[OTA] We Are Gathered Here | The Fox-Kattalakis Wedding

[headfollowheart]

A few things had gone wrong, honestly. There had been some confusion in the morning when they’d arrived to decorate the church - a few bouquets on the altar, some green and blue ribbons twined around a few of the posts - and it’d been locked. She’d managed to leave Spade Castle with her dress, veil, the coin from his mother strung on a thin leather thong, the emerald silk sash and Victor’s ring - but of all things, she’d managed to leave her shoes in their box in the closet, and Chives had had to go back for that. Hadyn looked a little green from his adventure shanghaiing Victor with Ben and Elisha, her cousin Sara had in usual Sara fashion managed to break the heel on her left shoe. Nerves finally hit as Chives was braiding her hair, and by the time the veil was settled over the smooth curls, her nails had left indents in her palms.

In the end, though, it was pretty much perfect. Two of her closest friends preceded her down the aisle in soft blue dresses with forget-me-nots in their braided hair and small posies in their hands. She’d walked towards her fiance on her brother’s arm with her hands full of spring flowers, and after the words were said and Victor lifted the veil, they were married. It only felt a little different than before, Zoe thought as their brief kiss ended. But it was different; she was Zoe Fox.

Zoe Fox knew, of course, that Victor Fox would have preferred them to just slip back to their apartment - no big party, no flowing wine and hors d'oeuvres - but she’d wanted something. And he’d given her carte blanche in the end, really; she’d chosen the small reception room that opened out into the Castle gardens, she’d picked the combination of hyacinths, hydragea, and lily of the valley for the table arrangements, the Greek-flavored menu of spanakopita, wild green and strawberry salad, linguine primavera and herb-encrusted lamb. She’d pored over cake designs until she finally picked a vanilla bean cake with strawberry puree filling, decorated in vanilla buttercream. She’d pruned the list of friends, family and acquaintances who might be expected to be invited to the wedding reception until they numbered barely fifty.

Under the strict supervision of Chives, of course the reception looked perfect, she thought as they arrived, and she smiled as she slipped her hand into Victor’s arm and the full skirt of her dress swirled against both of their legs. Perfect, though perfect didn’t matter quite so much to her right now.

Comments

[the_songbird]

She'll slide her arm into his gracefully and take a sip of her own champagne. Getting drunk, of course, isn't on the agenda, but a little bubbly never hurt anyone, right?

And maybe they'd include some Dean Martin too, at least.

"Thank you, Alasdair. Just want to make sure you know how wonderful you are."

Of course, when they get cake, it will become more difficult to hold champagne and keep their arms linked but not impossible if she sets her champagne flute down and picks up slices for them both. "It's almost a shame something so lovely had to be cut up."

[dreamsofwords]

Alasdair didn't like Dino as well, really. Something too lounge about him, in the end. But he wouldn't say no to Sammy Davis, Jr. Maybe some Nat King Cole.

"I don't know," he says to the comment about the cake. "It is pretty. But it's the kind of pretty that's meant to be eaten. They can make something pretty in a different way tomorrow."

[the_songbird]

"I expect they'll be something pretty for quite a long time." But of course, she's thinking about Victor and Zoe and the way they're both so happy together.

And certainly the sadness about the cake being cut up doesn't actually stop Elani from eating it. And absolutely nothing will keep her from dancing once that's done.

[dreamsofwords]

Nothing will keep Alasdair from dancing with her, frankly, and he twirls her out on the floor before raising an eyebrow at her.

"I didn't realize we'd be practicing swing dance so soon."

I've been watching too much dancing with the stars

[the_songbird]

"Well, the music kind of lends itself to it, doesn't it?"

You know, as opposed to, say, waltzing. Or jive.

"Rather do a foxtrot, mm?"

[dreamsofwords]

"I had all these plans to do a rendition of Stayin' Alive tonight too," Alasdair says as he shrugs out of his suit jacket and drapes it over a nearby chair. If they're going to dance, after all...

"Oh, well. Guess we'll make do?"