Chapter Twelve
"Party!"
Mina, Julie-Su, and Lara-Le were looking through a bridal shop for a dress that Mina would like. Julie-Su was keeping an eye out for one for herself, but as her wedding wasn't for a couple of months yet, it wasn't very urgent. The lady who was running the store asked Mina what type of a dress she was looking for. Mina gave her a general idea and the lady disappeared into the back room.
"I wonder if she's got some dresses waiting for special customers," Lara-Le said. Mina and Julie shrugged. Just then, the lady returned carrying a long white wedding gown. It was a strapless dress that had a belt of pearls around the middle and a pair of white gloves to match. It was a simple dress, just the kind Mina had been looking for. She and Elias had already agreed. They just wanted a simple wedding.
The three women left the store with the wedding dress on a hanger and protected by a coat bag. After they stopped for a quick lunch, they headed to Lara-Le's apartment. Knuckles, Elias, and Keri-Le were there, having some lunch themselves.
"Where's Wyn?" Lara asked.
"He said he had some errands to run, but he'll be back later on," Knux explained. (A/n: Wyn is never going to appear in my stories. Forgive me, but I've never really liked him for whatever reason.)
"Okay," she responded. "Did you call the caterer?"
"Had to call three different caterers to get someone," Elias grumbled. Mina smiled and gave him a hug.
"Well, we're not going to crazy with the food, are we?" she asked.
"Nope. I said it was for a simple wedding and we didn't want anything too over-the-top," Elias assured her.
"Good," Mina said.
Julie-Su laughed. "You two are really about keeping it basic, aren't you?" she teased.
"Neither of us has really ever had the stomach for anything fancy," Elias said.
Knuckles gave a frustrated snort. "Which is just fine by me. We're having enough trouble just making basic plans."
"Aw, but it's for your best friends!" Mina joked, throwing her arms around Knuckles and hugging him. Everyone, including Knuckles, laughed.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," he said. "I'm not saying I mind, I'm just saying that this is a lot of trouble, that's all. Nothing we can't take care of."
"We can do it!" Keri-Le put in.
Knuckles laughed as he picked up his baby sister. "Yup. We sure can. Especially if you're helping out Squirt!"
"Big Brother!" Keri said cheerfully, hugging him tightly.
Elias stood up. "Lady Lara-Le, do you mind if I use your phone?" he asked.
"Not at all," Lara-Le said.
Elias picked up the phone and called his sister. She was very glad to hear from him.
"How're you doing Elias?" she asked.
"I'm doing just fine, thanks," he replied. "Listen I just called to invite you and the rest of the Freedom Fighters to the wedding."
"Oh, so you're finally getting around to that, are you?" she teased.
"Two minutes and you're already teasing me?" he grumped. "It's not until next month, but do you want to come?"
"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss it for anything!"
"Excellent! Invite Mom and Dad too," he said.
"Okay. I'll tell the Freedom Fighters. When did you say the wedding is?" Sally asked.
"We don't have an exact date yet. I'll give you a call when we do."
"Perfect! I'll se you then Elias!"
"See ya sis'!" Elias hung up the phone.
"Inviting everyone?" Knux asked.
"Yup," Elias responded. He glanced at his watch. "Ouch, look at the time! I've got to get going. I've got an interview for a job that I think I'd really enjoy."
"What's that Elias?" Julie asked.
"Nope, not saying. You wouldn't know anyway. It's a new thing that's starting up. Gotta go." Elias left and Knuckles soon followed suit, saying that he had to meet the other Chaotix about something. The girls weren't fooled. He and the others were planning the bachelor party.
"They must think we're so gullible," Lara-Le remarked.
"Ah, let them throw their bachelor party," Julie-Su said. "We're throwing a bachelorette party, aren't we?"
"Yeah, I guess so," Mina said.
"Okay then, I see no reason to hold back on anything then," Julie said, all businesslike suddenly. "I say we get enough wine, champagne, and beer to knock the Brotherhood of Guardians down drunk. Plus, we have to have a large supply of good food, and we of course have to have a few male dancers."
"WHOA!" Mina yelled. "Hold on there about the dancers! Let's cut back a little. I do love Elias and I want to show no disloyalty to him."
"Okay, fine, no dancers," Julie-Su said, seeming disappointed. "Well, I've planned stuff like this before, so just leave it to me."
"Fine, but I'm warning you, no dancers!" Mina said. "I'm tired anyway. I'm going to go ahead and head home for a nap. See ya." Mina left.
