Woot woot new story. Yay yay! I'm in a major writers block soo I'm hoping that this will help. But yeah this is from a book called I Do ( but I don't) so some of it will be from the book with a change in characters a bit of other things. Some of it even may be word for word sooo yeah...just thought that this was a great idea sooo yeah.
I do not own the book I do (But I Don't) written by Cara Lockwood or anything els blah, blah, blah Here we go!
I've seen two brides trip and fall down the aisle; one topple into a pool; one who sneezed so hard it made her tiara fly from her head and into the front row during her vows, gashing the eye of her father-in-law to be. I've seen one groom run from the altar, one father of the bride who fell asleep, and one flower girl whose nose bled through a whole ceremony. And thats not including too-many-fistfights to count, and half a dozen drunk guys, semi insulting toasts from the best men, oh, and can't forget one collapsing tent in the middle of a seven course dinner reception.
I'm a wedding planner, which means even with all my wedding knowingness, I'm supposed to reassure you that everythings going to be perfect and everything's bunnies and rainbows. And although you might not believe me, I can tell that usually, despite little snags here and there, everything typically works out. Most of the time. And okay, let's face it, that why I do it. You can't help but get a little rush when you see two people so obviously in love and happy, stand up there in front of everybody to pleadge to make a go of it in a world where most people are divorced twice before they see grandkids. Lovely isn't it? And just because I've heard the wedding march around 324 times ( four times on bagpipes, once on the bongos and once on the electric guitar...don't ask.) doesn't mean that I still don't get goose bumps like a love sick teenager when I hear it. Because well, I think in symbolizes hope and happiness, and, of course, love. Since i've been around, during every wedding, even the ones involving catastrophic blunders of the fainting type, there's a moment, or maybe two, when everything bad in the world is gone and you see pure, untainted, love. That's what keeps me coming back like a junkie, really, knowing that I had a hand in creating that second or two of perfect harmony.
It's weird though that so many people who don't strive for perfection in any other area of their lives have no problem literally demanding a flawless, magical, I-will-cry-and-stomp-my-foot-if-I-don't-get-what-I-want-wedding ceremony, witnessed by two less than functional families. ( It's known worldwide that relatives won't be on their best behaviour just because you've spent ten thousand dollars on food.) At a wedding, the smallest thing; a misplaced step, a bit too much wine, the appearance of an ex, can turn everything into a druken, humilation mess. Weddings are basically a big flashing neon sign telling accident's and disasters to happen basically.
That's why you need me. ( Insert smile here)
Because I worry for you, I problem-solve and ( sometimes) work miracles ( intercepting the druken maid of honor before she blurts out her undying love for the groom or seperate fighting divorced parents.) I straighten a crazy looking bridal train, fix up the leaning third tier of the cake and even fix that broken heel. Again, thats why you need me. It's hard work believe you me, but I'm not going to say that it has been easy to hold back telling nervous brides and terrified grooms to run for the door like there's not tomorrow. But I've managed...So far. My boss Ruby Moon, who owns the company I ( unfortunatly) work for ( Forever Wedding), has her doubts ( actually has had nothing but doubts since she hired me two years ago, given that she thinks anybody under thirty has to be an idiot).
My "office" if you actually want to call it that, is in a freakin small room in an ooooooold antique house. Ruby's office is upstairs in the master bedroom, which is unfairly huge, which isn't exactly out of earshot of my little corner. Ruby prefers yelling as loud as she can down the stairs when she needs me. We have phones, you know, but she doesn't use them. My personal theory is that the Transfer and Hold buttons intimidate her. Anyhow, back to my cubbyhole. I sit behind a little writing desk, wedged into a corner with pathetic exscuses of curtains keeping the sun out. It gets way too bright in the morning and more so when I'm cranky. I have a computer (mind you a freakin ancient one) which isn't good for anything really except driving me crazy. I keep a huge appointment book, which is kinda falling apart, but if I misplace a single invoice, Ruby is more than likely to make me pay for the catered salmon dinner for five hundred. Thats probably half of what I make a year, since Ruby is a little stingy with the money I earn her. I put her yearly income in the comfortable six's, while mine barely is in the five's. But, to be fair, she has been in this buisness for twenty years and has survived close to three thousand crazy and hyperventalating brides, so she probably deserves it ( heh, this won't stop me, however, from complaining loudly and often.)
