6 Years, 2 Months
"My mom just called me, before you woke up." Annie said to Finnick, seeming a bit pensive. Finnick immediately stiffened up at the idea, placing his fork down next to his plate, suddenly feeling too queasy to eat.
"About what?" He asked nervously, as Annie tugged on her hair.
"My dress…er, about my wedding dress. She said she wants to pay for it." Annie said, sounding in disbelief at the idea, and Finnick was too.
Annie's mother, Laurie Cresta, was…not the nicest woman a person could meet. In fact, the words frigid bitch popped into his head quite often, though he never voiced it to Annie. Overprotective, controlled, conniving and just plain nasty were other ways he could describe her, but again, never voiced it aloud unless he was really drunk and complaining to his buddies. Laurie had virtually denounced Finnick's existence in Annie's life, and when Annie had chosen Finnick over Laurie, Laurie had denounced Annie in her life.
Finnick wasn't even sure he wanted Laurie at the wedding, though of course Annie did want her mother there. But the idea of Annie's parents paying for anything shocked him. Mags had wanted to pay for the entire thing, though Annie and Finnick had talked her down to half. He was glad that Annie's parents wanted to pitch in, but couldn't help but feel it was just some kind of ploy for Laurie to exert her control over Annie again.
"Ann, that's great but are you sure?"
"Mom said that the budget would be limitless. Limitless Finnick! I can't just say no to that." Annie said holding his hands in hers. "Besides, if she pays for the dress, that's one less thing that Mags needs to worry about."
"If that's what you want, Annie. I just…have a hard time thinking that she's donating something. I almost think it's because she wants something in return." Finnick told her honestly, because that's what she deserved to hear from him. She nodded her head, and bit her lip. And suddenly to Finnick's horror he could see tears in her eyes.
"I was really happy. I know it's stupid but I…I…I just want her to be a part of it and..." Annie couldn't finish what she was saying because she suddenly was overcome with tears. No, even after all these years, he couldn't stand it. Her tears were like knives, scraping against his heart, the heart she had helped stitch back together, ripping it to shreds. Seeing her cry made him want to die, and he would do anything just to make her stop.
He pulled her close, rocking her back and forth, kissing her tear stained cheeks.
"Shh, Ann. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." Finnick said, as Annie buried her head into his shoulder, taking deep breaths.
"I'm sorry, I just…kind of exploded. I don't know what to do, Finn. I want her to be apart of our wedding, but I can't stand to think that she wants to control me." Annie said moving away and letting Finnick wipe the tears from her face. Suddenly, determination so strong swept through him.
"I'm going to take care of this." Finnick said firmly, and Annie stared at him.
"What?"
"I said; I'm going to take care of this. I'm not going to let her ruin this for you. You're my fiancé, Annie. You're the one getting married, and you don't deserve to have your feelings tugged around like this." Finnick said holding her hands in his, picking them up so he could kiss them. "If she wants to help you get a dress out of the goodness of her heart, then she will certainly be able to say it with me there as witness. If not, we'll get the dress of your dreams without her. I don't care if I have to get three jobs, I'll make it happen."
"Finnick…" Annie whispered, biting her trembling lips. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me, Annie. Making you happy is one of the greatest joys in my life." Finnick said, smiling gently at her.
With that decided, Annie called her mother back, and told her that she wanted to meet with her and discuss the dress finances. And a few days later, Laurie knocked on their door, and seemed visibly surprised at the fact that it was Finnick who answered the door.
"I wasn't expecting you here." She said shortly, while still fixing her bag on her shoulder.
"We decided that it was important that I am here." Finnick said, trying to keep his face neutral.
"A wedding dress is something that the fiancé shouldn't be a part of or even see until it's down the aisle." Laurie said, her voice clipped and harsh. "It's tradition."
"This wedding is Annie's wedding. Annie wanted me here to talk with you, so I am here. That's all there is to it." Finnick said not budging a single bit. Laurie was glaring at him now, steel-grey eyes dark like storm clouds.
"Fine. Be difficult." She snapped. "You always were the most stubborn, unmannered boy I've ever met. I still don't understand why she didn't choose any of the nice, respectable boys I introduced her to."
