the adjacent Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, famous for Claes Oldenburg’s “Spoonbridge and Cherry” sculpture, can be found in Minneapolis.

9. Nantucket

Nantucket, a swanky vacation destination, is becoming posher each year. This tiny island, located about 30 miles south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, is an awesome location for people looking for a summer escape. It does, however, welcome other visitors, such as honeymooners. Hotel rates and food are quite expensive, but some of the most popular island activities are reasonably priced. A proper Nantucket visit entails riding your rental bike through the cobbled streets or lazing on the beach.

10. New York

New York is a city of dreams and an ideal honeymoon destination. From the lush greenery of Central Park to the iconic Statue of Liberty, New York has a plethora of tourist attractions to offer. A newlywed couple can take a romantic evening stroll through Central Park and even stroll through the illuminated Times Square at night. Again, an adventurous honeymoon couple can visit Niagara Falls, which is seven hours away from New York.

11. Savannah

Lastly, in the list, we have Savannah, Georgia. With its astonishing oak trees, stunningly gorgeous architecture, and ridiculously delicious food, this place is one of the insanely romantic and best honeymoon destinations in the United States. There are numerous romantic activities that newlyweds can indulge in, ranging from romantic strolls with their spouse to exploring the wonderful restaurant scene, hopping into a house museum or two, and visiting beautiful spots, among others. The best part is that Savannah is right next door to a lovely beach getaway on Tybee Island, adding another layer to your honeymoon getaway. If you’re planning a long honeymoon in Savannah, then it’s wise to club it with a visit to St. Augustine in northeastern Florida for having an extended romantic time in the USA.

So these are the best honeymoon destinations in the USA that you can pick and choose from to spend a memorable honeymoon of a lifetime. Now, it’s time to look at the ways to find a place for a fantastic honeymoon experience.

Tips To Find The Best Honeymoon Destinations In The USA

Of course, finding an awesome place for a memorable honeymoon experience is not easy. There are a lot of things to consider to lay your hands on the best honeymoon spots that fit in your preferences. Here are some tips to make your search a breeze:

1. Browse top destinations

The coolest thing about the internet is that you can get any information you want in seconds and review the places you’re most interested in. Make the best use of it and look for destinations with a reputation for having the best honeymoon spots, and then make your choice. You can choose a few of the best places and then carefully evaluate each one in terms of what you and your partner prefer the most. Travel websites are also very good at providing you with the information that you require about the best honeymoon destinations in the USA. In addition, you can also get travel deals that save you both time and money.

2. Ask for recommendations

Asking for recommendations from your known people is a good way to find the best honeymoon destination in the USA. Your friends, coworkers, and even family members who have been on honeymoons to the USA may be able to recommend beautiful locations for you to check out and consider. They can even ask around for the best honeymoon spot. Or they can share information about the ideal vacation spots they may have heard of from their contacts, making it easier to check specific places instead of obtaining a ceaseless list of potential destinations.

3. Get professional help

If you’re very busy and don’t have much time to devote to researching the best places to spend your honeymoon, you can have a reputable travel agent do all of the legwork for you. You can list what features you are looking for at the destination and the honeymoon package, in general, to make it easier for the agent to find a place that you are sure to enjoy. Travel agents collaborate with a variety of service providers, including hotels, and it is very simple for them to find you the best places for your honeymoon. You can then go over the detailed reports of the top best places and decide which location best suits your needs for a special time with your partner.

Wrapping it up…

These are the considerations you should make when looking for the best honeymoon destinations in the USA. It is best to plan for the honeymoon at the same time as the wedding to ensure a comfortable transition from the wedding to the honeymoon, especially when you want to begin the honeymoon immediately after your wedding. You can enlist the assistance of professionals and take advantage of honeymoon packages and deals to make the planning process less stressful, allowing you to focus on the wedding.

Furthermore, when choosing a honeymoon destination, consider all-important, such as budget, weather, hotel, romance and adventure, accommodation, and distance, among other factors that directly impact how the honeymoon experience turns out.

Happy Wedding…

#destinationhoneymoon #honeymoon #honeymoonplanning #usahoneymoon

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harryandmolly · 5 years ago

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Change of Pace - 22 (Summer 2019)

cowritten by @achinglyshawn

summary: Shawn and Maya meet again 10 years after life got in the way of love

warnings: language

wc: 4.5k

------------

Shawn and Maya text. Shawn and Maya flirt. Shawn and Maya get ice cream. Shawn watches Maya surf. Shawn and Maya kiss.

The weeks pass quickly. They don’t spend every waking moment together, and it’s nice. Maya has so much time on her hands that it feels like a burden at first. She doesn’t know what to do for a while. There are entirely too many hours in the day. She starts gardening. She surfs more. She does yoga. She paints. She cooks. She talks on the phone with her parents and friends back in Toronto. She sees Shawn a few times a week.

Slow is… kinda nice.

What Shawn and Maya haven’t done is go out publicly with people they know. They’ve spent most of their time in whatever activity they take part in talking, getting to know each other again. Bringing in other people felt unnecessary in some ways.

Maya totally forgot about the bridal shower. Her cousin Margaret is getting married this fall. She’s hosting a shower in wine country, but not with the traditional approach of inviting bridesmaids and other female friends and family of the bride. No, Margaret wanted it to be couple-friendly.

So for the first time, Maya is faced with the reality of deciding whether or not they’re ready to go away somewhere together instead of just enjoying their bubble back in Avila. When she lets herself stop and think about it, she finds that she maybe, sorta, kinda wants him there with her. With her family, with their friends. She’d really like having him at her side.

Standing barefoot in her kitchen with a cup of coffee, she chews on her lip and slides her phone out of her pocket.

Maya: Are you at the shop? Can I come see you?

Shawn: Yep

Shawn: You can always come see me, Lu.

Maya: :)

She feels a spark of excitement in her abdomen and hunts down her flip flops and car keys. On the way to the shop, with the hood down and the wind in her hair, she does something stupid. She lets herself start to picture a weekend with Shawn in Sonoma -- cool breeze in his curls as he lifts a glass of white to his lips, smiling at her with his other hand on her knee, in a nice seersucker suit surrounded by her family.

Stupid.

She shakes it off when she parks outside and heads in, hearing the little bell over the door ding when she walks in. She doesn’t see him right away and doesn’t want to startle him if he’s doing intricate work, so she makes more noise than necessary with her flip flops and clears her throat.

“Baby?”

Shawn flicks his fingers across the newly tightened strings of the Gibson standard bass he’s working on. Taut enough, but not tuned quite right. He teases the smooth pearl tuning pegs until he finds the right sound: not too sharp, not too flat.

