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Chapter 14

Clara had one big problem and that was the inability to say no to a client even though she would have loved to do just exactly that. If she had said no, she would have spared herself hours of walking from bridal shop to bridal shop, looking for the perfect dress that probably didn't even exist. Clara was already at the end of her tether when she finally suggested to visit The Bride & Groom, hoping that Jackie would find a dress for this indecisive woman before Clara lost her mind. As much as she liked John, or especially because she liked John, Clara couldn't stand to be in the bride's presence for much longer.

"What do you have for me today, Clara?" Jackie asked with a broad smile when the two women entered the shop and Clara watched Liz scan the place in an instant. She rolled her eyes at her picky client.

"Jackie, this is my client Liz and we're looking for a wedding dress," she replied, trying very hard not to let her annoyance show. Clara really just wanted this day to be over.

Liz smiled and reached out to take Jackie's hand. "Nice to meet you," she said politely before having another look around. "Your shop looks lovely. I've been to so many by now, but I just can't find the right dress, you know?"

Jackie nodded understandingly. "Of course. It's a very important decision. Do you have something in particular in mind?"

"Not really, no," Liz replied reluctantly. "I mean, I don't care too much about the price, but I would like something special."

"Something special, huh?" Jackie raised her eyebrows. "Never heard a bride say that before. Why don't you have a look around and I'll join you in a minute?"

Liz nodded and stepped further into the shop while Clara felt Jackie's eyes on her, watching her with curiosity. The question was about to follow, she was sure of it.

"That's not John Smith's bride, is it?" she wanted to know.

Clara uttered a sigh. "Unfortunately it is," she hissed. "Please, tell me you can find a dress for her. I've been to six shops today. Nothing. She just doesn't like anything."

"Oh dear, that poor man," Jackie replied in a hushed voice before she bit down on her lip.

"That poor Clara who has to put up with her weird ideas," she mumbled. While they had been looking for a dress she had asked Liz about her ideas for the wedding and after only a few hours she had determined that they were as far away from John's ideas as humanly possible. They had nothing in common whatsoever.

Suddenly her phone started to vibrate in her pocket and Clara drew it out while Jackie went to join Liz. Her mood was very low today and whatever news this message had for her, Clara doubted it was good. Then she spotted a surprise on her display.

Do you think it's a good idea to bring a few photos to the meeting with Susan? I still have a couple of pictures of her mum. I'm not sure whether she'd like that.

John

Clara smiled to herself when she saw the message and set out to type a reply immediately.

Of course! I'm sure she'd like that. P.S. I'm currently wedding dress shopping with your future wife.

Clara

"Oh, I like this one," Liz exclaimed and when Clara looked up she spotted her holding up a massive gown with more tulle on it than on all the other dresses in the shop combined. Clara groaned internally.

"No, not this one," Jackie replied and took the dress out of her hand to put it straight back. "It would make you look fat."

Clara sniggered when the phone buzzed in her hand and she glanced down to read John's new message.

Please keep her from buying anything too embarrassing.

John

Clara sighed and typed her reply.

I'm trying my best.

Clara

She exhaled sharply before she slipped the phone back into her pocket. They just needed to find a wedding dress for Liz, just one that she liked. It couldn't be that hard, could it?

I now understand why you don't like shopping with your future wife ;)

Clara

John smiled at the latest message and right now he couldn't wait until Saturday. The thought of spending more time with Clara Oswald was what got him through this boring day at the office and he instantly texted her back although he should be sorting his paperwork instead. Then suddenly the door flung open.

"Message from the future Mrs Smith?" Martha Jones asked while she dropped a small stack of mail on the table.

"Uhm," John spluttered and instinctively locked his phone. "What makes you think that?"

His receptionist smirked in his direction. "Well, you were smiling at your phone and I don't assume you're the type to watch porn on your lunch break, so. . ."

"It wasn't porn!" he argued immediately, shocked that Martha even considered such a thing.

His receptionist chuckled in response. "I know that it wasn't, relax," she told him calmly. "But you were flirting with your sweetheart while you're supposed to look at your patients' test results. I should really confiscate your phone."

John hadn't been flirting, he really, really hadn't, but he knew better than to tell Martha the truth about his recent text message conversation. Instead he decided to ask her something more useful.

"Where did you and Mickey get married back then?" John wanted to know. "I'm going to look at some possible locations on Saturday and I seriously have no idea what to expect. I never thought about this before."

Martha smiled at him. "It was a romantic, little house in the countryside just outside of London. I can give you the address if you like."

John sighed. Romantic wasn't really what he was looking for, was it? He couldn't even say anymore. He would have loved to tell Clara Oswald to just book whatever she thought was right, but then he would rob himself of an opportunity to spend time with her. Why did he want to spend time with her anyway? So he could get her to convince Liz to drop the idea of a fancy wedding? Probably.

"You're really determined to make this wedding special for your fiancé, aren't you?" his receptionist asked him and when John looked up at her he couldn't find it in his heart to tell her the truth. Martha was just like any other woman when it came to weddings and John found himself wondering when the wedding ceremony had become more important than marriage itself, than the promise that two people made each other.

River had understood and Clara probably understood as well, but not Martha and certainly not Liz.

"Well, I shouldn't distract you from your work," his receptionist concluded when his phone buzzed once again. "Seems like your fiancé already does enough of distracting."

"Yeah," John lied and a few moments later Martha retreated to the next room, leaving him alone with his thoughts and doubts and the most recent text message from Clara.

Are we still on for Saturday?

Clara

John picked his phone back up and smiled.

Of course. Where would you like to meet?

John