See How She Lives Part 2

Prequel Part 2

 

 

                The next few months passed with the same calm that had become ever present in my life.  I no longer feared the dreaming.  I no longer felt haunted by the events of the past year.  I had barely even had a vision.  I was living in a delightful bubble of euphoria. 

                “What’s on the agenda for today?”  Kennan asked from the closet.

                “Cake tasting and then dress shopping.”  I waited for the groan I knew would emit from the closet at any moment.  I had been dragging Kennan around for weeks trying to get everything organized for our wedding.  We wanted it to be in the fall so I knew we had to hurry to make it happen.

                “Isn’t it bad luck for me to see the dress?  I think I should sit this one out.  Maybe you could just choose the cake, too?”  he leaned out of the closet to find me standing with my hands on my hips.

                “No way, Kennan O’Malley.  You got out of choosing flowers but you are going with me to taste the cake.  No arguments.”  I narrowed my eyes in his direction.  I would not take no for an answer.

                “You aren’t as scary as you think you are.  You know that, right?”  he smirked at me before disappearing back into the closet.

                “Listen, I don’t have Molly here to help me.  That means you have to go and pretend to be enjoying yourself.  I don’t think I am asking for much here.”  I was starting to get grouchy. 

                “Don’t even act like Molly would be enjoying this.” I knew Kennan was right.  Molly would rather be saving the world one vision at a time.  It didn’t mean he would be getting out of the day’s errands. 

                “That isn’t the point and you know it.  You are going to go, you are going to act like you are enjoying yourself, and you will make this day fun for me.  Do I make myself clear?”  I stomped my foot as I came to a stop outside of the closet. 

                “Yes ma’am!”  Kennan mock saluted. 

                I moved around him to grab my clothes from the hanger snapping the bottom part of the hanger from the hook in the process.  I growled and moved towards the bathroom.  Today was not going at all as I had hoped it would.  Was it too much to ask a man to be excited about eating cake and dress shopping?  Okay, the dress shopping I could see, but the free cake.  I mean, come on!  I went into the bathroom and closed the door forcefully, jarring the walls in the process.

                “Easy killer.”  Kennan laughed on the way out of the room. 

                It wasn’t that I was really upset about the day.  I had just felt off for the past couple of months.  Everything had been so calm since that first restful night.  I knew enough about the world I now lived in to know that it wouldn’t last.  It put me on edge constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.  I tried to shake the negativity off and think of the day. 

                “Today is going to be great.”  I promised my reflection.  She looked back at me rather skeptically.  I did what any mature adult would do, I stuck my tongue out at her. 

                I finished getting ready in a hurry, pulling on a dress so that I didn’t have to take off eight thousand things when trying on wedding gowns.  I was going to buy my dress today if it was the last thing I did.  After all, this was the only shop in a fifty mile radius for me to look.  I looked myself over one more time before heading down to greet the day.

*******************

                We arrived at the cake shop ten minutes early.  The sugary confections assaulted my senses as we walked through the door, causing me to instantly drool.  I had been coming here to get cupcakes since we moved.  They were possibly the most delicious cupcakes I had ever eaten.  I was developing an addiction.  When I found out the proprietor also made wedding cakes, well it was a no brainer. 

                “Hello Izzy.”  The proprietor greeted brightly.

                “Hey Mrs. Ryan.”  I walked into her hug.  That was one thing I loved about the south, once you knew a person, you became like family.               

                “Kennan.  How are you doin’ today?”  she drawled.

                “Fine, Mrs. Ryan.  Looking forward to eating some cake.”  he rubbed his hands together like some sort of mad scientist.

                “Well, let’s get to it then.  Ya’ll have a seat over there and I will go in the back and get the different cakes and icings we can pair.”  Mrs. Ryan moved into the back of the store while Kennan and I settled ourselves at the table.

                “You seem more excited about this now.”  I grumbled at Kennan.

