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rainbowfic2024-01-23 01:38 am
bookblather) wrote in rainbowfic2024-01-23 01:38 am
Ecru 9, Wedding Dress White Saturation: Expectations
Author: Kat
Title: Expectations
Story: Shine Like It Does
Colors: Wedding dress white saturation, ecru 9 (prefer)
Supplies and Materials: Seed beads (Katie is an old friend of Christopher's), miniature collection, wood (I genuinely don't know when I started this but it was at least one computer ago), stain (Some have been thought brave because they were afraid to run away. - Thomas Fuller), novelty beads ("I could leave but I'll just stay;/All my stuff's here anyway." - Pinch Me, Barenaked Ladies), gift wrap (it's all about a wedding), canvas (the Hennessy kids are either very young or not born, I haven't quite figured out the timeline)
Word Count: 1500
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Katie getting married.
Warning: parental... abuse? Neglect? Something in there.
Notes: I'm not using this as a prompt, but happy birthday, Mr. Potato.
1. proposal
Katie said yes because, frankly, everyone expected her to.
She expected her to, come to think of it. When Edward had started hinting about marriage, she just... went along with it. It was the next step. Perfect childhood, prestigious college, good job, steady boyfriend, now marriage. Edward wasn't a Hennessy, but that was really the only downside her parents could see.
So when Edward took her out to dinner and knelt by her chair, she said yes and everyone clapped, and the gold diamond ring was just a little too small for her finger, but what did that matter, really?
7. exchanging rings
Did she even really like her ring?
Katie examined it sometimes, when no one was looking. She’d had it resized, so at least it fit now, but it seemed… obvious. As if Edward had gone to Tiffany’s and asked to see the most stereotypical engagement rings they had.
That was probably, she admitted to herself, exactly what he’d done. Gold and diamonds surrounding a four-carat centerpiece. It was not a ring that effaced itself: you practically had to be blind to miss it.
“Not the Hennessy diamond,” her mother had said, “but not bad nonetheless.”
But did she like it?
12. witnesses
"We have to invite my boss," Edward said. "Perhaps the CEO? He won't come but he might appreciate the gesture."
“Of course,” Katie said, automatically, and added their the names to the guest list.
The sad part was that she had no one to add for herself. She would have liked to invite Christopher and Isobel, but her family had never forgiven Christopher for failing to propose and Isobel for marrying him instead. Besides, she couldn’t imagine them having fun at her wedding.
Not that society weddings were supposed to be fun, only elegant.
She guessed it might be that.
13. best man
Her lack of friends became an even bigger problem when it came time to choose her bridesmaids.
“No one?” her mother demanded. “At all? What about your roommate, from college?”
Katie had had four roommates, none of whom paid any attention to her. Not that she wanted them to; they were all the kind of pretty, bubbly, popular girls who always intimidated her. They probably didn’t remember her. She shook her head.
Mother rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’m sure some of your cousins will suffice. Pity Edward doesn’t have a sister.”
Pity Katie didn’t. She would have liked an ally.
2. fancy dress
Mother didn't like any of the dresses Katie picked out. Which was fair. She'd chosen them sort of at random, since she didn't really know what looked good on her. Pamela Carrington was one of the most stylish women on the West Coast; Katie just wore what her mother told her to. Why should her wedding be any different?
She didn’t much like the dress Mother chose either, but it looked good. Uncomfortable, yes, hot, and itchy where the lace overlapped the silk, but it looked good. Mother told her so.
All right, then. It was only for one day.
4. wedding china
"Oh no, dear," Edward said gently, and took the flowered china plate out of her hands. "That's much too... much for us."
Katie looked at the pattern wistfully-- she liked flowers-- then nodded. "All right. What do you think we should choose?"
He contemplated the samples laid out for them, the shop owner hovering behind with a smile nailed to her face. Katie knew how she felt.
“This, I think,” he said, finally. “The Nymphenburg. People will know.”
Know what, Katie wanted to ask, but she knew. They would know it was eight hundred dollars a plate.
She nodded again.
3. reception
Neither Edward nor Mother cared much about food, so Katie got to choose the menu herself, a high honor. Not that she enjoyed it. There were so many options, so many little dishes and tiny samples on minute silver spoons.
It was a winter wedding, not that it got cold here, so... comforting foods. Tomato soup, small fried cheeses. Roast chicken and beef for entrees. The cake was someone else’s choice, but she added petit fours, enchanted by the decorations.