"I just hope you don't have as bad of a fashion sense as you do in guys." Finnick said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, as he recalled Annie back in high school, telling him all about the nightmare-dates her mother had set her up on. He remembered her rants about the boys, of upper class origin, who cared about nothing about expensive sports cars, and how quickly they could phone their dealers.
Laurie glared at him again, but chose not to speak, instead sat upon their loveseat, looking severely out of place, and glancing at everything in their humble apartment judgmentally, as she always did.
The thing about Laurie that was possibly the most annoying thing about her was how refined she looked. Twenty years younger, she would've probably been a girl he would've imagined to be an heiress or a southern belle. Her dark, brown hair with up in a sophisticated twist, her make-up done to perfection, she was small like Annie, but held herself in a regal manner only fit as a Queen. Laurie Cresta wasn't a woman struggling to grasp at the remnants of her youth, as many women her age did, but a woman who accepted age with gracefulness and poise. Laurie Cresta was a woman with impeccable taste, he could see from her black blazer, pale grey blouse, khaki pants, and designer heels, along with a bag that Finnick was sure was one of the ones Annie had pointed out while looking through the Cole Hann section of Nordstrom.
Despite his previous comment, he was sure she would pick out an amazing dress for Annie. However, that wasn't really the point. What Finnick wanted was for Annie to be happy, and if Laurie did her…Laurie thing, then Annie would walk out of whatever bridal store they went to miserable.
"Hi Mom." Annie said walking into the room. She had obviously dressed up a bit, knowing how her mother hated any sort of laxness in presentation. She was wearing a flowing green blouse and tan capris, that Finnick could've sworn were past presents from her mother. Laurie stood up and quickly embraced Annie, before sitting down in the seat across from them.
"You called saying that you wanted to discuss the finances, right?" Laurie asked looking a bit suspicious.
"I did. And more then that, Mom, I want to know why you suddenly asked to pay for my dress. I want to know the real reason." Annie said firmly, and her mother looked scandalized.
"You think I have a reason? Who do you take me for?"
"I take you for you, and Mom, no offense, but you never do anything without a reason." Annie said, squeezing Finnick's hand, which he squeezed back for support. Laurie sighed and looked at Annie evenly.
"Annie, I only have two daughters. Cora, and you. I paid for Cora's dress, because that's what a mother should do, and now I'm going to pay for yours. I know our relationship hasn't been the best over the past few years, but this is what I want." Laurie said firmly, and Finnick just felt Annie crumple,
"This isn't about obligation, Mom. This is my wedding! If you're going to do something for me, I want it to be because you love me." She nearly sobbed, and immediately Finnick was rubbing her back, attempting to calm her down.
"Of course I love you. I've always loved you. That's why I've only ever wanted the best for you." Laurie said, acting saintly, as if she had no part in whatever was making Annie so upset, which only seemed to upset Annie more.
"That's why everything I've ever done isn't good enough, is it?" Annie asked, still wiping away her tears. Finnick squeezed her hands before turning to Laurie, deciding that now was the time for an intervention.
"Laurie, listen. I know we don't get along-"
"Well if you weren't so rude-" Laurie started to say before Finnick cut her off with a wave of his hand.
"But, you and Daniel being in this wedding is really important to both of us. However, if you're only helping out to keep up appearances, it's safe to say that we don't want you to spend the money." Finnick said, "If you are doing this out of the goodness of your heart, then say it. If not, you can leave."
"How will you afford the dress?" Laurie asked, actually sounding distraught.
"It's going to be like I've told Annie. I'll work three jobs if I have to. There is no price tag on Annie's happiness." Finnick said firmly, and then Laurie did something Finnick hadn't been expecting at all.
She burst into tears.
"Mom?" Annie asked, horrified, while Finnick just sat there stupefied by the whole situation, because Finnick had never seen Laurie look so much like Annie.