"Dancers?" Lara-Le asked.
"You know it!" Julie-Su assured her. "I'm going to bring in some dancers whether she admits she wants them or not. I know Mina Mongoose better than that."
* * *
It was two weeks later. As it had been halfway through the month when Elias had invited the FF to the wedding, they were into the next month. The FF had been called by Knuckles and Julie-Su, inviting them up to the parties beforehand, so they were on their way. Sally, Talina, and Bunnie were going to Mina's party of course, and Sonic, Rotor, Antoine, and after some arguing, Tails were going to Elias's party.
When they arrived, Elias and Mina were surprised to see them so soon before the wedding. When they found out about the bachelor and bachelorette parties, though, they were very amused that they'd made the trip just for this.
* * *
It was well into Mina's bachelorette party, after the dancers had made their appearance. Mina came over to Julie-Su and Lara-Le, seemingly ticked off.
"Listen, Lara-Le, Julie-Su, about these dancers," she began. The two echidna women were very tense for a minute. Maybe they had made a mistake in judgment. But then, Mina smiled. "Good call! VERY good call!" She hugged them both and went to rejoin the party. Lara and Julie were relieved.
"I guess you were right about her," Lara said.
"Of course I was," Julie replied. "Mina's become my best friend. I know a lot about her."
* * *
At about the same time, the dancers were just making their appearance at the bachelor party. Tails gave a huge whoop and watched as they began to perform.
Elias turned to the Chaotix and said, "Excellent choice on what to ignore!" And he too turned to watch the women dance. Knuckles rolled his eyes a little. He could tell that Elias was slightly drunk, but it honestly didn't matter. The entire point of a bachelor party was to unwind and just have fun before you tie the knot. As Elias and Knuckles had become best friends, Knuckles knew that Elias was going to be happy married to Mina, but he felt that he deserved a last night of absolute freedom before settling down.
* * *
Elias woke up the next day with a horrible headache. He had had a bit too much to drink at the party the night before and was now suffering from a hangover. That, however, was going to be the least of his problems in a minute.
"Morning sleepyhead," said a female voice from behind him. Elias froze. That wasn't Mina's voice. He turned around and there in bed with him was one of the dancers from the night before.
"Party!"
Mina, Julie-Su, and Lara-Le were looking through a bridal shop for a dress that Mina would like. Julie-Su was keeping an eye out for one for herself, but as her wedding wasn't for a couple of months yet, it wasn't very urgent. The lady who was running the store asked Mina what type of a dress she was looking for. Mina gave her a general idea and the lady disappeared into the back room.
"I wonder if she's got some dresses waiting for special customers," Lara-Le said. Mina and Julie shrugged. Just then, the lady returned carrying a long white wedding gown. It was a strapless dress that had a belt of pearls around the middle and a pair of white gloves to match. It was a simple dress, just the kind Mina had been looking for. She and Elias had already agreed. They just wanted a simple wedding.
The three women left the store with the wedding dress on a hanger and protected by a coat bag. After they stopped for a quick lunch, they headed to Lara-Le's apartment. Knuckles, Elias, and Keri-Le were there, having some lunch themselves.
"Where's Wyn?" Lara asked.
"He said he had some errands to run, but he'll be back later on," Knux explained. (A/n: Wyn is never going to appear in my stories. Forgive me, but I've never really liked him for whatever reason.)
"Okay," she responded. "Did you call the caterer?"
"Had to call three different caterers to get someone," Elias grumbled. Mina smiled and gave him a hug.
"Well, we're not going to crazy with the food, are we?" she asked.
"Nope. I said it was for a simple wedding and we didn't want anything too over-the-top," Elias assured her.
"Good," Mina said.
Julie-Su laughed. "You two are really about keeping it basic, aren't you?" she teased.
"Neither of us has really ever had the stomach for anything fancy," Elias said.
Knuckles gave a frustrated snort. "Which is just fine by me. We're having enough trouble just making basic plans."
"Aw, but it's for your best friends!" Mina joked, throwing her arms around Knuckles and hugging him. Everyone, including Knuckles, laughed.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," he said. "I'm not saying I mind, I'm just saying that this is a lot of trouble, that's all. Nothing we can't take care of."
"We can do it!" Keri-Le put in.
Knuckles laughed as he picked up his baby sister. "Yup. We sure can. Especially if you're helping out Squirt!"
"Big Brother!" Keri said cheerfully, hugging him tightly.
