living_history (living_history) wrote in the_colony, @ 2010-10-28 22:52:00 |
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Entry tags: | ^ week 22, analise gordan, bridget mackenzie, | ana and bridget |
Week 22: Sunday
Characters: Bridget and Ana
Location: Bridget’s Room
Summary: Ana breaks the news to Bridget about the upcoming nuptials.
Rating: PG
As a rule, Ana was loud and confrontational. There was a reason she and Drew complicated each other so well; he tended to be the more thoughtful and sensitive of the pair. Still, the tension between Bridget and Meg after the blind woman’s husband returned had been enough for even Ana to pick up on. It had to be heartbreaking for Bridget - pregnant and alone, she knew that Ana and Drew has found each other again and then the same thing happened for Meg. It was only natural to be upset. Ana would have been, if it were her.
Ana didn’t want to upset Bridget further with news that Drew had proposed. The best thing would be to share the tidings in private with the other woman. Bridget was Ana’s friend and deserved to have her feelings respected and considered.
It was possible that Bridget was napping, so when Ana knocked on her bedroom door, she did so lightly.
Bridget woke from a light doze at the sound of the knock on her door. At first she thought she’d imagined it, but when the sound came again she started working on getting herself upright. “Who is it?”
Ana ran her thumb across the band of her right and then stuck her hands in her pockets. “It’s me, darlin’.”
“Hi Ana, give me a sec.” Bridget sat up and pushed herself off the bed, then moved to open the curtains to let some light into the room now that she was up and about. Once that was accomplished, she moved to open the door. “Hey there.”
Ana smiled at her, acutely aware of her hands. “Hi, hon. I’m not botherin’ you, am I?”
“Of course not, don’t be silly,” Bridget smiled at her friend and stepped back to allow the other woman to come into the room. “I was about to get up soon anyway,” she called over her shoulder as she moved back to the bed to sit on it.
Ana followed along, taking a seat next to Bridget. “I’ve got a bit of news I wanted to share before it goes runnin’ all over the house.” Bridget quirked an eyebrow in curiosity, wondering what it was that Ana was going to announce that she wanted to talk to her first.
“What is it? Am I not the only expectant mother in the house anymore or something?” Lord knew Ana and Drew weren’t the quietest couple in the house, and sometimes Bridget thought they had to be part rabbit.
“What?” Ana laughed. “Are you kiddin’? No. No, that’s not it. But...Drew did ask me to marry him.”
“Oh!” Bridget wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that for a heartbeat. On the one hand, she was genuinely happy for Ana that Drew had finally gotten off his high horse and decided to make a genuine commitment to the woman he professed to love. On the other, it was just another milestone that Jake wasn’t here to share with her. “That’s wonderful!” She was aware of the pause that had occurred between Ana’s announcement and her own response, but she put a large smile on her face nonetheless and hugged the other woman. “How are you going to do it?”
Ana was relieved to not have to worry about her hands anymore and she hugged Bridget back with enthusiasm. “We haven’t figured that out yet. I know there’s nothin’ stoppin’ us from just decidin’ we’re married but that doesn’t feel official. So it’ll be...somethin’...in front of everybody.”
“That’ll be great.” Bridget enthused. “We can even have a special dinner to celebrate, our own version of a wedding reception.” She’d always adored weddings, and her own had been something she would always cherish. “I’m so happy for you Ana!”
“Thank you,” Ana said warmly. “That means a lot. I know things’ve been hard for you, recently.” It might have been better not to remind Bridget of that but Ana couldn’t stop herself.
Bridget’s smile dimmed a little and she glanced down at her stomach. “I miss him.” She said simply, being honest with her friend. “I know Jake’s probably dead and gone, but I can’t help but wonder when I see you come back, and then Mike. If the two of you could beat the odds, why couldn’t he?”
“I know, sweetie,” Ana answered. “I wish he could, too. I know it’s hard for you and those jelly beans you got.”
Talking about it just dredged up all the old feelings of loneliness and jealousy that she tried so hard to ignore. Most of the time these days she was able to succeed, but right now with Ana bringing the subject up along with her announcement it was impossible. She wiped a tear off her cheek and looked away. “He’s not going to show up on a white horse, so I’ve just got to suck it up and deal, right?”
Ana wrapped an arm around her friend’s shoulders. “You don’t have to suck anythin’ up, sugar. There’s nothin’ wrong with missin’ him.” She wondered if Bridget had ever allowed herself time to grieve. “We all love you so it’s okay to be upset.”
“Missing him isn’t going to bring him back.” Bridget sniffled. “If that were the case he’d have been back the first night we were apart.” What did god or the gods have against her that Drew and Meg had seen their loved ones returned to them but her Jake remained absent? It wasn’t fair.
“That don’t mean you have to stop missin’ him.” Ana couldn’t imagine what it must feel like for Bridget - pregnant with a man’s children who was never coming back.
“I don’t think I’ll ever stop missing him.” The words were spoken quietly, but heartfelt nonetheless. “But I can’t let it stop me up every time something good happens to someone else. Like you and Drew getting married.”
“Thanks, hon,” said Ana. “We were thinkin’ we’d do whatever it is New Year’s Day so it won’t be too much longer and then it’ll be settled.”
“That’s not much time at all,” Bridget said thoughtfully. “You’ll let me know if you need me to help you out with anything won’t you?”
“‘Course!” Ana answered with a smile. “Honestly, right now the only thing I can think of is what the hell am I going to wear?”
“I’m sure we can find some wedding gowns in this town someplace.” A thoughtful frown crossed Bridget’s face as she considered the problem, relieved to have something else to think about than her own issues. “We can look in the phone book and see what turns up, if you want to have a traditional dress that is.”
Ana screwed her face up, considering it. “I don’t know. You think I’m a puffy white dress kind of person?”
“Puffy, no.” Bridget eyed the other woman thoughtfully. “But there are all kinds of white wedding dresses out there. This is going to be your day, and hopefully you’ll be spending the next fifty years with Drew. Make it special for you.”
“I’ll have to think about that.” She reached out and squeezed the other woman’s knee. “Thanks, Bridget. You need anythin’ now you’re up?”
“I might waddle downstairs and get a snack,” Bridget decided after a moment’s thought. “Give me a hand up?”
Ana stood, offering Bridget her hands. “Come on, sugar. I’ll go with you.”