Today is Friday and extremely humid and I'm sitting at my desk, in my tiny cubbyhole, swearing at my computer, since it just crashed again ( thrid time this morning) taking with it all the schedules I still had to save. Ruby took this moment to yell down the stairs something I couldn't exactly understand making me get up and walk up the stairs to the office. Now Ruby has an expensive office with plush ivory carpet, dark blue velvet curtains and an old mahongany desk with a chair so flippin' big it could pass for a loveseat. On this humungo desk of hers theres a new laptop, why? I don't know since she never takes it anywhere or even turns it on as far as I know and three stacks of paper. Ruby looked like a cartoon villain, complete with red hair, bloodred Revlon lips, and big rings on her fingers. She even owns a cat, who is in my opinion, pure evil, Kero, who loves to perch on one of te loveseat's plump arms, lazily swinging his tail. Kero and I don't get along, as said animal has a habit of pooping under my desk when he's let loose around the house. Seeing me, Kero leapt down from his lofty perch and slinked purposefully from the room. I glared at it while resisting the urge to step on one of his paws as he passed me.
"Sakura dear," Ruby said, and I knew I was in some sort of trouble, becasue Ruby never called me "dear" unless there was a really ugly job to be done."I need a favor from you." I almost missed this since I thinking so hard about all the bad things I had done and what she had caught. "A very close friend of mine has a daughter who is getting married in the three months, and I'm afriad their old planner made rather a mess of things and they need someone to help them sort things out."
A wedding in three months! Impossible! What did she think I was! Superwomen who doubled as a robot capable of all? Ruby didn't think so. She seemed perfectly calm about everything-naturally, since she wouldn't be doing any of the real work. She continued.
"My friend is coming in an hour and I want you to meet her, And for goodness' sakes, girl, do something about that hair of yours!" My hand went to my hair where I could feel the auburn strands hanging loose from the clip I had thought would hold my hair.
I grinned and backed away slowly, at that moment though, the corber of the door came out of nowhere and slammed into my elbow. I yelped. Ruby only clucked at me, raised her eyes heavenward and shook her head. I'm usually clumsy but she always made me feel like a fourteen-year-old who just stole lipstick, the result me being extremly clumsy which is a nation wide danger. I padded down the hall rubbing my elbow (it really did hurt) and ducked into the master bath to fix my hair. I'm average height I guess, maybe a little on the shorter side hitting five three, auburn hair that was layered and the longest strands reached my elbows and a bit tanned from being in the sun. I've got big green eyes, and thick eyelashes, which are my best features, a notdescript, forgettable nose, an average mouth that's neither pouty and sexy or sleek and thin. I have straight teeth, thanks to two sets of braces during my teen years that did more harm to my self-esteem than a slight overbite ever would. I guess, I'm reasonablly average in weight, not that any girl likes discussing her weight, but I'm not thin-thin. I just have one of those bodies that doesn't exactly gain weight no matter what I eat, yet doesn't understand that it has to respond to exercise. My muscles, if I have any, don't get the concept of self-improvement. They refuse to tighten up, grow stronger, do anything but sit there, all soft and craving potato chips and French fries.
Then there's my hair. My mom called it a bird's nest while I grew up because she couldn't get a comb through it despite all her best efforts. If I lost something in it I wouldn't be able to find it since it's so damn thick and long, but I love it, even though it takes about an hour to shampoo it througholy. I sighed, shook my hair free, enjoying how much better it was letting it ang free, and then wrestled it back into a knot at the back of my neck and contained it with a elastic. "Stay," I told it sternly even though it never listened no matter how much I threatened to cut it off. Oh well, I usually just let it all down halfway through the day anyway.