He almost drops the bass when Maya calls out for him. He knew she was coming, but she still manages to make his heart race when she appears.

He carries the bass into the storefront, plucking the strings delicately in a smooth, indie jazz rhythm that matches his mellow smile.

“Hey, Lu. How did I get lucky enough for a midday visit?”

Maya tilts her head and smiles, shuffling toward him past a wall of gorgeous instruments. She plants a hand against his shoulder and pops up on her toes to kiss him softly.

She finds her heart is pulsing a little harder than it usually is when she drops by. She tries to ignore it. She’s being silly. It’s probably not even a good idea, given where they are.

She drops back and stuffs her hands in the pockets of her snug joggers. She nibbles on her lower lip and shrugs.

“I wanted to see you. And… well I just remembered I have to RSVP to this thing. My cousin Margaret, the really rich one that’s marrying the hedge fund manager in San Francisco, she’s having this bridal shower in Sonoma. And it’s supposed to be kind of a couples thing. I mean, not everyone there will be a couple. But, y’know… anyway, I was given a plus one so I thought I should…”

She trails off weakly and offers him a little shrug and a smile.

Shawn’s stomach twists as he sets down the bass. He wants to go. He wants to be with her in Sonoma, and he wants her to show him off to all of her friends. He wants her to introduce him as her boyfriend, because he’s pretty sure that’s what he is. For real, now.

But he had therapy this morning, and he can hear his therapist’s voice in the back of his head saying too soon, too soon, too soon. Don’t backslide now!

Shawn clears his throat, pressing one hand to the counter as he pushes away from it. He takes a breath, then says something he really fucking hates.

“You should probably go alone. Right?”

Maya’s overactive heart quiets down. She sniffs and nods at her feet, flicking her head back up with a tired smile. Her unwashed hair falls limp around her cheeks. She sweeps it up behind her ears and finds the courage to speak, hoping her voice doesn’t shake.

“Yes. You’re right. Yeah, I… I should. It’s hard to explain, this thing. I mean, especially with my family there. I just wanted to run it past you, y’know, in case.”

In case what? Her mind mutters at her, In case he wanted to do something stupid and irresponsible with you?

She feels a little guilty for even asking because she made him have to say no to her. She knows how much he hates to do that.

She lifts her eyes back to his. “Anyway, it’s next week. So… I’ll be gone for a couple days. Maybe we can spend some time together before I go?”

Shawn feels his heart break, just a little. Maya looks like a sad, rejected puppy, even though he can tell she’s trying not to. The gentle smile she gives him is tepid, at best. He shakes his head, stepping forward so he can take her hands in his.

His thumbs brush across the backs of her hands. He smiles. “We can spend as much time together as you want. And--” he cuts himself off to clear his throat, reaching one hand up to cup her jaw. He tilts her head back.

“You know I want to go, right? I really-- Shit, Lu. I want to go so fucking bad. I want to spend every minute with you. But we-- I mean-- it’s better if not, right? We’ve made so much progress.”

Maya listens to him with her teeth sunk into her bottom lip and a blush in her cheeks. She places her free hand against his waist and turns her lips into his thumb. She plants a little kiss there.

“Yeah. You’re right. I mean, I know you’re right. I think for a minute I let myself believe it would be fine if we just did it. But you’re right.”

She sighs and hopes it doesn’t come off too spoiled and dramatic. She slides closer to him, taking her hand from his and shrugging her arms around his waist.

“This is all for a good cause, right?” she murmurs, turning her cheek to rest on his chest. Sometimes she needs him to remind her.

Shawn hugs her close. He hates he made her sad, even if they both know, rationally, he was never going to that shower.

He kisses the top of her head and laughs softly, nodding so his nose brushes her hair.

“Yeah, sugar, duh,” he kisses her head again, “The cause is you and me. In an honest, mature adult relationship. I think that’s a really good cause.”

He hums, pulls back from her hair. “Don’t you?”

He reassures her in a way only he can, because she knows he’s the only one that totally gets what they’re trying to do. No one else ever could. Because they’re not Shawn and Maya.

Maya strokes her fingertips up and down his back and noses against his chest. “I do. It’s the best cause.”

She just loses track of it sometimes when she misses him a little extra. The busier she’s made herself lately, the better off she’s been -- she really sees that. Her dependence from this summer is a memory now. But being close with him like this, even just this little moment, surprising him at the shop just to hold him for a while, it’s so good. She wants it more and more every day.

He’s crazily in love with her. He doesn’t know how he had the willpower to say no to her request, save perhaps for his bi-weekly therapy sessions he picked up after their summer relationship went to shit.

He’s gotten courage, he thinks, from both Maya and therapy. And the anxiety meds he started taking after pretending he didn’t need them for so long. He gets less work done at the shop, but he gets more sleep and does better quality work than he ever has before.

She pulls her face up to look at him with a soft smile. She pulls up onto her toes and presses loud raspberry kisses up the side of his neck to make him laugh. She leans up to his ear and whispers.

“Can I stay with you while you work a while? I brought a sketchpad to keep me busy.”

Shawn’s throaty laugh echoes through the store front. He loves her raspberries. Maybe a little too much. He turns his head and presses his lips to Maya’s cheek.

“Pull my leg, why don’t you?” he murmurs, pushing his hands into the pockets of her joggers, curling his fingers in the fabric. He walks backwards around the counter toward his workshop, bringing her with him as he goes.

Maya and Shawn are mostly quiet that afternoon, focused and separate, but together. Maya’s snuggled up on the couch sketching, his trusty blanket resting over her legs while he sands and tunes and lacquers and hums under his breath.

That night they leave together, Shawn struggling to lock the doors one handed because she’s holding the other comfortably hostage in hers. He walks her to her car, they make out against the door until there’s nowhere left to go but under each other’s clothes. So instead they separate, pink-cheeked and satisfied.

Shawn misses Maya the minute she gets out of his Jeep at the airport. They text during her flight, because she’s got the money to pay for inflight WiFi, but he still misses her.

Her absence from Avila is palpable. Even though they hadn’t been spending every second together, he can feel the heavy distance between them and almost wishes he hadn’t said no to her offer.

He calls his therapist, just for the reassurance that they’ve made the right choice.

Later, Shawn decides to surf. He waxes his neglected board the way Maya showed him, then spends the morning paddling through waves but never attempts to actually catch one. It’s refreshing, nonetheless, and he understands why Maya is so drawn to the water.

He doesn’t have any texts from her when he emerges from the ocean. He ignores the disappointed drop of his stomach and trudges through the sand with his bag and his board dragging behind him.