Mother only hummed when she saw Katie’s choices.
She wasn’t entirely surprised that Mother changed it all the next day.
9. eloping
Edward and her mother fought over the honeymoon destination. Her mother suggested skiing in Switzerland, or simply going to Hawaii. Edward felt both were overdone: he wanted to safari in South Africa, or Australia.
Katie didn’t much want a honeymoon. Skiing didn’t appeal. Safaris did, a little, but she didn’t want to take the long plane flights. Hawaii sounded nice, with its lush vegetation and gorgeous flowers, but Edward was dead-set against it. She let them argue it out; it didn’t really matter. Either way she’d spend two long weeks with Edward.
In retrospect, that should have told her something.
10. chapel
Wayfarers Chapel was the only venue she could see herself choosing. Redwoods surrounded the little building. Plants grew in profusion beneath an arched glass ceiling, all around the sanctuary’s edges. Behind the altar window, the land dropped away, down to the wild blue sea.
Edward shrugged when she showed him pictures, and said, “Whatever makes you happy.”
“It can only host one hundred people,” her mother said. “It’s not enough.”
“For the ceremony,” Katie said, as firmly as she could, “it’s enough.”
Mother sighed. “It’s a Lloyd Wright,” she said. “I suppose that has to do.”
Katie booked it immediately.
5. bouquet
When Mother sent her to choose the flowers, she gave a very specific set of instructions. White, since wedding colors were white and silver. No roses; they were overused and bourgeois. Nothing under a certain dollar value-- Katie had to bite back a laugh at that, after bourgeois.
What had Isobel had? She'd liked those, even though she hadn't seen them very well from the back of the church. White, and thick-petaled, with slick green leaves.
Gardenias, the florist suggested, and they looked right. Katie rubbed a petal between her fingers; the thick, waxy feel reassured her.
"These," she said.
6. throwing rice
Mother had the courtesy to ask Katie what she wanted for the reception, though she ignored every answer. Truthfully, that was for the best. Katie wasn’t a stylish person. She didn’t know what looked good. Hadn’t her dress made that clear? Hadn’t she learned better by now?
She didn’t feel she needed to be present for the endless meetings, since no one cared what she thought, but Mother insisted. Color schemes, quartet auditions, cake tastings where she never got a taste.
Eventually she just looked straight ahead, a pleasant smile pinned on her face. She had learned that by now.
11. certificate
The chapel, it turned out, provided their own minister, and no other officiants were allowed. Katie didn’t see why it mattered- it wasn’t as if anyone involved was religious- but her mother was furious. It was a good thing it was too late to choose another venue, or Katie might have lost her chapel too.
She was absolutely being punished, though. There were problems with the license, with her dress, with her shoes and hair and crooked smile. “You should know better,” Mother snapped. “You should know this by now.”
She was so tired. Did she even want this anymore?
8. getting married in the morning
Everyone got cold feet. Katie knew that. It was perfectly normal to be unable to sleep the night before one’s wedding. It was also perfectly normal to think wildly about calling the whole thing off. Obviously a silly thought- after all the time and money and energy everyone had spent- but a normal one nonetheless.
It was probably normal, too, to look at her dress and feel panic rise in her throat. It’s too late, she thought, you can’t back out now, and of course she didn’t want to back out, it was just cold feet.
Everyone got cold feet.
14. maid of honor
Her maid of honor, Caroline, a cousin she barely knew, was happier to be here than she was.
“Your wedding day!” she chirped, setting Katie’s veil atop a carefully-crafted updo. It itched. “Aren’t you happy? You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” Katie said, and managed a smile that even she could see was wan.
Mother tsked, and nudged Caroline aside to readjust the veil. It itched worse. “It’s just nerves,” she said, in a tone that admitted no other interpretations. “Everything will go perfectly. Now, Katherine, smile like you mean it.”
Katie swallowed down nausea and did as she was told.
15. you may now kiss the bride/groom
And suddenly she was waiting in the vestibule as the music played and her bridesmaids went on ahead. And suddenly she was walking up the aisle on her father's arm, a smile nailed to her face. And suddenly she was looking up at Edward, her hand in his, as he looked right through her. Her heart sank.