"Annie, you're my baby. All I've ever wanted to do was see you down the aisle in something beautiful. I'm sorry, I just can't bare to know that I've let you down as a mother in that way." Laurie explained, wiping away her tears. Finnick had the suspicion that they were crocodile tears, but Annie got up and embraced her mother. But could Finnick really blame her? Laurie was Annie's only mother. Annie wanted to love and believe in Laurie. (Just like Finnick had wanted to love and believe in Lynn, but that dream had been long since crushed under foot.)
"Alright. Okay, Mom. We'll go shopping for a dress." Annie said and Finnick watched as Laurie smiled back.
What was he going to do about this?
"Listen Finn, I know you want me to play undercover spy, but dress shopping isn't really my thing." Johanna said with a roll of her eyes. Finnick shrugged,
"You owe me for bailing you out two weeks ago."
"Hey! It wasn't my fault that cop was a dick."
"You kicked him, Johanna."
"Still!"
"Come on, I'm begging you. Laurie is the devil in disguise, and I need to make sure that she doesn't sway Annie into anything she doesn't want. You're my only hope." Finnick said, giving her his best puppy-dog eyes. "Please? Pretty please? With sprinkles, fudge, whip cream, and a cherry on top?"
"You're definitely taking me out for drinks afterwards. I'll need to get hammered to forget the experience." Johanna muttered and Finnick grabbed her, hugged her, and spun her around.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He said, and someone called from the door,
"Yo, Finn!" A voice he recognized easily came from the door of the café. He looked over to see Gale, Peeta, Thresh, and Thom walking in.
"Have fun at your sausage feast. I have to go suit up for my battle in hell." Johanna said, kissing Finnick's cheek quickly, punching his arm hard, and then sauntering over and slapping Gale's ass before strutting out the door of the café in a way that could only be described as "Johanna Mason".
"Well goddamn, since when are you comfy cozy with Johanna?" Gale asked as they sat down at Finnick's table.
"We go back a long time." Finnick said shortly. "Besides, she's doing me a favor by guarding Annie from Momzilla while she dress shops."
"That sucks, Finn. I'm sorry dude." Peeta said, clapping a hand on his shoulder.
"You know what though? All of our lovely ladies are dress shopping with Annie. Why don't we hit the clubs or something?" Thom offered.
"I haven't been clubbing since I was, like, in high school." Finnick said with a laugh, while Peeta frowned.
"High school? Isn't that illegal?"
"What can I say? I was a troublemaker. I'm domesticated now." Finnick admitted with a shrug.
"Call this preparation for the bachelor's party. Besides, it's not like the girls will mind. They go out clubbing every other week." Gale said, and yes, Finnick supposed that was true. They did have girls nights out often, and whenever Annie came home, tipsy and smelling like other men's cologne, it drove him mad with jealousy. Annie was his, after all. And those were definitely the nights that he made sure that Annie knew that for a fact.
"What about the game?" Thresh muttered, and Thom straightened up.
"Oh yeah, damnit. I can't miss the play off game tonight." Thom said, rubbing his chin before he snapped his fingers, "How about we just go to my house, crack open a couple beers and watch some football?"
"A stereotypical man feast? Alright, I can dig that." Peeta said with a laugh.
"With that decided on, come by my house at 4:30 and let's get some football on." Thom said, and Finnick felt his lips tug up, secretly relieved he didn't have to go to a strip club.
So he made his way home in the heat of summer, watching absentmindedly as the heat of the sun made the tar shimmer. When he opened the door to their apartment he was slightly disappointed to see that Annie was already gone to shop for her dress before grabbing imself a cool glass of lemonade and scrounging up the ingredients to make salsa. As he cut up the ingredients, his mind wandered a bit.
Annie in a wedding dress, walking down the aisle. The thought was so tantalizing it almost made him salivate. Obviously he thought the dress would be white, but then again a Champagne dress would look lovely against her fair skin. And what kind of dress would it be? An extravagant ball gown? Maybe not, Annie would prefer something less flashy, though she was his Princess and Finnick definitely wouldn't be opposed. A mermaid style? That would fit her extremely well, show off all of her natural curves that Finnick worshiped. Or maybe something loose and flowy, that Annie could easily move in would fit her best.