He gets over himself, over the brick sitting heavy in his gut, and goes to his shop to do a few orders he abandoned in favor of driving Maya to airport. A little less lovesick, he falls into the easy rhythm of work and finds the patience he needs to forget his phone exists.

Maya stands just inside the door to the terrace, hidden from view. She chews on the inside of her lips and rolls her ankles carefully in her strappy sandals. She fidgets openly, flinching as cater waiters pass her with trays of expensive hors d'oeuvres meant for her family.

Maya hasn’t seen her parents, aunts, uncles or cousins since last Christmas when she took two days off by company mandate and flew to Toronto to see her family. Her parents carefully and quietly spread the word about her change of coastline and the circumstances around it, which means her whole family will be walking on eggshells around her like she’s mid-breakdown.

There will be questions. Why Avila? Why not go home to Toronto? Why leave Manhattan at all, didn’t you have friends, a whole life? Are you seeing anyone?

That one’s the hardest to answer in some ways.

Maya lifts a hand to her hair, a half up, half down braided situation that she saw on Pinterest. Her floral dress flutters around her legs. She wishes he were here to hold her hand and remind her what’s important.

She closes her eyes and imagines what he might be doing now at home without her.

She opens them and steps out onto the terrace to face the music.

“... and they’re spending the summers in Southampton now, did you hear?”

Maya nods and smiles weakly. All the Manhattan finance shop talk is draining. Everyone around her talks about it like she’s still interested, like she’s been sitting around her cottage wishing she knew what her old coworkers were up to.

She hasn’t.

But Margaret’s fiance Peter is also a finance guy so she’s entrenched in the world once again. She listens politely and offers quiet commentary. Her half-hearted attention doesn’t go unnoticed. Her cousin’s friends look on at her sadly, like she’s acting this way out of regret. She’d love to tell them to go fuck themselves, that her life in Avila is more satisfying than they can even imagine.

And it is. This is the most people Maya’s been around at once this summer. She’s spent a lot of time alone relearning herself. Through surfing and art primarily, she’s not a stranger to herself anymore.

And then there’s Shawn.

By the time Shawn finishes at the shop, the sun has set and he’s itching to see Maya. He can’t, so he texts her as he’s locking up the shop, instead.

Shawn: Hey sugar, how’s SF?

She slides her phone out of her clutch and steps back out of the circle abruptly to look through it. She ignores the sidelong glances at her rude gesture. She smiles at Shawn’s text.

Maya: pretty. Not as pretty as Avila. Missing you.

It’s an understatement.

Shawn doesn’t expect a reply. His phone buzzes in his back pocket while he walks home, and he nearly jumps out of his skin to get it.

His heart lurches in his throat. She misses him. He figured maybe she did, but he tries not to assume. He’s also thinks she doesn’t miss him quite as much as he misses her— but again, he doesn’t want to assume.

Shawn: Already?

Shawn: I think I started missing u even before you left

Shawn: shit that was pretty cheesy wasn’t it?

Shawn rolls his eyes at himself, shoves his phone back in his pocket and fishes out the key to his front door. He likes to pretend he’s not still an idiot around her, but then he types something like that and sends it without thinking.

She probably sees through him easily.

Her mom appears at her elbow with a quirked eyebrow. “Who are you texting?”

Her phone buzzes three times in quick succession in her hand. She blinks, looking down at her phone but not focusing on the messages.

“Shawn,” she murmurs. She lifts her eyes to her mother carefully. After a beat of mental searching, her mom’s eyes widen a bit.

“Shawn? Like, the one that got away Shawn?” Margaret nearly yelps. When Maya looks over, the circle of privileged thirty-somethings are all staring at her curiously.

She quirks a smile. “Yeah. Turns out… I guess he moved to Avila after he left LA. I ran into him earlier this summer.”

“Are you seeing each other?” her mother probes cautiously.

Maya wets her lips, hesitates, and nods. Margaret titters excitedly from the side, filling in some of her friends who aren’t caught up.

Her mother looks oddly pleased. Maya knew she always liked Shawn but assumed she’d have some hesitation about them now given how long it’s been and all that’s happened.

Maya’s mother hums and lifts her glass of champagne to her lips. “Well I’ll be damned. I guess love really does conquer all.”

She wanders away. Margaret and her group have lost interest. Maya is left with the weight of what her mother said. After a few seconds, she swipes open her phone.

Maya: yes. But I like your cheese. It’s… well aged.

She knows he loves when she plays along with his cheesiness via dumb jokes.

Maya: my mom says hi

He doesn’t have to wait long for the next reply from Maya. He stands in the middle of his lonely bedroom and decides to shed his gloss-covered work clothes before letting himself look.

The seconds go by and Shawn counts each one, each second he wastes so it doesn’t seem like he’s clinging to his phone, waiting for her.

He’s trying to teach himself how to be okay without her. He knew how to do it, once before. Things are different now though.

He takes a breath, naked save for the black briefs that cling to his hips and stretch across his aching thighs. He squats too much at work. He should invest in a shorter work stool.

He decides his needs to lie down.

Draped comfortably across his bed, Shawn finally allows himself to fetch his phone from the bedside table.

Shawn: hey! you’re cheesy too

Shawn: and she does?

Shawn: are u sure she remembers me?

Maya snags a petit four off a passing waiter’s plate. She gives it a squeeze and soft raspberry jam starts spilling out the side. She pops it in her mouth and sucks on her fingertips, smiling as she stares at her phone like a teenager. She doesn’t notice her parents whispering and chuckling to themselves in the corner, watching her.

Maya: she definitely does

Maya: Margaret just referred to you openly as “the one that got away”

Maya: not anymore I guess. I reeled you back in

She gathers when called. The bride and groom are starting to open gifts. With Shawn’s help, she chose a gorgeous set of steak knives off their registry.

Shawn blushes like a teen girl as he reads Maya’s texts. He’d always thought her mum liked him. The years haven’t lessened that, it seems. He feels lucky, so fucking lucky that he didn’t romanticize everything good about their old relationship.

Shifting on the bed, he settles deeper into his pillows. His fingers click away on his phone.

Shawn: shit

Shawn: you did you sneak

Shawn: also I think ur officially way cheesier than I am

A thought occurs to him. He frowns.

Shawn: is she pissed I didn’t come? was that rude?

Maya watches curiously as Margaret and Peter collect thousands and thousands of dollars of gifts. They look happy. Not just getting presents happy, but really happy. They look content, like as long as one is close to the other, they’re ok.

She swallows and thinks of Shawn again.

