Alice Ayres thinks love is enough. (loveisenough) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-09-07 02:06:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | !complete, alice ayres, isabela |
Who: Alice Ayres and Isabela.
What: Dress shopping for Isabela's wedding.
When: Friday, 9/6.
Where: Bridal shop.
Rating: PG-13.
Status: Complete!
Isabela had the day off, and she’d left messages for a few of her friends to see if they wanted to meet her at the bridal shop to help her try on wedding dresses. She was excited - it made the whole thing more final, somehow - and hoped at least one person would show up.
Alice texted back that she was on her way. She kissed Jefferson on the cheek and let him know she’d be back soon, that she wanted to help her friend. Soon she parked her car and waved at Isabela, hugging her and kissing her on both cheeks. “Hello, gorgeous!”
Isabela saw Alice pull up and grinned, coming outside to hug her friend. “Hello, darling! I’m glad you could make it; I need some good eyes to help me with this. Alone I’ll pick something that makes me look like a cupcake. Or worse, pregnant.”
“Oh, are you?” Alice giggled, hugging her and running her fingers over her friend’s hair. “Congratulations.”
“Oh, Maker, I am not.” Isabela was not interested in children, at least not right now. “I have enough problems with the furry children.” She held the door open for Alice, heading inside behind her. “Your beau let you come in the middle of the day? Or are you off?”
“What’s wrong with the furkids?” Alice grinned, walking inside with Isabela. “And he did, yeah. I’m just probably going to be part time anyway, I’m going to audition for a burlesque revue.”
“Oooh, burlesque?” Isabela was intrigued. “That’d be brilliant for you. A bit classier than plain old stripping, yeah?”
“Oh, yeah. And I’d get to do the hostess work when I’m not dancing - the owner’s Japanese - so I get to play armchair psychologist again. I missed it.” Alice couldn’t help but wince. It made her sound a bit weird.
“You’re just good with people.” Isabela smiled. It was one of the reasons she’d wanted Alice here - Alice had a highly developed sense of propriety, but not in a prudish way. She could tell what was appropriate and what wasn’t, but never made one feel judged.
“Aww, thank you.” Alice motioned Isabela in after her, beaming. “I like to think so.” She just realized that life boiled down to one thing - differences. Everyone had them, and she respected them all.
“Now I can only hope you’re good with dresses.” Isabela grinned. She said hello to the saleswoman, telling her they were there to keep her appointment. “I’m going to try on every bloody thing that catches my eye, so I hope you don’t bore easily.”
“God, no. Maybe someday you can do the same thing for me. Here’s hoping.” She crossed her fingers - eventually.
“Oh, I’m sure of it, luv.” Isabela laughed. “You have a lovely bloke. Who is, by all accounts, mad about you.” She began to look on racks of dresses as she spoke. “Would you consider it? Marrying, I mean?”
“Yes. I’d have considered it months ago.” Most people didn’t know that Alice was so sentimental, but she didn’t hide things like that. She just didn’t talk about them much.
“Really.” Isabela started to pull out a couple of dresses - one thin and sleek, another in a more ballgown style. She wanted to see everything. “I wouldn’t have guessed. You’re so ... I don’t know. I’d never expect you to settle for one bloke. Not because you’re a tramp or something.” She laughed. “Just, there’s always more out there.”
“Oh, I only date so much because I want one person specifically.” Alice chuckled, shrugging one shoulder languidly. “How do you find your soul mate if you don’t try?”
“That’s so, I suppose.” Isabela smiled. “I didn’t think about any of that. I just like shagging.” The saleswoman had to turn a laugh into a cough, and Isabela just grinned.
Alice giggled delightedly. “I do too, but I hate the mystery of if it’s going to be worth it or not.” She wrinkled her nose, but looked pleased. Jefferson? Had totally been worth the wait.
“Oh, it’s almost never worth it. That’s why you marry the one who is.” Isabela grinned wider. Atton had been amazing.
“There really only has been one worth it,” Alice laughed. She wondered if that meant she wanted to marry Jefferson. Not that she hadn’t wanted to before they’d had sex. Well, crap.
“Uh oh.” Isabela smirked, but she decided to let it go. She turned to the saleslady, asking for a fitting room. “Four dresses is enough to start, I think?”
“Absolutely.” Alice smiled, opening the door for Isabela to the dressing room. “I’m excited, are you?”
“Yes.” Isabela said, smiling a little. “I didn’t think I would be, but I am.” She sailed through, thanking the saleslady for bringing the dresses ahead of time. “I’ve never been the bride-in-white sort, but it is rather nice. Especially to dress up and look gorgeous.”
“That’s what it’s all about. Just you being celebrated along with your man, just people watching you both and wishing you well and cheering you on.” Alice grinned. “I’m so glad you said yes.”
