There was a loud thump as a pile of catalogues and magazines was dropped on AJ's desk in front of her nose. She stared at the huge pile in something close to horror, pulling the first from the top to read the cover. "Beautiful Brides ..."
Surprised hazel eyes flicked up to look at her fellow journeyman questioningly. He shrugged and grinned. "Got to get started sometime, lovey. You've got a wedding to plan."
He was right, she did. Fascinated, AJ started to flick through the magazine, barely paying attention to what she was seeing. After all, there was so much that had to happen before they even got to the wedding. She still hadn't spoken to Devon since becoming engaged; in fact, the blonde had a sneaking suspicion her brother was avoiding her. Then there was the parents issue.
Stas was so excited about introducing her to his mother - he hadn't mentioned a father, and she didn't like to pry too much, in case it became another sad story that would reduce his smile - and she couldn't help but be caught up in his excitement. Perhaps it was just as well, because their visit to her parents would not be a pleasant one.
Richard and Lillian Drake were not likely to be at all welcoming towards a man they didn't know when his already expressed intention of visiting them was to show them how a person should be loved and treated. Sometimes she wished she'd never told her fianc" about her childhood.
And after that, somehow, she had to pin Stas down to a date and time, which would involve getting him to sit still and not touch for long enough to actually discuss their potential nuptuals. AJ smiled to herself, glancing up as Master Gregory walked in and quickly setting the magazine aside, charcoal back in her hand as she returned to her work.
So ....the wedding. Without question, she was expected to wear white, as Stas had so comically pointed out to her. "That is the only thing that I ask, is that you get married in white. Any other color and my mother will have a massive coronary or pulmonary embolism. You wouldn't want that, would you?" He'd looked close to having one himself as he said that, not at all impressed by her joking reply, "Hell of a way to say hi to my mother in law."
But everything else ....it was all so much to consider. Alright, so they'd agreed to something small and casual, without pomp and ceremony, but still ....AJ could count her friends here in RhyDin on one hand, and she didn't think Stas could do much better. Without being able to speak to Devon, she didn't know if he was okay with her getting married or not, and it would hurt not to have him there when she did. Likewise, she wanted Charley to stand with her, but she hadn't seen the girl in weeks. She hoped nothing had happened to them.
Colours, guests, a preacher-type to perform the ceremony, a setting, where to hold the party if there was going to be one, it was all a little too much for her to get her head around right now. She bit her lip, carefully smudging the charcoal into shadows as she thought. She needed help, she knew. But where to find help like that in a place where hardly anyone knew her?
Surprised hazel eyes flicked up to look at her fellow journeyman questioningly. He shrugged and grinned. "Got to get started sometime, lovey. You've got a wedding to plan."
He was right, she did. Fascinated, AJ started to flick through the magazine, barely paying attention to what she was seeing. After all, there was so much that had to happen before they even got to the wedding. She still hadn't spoken to Devon since becoming engaged; in fact, the blonde had a sneaking suspicion her brother was avoiding her. Then there was the parents issue.
Stas was so excited about introducing her to his mother - he hadn't mentioned a father, and she didn't like to pry too much, in case it became another sad story that would reduce his smile - and she couldn't help but be caught up in his excitement. Perhaps it was just as well, because their visit to her parents would not be a pleasant one.
Richard and Lillian Drake were not likely to be at all welcoming towards a man they didn't know when his already expressed intention of visiting them was to show them how a person should be loved and treated. Sometimes she wished she'd never told her fianc" about her childhood.
And after that, somehow, she had to pin Stas down to a date and time, which would involve getting him to sit still and not touch for long enough to actually discuss their potential nuptuals. AJ smiled to herself, glancing up as Master Gregory walked in and quickly setting the magazine aside, charcoal back in her hand as she returned to her work.
So ....the wedding. Without question, she was expected to wear white, as Stas had so comically pointed out to her. "That is the only thing that I ask, is that you get married in white. Any other color and my mother will have a massive coronary or pulmonary embolism. You wouldn't want that, would you?" He'd looked close to having one himself as he said that, not at all impressed by her joking reply, "Hell of a way to say hi to my mother in law."
But everything else ....it was all so much to consider. Alright, so they'd agreed to something small and casual, without pomp and ceremony, but still ....AJ could count her friends here in RhyDin on one hand, and she didn't think Stas could do much better. Without being able to speak to Devon, she didn't know if he was okay with her getting married or not, and it would hurt not to have him there when she did. Likewise, she wanted Charley to stand with her, but she hadn't seen the girl in weeks. She hoped nothing had happened to them.
Colours, guests, a preacher-type to perform the ceremony, a setting, where to hold the party if there was going to be one, it was all a little too much for her to get her head around right now. She bit her lip, carefully smudging the charcoal into shadows as she thought. She needed help, she knew. But where to find help like that in a place where hardly anyone knew her?