She tunes back into her family and tries to focus on them. The truth is, she really has missed them, even the crazy ones. When she was in Manhattan, she hardly ever saw her parents. And Margaret and Peter, who live in Manhattan, were a three-times-per-year event. They never gave her shit for it, no one ever told her she was being selfish. They accepted her and her drive and her goals.

It’s all different now.

She looks back down at her phone.

Maya: Not at all. She didn’t know I was seeing you again until I just told her. And I told her we’re taking it… slow.

Slow. How do you know when slow is supposed to kick up speed a little? How is that measured? Is there a time frame? Stats? A chart of some kind?

All she knows is she misses him. It’s not a desperate feeling, she’s not aching or on the verge of tears, she just feels far from him. A little cold, a little distant, a little quiet.

She misses him.

Shawn sits up. They are taking it slow. They’re taking it slow and he’s sitting home alone, waiting around for texts from her like a lovesick puppy. He’s pretty sure this isn’t how his therapist would want him to cope.

He decides to go to dinner, maybe have some drinks and play a set at The Sand Trap. Not that he doesn’t want to be texting Maya, but he doesn’t want to continue being his own person in her absence.

That’s what grown ups do.

He texts her before he heads out.

Shawn: okay. as long as your friends and family don’t think I’m a total dick

He sits at the wheel of his Jeep. Texts her again.

Shawn: i think I’m gonna premiere a new song tonight

He wasn’t planning on it, but he thinks he will. She’s heard bits and pieces of his new song, but he hasn’t felt comfortable enough with it to play the whole thing for her. Shawn thinks, perhaps, a dry run in front of a room full of strangers who don’t mean the works to him might help.

Maya’s eyes bug. The dinner has started but she took a moment to glance at her phone before the salads arrive. She thumbs through Shawn’s text, sure she read it wrong.

Maya: seriously?? Can’t believe i’m missing that.

She wonders which song it is. Is it the one she’s heard part of? She doesn’t know what it’s about, but it sounds good. She sighs.

Maya: I’m super proud of you. You’re gonna be wonderful

Shawn feels only a little bad. Maybe he shouldn’t have mentioned it, should’ve tested it out in secret so she wouldn’t know she’s missing anything. Guilt lingers in his stomach, but he knows doing this is good for his independence.

Which, ultimately, is good for them.

Shawn: it’s only for practice

Shawn: so I can get used to it, relax before I play it for you

He wants it to be perfect for her, but perfect is a lofty, unnecessary goal. He knows she’ll love it either way.

But still, he texts her again.

Shawn: just want it to be the best it can be before you hear it

Dessert comes before Maya checks her phone again. She’s a few glasses of wine in and blushing over the idea that Shawn wants to practice a new song in front of a crowd of strangers before the main event, singing it for her. She knows that’s backwards. She loves it.

Maya: I love--

Maya stops. Her thumbs drop heavy onto her phone. Her heart rate rises.

She started to type “I love you for that.”

She didn’t stop because it’s not true. She stopped because that’s not how she wants to say it again after all this time. She wants to say it for real, unequivocally, to his face.

Because she does love him.

Maya: I love that. Have fun tonight <3 see you soon

Shawn’s settling into a burger when his phone buzzes again. Despite the urge, he doesn’t drop his burger in favor of checking it. He takes a hearty bite, let’s himself enjoy it before wiping grease from his fingers and carefully lifting his phone.

It’s seems like a sign off text from her. He only lets himself be a little disappointed. The stage is his at 9:30, so he’s got a schedule to stick to. It’s probably best he not be distracted by flirting with Maya all night.

He sends her one last text anyway, though. Just because he can. Because she sent him a little heart emoji and she knows he’s a sucker for that.

Shawn: same to you, sugar

Shawn: text me when you get to your hotel room

Shawn: just so i know you’re safe and all

He tucks his phone into his pocket, then tucks back into his burger.

Maya’s night ends after the dinner. She crawls into bed with a smile and watches “The Other Woman,” not because she can’t fall asleep without it, but because she misses it.

Brunch is a parade of wide-brimmed hats and expensive sundresses. Maya is seated next to her mother Wendy beside a column of wisteria, sipping mimosas.

Wendy takes Maya’s hand and holds it in her lap. “Missed you, little girl.”

Maya smiles a little wistfully. “I missed you too, mama. But I’ll be coming back to Toronto more often now that I’m not working.”

Wendy’s smile is wise and comforting. “I’ll be very happy about that, but that’s not what I meant. I meant… I missed you. You, my Maya. I missed the stories you tell when you’re not living out 80 hour weeks in an office just to survive. I missed the way you always have paint under your fingernails. I missed the way you correct my posture and tell me to do more yoga.”

Maya chews the inside of her lip. Her eyes well a little. She nods carefully.

“I was gone for awhile. I think… I think I’m back now.”

Wendy bobs her head. “You know, it was always ok with me, whoever and whatever you wanted to be. I never complained about your job. I thought for awhile it was what you really wanted. You threw yourself into it with such passion and drive. But it burned you out so fast.”

“I was so scared to try to be the thing I always was. To be the best version. It seemed so much easier to be something I knew I could be good at just because I’m smart and I’m tough. I think I really did like it for a time. But it’s not who I am,” Maya says quietly.

Wendy smiles and cups her daughter’s cheek. “Who you are is everything to me.”

Maya closes her eyes. She leans into her mother’s hand.

“Are you going to let him take care of you?” Wendy whispers.

Maya’s eyes flutter open. Her mother’s smile has turned a little mischievous.

“Shawn?”

Wendy nods. “I think that’s all he’s ever really wanted to do. You always took such good care of him. You weren’t as good at letting him care for you. I think you should work on that.”

Maya’s throat clenches. Moms know everything. She sighs from deep in her chest.

“I’m gonna do my best.”

“That’s all you’ve ever needed to do, baby.”

--------

Taglist: @smallerinfinities @the-claire-bitch-project @achinglyshawn @infiniteshawn @mendesoft @singanddreamanyway @alone-in-madness @abigfatmess @shawnitsmutual @awkwardfangirl2014 @september-lace @sinplisticshawn @rollingxstone @randi-eve @fallmoreinlove @heyits-claire @itrocksmysocks @parkerspicedlatte @simpledomain @abeautiful-and-cloudy-day @thecurlsofgod @magcon7280 @bensbuttercup @shawnsmusical @paigeasourous @tell-me-when-ur-ready @softmendesss @searchingunderthestars @buggy-blogs @mendesficsxbombay @siennarossi @lostinshawnsmemory @umbreakablesoul @sleepybesson @shawnsheaven @desire-to-live @jillian-nd @shawnwyr @curlsofshawn @graysonmendes @tnhmblive @meltingicequeen

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samiraaraghi · 10 months ago

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jlalafics · 5 years ago

Text

Part Four of “Rent Control”

We’re at the end...sort of. I’m a little nervous about this part and will be hiding with Toddler J (actually we’ll watching The Great British Baking Show in bed).