                “Well, I am more awake now.  Plus, have you smelled this place?  I would have to be insane not be excited right now.”

                “Hopefully the sugar will sustain you through dress shopping.” 

                “I think I may drop you off and come back to get you.  I really don’t want to see the dress before the big day.”

                “But how will I know if it looks good or not?”  I was terrible at choosing dresses.  My luck, I would pick one that made me look utterly ridiculous.

                “You will be fine.”  Kennan leaned over to place a kiss on my forehead.  I just glared up at him in response. 

                “Alright, ya’ll.  All of the cakes are labeled as are the frostings.  Just combine them until you find the perfect mixture and let me know what ya’ll decide on.”  Mrs. Ryan set a tray of cake samples and icings in front of us.  Suddenly all of my fears disappeared when faced with such sugary delights.

                Kennan and I went to town trying the different cakes and icings.  He kept trying to combine really odd flavors while I stuck with the traditional combos.  Ultimately we decided to have a three tiered cake with chocolate and vanilla cakes layered.  Then a simple buttercream frosting to top it all off.  I was seriously surfing a major sugar buzz by the time we left her store.  The woman was a cake genius, maybe even a goddess. 

                “Ready to go try on dresses?”  Kennan asked brightly.

                “I feel like I just gained a thousand pounds in there.  I suppose this way I will have plenty of room in my dress.”  I looked down at my suddenly pooched out tummy.

                “You look beautiful, like always.”  Kennan mumbled into my hair before kissing the top of my head.

                “Yeah, yeah.  You are still dropping me off, huh?” 

                “Yep, just call me when you are done and I will come get you.  Just make sure that whatever dress you get is in a dark bag so that I can’t see it.” 

                “I just hope the sales ladies are honest and tell me whether I look like a taffeta nightmare or not.” 

                We arrived at the dress boutique far too quickly.  My stomach was in knots and the previously delicious cake decided to start a rebellion.  What if I chose the wrong dress?  What if Kennan didn’t like it?  When did I become so neurotic?  It was just a dress. 

                I looked over to find Kennan looking at me intently.  I sucked in a deep breath and got out of the beat up SUV. 

                “Call me when you are done.  More importantly, find the dress you love.”  Kennan hollered after me.

                “Okay.”  I squared my shoulders and headed in to meet with the sales assistant for my appointment.

                As soon as I entered the store, my senses were set into overdrive.  Everywhere I looked there was poufy white and ivory.  Was I really ready to get married?  Until death do us part was an awfully long time for Seers.  I sucked in another calming breath and thought of Kennan.  I was absolutely ready to spend the rest of my life with him. 

                “Izzy?”  I heard a chipper sales lady call.  She looked to be about my age and was meticulously coiffed.  She made me look like a ragamuffin.

                “Yes, that’s me.” 

                “Is your wedding party with you to help?”  she asked with an air of confusion.

                “Nope, just me, myself, and I.”  I smiled brightly, or maybe it was maniacally.  From the look on the girl’s face, I thought it was probably the latter.

                “Well, we will get you taken care of.  Have no fear.”  She looped her arm through mine and drew me deeper into the store.  “So, tell me, what are your neckline preferences?  What silhouette do you prefer?”

                “Um, wedding dress?”  I replied.  The girl was speaking Greek to me.

                “How about we just take a look at some magazines first and then you can let me know which ones you like?”  I think the panic must have been evident on my face.

                We sat down at a white desk and she pulled out a stack of bridal magazines.  Each with a ridiculously expensive dress gracing the cover.  I knew Kennan said to get what I wanted, but I couldn’t see spending that much on a dress I would just wear once.  It seemed wasteful. 

                I sat flipping through the magazines until I came to rest on the most perfect dress I had ever seen.  The bottom had gathers making it look like icing on a cake.  The top had what the clerk dubbed a sweetheart neckline.  It was simple, beautiful, and perfect in every single way.

