THE WEDDING CHAPTER 1-1
683 Words
THE WEDDING CHAPTER 1
Emma Jane was nervous. She'd struggled to recognize the odd sensation at first. She was rarely anxious, but when she was, it was usually due to the possibility of a brutal, bloody sudden death, not a public event where people would merely be watching her speak. As she sat quietly and listened to the people milling around her, she couldn't help but wonder what exactly she’d gotten herself into.
"Absolutely not! If we're going to do this, we're going to do it right!"
Vanessa's firm tones intruded onto Emma Jane's silent reflection, causing her to smile despite the fact that she was on the verge of running away with her tail between her legs. You’d think after everything they’d already been through together that arranging a reception for Vanessa's family and friends to celebrate their elopement shouldn't be that big a deal. After all, they’d fought a witch and a yeti, spoken with the spirit of a powerful medicine man, and had already taken the leap into marriage without any hesitation.
Intellectually, Emma Jane knew that nothing was going to happen at the ceremony to change their union and told herself that everything would be fine. But, the knowledge she’d be surrounded by what seemed like every person Vanessa had ever met in less than twenty-four hours filled her with an unexpected amount of trepidation.
Perhaps it’s because I’ve spent so much time alone, or maybe, it’s because every time I’ve been near a large group of people something bad has happened.
"Emma Jane? What do you think?"
Emma Jane startled, turning her head to see Vanessa looking at her from across the room; her fists balled on her hips as she tapped the toe of her right foot.
Emma Jane groaned inwardly. While she hadn't been with Vanessa very long, she already knew that look far too well. That was the look of Vanessa on the verge of losing her patience. With an average bride, that might have meant a tantrum. With Vanessa however, it could mean an indoor tornado. Literally.
Emma Jane stood and quickly moved to stand at Vanessa’s side, looping her right arm through Vanessa's left and giving her a quick side hug.
"I'm sorry, Vanessa. I was distracted by all the noise. What did you ask me?"
Emma Jane turned her cloudy eyes toward Vanessa, grateful to see the edge of irritation smooth out as Vanessa looked down. Her shoulders relaxed as she gave Emma Jane an apologetic half-smile, then rubbed her face with her other hand.
"Oh my God, Emma Jane. I don't know if I'm going to make it through tomorrow. What was I thinking? This is making me crazy!"
Emma Jane tried to give her a reassuring smile, but couldn't help that her thoughts closely mirrored Vanessa's.
"You were thinking that your mom and dad were disappointed they weren't there for the original wedding. You wanted to give them a more traditional service, so that they could celebrate our happiness with us, and you also wanted a pretty dress and a party with all your friends."
Emma Jane spoke the words by rote, having already had this discussion what felt like a thousand times over the last week, each time Vanessa began to panic about the big day. For someone who was an extrovert, loving crowds and all the attention that came with being an actress, Vanessa had surprised Emma Jane by being a complete bundle of nerves during the entire planning process. Apparently being extroverted did not correlate to enjoyment of the planning portion of the party.
Luckily for Emma Jane's sanity, and for the world at large remaining in one piece, they were going to have a simple service at their favorite local dim sum restaurant. The place held importance for the group of girls and their friendship, so when Cat initially suggested it as a possible location, Vanessa had leapt at the idea. It was the same restaurant where Vanessa's best friend had been proposed to by her husband, as well as a place where the girls had eaten many times after a long day of work or school. As their established gathering place for camaraderie and comfort food, the restaurant was seen as ideal for the occasion.
––––––––
- Writer