Please enjoy and I’ll see you at the epilogue!

If you haven’t read the other parts, follow the links below:

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Summary: Katniss Everdeen has found the perfect home in San Francisco—great neighborhood, an easy commute and, best of all, it’s rent controlled. There’s only one problem; the landlord will only rent to a married couple.

Enter Peeta Mellark.

_____

Rent Control

Part Four

“Katniss! Get out here!”

Effie was getting impatient.

“I’m coming!”

Katniss stared at herself in the mirror, her hands dancing over the delicate fabric. Effie was right; the silhouette was still in fashion. Thanks to her mother, Daphne, and Effie, the gown fit perfectly to her body.

However, when she looked in the mirror, Katniss felt like a fraud.

A beautiful couture fraud—but a fraud, nonetheless.

“Come on! Come on! Come on!”

This time it was her mother.

With a sigh, Katniss stepped out of the Abernathy guest room and into the living room.

There was a collective sigh as the three older women gazed at her in all her bridal glory.

She turned to the mirror that Effie had placed in the room to take a real look at herself.

The gown was off-white, sleeveless, with a modest V-neckline. The skirt was made of tulle while the top half was a satin bodice with a tulle overlay. It suited her olive coloring, making her skin look even richer and her dark hair lustrous.

Her mother’s contribution was the periwinkle blue band on the gown’s waist so she would have her ‘something blue’ while the jeweled flower resting on one side of the band was from Daphne. It would be her ‘something new.’

“It’s missing something,” Effie said as she approached her. Reaching into her pocket, the woman pulled out an ornate pearl hair clip. “This was my mother’s. She wore it on her wedding day—” Effie swallowed shallowly before continuing. “—I wore it for mine.” She then arranged it so that it clipped back one side of Katniss’ long locks. “And, now you’ll wear it for yours. It’s your ‘something old and borrowed.’”

“Oh Effie.” Her hand went to the delicate clip. “I couldn’t possibly—”

Effie shook her head. “A long time ago, we found out that it would be difficult for us to have children.” She let out a shaky breath. “And, now it seems unlikely—but I’d like to think that if I had a girl, she’d be similar to you. I mean, you have Haymitch’s coloring and your scowls are very alike!”

Katniss wiped her eyes before giving Effie a smile in the mirror.

“I’d be honored to be your pretend daughter…even though you would have to had been around 17 when you had me!” Katniss replied.

Effie tapped at her nose. “Somewhere around that age.” She kissed Katniss’ cheek. “You look beautiful.”

Katniss looked at herself in the mirror; she did look beautiful—as radiant as the sun.

It wasn’t real though.

And, then she could no longer face her reflection.

++++++

Peeta knocked on the closed door of Johanna’s boutique, spying Katniss in the window. Giving him a drawn smile, she placed the till back into the register and rounded the counter to let him in.

He couldn’t put his finger on it, but something had shifted in their relationship. Katniss was different; it wasn’t that she was any less affectionate. When they were alone, they had more than their fill of passion—lately, maybe even more so.

That fire in Katniss, however, seemed to have dimmed since that first dinner with their families.

“Hey,” she greeted him as the door was opened and he walked in quickly. “Johanna just left and I’m finishing up.”

“Do you need help?” he offered.

“You just finished up next door,” Katniss responded. “You still want to help?”

“Of course—if it means we get some time to ourselves,” Peeta said. “What do you need? I can fold or arrange the shoe display…”

He gave her a playful grin and Katniss let out a laugh—it felt good to hear it. She had been off in her own world, at times, and Peeta wanted nothing more but to make her smile.

It wasn’t hard to admit that he lived and died for that smile.

“How about you wipe the mirrors in the dressing rooms and then run the dry mop through the floor?” she suggested instead. “Cleaning supplies are in the back.”

Before long, they fell into silence. Peeta could hear her arranging the hangers on the various racks in the store as he wiped down the mirrors.

“Katniss?” he found himself calling out.

The shuffling of hangers stopped. “Yes?”

“What’s going on with you?” Peeta knew that he was treading a thin line. There was no response. “I can feel it. You’re pushing me away. Not physically—” He placed the rag down and pushed himself onto a seat in the small dressing room. “It’s just that I wake up every morning and then we lock eyes…you used to give me this smile—a smile just for me. You don’t do that anymore…”

He looked down at his folded hands, waiting for her response.

However, there was only silence.

“I’m sorry.”

Peeta looked up to find Katniss in front of him, her gaze on his hunched figure.

“Did I do something wrong?” he asked her.

Katniss knelt in front of him, her hand going to the nape of his neck. “No, you didn’t do anything.” She pressed her forehead to his. “It’s just been hard with our parents, your brothers, Prim…the fact that we’re supposed to get pretend remarried in like three days. It’s a lot.”

“I miss you,” Peeta admitted. “I mean, you’re with me—in my arms, in our bed—but you’re also a thousand miles away.”

She bit her lip anxiously before looking into his eyes.

“I know that I’ve been distracted, but there’s been a lot on my mind,” she said. “This whole wedding…and our families being so bonded now…it’s become bigger than us.”

He nodded in understanding. “I just don’t want to lose…us.”

“Scoot over.” Peeta shifted to give her space on the seat. Instead, Katniss sat on his lap. “You haven’t lost me. I guess I miss what we had before all of this craziness. I miss waking up to quiet mornings, lounging in bed and binge watching something on Netflix, Farmers Markets…you know this is the first time in almost two weeks that it’s just been us.”

“It has, hasn’t it?”

Katniss wrapped her arms around his neck. “Right now, I’m part angry, part exhausted, part horny…”

“Why are you angry?” he asked.

“I just want to find Gale and punch him in the nuts,” she muttered. “Him and his dumbass mouth—”

“Find me an address and I’ll come along with you,” Peeta said and Katniss grinned. “As for being tired, Prim told me before I left for work that she’s going out with Johanna and my brothers tonight for some sightseeing. I can draw you a bath so you can get some of that tension out.” He pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “As for being horny…”

She shifted, straddling him, and Peeta groaned.

“I’m wearing these new linen pants,” Katniss started, her lips going to the side of his mouth. “They’re supposed to feel like I’m wearing nothing at all.” She moved along him and a sliver of heat ran up his spine. “What do you think?”