                “This one.”  I breathed out.  Tears threatened to pool in my eyes.  I couldn’t understand my reaction to the dress.  My Seer senses must have been out of whack.  They seemed to be offline lately. 

                “You are in luck.  We have that one here.”  She clapped her hands together and moved away to be swallowed up by the white dresses.

                She came back with several dresses on her arm and motioned for me to follow her back to the fitting rooms. 

                “We have several sizes and variations of the dress you liked here.  Let’s get you fitted.”  she said brightly.  I wasn’t sure if her enthusiasm was genuine or not, either way it was contagious.

                We slipped into the dressing room and she helped me get into the first of the dresses.  It was two sizes too big so we scrapped it immediately.  Then came the second of the dresses she had brought in with her.  It was too small.  I was beginning to feel like Goldilocks.  But much like her character, the third dress was just right.

                I stood staring at my reflection in shock.  It was the most perfect dress I had ever seen in my life.  Even better, it fit me like it was made just for me.  There was no way I could leave here today without this dress.  I looked down at the tag and gasped at the price.  So much for not spending a ton on a one day dress.  I was pretty sure if the tag had read a million dollars I would still not be able to leave without it.  Perfect dresses just don’t come along every day.  I had to snap this up before it was too late. 

                I turned to the clerk with tears in my eyes and smiled brightly.  “I think we have a winner.”

                “I think you are absolutely right.  This is perfect!”  She clapped her hands together in delight. 

                “Alright.”  I sighed, reluctantly returning to the fitting room to get back into my lame sundress.  I wanted to live in that wedding gown, but I didn’t think it would be appropriate attire for going to the garden center. 

                “Is there anything else we can get for you today, Izzy?”  she asked as she hung the dress back on its hanger.

                “Is there any way we can put the dress in a dark bag so that my future husband can’t see it?” 

                “Absolutely.  I will get it all set.”  She moved out of the dressing room and let me finish getting myself put back together.

                I pulled out my phone to give Kennan a call.  “I’m ready.”  I said brightly.

                “Did you find it?”  he sounded as excited as I was. 

                “Yep, and it is perfect!” 

                “Well, I am heading in.  I was waiting out in the parking lot.  I still can’t seem to leave you.”  Kennan breathed.  I knew how he felt.  We had not been out of each other’s presence since we left the Council months ago.  

                “Meet me at the counter and prepare to spend your entire life savings.” 

                I moved out of the stall as Kennan entered the building.   He must have forgotten to mask his true form.  The sales clerks all turned toward him stunned.  I could understand the reaction.  It was the same way I reacted to him.  My stomach started to jump when he headed for me.  I still couldn’t believe he had chosen me.  Out of everyone in the world, he loved me.  He moved toward me with complete focus as if the rest of the world would never matter again. 

                “Hey, Red.”  He smiled down at me and I became a pile of goo. 

                “Hey, you.  Have I told you lately that I love you?  Because I do.”

                “You can never tell me enough.”  he threw his arm over my shoulder and guided me to the counter to pay for the dress.

                “Umm, it will be, ummmm…..”  the poor sales clerk couldn’t seem to get herself under control.

                “Here, just put it on this.”  Kennan handed her a card never looking away from me. 

                “Yep, sure thing.  I am getting right on that.”  she mumbled.

                I looked up into his face and had to smile.  He had no idea the effect he had on people.   One of his smiles could probably bring about world peace, well in a world full of women it could. 

                “What?”  he whispered into my ear.

                “Nothing, you are just turning everyone into blubbering idiots because you forgot to disguise yourself again.”  I whispered back so that he was the only one that could hear me. 

                “I seem to forget a lot when I am around you.”  he said back.  The heat in his eyes turned me to smoldering ashes.  We couldn’t get home soon enough.

                “You are all set Mr. O’Malley.  Just sign here and we are good to go.” the clerk said.

                “Thank you for taking care of my girl.”  he signed and grabbed the black garment bag from the sales clerk.