The minister smiled at her. She thought wildly that it was the first really kind expression she’d seen all day. “Do you, Katherine Carrington, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
And, because everyone was expecting her to, Katie said yes.
Title: Expectations
Story: Shine Like It Does
Colors: Wedding dress white saturation, ecru 9 (prefer)
Supplies and Materials: Seed beads (Katie is an old friend of Christopher's), miniature collection, wood (I genuinely don't know when I started this but it was at least one computer ago), stain (Some have been thought brave because they were afraid to run away. - Thomas Fuller), novelty beads ("I could leave but I'll just stay;/All my stuff's here anyway." - Pinch Me, Barenaked Ladies), gift wrap (it's all about a wedding), canvas (the Hennessy kids are either very young or not born, I haven't quite figured out the timeline)
Word Count: 1500
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Katie getting married.
Warning: parental... abuse? Neglect? Something in there.
Notes: I'm not using this as a prompt, but happy birthday, Mr. Potato.
1. proposal
Katie said yes because, frankly, everyone expected her to.
She expected her to, come to think of it. When Edward had started hinting about marriage, she just... went along with it. It was the next step. Perfect childhood, prestigious college, good job, steady boyfriend, now marriage. Edward wasn't a Hennessy, but that was really the only downside her parents could see.
So when Edward took her out to dinner and knelt by her chair, she said yes and everyone clapped, and the gold diamond ring was just a little too small for her finger, but what did that matter, really?
7. exchanging rings
Did she even really like her ring?
Katie examined it sometimes, when no one was looking. She’d had it resized, so at least it fit now, but it seemed… obvious. As if Edward had gone to Tiffany’s and asked to see the most stereotypical engagement rings they had.
That was probably, she admitted to herself, exactly what he’d done. Gold and diamonds surrounding a four-carat centerpiece. It was not a ring that effaced itself: you practically had to be blind to miss it.
“Not the Hennessy diamond,” her mother had said, “but not bad nonetheless.”
But did she like it?
12. witnesses
"We have to invite my boss," Edward said. "Perhaps the CEO? He won't come but he might appreciate the gesture."
“Of course,” Katie said, automatically, and added their the names to the guest list.
The sad part was that she had no one to add for herself. She would have liked to invite Christopher and Isobel, but her family had never forgiven Christopher for failing to propose and Isobel for marrying him instead. Besides, she couldn’t imagine them having fun at her wedding.
Not that society weddings were supposed to be fun, only elegant.
She guessed it might be that.
13. best man
Her lack of friends became an even bigger problem when it came time to choose her bridesmaids.
“No one?” her mother demanded. “At all? What about your roommate, from college?”
Katie had had four roommates, none of whom paid any attention to her. Not that she wanted them to; they were all the kind of pretty, bubbly, popular girls who always intimidated her. They probably didn’t remember her. She shook her head.
Mother rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’m sure some of your cousins will suffice. Pity Edward doesn’t have a sister.”
Pity Katie didn’t. She would have liked an ally.
2. fancy dress
Mother didn't like any of the dresses Katie picked out. Which was fair. She'd chosen them sort of at random, since she didn't really know what looked good on her. Pamela Carrington was one of the most stylish women on the West Coast; Katie just wore what her mother told her to. Why should her wedding be any different?
She didn’t much like the dress Mother chose either, but it looked good. Uncomfortable, yes, hot, and itchy where the lace overlapped the silk, but it looked good. Mother told her so.
All right, then. It was only for one day.
4. wedding china
"Oh no, dear," Edward said gently, and took the flowered china plate out of her hands. "That's much too... much for us."
Katie looked at the pattern wistfully-- she liked flowers-- then nodded. "All right. What do you think we should choose?"
He contemplated the samples laid out for them, the shop owner hovering behind with a smile nailed to her face. Katie knew how she felt.
“This, I think,” he said, finally. “The Nymphenburg. People will know.”
Know what, Katie wanted to ask, but she knew. They would know it was eight hundred dollars a plate.
She nodded again.
3. reception
Neither Edward nor Mother cared much about food, so Katie got to choose the menu herself, a high honor. Not that she enjoyed it. There were so many options, so many little dishes and tiny samples on minute silver spoons.
It was a winter wedding, not that it got cold here, so... comforting foods. Tomato soup, small fried cheeses. Roast chicken and beef for entrees. The cake was someone else’s choice, but she added petit fours, enchanted by the decorations.