“How about you close that curtain and we make a comparison?” Peeta countered, his hands already reaching for the button on her waistband.

Katniss grinned. “Of course. Anything for a customer.”

++++++

“I hate you so much right now,” Johanna told Katniss the next morning.

Prim, who was shuffling through Katniss’ closet, turned to her sister and new friend.

“What did Katniss do?”

“You had sex in my store!” Johanna looked to Katniss, who looked down at the bridal magazine on her lap. “Don’t deny it! My morning lead just texted and asked why there’s handprints all over one of the dressing room mirrors! She says it looks like someone was trying to recreate that car sex scene in Titanic!”

“Glimmer is so dramatic,” Katniss replied. “It was not that bad.”

Johanna turned to her; arms crossed. “So, you don’t deny it?”

“No, I don’t.” Katniss closed the magazine before meeting her eyes. “It’s been weeks since Peeta and I have been alone. There are people in every nook and cranny of this building—and it was either against the mirror or on the seat. That cushion is disgusting!”

Johanna suddenly pulled her to her plush chest.

“I’m so proud…my little Katniss has finally done the dirty at work! It’s a milestone, you know.”

Katniss snorted. “Don’t get too excited. We did it at the coffee shop before all this craziness happened.”

“Gross!” Johanna grimaced. “Which roast was it on? I prefer no jizz in my coffee.”

“That was more than I needed to know,” Prim said. She met her sister’s eyes. “So, how are you doing? I know you and Peeta have agreed to continue on after…but this ceremony has kind of thrown a monkey wrench into your plans.”

“It has,” Katniss agreed. “But, what can we do?”

“I don’t know. How about admit that Peeta is stone cold in love with you?” Johanna said. “I mean, come on!”

“Love?” Katniss had a sudden interest in the bedspread. “We like each other, and we lust for one another, but love is a whole different spiral that we can’t get into.”

“Can’t or won’t?” Prim questioned. “I know you. Ever since that dipshit Gale broke up with you to sample what California had to offer, you’ve closed off. You were a romantic once—you followed a boy all the way to San Francisco—”

“And, what did that get me?” Katniss burst out.

“Open those pretty grey eyes, Katniss! It got you Peeta!” her sister countered. “And he is a hell of a lot better than Gale Hawthorne ever was for you.”

“I know.”

The bedspread was suddenly stained with tears.

“And it’s because we’ve stayed within the bounds of friendship. Anything else could be a disaster.” Katniss met her sister’s somber eyes. “And I’d rather have him everyday just as he is, than to not have him if it all falls apart.”

“Shit.” Johanna wrapped her arms around the Everdeen sisters. “This just became more complicated than a simple screw in my dressing room.”

++++++

“Where’s Katniss?” Peeta’s mother asked.

“She, Johanna, and Prim are having some girl time,” he informed her as they walked down the busy neighborhood, full of storefronts and restaurants.

“I think Katniss is going to be a great addition to the family,” Daphne told him, linking her arm through his. “She’ll be really good for you. She is really good for you.”

“Mom.” Peeta turned to her in e. “I want you to be happy for me because I am doing things for myself and I’m trying to prove that I can run a Mellark Bakery all on my own here. I don’t want you to be happy for me just off of who I married.”

“Peeta, I am happy for you,” his mother responded. “When we first arrived, there was a look in your eyes. I could see that you have come into your own. Katniss—she might not be all of the reason, but she is some of it. The Peeta I remember couldn’t even commit to a time to visit his mother and father.” She stopped and turned to him. “Now, he has committed himself to the love of his life.”

Love. There was that word again.

More and more the word played in his mind. It was the whispered word that escaped his lips whenever he woke up to see Katniss lying next to him.

“Thanks, Mom.” Peeta stopped to look around the busy street. “Where are we?”

“Your business proposal somehow made its way onto the breakfast tray that Effie and Haymitch gave your father and me this morning,” his mother said. “There was also a printout of this listing.”

Peeta looked up at the storefront. It was a two-story brick building with large display windows flagging the entrance door. It wasn’t much; but with a good layer of paint and from what he could see of the inside, a good layout and design for the interior, it could be something great.

“What do you think?” Peeta turned to his mother, who watched him in anticipation. “Do you think that this would be a good location for the first west coast Mellark Bakery?”

“It’s perfect,” he said in awe. “Good neighborhood, close to retail, and easily accessible.” Peeta grinned at his mother. “Who gave you the printout?”

“There’s only one person who would know where you kept your business proposal,” Daphne said, a small grin on her lips. “Consider this a wedding present.”

++++++

“Katniss!” Peeta slammed the door behind him. “Are you home?”

“Yes!” came the response from their room. “Are you alright?”

“I’m perfect! Wonderful even!”

The papers had been signed just this afternoon and he, Peeta Mellark, now owned his own bakery space. Yes, he would be paying his parents back until the end of time, but it would be all worth it to run his own business—and Katniss would have their space to design the best-looking bakery that San Francisco had ever seen.

Not to mention, he made a kickass cheese bun.

He froze in his tracks, sensing something…off. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing.”

He whipped around at her voice and the air left his body.

There Katniss stood in her wedding dress. She awkwardly held the skirt as she walked towards him.

“Effie and my mom did the final fitting,” Katniss explained. “What do you think?”

His mouth rose in a grin and Peeta reached for her hands, his eyes roaming the satin and tulle gown, before meeting her anxious eyes.

“You’re beautiful.” Katniss flushed at his words. “I thought I wasn’t supposed to see the bride in her gown.”

“Well, we’ve pretty much said ‘up yours’ to tradition,” she replied. “What’s a few minutes of you seeing me in this get-up?”

Peeta lifted her chin to look into her deep, slate eyes. When did he start caring for nothing but her happiness?

It might have been forever.

It probably would be forever—even when this charade ended, and they separated.

And, suddenly he ached.

“May I kiss the bride?” he asked, bringing her close.

Katniss nodded. “Of course.”

Their lips met, chastely at first, before his bride pressed forward to deepen the kiss.

He lost himself willingly to the taste of Katniss…an eternity could have passed—and he couldn’t give a flying fuck.

The knock came abruptly.

“Peeta! Get your ass out here!” It was Bran. “We’re meeting up at Beetee’s for beers!”

“I forgot that our parents demanded that we spend the night apart before the wedding,” Katniss said. “Prim and Johanna should be here any minute.”

“Of course,” he replied as they pulled apart.

Hesitantly, Peeta walked backward towards the door, his gaze on her.

She raised a brow at him. “What?”

“I don’t think I’ll ever forget the sight of you in that gown for the rest of my life.”