He imagined getting her out of that dress on their wedding night. They had already booked their honeymoon, a week vacation to the beach. How sweet was it going to be, to be bound to Annie as husband and wife? He let his mind slip into his fantasies, into the possibilities, Annie, impossibly beautiful walking down the aisle, their first dance as Annie wrapped her arms around his neck, sliding his hands across her trembling flesh as they made love for the first time on their wedding night, or even further into the depths of his imagination, Annie round, glowing, pregnant with his child.
Finnick felt his cheeks grow impossibly hot, as he snapped himself out of his mind and tried to focus more on making salsa.
His mind had been slipping into that particular daydream rather often nowadays. He couldn't help it. The thought having children with Annie made his knees go weak and his breath all funny. But then again, whenever the subject came up it was always ifs with Annie, not when. Finnick had resigned himself to the fact that having children probably wasn't going to happen. He remembered how terrified she had been with their pregnancy scare a few months ago, and besides, Finnick had no experience with fathers. (Only wisps of memories and endless nightmares of a tiny thing in a fluffy pink blanket, screams and terrifying silence) How could Finnick Odair ever be a father? He wasn't fit to be a father, he could barely take care of himself.
Still, a part of his mind offered him like did Mephistopheles to Faust, what if?
He could imagine Annie telling him, tears of happiness over flowing from her eyes. He imagined a small baby bump that would swell, a tiny foot that would kick at the sound of Finnick's voice. Every time he would look at Annie, his heart would swell because it was their child inside of her, the ultimate form of love.
If Finnick could be a father, he would want a pretty little girl. He imagined a little Annie, with dark silk hair in pretty braids, dancing and giggling, a little princess he could always save from any trouble. He would sneak her sweets when Annie wasn't looking, play endless rounds of tic-tac-toe with her while using chalk on the sidewalk, and most importantly he would keep her safe from any and all harm. He would give his little Annie only the best. (Maybe spoil her a little bit, but then again, didn't all children deserve to be spoiled with love?) He would give his little Annie the childhood that Finnick never had. His baby wouldn't have to grow up, clinging to the fragments of memories and trying to construct the semblance of normalcy and safety in a world that devoured the weak.
He was jarred from his fantasy when he cut into an onion, the stinging bringing tears to his already moist eyes. He swore under his breath and finished cutting the onion quickly, his eyes still stinging and burning.
"You need to stop daydreaming, Finnick." Finnick muttered to himself as he combined his ingredients. "You're going to end up chopping off your fingers at this rate."
Trying to continue to be content with reality, Finnick finished his salsa and went over to Thom for man-time.
"Finnick, I'm home!" Annie called from living room, as Finnick lay on his stomach, sleepless. It wasn't too late, but Finnick had been finding it increasingly hard to sleep without her next to him.
"Hey Annie, in the bedroom." Finnick called back, and Annie walked into the bedroom, striping down and pulling on pajamas. As soon as she was set with that, she sat next to him on the bed.
"Hey babe, how are you?" She asked, rubbing his back, making him sigh.
"Good, good. My back's killing me though. Gale and Thom decided to relive their football glory days on me and tackled me off the couch."
"Well, I'll see what I can do about that." Annie said, kissing the back of his neck, making shivers run up and down his spine. She straddled him and began to massage his sore muscles.
"Oh." He sighed as she pressed her fingers against a knot, "Ann, you're a miracle worker."
"I know." She laughed, continuing to rub his back, "So how was the football game?"
"Well, I don't really watch football. But what I do know is that when a team your buddies are rooting for wins, the amount of testosterone released is equal to that of a gym, but of course with more beer involved." Finnick joked, as Annie patted his back.
"Ah, riveting. Well, I'm glad it was a learning experience."
"Tell me about your day. Did you find your dream dress?" He asked, looking back at her slightly. She smiled so radiantly that Finnick forgot how to breath for a moment before bending down to kiss his temple.
"You could say that."
"What style was it?"
"I'm not telling." Annie teased putting pressure on either side of his spine. "But in any case, we went out dress shopping and the number one selection made Johanna tear up a bit. So I would say the bridal shopping was a success."