Elias stood up. "Lady Lara-Le, do you mind if I use your phone?" he asked.
"Not at all," Lara-Le said.
Elias picked up the phone and called his sister. She was very glad to hear from him.
"How're you doing Elias?" she asked.
"I'm doing just fine, thanks," he replied. "Listen I just called to invite you and the rest of the Freedom Fighters to the wedding."
"Oh, so you're finally getting around to that, are you?" she teased.
"Two minutes and you're already teasing me?" he grumped. "It's not until next month, but do you want to come?"
"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss it for anything!"
"Excellent! Invite Mom and Dad too," he said.
"Okay. I'll tell the Freedom Fighters. When did you say the wedding is?" Sally asked.
"We don't have an exact date yet. I'll give you a call when we do."
"Perfect! I'll se you then Elias!"
"See ya sis'!" Elias hung up the phone.
"Inviting everyone?" Knux asked.
"Yup," Elias responded. He glanced at his watch. "Ouch, look at the time! I've got to get going. I've got an interview for a job that I think I'd really enjoy."
"What's that Elias?" Julie asked.
"Nope, not saying. You wouldn't know anyway. It's a new thing that's starting up. Gotta go." Elias left and Knuckles soon followed suit, saying that he had to meet the other Chaotix about something. The girls weren't fooled. He and the others were planning the bachelor party.
"They must think we're so gullible," Lara-Le remarked.
"Ah, let them throw their bachelor party," Julie-Su said. "We're throwing a bachelorette party, aren't we?"
"Yeah, I guess so," Mina said.
"Okay then, I see no reason to hold back on anything then," Julie said, all businesslike suddenly. "I say we get enough wine, champagne, and beer to knock the Brotherhood of Guardians down drunk. Plus, we have to have a large supply of good food, and we of course have to have a few male dancers."
"WHOA!" Mina yelled. "Hold on there about the dancers! Let's cut back a little. I do love Elias and I want to show no disloyalty to him."
"Okay, fine, no dancers," Julie-Su said, seeming disappointed. "Well, I've planned stuff like this before, so just leave it to me."
"Fine, but I'm warning you, no dancers!" Mina said. "I'm tired anyway. I'm going to go ahead and head home for a nap. See ya." Mina left.
"Dancers?" Lara-Le asked.
"You know it!" Julie-Su assured her. "I'm going to bring in some dancers whether she admits she wants them or not. I know Mina Mongoose better than that."
* * *
It was two weeks later. As it had been halfway through the month when Elias had invited the FF to the wedding, they were into the next month. The FF had been called by Knuckles and Julie-Su, inviting them up to the parties beforehand, so they were on their way. Sally, Talina, and Bunnie were going to Mina's party of course, and Sonic, Rotor, Antoine, and after some arguing, Tails were going to Elias's party.
When they arrived, Elias and Mina were surprised to see them so soon before the wedding. When they found out about the bachelor and bachelorette parties, though, they were very amused that they'd made the trip just for this.
* * *
It was well into Mina's bachelorette party, after the dancers had made their appearance. Mina came over to Julie-Su and Lara-Le, seemingly ticked off.
"Listen, Lara-Le, Julie-Su, about these dancers," she began. The two echidna women were very tense for a minute. Maybe they had made a mistake in judgment. But then, Mina smiled. "Good call! VERY good call!" She hugged them both and went to rejoin the party. Lara and Julie were relieved.
"I guess you were right about her," Lara said.
"Of course I was," Julie replied. "Mina's become my best friend. I know a lot about her."
* * *
At about the same time, the dancers were just making their appearance at the bachelor party. Tails gave a huge whoop and watched as they began to perform.
Elias turned to the Chaotix and said, "Excellent choice on what to ignore!" And he too turned to watch the women dance. Knuckles rolled his eyes a little. He could tell that Elias was slightly drunk, but it honestly didn't matter. The entire point of a bachelor party was to unwind and just have fun before you tie the knot. As Elias and Knuckles had become best friends, Knuckles knew that Elias was going to be happy married to Mina, but he felt that he deserved a last night of absolute freedom before settling down.
* * *
Elias woke up the next day with a horrible headache. He had had a bit too much to drink at the party the night before and was now suffering from a hangover. That, however, was going to be the least of his problems in a minute.
"Morning sleepyhead," said a female voice from behind him. Elias froze. That wasn't Mina's voice. He turned around and there in bed with him was one of the dancers from the night before.