Peeta quickly turned to walk out the door before she could even respond.

++++++

Katniss couldn’t sleep.

Next to her, Prim and Johanna were knocked out. Her sister wore a tiara in her tangled locks while Johanna sported a hat with an outrageously large penis. A half-eaten tray of cookies baked by her in-laws laid between the two.

It was while watching The Wedding Date that they had drifted off. However, sleep did not come for her so Katniss remained awake, tense in the thoughts of tomorrow.

Getting up, Katniss reached for a sweater from the closet, carefully leaving the bedroom so she wouldn’t disturb her sister and friend.

She couldn’t breathe…she just needed to get out.

That’s how Katniss found herself walking down the stairs onto the main floor and into the backyard.

The sight before her almost brought her to her knees.

White chairs had already been set out for the ceremony; a good number of friends and neighbors were excited to attend. To each side of the apartment building, long buffet tables were set up as Annie’s staff would be arriving midday to set up for the reception. At the end of the right side was a singular table for the wedding cake.

It was unbelievable how it had all fallen together.

She continued down the aisle and towards the lush flower archway where the ceremony would take place. Haymitch had set up a platform before it so that Beetee, who had volunteered as officiant, would have a place to stand before them.

At the end of the aisle, Katniss settled on the steps of the platform, looking around.

It was exactly the kind wedding she had dreamt of—except in her dreams, she wasn’t drowning in guilt.

A breeze hit and she wrapped her sweater tighter around herself and let out a breath.

“How the hell did I get here?”

“I was about to ask myself the same question.”

Peeta.

He made his way down, smartly wearing a puffer jacket and not the flimsy crap that she had donned.

“Couldn’t sleep?” she asked as he joined her on the step.

“Nope.” Peeta looked out at the scene before him. “I couldn’t sleep after all the marriage advice our dads and Haymitch decided to give me…by the end, it was extremely graphic.”

“Gross.” Her head went to his shoulder. “So…tomorrow?”

“It’s after midnight so more like a few hours from now,” he replied.

“I wish it could’ve been different.”

The admission had come out suddenly.

“How?” he asked after a moment.

“Like we would have actually been dating and then you do the whole shebang—tell me how deeply you’re in love with me and get down on one knee.” She sighed. “Isn’t that how all love stories are supposed to happen?”

“I think love stories are what a couple makes of them,” Peeta said.

“And, how do you think our story would’ve gone?”

“I’m not sure.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I just know that I would love you till there was no breath left in my body.”

Katniss swallowed the sob threatening to escape her lips.

“That’s all anyone could really ask for—someone till the end.”

“Ride or die,” Peeta agreed.

She snorted. “How very Fast and the Furious of you.”

Tell him.

The treacherous thought screamed in her brain, but her logical—fearful—thoughts fought it. Her heart couldn’t bear the thought that he might not feel the same, that they would hurt each other, and that she would lose him.

So instead, Katniss pulled away.

“I better go up. Prim and Johanna might sleep eat all your parents’ cookie and choke to death. That would be a real bummer on the wedding.”

Peeta nodded. “I’m just going to spend a few more minutes here.”

They reached for one another, their mouths meeting, and Katniss pressed everything she felt into that kiss—the happiness, the fear, the pain—but most of all, the love.

When they pulled apart, Peeta’s eyes were closed, a smile on his lips. “Wow.” He met her eyes. “I’ll see you at the end.”

Katniss stood. “I’ll see you at the end.”

Shakily, she made her way down the aisle and was halfway through when—

“Katniss?”

She whirled around to see Peeta staring at her.

“Sunset. It’s my favorite part of the day. Our families and friends would be there. I probably wouldn’t get down on one knee though—”

“Because you have a trick knee from a track injury,” she said. “And, your favorite color is that orange that happens to the sky at sunset. I wore—”

“You wore that dress on our first date because it resembled the color,” he finished for her. Her breath caught seeing that look in his eyes. “And, you looked beautiful—but well to me, you were always gorgeous, inside and out.”

Katniss managed a smile. “Goodnight, Peeta.”

“Sleep well, Katniss.”

But, for the rest of the night, sleep did not come.

++++++

“Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit…”

Katniss was getting married today.

Okay—not really married, but really recommitting herself in front of her friends and family.

Not to mention, the film and camera crew her parents hired.

Prim and Johanna had given her a few minutes to herself so that she could settle her nerves. Her hands moved over the skirt, smoothing non-existent wrinkles.

She made a picturesque bride; her makeup had been done perfectly, just some eyeliner, lipstick, and concealer because Effie had almost fainted at the dark circles under her eyes. Her mother and Daphne had sprayed and pinned the pearl clip into her hair before putting one more ‘protective’ layer of hairspray—a bird could crap on her head and the stuff would probably slide off from the slickness of her locks.

Johanna had given her a NuBra to wear and Katniss chuckled knowing that Peeta would have more than likely insisted on removing it.

There was a knock on the door. “Katniss, are you ready?”

It was her Dad.

She rushed to open the door and her father stepped in, looking rather dapper in his tuxedo.

“My God, sweetheart,” he breathed. “You’re a dream.”

Katniss looked at him nervously. “Really?”

“Okay, it’s kind of my nightmare. I’ve been dreading this moment for twenty-four years,” her dad admitted. “But your mother and I couldn’t be happier. You picked a good one.”

Katniss nodded in agreement. “I really did.”

Her father held out his arm. “You ready?”

Taking a deep breath, she took his arm. “Let’s do this.”

++++++

Stepping out into the backyard, Katniss let out a breath, a tremble rushing through her at seeing the number of guests.

Together, she and her father began their walk. Somewhere—violinists?—her mother’s influence she was sure, played ‘La vie en rose’ as they made their way down the silk carpet sprinkled with pale pink rose petals.

Her eyes went to the guests; Cinna had come all the way from New York while she saw that some of her parents’ colleagues had made their way over from Connecticut, as well. Closer to the front, Katniss saw Wiress—invited by Beetee as his date—who gave her a bright smile. Thresh, who stood next to Glimmer, was eyeing the pretty blonde.

Her eyes watered seeing Effie and Haymitch. Effie immediately burst into tears seeing Katniss in her gown and she thought how her landlord must be imagining what might have been for her and Haymitch—if life had been fair on them. Haymitch with his protective nature would have made an outstanding father and she had no doubts about Effie’s maternal instincts.

Katniss realized how much she had come to love them like family.

Then, there were the Odairs; Finnick looking dapper in his navy suit while Jack matched him perfectly with his own miniature version. Annie had recovered nicely from pregnancy, beautiful and glowing with Sarah and Rose in her arms.

