[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

[heartvestment]

"Ri-ight." She pauses for effect. "I can stuff five, can't I?" And here is her lunging to do just that.

[unsungheart]

And there are the boxers. No, not plaid. Not even flamingos. Nope. Adorable pigs. Don't judge, Edie.

He grabs her, though. "C'mon, babe, be a Huntly. It's time for Whitney."

[heartvestment]

So beautiful. She’s so proud of her fashion-conscious baby cousin. “Fine,” she relents, giggling ridiculously as she stumbles into him. “Okay, what are we gonna sing?”

[unsungheart]

"I Will Always Love You is incredibly depressing," he says, and taps his fingers against his thigh, looking serious. As if his pants weren't falling down. "Maybe, I Wanna Dance With Somebody?"

[heartvestment]

"Yeah, and you can't hit those notes anyway." Huff huff she's the best. "You want to start it? I'll do interpretive dance."

[unsungheart]

"And you sound like a frog anytime you go below middle C," he points out with a raised eyebrow. "Better you than me," he says, and then goes ahead and starts.

Edie evidently forgot about the existence of falsetto.

[heartvestment]

She can’t do it. She has to burst into giggles at the falsetto, though she’d be suitably impressed if she was more sober. “You’re—no, you’re- ridiculous!”

[unsungheart]

"It's the only way to hit those notes," he says tipsily. "Without being a castratto and Dad didn't put me through that one, thank the lord."

[heartvestment]

"That doesn't mean it doesn't sound hilarious," she points out, draping her arms around him. "But please. Continue. Your audience awaits," she proclaims, gesturing grandly.

[unsungheart]

"Uh-uh. This is, what, my third song?" Maybe fourth. He's lost count along the way. "Your turn. Wow me, babe."

[heartvestment]

"Theeeeen again, maybe we should be turning in for the night. Don't wanna keep anyone up too late." Just watch her squirrel out of this.

[unsungheart]

The wings might have been a mistake here. They give him something to grab, and a way to lever himself up. "Jordan Novak's watching, Edie," he whispered. "Going to chicken out in front of him?"