Back at my desk, I foudn that Kero had left me one of his presents, a really large and disgusting specimen, and I only just cleaned it up before Ruby's friend arrived. Her name was Miss Davenport. I'm surprised to say I liked her almost immediatly and not for normal reasons thta people should like about a person.She was bossy, abrupt and well, rude.
"You must be Sakura." she barked.
"Ur,yes-" I began, but she cut me off.
"Quit babbling, girl," she huffed impaitently whipping her scarf around her, I hafta say, manly neck. "I don't have time for empty-headed remarks." Empty-headed? I was shocked and ready to tell her off, when Kero ran into the room cathching her eye." You again." she said, turning to the animal. "I haven't forgotten what you;ve done to my Persian rug you little furball." Ms. Davenport stomped her foot hard against the floorboards near where the cat was standng. Kero let out a frightened hissand burst from the room as if he'd been electrocuted. See, this was why I liked her.
"Thanks," I said smiling. "You probably saved me from another nasty present." she smirked in a sort of 'I know' way and then yelled up the stairs; "When are you going to get rid of that filthy thing, Ruby!" When there was no answer she yelled again. "Ruby? Where are you? Get down here!" Ruby poked her head around the corner at the top pf the stairs and put a forced smile on.
"Missy! How good to see you."
"Quit the bull, Ruby. I really can't take any more today."
"How's your daughter?" Ruby said, changing the subject. "Is she looking forward to her wedding?"
"Daughter? Wedding?" Ms. Davenport looked confused for an insant, then recovered. "Ruby, you've got it all mixed up again, It's not Julie who's having the problems; it's Mei Lin, my niece, who's had the wedding from hell. Lord, Ruby, I don't know how you ever got this agency off the ground with you mixing up everything like you do." Ruby blushed, and Ms. Davenport let out a gruff laugh. " I'd say your losing your memory faster than any of us, if you had a memory to lose!" I was enjoying this greatly since I could even see Ruby thinking about how it was a bad idea to have Ms. Davenport talking with her in front of me.
Ruby found an exscuse for me to leave, make her a coffee I could only hear only bits and pieces of the conversation. The problem, as Ms. Davenport explained it, was the the world was full of idiots, her niece and niece's fiance included.They hired and fired one wedding planner so far, for reasons I didn't get to hear. I got a little worried sincepeople who have a habit of firing wedding planners aren't the ideal clients , especially if they're related to an old dear friend of your ( crazy) boss. But yes anyway, I had a very bad feeling about the whole thing. By the end of the visit Ruby, thought it was a good idea if I called the niece within the week, tomorrow if possible, since time was running out on their already short notice wedding planning. Speaking of lunch, Ruby decided she was going to go out and have some leaving me alone and in peace.
So, I decided to call the dreaded niece, Mei Lin Rae. Mei Lin, according to Ms. Davenport, might be an idiot, but she was a successful and very wealthy idiot, being the founder of her own public-realtions firm, one of the youngest such executives in the nation at twenty-four. A graduate at Harvard, Mei Lin came from a successful family, her fahter being a senator and her mother a famous philanthropist who had been profiled in Vanity Fair. I tried really hard not to hate her, really I did.
"Ms. Rae's office, how may I help you?" a deep male voice answered. She had a male secretary? I stomped down another surge of envy. I imagined him lookking like a Dolce and Gabana model; broad chest, tight black T-shirt, dark hair, chiseled chin...Exscuse me a moment while I mop up the drool.
"I'm Sakura Kinomoto, from Forever Wedding. Ms. Davenport said I shopuld call..." I didn't get to finish.
"Yes, Ms. Crandell, Ms. Rae has been expecting your call. She would like to have lunch with you today, if your scheduele allows."
"Well, uh..." I hesitated. Ruby would be pretty mad if she was left out of the meeting.
"Ms. Rae has quite a busy week this week and next. We have a major promotional campaign with Dell To finish by next Friday, and I'm afraid today is the only time she 'll be able to meet with you."
"In that case..." What choice did I have? "Where would she like to meet?"