Johanna and Prim were her bridesmaids, wearing sage green dresses and matching chignons. They both beamed seeing her. Bran and Alex made dashing groomsmen in their grey tuxedos, each swoonworthy in their own right.

Then, there was Peeta.

Katniss couldn’t help but tremble at the sight of him.

“You okay there?” Stephen asked his daughter, feeling her shiver.

“Yes, just more nervous than I thought,” she replied.

He chuckled softly, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek.

“How can you be nervous when you have a man looking at you like that?”

And, yes—Peeta looked unbelievably handsome, wearing a suit matching the charcoal of her eyes.

However, it was the look in those blues of his—that earnest, full look that made her feel like she was floating on air.

Peeta stepped forward and her father embraced him before taking both their hands to clasp them between his own.

He looked between them. “Take care of each other.”

Quickly, her father joined his mother’s side.

Her eyes went to Peeta’s, who grasped her hand. “You okay?”

“Are we really doing this?” she asked as they stepped up the platform where Beetee waited.

“Whatever happens,” Peeta said, his eyes already knowing her thoughts. “I’m with you.”

Her hand went to cheek. “Just trust me.”

“Of course.” He turned to press a gentle kiss into her palm. “Always.”

They both turned to her guests.

“We have something to say,” Katniss began.

“Can’t this wait?” her mother asked.

“No…no…” They stepped down from the platform as Katniss shook her head. “We can’t.”

“What is going on?” Daphne said tightly. “Are you having second thoughts? It’s a little late for that. You two are already married.”

“No, Mom.” Peeta looked to her and she nodded. “We lied to you…to everyone. We’re not…actually…married.”

“You see,” Katniss started. “My lease was up at my last apartment and Peeta couldn’t afford his since his roommate was going to be leaving. Then, we both just happened to see this ad for this wonderful apartment—”

“Except that tenants had to be married and so we told them we were,” Peeta finished. “We made up this fake love story and took pictures at City Hall. And, it just snowballed when everyone showed up and you all planned this beautiful wedding.”

Katniss’ gaze went to Effie and Haymitch, their expressions unreadable, and she felt her heart squeeze in pain.

She and Peeta betrayed them and they would most likely never forgive them.

“And, we just couldn’t bear to hurt all of you,” she said. “Because we fell in love with you.”

Finnick furrowed his brow from his seat. “Me? Sorry guys, but I’m taken.”

Katniss choked back her laugh. “Not you! Well, kind of you and Annie…and just everyone.” Peeta squeezed her hand. “We grew to love every one of you and you became family to us. This building, all of you—you are home to us.”

“But, what about you two?” Her father asked. “You’re not in a relationship?”

“That’s kind of tricky.” Her eyes went to Peeta’s. “But the point is that the marriage was not real…we’re…not real.”

There was silence.

A long silence.

Somewhere there was the faint sound of an ambulance—probably coming just in case there was bloodshed.

“Bullshit.”

Katniss shot up in shock. “Excuse me?”

Annie looked her straight in the eyes.

“Bull. Shit.” She shifted, handing Sarah to Finnick, who had just made Jack cover his ears. “Hold on.” Annie adjusted Rose against her chest, undoing the buttons of her dress before guiding the baby to her nipple. “Okay, I’m ready to continue. It is absolute bullshit that you two aren’t honest-to-God in love!”

“Annie, I’m honestly having a hard time computing your words with your boob hanging out,” Katniss retorted.

“Well, I’m feeding my child, Katniss,” Annie argued. “Because I love her and that’s what you do for people you love. You take care of them—just like you and Peeta take care of each other.”

“You know…” She and Peeta turned to Beetee in front of the archway. “She does have a point.”

“You too?” Peeta replied incredulously.

“Actually, we all find it surprising that you’re not in love with one another,” Christopher informed them.

“We do like each other,” Peeta assured him.

Daphne shot up. “You’re lying!” She pointed an accusing finger at her son. “I know you, Peeta. I knew you were lying when you were eight and told me that the neighbors’ dog ate your father’s birthday cake and I know you’re lying now about not being in love with Katniss.”

“Mom, I think there’s a big difference between eight-year-old me and me now,” Peeta responded.

“You were a better liar before,” Bran pointed out with a smirk.

“It’s all over your adorable Mellark face,” Alex said.

Peeta turned to her, his complexion pink at his family’s blunt assessment of his feelings.

“You know I care for you, right?” he asked.

Katniss took his hand. “Of course, I do.”

Peeta started, his gaze on their joined hands and something shifted in his stare.

He suddenly shook his head, letting out a small laugh.

“I really am an idiot.” Peeta looked to her, his eyes warm. “Katniss, I am in love with you.”

Katniss felt her chest constrict at his words. “What?”

“I think about how after this you’re not going to be next to me when I wake up in the morning—”

“Aww,” Prim cooed.

“And, those nights when we’re in bed—”

“Yeah, nobody needs to hear the details,” Stephen interrupted.

“But the point is that I want you in my life,” Peeta said. “I want to be with you for as long as you’ll possibly have me.”

Katniss stood silent, her hand dropping from his grasp, as those last words fell from his lips.

“Katniss Everdeen!” Her mother stood from her seat. “Say something.”

Peeta loved her.

And then, as sudden as a flash of lightning, she realized what she wanted.

“Effie, Haymitch.” Katniss looked to her landlords, she and Peeta’s practically surrogate parents. “Do you forgive us?”

The couple look at one another, communicating silently, before turning to them as she held her breath.

“We do,” Haymitch said finally.

“However, you can only stay in your apartment…” Effie’s lips rose in a small smile. “…if you continue on with the ceremony.”

Katniss turned to Peeta, taking his hand once more. With her other hand, she lifted the skirt of her gown.

“What are you doing?” Peeta asked.

Slowly, Katniss knelt, going on one knee in this gown seemed impossible but she was making it happen, before him. “It’s sunset.” Her eyes went to everyone in front of them. “And, we’re with our family and friends…and I love you. So, Peeta, will you?”

After a moment, Peeta replied, a wide grin on his lips, “Get up here so we can finish this.”

Carefully, they got Katniss to her feet before joining Beetee in front of the archway.

Beetee looked between them. “You two realize that this isn’t an official ceremony, right?”

She and Peeta look to one another, before nodding at Beetee.

It was real enough for them.

End of Part Four

Next: One year later…

Right now, I’m a glass case of emotion.

I’ll see you at the epilogue.

-JLaLa

#Rent Control #Everlark #Everlark Fanfiction #Part Four #any guesses on what happens in the epilogue?

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