DICLAIMER FOR ETERNITY: I do not own Jane Austen nor her characters. I am just a die-hard fan.
CHAPTER ONE
When Fate Sends a Sign in the Form of Flowers
Anne Elliot absolutely adores weddings.
It is no big secret.
This adoration sprouted from her mother's continuous reading of fairy tales that ended in happily-ever-afters when she was just a child no bigger than a three-foot teddy bear. It may or may not be fostered further by said mother, who was a wedding planner. Carrie Elliot always told her middle child that "weddings are wonderful beginnings to happy endings" which should be "remembered with fondness and love".
"But always remember, Annie," her mother said, running her smooth, pale hand through her daughter's mouse-brown hair, "weddings are never perfect unless the bride and groom are totally and passionately in love with each other."
"Is that the case still even if the cake tastes terrible?"
Her mother laughed, warm and loud. "Yes, my love, even if the cake tastes terrible."
Anne took that to heart.
May 3 | 4:56 PM
"Oh, Anne, this wedding is magnificent!"
"I agree. The cake! Oh, it is heavenly. Where on earth did you have it made?" The aforementioned four-tier cake was a brilliant concoction of creamy chocolate tucked beneath white fondant and hundreds of edible lavender and silvery butterflies and flowers.
Anne smiled. "It is, isn't it? It was made by my friend Janie Smith of 64 Oakwood Street."
Gasps were heard around. "Yes, yes, I heard of her. She did that double cake for the wedding between Gabriel Lucas and Christobel Heart," someone volunteered.
"The actors from the soap opera Only If You're With Me? I saw the cake at OK! magazine! It was glorious!"
The reception was slowly dwindling down as the dances were danced, speeches were said, and the food devoured, leaving silver trays near-empty. All that was left was for the bride to throw her bouquet among hopeful young ladies crowding in the middle of the dance floor.
"Are you guys ready?" The lovely bride asked, the smile never leaving her pretty face.
A chorus of "Yes!" came from the throng of ladies in high heels, and the bride threw the bouquet of lilies in the old-fashion style—over the shoulders. The bouquet hit the crystal chandelier lightly, earning a gasp from the ladies before falling straight into the arms of a surprised Anne Elliot.
May 3 | 5:17 PM
The bride, her lovely friend Jane Bingley née Bennet, ran towards Anne, enveloping her in a sea of white silky froth (that was her gown) and a tight hug. Anne hugged her friend back, smiling at Jane's new husband Charlie as he walked towards them. Charlie smiled back and mouthed a 'thank you', to which she replied with a wink.
"Anne, I cannot thank you so much for this fabulous wedding," Jane near-sobbed, tightening her hold on her friend.
"Jane, you're an angel, but you are suffocating me," Anne replied, faking a choke. Jane immediately released her and unconsciously reached for her husband's hand, tears shimmering in her blue eyes. Anne took note of how Charlie tugged Jane closer to him, feathering a kiss to her temple. They looked like golden angels, both blonde and blue-eyed, with dispositions to match.
She nearly sighed in envy.
Nearly.
"I'm sorry, sweetie, but thank you for making my wedding a dream come true," Jane said tremulously.
Anne felt tears prick her eyes, but she shook her head. "I couldn't very well let your mother do all the planning, could I?" she teased. It was a well-known fact that Mrs. Bennet was a mothering hen who wanted her favorite daughter to have the biggest and most glamorous wedding seen by the whole of Hertfordshire. Jane panicked and enlisted Anne to plan the wedding. Mrs. Bennet didn't utter a single protest because she knew that Anne Elliot was the biggest event planner around. "She might've driven you to the asylum before you could even hitch your wagon." The bride and the groom laughed. Then she turned serious. "But really, Jane, I am infinitely honored you chose me to plan your wedding, because seeing you and Charlie together," Anne paused and then shrugged, "I think my mother would have ticked this as one of the most perfect weddings."
"You made it very special and memorable," Charlie said generously, shaking her hand. "Even Will enjoyed himself." Charlie smirked towards the direction of his best man and Jane's maid-of-honor and sister Elizabeth, who were debating whether or not they should bring the floral centerpiece home.
Anne laughed. "I think placing him next to Lizzy and Georgie, and as far away from Caroline would do the trick."
The trio watched as Elizabeth grinned in triumph, while Will lifted his hands in surrender and grabbed the floral centerpiece, all the while looking around to see if anyone noticed. Elizabeth was laughing.