“I was the one who asked.” Isabela chuckled. “He’s the one who had to say yes to me. Okay, go sit in the hall, or turn your back, luv.” She started to get into the first dress.
“You still had to want it to ask.” Alice closed her eyes, then covered them with both her hands.
“Fair. Bollocks!” The first dress Isabela had tried was difficult to get on; it was thin and clung to her figure, in off white with a mermaid bottom. Eventually she managed to get it on and get her arms through the top. “I think I’m all right? Open your eyes?”
Alice did, eyes going wide. “That one. You look - wow.” Alice didn’t even like girls, but she could understand the appeal with that dress.
“You think?” Isabela liked the silhouette, but not the sleeves. “Maybe if I could get the sleeves taken off? Or find one without sleeves? My arms are squashed.” And she refused to go on any kind of stupid diet just for a JP ceremony.
“Mmm, you’d do better with a strapless sweetheart, yeah, but something formfitting like that, I think. You’ve got the body, show it off. In a classy way like this, of course.” Alice smiled, shaking her head. “You know Jefferson would be more than happy to do any alterations for you.”
“You think? I don’t want to assume,” Isabela said, smushing her arm out of the dress as she put it over her head.
“Oh, I think.” Alice crossed her legs, closing her eyes without being told. “I’ve spent the last while in a clothing store, I’ve got an eye.”
“Fair point. I just didn’t want to waltz into the shop and tell your boyfriend breezily that his girlfriend promised he’d take time out of his schedule to alter an unseen wedding dress.” Isabela chuckled, trying on the next. This one had the neckline Alice spoke of, but was wider at the bottom, looking like a ballgown but not enormous in size.
“If he doesn’t, I will, oh, I like that one too.” Alice smiled brightly at Isabela, shaking her head. “You’ll look gorgeous in anything, though.”
“Oh, you’re no help.” Isabela laughed. “Thank you, though.” She swished the skirt, trying to walk a little in it. “This would have to be taken up a bit, though; I really don’t want to fall on my arse, even if there’s no aisle to walk down.”
“Where are you getting married?” Alice blinked. She figured Isabela would want a long aisle to walk, something as fabulous and lovely as she was.
“Just at the justice of the peace. Then we’ll have a party, but honestly, neither of us want a big wedding. It seems silly.” Isabela shook her head. “I don’t think either of us know fifty people or however many.”
“I’m sure you do, once you take into account friends and their plus ones.” Alice smiled, squeezing Isabela’s hand. “But you do what feels right for you two, it’s your wedding.”
“I’d rather blow our money on a party than the ceremony.” Isabela grinned. “That’s what we’ll remember. A good time with our mates. A bit of legality isn’t the important thing.” She was looking at the dress. “I do like this one, but I want to try the others.”
“You should try on as many as you want.” Alice smiled and wiggled her toes in her shoes. “I have all day, you know.”
“Still. I don’t want to spend forever. I’m lovely, I expect something to work.” Isabela was joking, of course, but still.
“Everything works, silly woman.” Alice shook her head. “It’s just a matter of what you like.”
The saleswoman poked her head in at that point, saying that she might have found the answer. She brought in a dress that looked like a split between the two she’d tried on: it hugged her body, but it had no sleeves and it flared out from just below the knee, instead of at the foot. Isabela laughed delightedly. “Oh, this might just be the ticket.”
“Oh,” Alice murmured. It was a happy sound, the sound of someone who had found something truly beautiful. “That’s lovely,” she murmured. “I can see you in it already.”
“You think?” Isabela fairly grinned. She thanked the saleswoman, then went to get into it. “Might need a bit of help, Alice, d’you mind?” This one was definitely figure-hugging.
“Of course not!” Alice went to help her with the dress, tugging it up a little, grinning. “There, how’s that?” She waited for Isabela to lift up her hair so she could zip it up.
Isabela did so, stepping in and sucking in what stomach she had as Alice zipped the dress. “Bloody hell,” she murmured. “That is tight.” It might have to be let out a bit.
But then she turned toward the mirror and could feel herself light up. “... I think this might be it.” The dress was simple and elegant, and it fit, and worked with her skin, and if they could let it out by maybe an inch, it would be perfect.
Alice nodded. “That’s absolutely it. Jefferson can let it out a teeny bit so you can breathe, and... yeah, that’s the one.” Alice hugged her friend, her eyes widening.
Isabela weirdly felt more relaxed now, even if she couldn’t breathe. She hugged Alice back, uncharacteristically quiet. “Thanks for being here, luv.”
“Of course! You’re my friend, and maybe someday you can return the favor.” Alice blushed a little, kissing Isabela on both cheeks. “You’re a gorgeous bride already.”
“Oh, I’ll definitely be returning the favor.” Isabela laughed. “That’s a given. Now can you help me out of this bloody thing?”