"The Four Seasons at noon."
Inside the Four Seasonss the lobby was impressive, with thick marble tables and pretty tiled floor, and smelled like rich-people smell, all leather and cinnamon. At least I think thats what rich people smell like. The hostess at the dining area smiled at me, recognizing me as one of her own, poor, I smiled back.
"I'm here to meet with someone, a Ms. Rae."
"Oh, you mean Mei Lin!" The hostess beamed. "Follow me."
Meilin Rair sat with one slim tanned leg crossed over the other, will a cell phone pressed against one ear and her Executive Palm Pilot on her lap. I knew before I saw her that she had to be pretty, because all increasibly successful and wealthy people are almost always better-looking. Damn them. But Mei Lin was more than pretty, she was beautiful, the kind of tall, with enormous, dark, mysterious eyes.
"The thign is," she was saying into her cell phone, "is that we just can't wait that long on the proofs, Josh." She motioned for me to sit down, then ran a hand through her perfect, shiny dark hair. She looks like she could be in the middle of a shampoo as, I thought bitterly.
"I consider it an enormous favor, Josh., if you could get the proofs to me this afternoon," she continued oozing charm from every syllable. I could feel Josh melting on the other end of the line. She smiled warmly. " I knew you could come through for me , Josh!You're the best!" She flipped the phone closed and tuend to me studying me and I squirmed under the the attention. "Sakura," she said sweetly. "It's nice to meet you. I've heard good things about you." she extended a well-manicured hand, and shook mine firmly and with confidence. I smiled back, feeling akward.
"I heard you've had some troubles with the wedding planning," I blurted without musch grace, if I had any in the first place. Mei Lin however laughed.
"Have I ever!" she said leaning foreward. "Let me tell you one time..." her lap started ringing. I thought it was her cell pone but it was an organizer. "Oh! I forgot about my twelve-thirty." Mei Lin said, peering at the tiny screen. "This thing has saved me more times than I can remember!" I didn't have a Palm Pilot. Not because I didn't want one, I just didn't get paid enough to own one.
"Basically Sakura," Mei Lin said leaning foreward. "my Fiance and I need help. We've already bungled one ceremony and, well, we need someone who will just make things happen."
"Bungled?"
"Botched," Mei Lin Siad, whpping her shiny bangs from her eyes. "If I had more time I'd tell you the whole story, but it would take half hour alone." I found myself staring at her perfect eyeliner line across the top of her eyelids. How did she keep it from smudging liek everyone else? By the end of the day it Ialways found smudges in the crease of my eyelid, and sometimes it would seep and run out the corners.
"Do you think you can help us?" Mei Lin said, blinking her two perfectly lined lids. Huh? What she say?
"Of course," I said with the sure confidence of someone who has no idea what they're doing. Mei Lin reached down under her chair and pulled out a filled-to-bursting folder and dumped it with a clang on the glass-top table.
"If you really think you can do thi, " she said "take a look at these files and they'll bring you up to speed on where we with planning. The new date of our ceremony is Junetwenty-eight."
I did a quick calculation. Five weeks! Was that right? There was no possible way in heck I could pull all this together in little more than a month! Mei Lin just looked at me.
"Is that going to be a problem?" she challenged.
"Er,no. No," I said smiling feebly. It was sooooo going to be a problem. "Is there anything special...?" I trailed off, not really sure what I was asking.
"Oh sure, it's all in the file. The last planner working on this made quite the report on my likes and dislikes, right down to shoes the flower girl should wear." her lap rang again, this time it was her cell.
"Don't say it Josh. Don't tell me what I think you're going to tell me. Stop right there. Josh? Josh! I said stop talking! I'm coming over." Mei Lin snapped her phone shut againand let out a deep sigh.
"I'm going to have to go, everything's going to hell. Doug my assisstant, can help you with anything you need. Oh, and Sakura..." she paused. "Good luck."
Why did I feel like I would very much need it? Ugh, it sucks to be me.
What ya think? ya like? leave me a review please! love ya!