"Lizzy is crazy about taking home centerpieces from any event." Jane shook her head amusedly. "I don't blame her. The lilies look beautiful in those crystal cases. I even saw Louisa and her husband take two!"
Charlie snorted. "The other one's for Caroline. She kept gushing on and on about the flowers and forced Louisa to take the other one for her. She didn't want to be caught dead carrying it home."
"Are you sure you can do clean-up here, Anne?" Jane then asked, looking around the reception hall.
Anne was exasperated. "Jane, you are the bride and the bride should not be worrying about anything during her day." She took Jane's hand and pressed it in Charlie's, grinning up at them. "Well, except on how to make sure that your husband is completely happy during your trip to Hawaii."
As expected, both Jane and Charlie turned a deep shade of red.
"You both are fucking adorable," Elizabeth said, strolling towards them, holding the hand of a sulky William Darcy. "But if you insist on staying here for a moment longer, flirting, both of you will miss your flight."
"Stop f-bombing, Lizzy," Jane reproached automatically, pinching her sister's cheek. "However, you're right. I'll just say good-bye to mom and dad, and the others."
"Great!" Lizzy nodded approvingly. "Just make sure you air kiss Lydia and stay at least a foot away from her, because there is a fifty percent chance that she might throw up, and I would hate to see your wedding dress—beautiful creature that it is—be covered with mashed potatoes and pumpkin soup. You know, in its ugly, semi-digested state. I saw her guzzle down two glasses of wine."
Jane sighed, and she and Charlie made their way towards the rest of the family.
Anne turned her face to Lizzy. "Lydia's a lightweight? Since when?"
Lizzy nodded, her smile lighting her face. "Hard to believe right? Don't worry, she'll crash in a few minutes."
Will grimaced. "Hopefully you won't have to clean the contents of her stomach on the floor."
Anne shuddered. "Thanks for the mental picture." Her eyes dropped to the flowers he was trying to hide beneath his coat. She smirked. "Love the flowers, Will?"
Will blushed. He gestured towards Lizzy, who was sporting a Cheshire grin. "Lizzy insisted we bring this home. I told her we could've just bought flowers before we head off to our apartment."
Lizzy pouted. "But this is free, Will. And it looks beautiful! I think it will look stunning by our bedside table, don't you? And do you even think the flower shop will give us lilies encased in crystal vase?"
"Plastic crystal vase," Anne corrected. "I think Jane would be horrified if I charge her thousands just for crystal vases. Let's save those expenditures for the rich and bored."
"Well, crystal or not, the whole reception was truly magnificent, Anne," Lizzy said, mock-punching Anne on the arm. "When I get married, you'd be the first person I'd call to plan the wedding."
Anne's eyes narrowed when Will turned a light shade of red. "Are you trying to tell me something, Elizabeth Bennet?"
"What?" Lizzy realized what she said and blushed. "It was hypothetical. I just said it to compliment your planning skills."
"Yeah right." Anne laughed. "I wouldn't be surprised if I have to plan another Bennet event. You guys are so unpredictable. Also, it's a fact that one wedding attracts another."
Lizzy's eyes turned teasing. "Yeah, maybe you'll get hitched next," she volunteered, poking Anne's forehead with the familiarity of close friends.
Anne rolled her eyes and ignored the expected pain that came along with the comment.
"You did catch the flowers thrown by the bride," Will said with a smile. "That's got to mean something."
"Do you really believe that superstitious nonsense?"
Will shrugged. "Not really, but you know life. Unpredictable."
"We've got to find you a guy first," Lizzy declared. "The last guy you liked, what's his name? He was a dick."
Anne felt something cold drop in her stomach. "Lizzy—"
"I know!" Lizzy snapped her fingers and turned to Will. "Let's recruit Richard for her!"
Will frowned. "I don't think Rich is Anne's type."
"How would you know?" Lizzy challenged.
"Anne, do you like a man who is funny, parties a lot, is into sports, and cannot cook to save a life?" Will asked with a raised eyebrow.
Anne grinned. Will knew her. Despite having only known each other for about a year, Anne and Will are friends, and they discovered a lot about each other. "You know I don't." She only has one type, but Anne quickly filed that thought away.
"There you go." Will turned their attention towards the couple who was saying their goodbyes at the entrance of the hall. "Come on. We've got to wish them well before they escape the clutches of your mother."
Lizzy shook her head but grabbed Will's hand and laced their fingers together. "What are you trying to say, William Darcy? That my mother is crazy?"
