Title : Colours of Our Lives
Author : Katiyana
Summary : The tints of colour through their lives together. Several scenes with a common thread running.
Note : Thanks to all for the reviews, I really do appreciate them.
White
Technically the shade was called 'lustrous pearl'. Celina thought that was only fitting. She rolled her eyes to herself, when had she turned into such a whimsical sap? She heaved a small puff of irritation at herself while looking at the mirror.
"Madame, do you need some help putting on the gown?" asked a smooth voice from behind the curtain.
"No, I'm fine. I'll be out in a minute," answered Celina, a trifle testily.
The dressmaker put her hands on her hips and blew a breath through her pursed her lips. She was also sporting an annoyed expression. Her client was beautiful and her form was a dressmaker's dream to behold.
However, the lady was extremely resistant to actually being dressed. It was thoroughly exasperating. The dress maker itched to drape and position and pin if necessary. As it was, it seemed like this would be the first and only fitting. The dress was made for the day, today. This was highly irregular. It had been a slightly rushed job too. Only three weeks to make it. She did not regret charging a larger fee for this task.
But it was still her creation. Her masterpiece. It was such a simple design and it could only be carried off properly if worn as it was meant to be. The anxious woman fretted and fumed as the lady in the curtained changing area took her own sweet time in coming out.
She had been delighted to be asked to make a wedding gown for such a beautiful woman. In this instance, she had known that the gown would be meant to enhance all that beauty and not detract from it. Therefore, it was a fashioned with the bare minimum in terms of actual design. She hoped that she had not been wrong. The only directive that had been given was to design it in a Grecian style. And of course there was the fact that her client was pregnant. With twins, apparently.
There had been no end to the challenges in making this particular gown. She had trembled at what changes that body may have gone through in three weeks. In fact, she had woken up several times in a cold sweat because of it. She started to feel that she would totally her composure if her infuriating customer made her wait any longer than a few more minutes to let her see how the gown looked when it was worn.
"Oh, Celina!" squealed the young girl sitting quietly on a cushion in the corner.
The dressmaker had forgotten about the little child amidst all her tense musings. Her gaze was riveted as the lady finally stepped out from behind the curtain.
"You look like an angel!" marvelled the child in awe, gasping at the radiant vision in the soft, flowing gown.
The dressmaker clasped both her hands to her mouth to stifle her own gasp. The child had a point. The woman was beautiful and she herself had been amazingly correct in choosing this particular design.
The soft folds of the gown flowed down smoothly from the sash that simply cinched in just below the breasts. There was a crossing of fabric across the breasts and the lengths fell smoothly down over the shoulders. The shoulders were bare and the neck, cut to showcase the cleavage perfectly. The material was soft and looked light but had enough weight and suppleness to ripple down effortlessly.
She had done a magnificent job. Even the pregnant belly did not take away anything from the splendour of the dress. In fact, she had to admit that the pregnancy added an extra element of character to how the gown fitted. It was truly a masterpiece.
Celina smiled gently down at the girl. She turned around slowly to let both the child and the dressmaker see how the gown looked from all angles. It didn't need any fixing. It was perfect. And surprisingly comfortable too.
"Do you think Bruce will like it?" asked Celina with a grin.
"Of course he will. He loves you!" exclaimed the child promptly.
Celina laughed but looked pleased with the comment. She realized that the girl had made a very important point. Bruce would love it because he loved her, Selina. He knew her. No matter what her name may be.
Her name was altered but she was still her. He certainly knew who he was marrying and he was marrying her because he loved her, no matter what her name was. Celina Jewel Knight or Selina Kyle. Bruce did really love her. Sometimes she still wasn't sure why or how he could. But he did. Sometimes it scared her and she couldn't quite believe that it was true.
Yet if even Rosie could tell, then she must be doing something right. Little Rosie had been ill-used and had lived a hard, unloved life. But she could easily and confidently see that Bruce loved her. By some incredible fluke, Rosie's childish honesty had not been stamped out through her mistreatment. Clearly, Selina was not making a mistake marrying her husband.
Inwardly she laughed. They were already legally married on paper. They had just never had a ceremony to mark it until now. They didn't really need to do this but they had finally agreed to do this before the twins were born. Well, she had wanted it, Bruce would have been just as committed without a ceremony, she knew. She blamed it on the stupid pregnancy hormones. She couldn't even remember being the girl that wanted a classic white wedding. Well, maybe not too classic. She did have a very obvious bump after all.
The identity he had created for her had been married, though she had not realized it until he had found her and shown her the marriage certificate. She had been incredulous and upset for a few weeks, refusing to speak to him every time she thought about it. That had been challenging in a not very large living space.
At least he had been smart enough to know that she would not have changed her name for everything. She still had a separate account and she kept her own name on most official documents. Bruce had understood that Selina valued her independence highly.
When asked about it, Bruce simply shrugged and smiled. Selina did tolerate the title of Mrs. Wayne Bruce Thomas when they were at large social gatherings together. But otherwise, she was just Ms. Celina Jewel Knight. She was sure he'd had a good time coming up with that name. The cheek of it, the mischievous bastard. She wouldn't even have kept it had she realized that he was going to come back.
"Let's go!" said Rosie enthusiastically, breaking into her train of thoughts. She did get distracted easily these days. Absently she rubbed her expanded belly.
"Yes, let's. Goodbye and thank you, Madame Fleur. Your workmanship is exquisite, my most gracious compliments and gratitude," said Selina to the dressmaker, formally.
Madame Fleur was still to overwhelmed with her success to answer properly. She simply nodded, too choked up to speak yet.
Taking Rosie's hand, Selina slipped out of the apartment. They made their way down to the gleaming Bently where Alfred already had the door open.
"Thank you, Alfred," chimed Rosie sweetly.
"Thank you, Alfred," echoed Selina with a smile.
"My pleasure, Miss Rosalind, Mrs Wayne," smiled Alfred decorously. He got into the front and drove off.