Mother only hummed when she saw Katie’s choices.
She wasn’t entirely surprised that Mother changed it all the next day.
9. eloping
Edward and her mother fought over the honeymoon destination. Her mother suggested skiing in Switzerland, or simply going to Hawaii. Edward felt both were overdone: he wanted to safari in South Africa, or Australia.
Katie didn’t much want a honeymoon. Skiing didn’t appeal. Safaris did, a little, but she didn’t want to take the long plane flights. Hawaii sounded nice, with its lush vegetation and gorgeous flowers, but Edward was dead-set against it. She let them argue it out; it didn’t really matter. Either way she’d spend two long weeks with Edward.
In retrospect, that should have told her something.
10. chapel
Wayfarers Chapel was the only venue she could see herself choosing. Redwoods surrounded the little building. Plants grew in profusion beneath an arched glass ceiling, all around the sanctuary’s edges. Behind the altar window, the land dropped away, down to the wild blue sea.
Edward shrugged when she showed him pictures, and said, “Whatever makes you happy.”
“It can only host one hundred people,” her mother said. “It’s not enough.”
“For the ceremony,” Katie said, as firmly as she could, “it’s enough.”
Mother sighed. “It’s a Lloyd Wright,” she said. “I suppose that has to do.”
Katie booked it immediately.
5. bouquet
When Mother sent her to choose the flowers, she gave a very specific set of instructions. White, since wedding colors were white and silver. No roses; they were overused and bourgeois. Nothing under a certain dollar value-- Katie had to bite back a laugh at that, after bourgeois.
What had Isobel had? She'd liked those, even though she hadn't seen them very well from the back of the church. White, and thick-petaled, with slick green leaves.
Gardenias, the florist suggested, and they looked right. Katie rubbed a petal between her fingers; the thick, waxy feel reassured her.
"These," she said.
6. throwing rice
Mother had the courtesy to ask Katie what she wanted for the reception, though she ignored every answer. Truthfully, that was for the best. Katie wasn’t a stylish person. She didn’t know what looked good. Hadn’t her dress made that clear? Hadn’t she learned better by now?
She didn’t feel she needed to be present for the endless meetings, since no one cared what she thought, but Mother insisted. Color schemes, quartet auditions, cake tastings where she never got a taste.
Eventually she just looked straight ahead, a pleasant smile pinned on her face. She had learned that by now.
11. certificate
The chapel, it turned out, provided their own minister, and no other officiants were allowed. Katie didn’t see why it mattered- it wasn’t as if anyone involved was religious- but her mother was furious. It was a good thing it was too late to choose another venue, or Katie might have lost her chapel too.
She was absolutely being punished, though. There were problems with the license, with her dress, with her shoes and hair and crooked smile. “You should know better,” Mother snapped. “You should know this by now.”
She was so tired. Did she even want this anymore?
8. getting married in the morning
Everyone got cold feet. Katie knew that. It was perfectly normal to be unable to sleep the night before one’s wedding. It was also perfectly normal to think wildly about calling the whole thing off. Obviously a silly thought- after all the time and money and energy everyone had spent- but a normal one nonetheless.
It was probably normal, too, to look at her dress and feel panic rise in her throat. It’s too late, she thought, you can’t back out now, and of course she didn’t want to back out, it was just cold feet.
Everyone got cold feet.
14. maid of honor
Her maid of honor, Caroline, a cousin she barely knew, was happier to be here than she was.
“Your wedding day!” she chirped, setting Katie’s veil atop a carefully-crafted updo. It itched. “Aren’t you happy? You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” Katie said, and managed a smile that even she could see was wan.
Mother tsked, and nudged Caroline aside to readjust the veil. It itched worse. “It’s just nerves,” she said, in a tone that admitted no other interpretations. “Everything will go perfectly. Now, Katherine, smile like you mean it.”
Katie swallowed down nausea and did as she was told.
15. you may now kiss the bride/groom
And suddenly she was waiting in the vestibule as the music played and her bridesmaids went on ahead. And suddenly she was walking up the aisle on her father's arm, a smile nailed to her face. And suddenly she was looking up at Edward, her hand in his, as he looked right through her. Her heart sank.
The minister smiled at her. She thought wildly that it was the first really kind expression she’d seen all day. “Do you, Katherine Carrington, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
And, because everyone was expecting her to, Katie said yes.
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