"Well, I always think you look beautiful. In fact, why don't you try not wearing a dress? Just walk down the aisle naked."
"I'm sure that'd be a head turner." Annie laughed.
"I can almost imagine Laurie's face. Oh and by the way, how was she today?" Finnick asked curiously, wondering if Johanna upheld her end of the bargain.
"She didn't do anything horrid, if that's what your wondering." Annie told him, trailing her fingers up and down his back. "She was just…my mom. It was nice."
"Well your mom hates me." Finnick said with a sigh.
"I don't think hate is the correct term." Annie said in a scolding tone.
"Strongly dislike?"
"It's more like, you did the thing that she couldn't. She's jealous of you. The fact is: you got me to come out of my shell, you made me feel normal. I think she has this sense of failure. My mom is one of those do-it-yourself people, you know." Annie explained, kissing his shoulders lovingly-
Kisses like morning dew
"She also thought that I was playing a horrible prank on you for a while." Finnick said as Annie's kissing became more adamant, her fingers splaying lovingly across his back, the length of her body pressing down along him to feel every curve of her. And oh, he wouldn't mind drowning under her weight.
Droplets of love trapped beneath my skin.
"I know. That was horrible, but I also guess that was her way of coping with it." Annie explained, her cheek against his shoulder as she hummed, "I love your back."
"What do you love about it?"
"How big it is. How strong it is. I love your shoulders, how sturdy they are. It's like they could carry the weight of the world." Annie said, before rolling off his back to lay besides him. She smiled at him, so prettily, "You're beautiful, Finnick."
"Not as beautiful as you." Finnick said, pulling her into his arms and she sighed, as she pressed her lips against his, and warmth permeated through his body. Her lips were like pure comfort, home, safety. She pulled away, her pale skin gently flushed rose, her eyes sparkling in the dim light. She was so gorgeous it was breathtaking.
Annie was the most beautiful person in the world to him. She didn't need to wear a super expensive wedding dress to prove it, just seeing her here, snuggled into his arms was so wonderful it could've made him cry. After all, for her to love him was the miracle of all miracles, he had realized that many years ago. For his years of empty yearning, the fruition was this. He was going to be married to the girl of his dreams. Certainly wanting anything else was selfish. She had already given him so much, without anything in return besides his love.
Maybe he was thinking too much, he wished he could stop it but that was just a facet of his being. When a person was alone as often as he was in childhood, escape was something necessary. In childhood this method had allowed him to skirt away from the feelings of loneliness and dejection, to fill his mind with lovely what ifs. In adulthood it caused nothing but trouble. He wanted just to focus on the gleam of moonlight against Annie lips, the feeling of her warm body, pressed against his in the dark, but despite his best efforts his mind wandered to the impossible possibilities.
I taste silver starlight upon my lips
"I love you Finnick." Annie said as Finnick wrapped his arms around her, remedying his condition with the sheer force of reality. He was reminding himself of the world he lived in, that he wasn't just a lost soul who had perchanced on a dream.
"I love you too." He said, running his fingers through her soft hair, smiling as she smiled back.
As I ponder the dream I am living in.
The second installment of The Wedding Arch, complete! I don't quite want to ruin what Annie's dress is, but I have a firm idea of what it's going to be like. Also, I have something I would like your opinion on. For the wedding chapter, would you guys like it to be Finnick POV, Annie POV, or a two part like the You Don't See Me arch? I'm leaning more towards Finnick, but then again, I could see the merits of a two part. Please leave a review and tell me what you think.
This chapter was also co-inspired by a reviewer who left a request to see an interaction between Finnick and Mrs. Cresta. There you go! I hope you liked it. Isn't Laurie such a delightfully vicious creature? If anyone else has any sort of requests, I'm ready to do it! So please, drop a request as well!
Oh also, excuse me. The next couple chapters might be named after WALK THE MOON songs, because…I'm completely obsessed with them. Like literally. The whole album is fantastic. So yeah. Sorrynotsorry. Also Quesadilla because he was making salsa #Iseewhatyoudidthere
Thank you for reading this chapter, and as always see you next time! ~OMGitsgreen