Will coughed, but Anne thought it was a laugh. "Well, she's got to be if she had you for a daughter," he quipped fondly.
Lizzy laughed and kissed his cheek. "True, true." She looked at Anne. "Hey, Annie girl. You coming to see them off?"
"Sure."
Anne looked after them with a hint of jealousy. It was wonderful to see both Jane and Lizzy have the men of their dreams. God only knows how many hardships the pairs went through before they reached an understanding.
She turned to her right-hand, who was eating leftover peanuts at the side. Alexandra Porter, twenty-four and a gift from god himself (according to Ally herself but Anne never denied this), looked expectedly at her boss as she came nearer. "Ally, can you organize the clean-up crew to start?" Anne asked the pretty brunette. "I'm just going to say goodbye to the newlyweds before I help."
"No problem, boss," Ally said cheerfully. She whipped out her iPhone and sent a text message. It immediately pinged again and Ally read the message quickly. "Okay, clean-up is coming. These guys are totally reliable and the secretary there is hot."
Anne chuckled. "I see that being on the job did not dither you from scouring available, hot men, huh?" she said with fondness.
"You know it, bro," the younger girl replied, eyes twinkling. "I think you'll like him, Anne. He's nice and polite and has dimples."
"I'm sure I'll like him for you."
A pause. Whenever they are working, both Anne and Ally revel the time when the event was just ending. Guests are saying their goodbyes, the flowers missing from their vases, streamers, petals and confetti littering the floor. For them, it was a mark of another successful planning and organizing.
"It's been a beautiful wedding, huh?"
Anne eyed her friends—Jane kissing her parents, Charlie clapping Will on the back and hugging Lizzy goodbye— letting love shine above her envy. "Yes. It really is."
May 4 | 12:03 AM
Anne opened the door to her spacious bungalow, switching on the hallway light and hanging her jacket on one of the pegs. She breathed a sigh of relief as she took off her heels, letting the soles of her feet furrow in the soft rug her godmother, Diane Russel, gave her as a housewarming gift.
The twenty-seven year old padded to the living room, dropping two large shoulder bags on the floor beside the huge couch. She, Ally and the rest of her crew trudged down the nearest bar for an early dinner and drinks, which ended happily as they basked on the success of the Bingleys' wedding.
Although Jane is one of Anne's longtime friends, planning the wedding was a big thing for her because not only was Jane a model known in Europe and America, Charlie was a TV actor acknowledged for his roles in daytime soaps aired in the UK and US. Word of the mouth is crucial for Anne in her line of business, and getting recommendations from rising personalities is a bonus. There were little paparazzi outside the church and the reception hall, for Anne took pains to make sure the ceremony was intimate and personal.
All in all, a wonderful day, Anne mused. She opened the refrigerator and took out a pack of Capri Sun, plunging the straw in the middle, and happily sipped her drink. She noticed a light blinking on her kitchen phone, and she sat on the counter as she played the messages back.
"Hey, Anne, it's Lizzy. How about dinner soon? We've been so busy we hadn't gotten the chance to talk earlier. Call me on my cell so we can set a date. Love you!"
Anne smiled. She was grateful she had friends like Elizabeth. She made a mental note to call her after her much-needed rest. Anne pressed the button for the next message.
"Anne? It's your father. Talk to the blasted Shepherd for goodness sake! He says we have to rent the house. Is he out of his mind? Rent? We Elliots don't rent and we are not broke! Call him."
"That's what you think, Dad," Anne muttered, running her hand across her face. Tension was slowly seeping through her. It was true her family was slowly going bankrupt, mainly because of her older sister Elaine's and her father's spending habits (plus the fact that they do not do anything to make money because "Elliots do not really work" said her father), but nobody in her family was acknowledging the fact except her and her Aunt Diane. She pressed the button for the next message and groaned when she heard her younger sister's voice.
"Anne? Where on earth are you? I thought you were supposed to come here today! I've been sick and I need you to help me with the boys please? Please come soon. I need you. Call me."
AN: Hello. First story within Jane Austen's world, and I am half-excited, half-nervous. Despite the fact that I included my favorite characters from Pride and Prejudice, this will ultimately be a Persuasion story. I just wanted to add my own version to this mix, because I honestly think there are far too few Persuasion stories out there. Btw, this chapter was put up to test my writing abilities, because I am seriously out of practice. To test the waters, so to speak. The next chapters will definitely focus on the characters and the plot. Hope you guys liked it. Reviews will be highly appreciated.