Chapter 24: Butterfly Kisses
"She'll change her name today / She'll make a promise and I'll give her away / Standing in the bride-room just staring at her / She asked me what I'm thinking and I said "I'm not sure-I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl." / She leaned over...gave me butterfly kisses with her mama there / Sticking little white flowers all up in her hair / "Walk my down the aisle, Daddy-it's just about time."
"Lo," Kaylie hissed, grabbing Lauren's elbow and dragging her away from a group of wedding guests. The backyard of the Cruz house had been transformed for the reception; twenty white tables and folding chairs were grouped together beneath a white tent, and a thousand twinkling lights were strung from the rafters, and there was a dance floor between the tent and the house with a DJ booth. Guests milled happily, waiting for Payson and Sasha to make their entrance.
"What? Ow," Lauren protested. Kaylie pushed Lauren into an empty chair. Kelly and Emily looked up from their conversation.
"Hey Lauren," Kelly said sweetly. Lauren narrowed her eyes. She didn't for one second think that Kelly was actually being nice to her, of all the things that had changed since their teenage years, their mutual animosity had not.
"What do you want?" Lauren asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"You're happy for Sasha and Payson, right?" Kelly asked. Lauren looked between Kaylie and Emily, but neither of them looked too uncomfortable so she figured she was safe to answer the question.
"Of course."
"And you wouldn't want anything to ruin their shiny, new-marriage bliss, right?"
"Kelly, where are you going with this?" Lauren demanded. She wasn't in any kind of mood to play twenty questions. Kelly smiled.
"You know Adam, the new NGO guy that Beals left to hang around the gym? Well he's causing some serious problems," Kelly said, putting special emphasis on problems. Lauren nodded slowly, understanding just what kind of problems Kelly was talking about. The old Lauren, the scheming, back stabbing Lauren stirred inside her.
"So get rid of him," Lauren suggested.
"We plan to. But, we need your help."
Lauren leaned forward, her interest piqued. It had been a very long time since she'd hatched a genius scheme and she was eager to see if she still had what it took.
"What's the plan?"
#
"And now, could we have the bride and her father up here for the father daughter dance?" The DJ asked. The dance floor cleared and Mark led Payson out, giving her a spin before pulling her into his arms. "Butterfly Kisses" played over the speakers as tears clouded Mark's eyes.
"You okay, Daddy?" Payson asked. At twenty four, nearly twenty five, Payson often felt too old to call her father "Daddy," but sometimes the situation called for it, and her wedding day was one of them.
"Of course, honey. I'm so proud of you," Mark whispered against her hair. Payson smiled, laying her head against his chest and listening to the thump, thump of his heart. Mark Keeler was not a man of many words, but he didn't need to be; Payson understood everything he was thinking just by hearing those words.
For a few moments they danced in silence, until Mark pulled back just slightly. "Look," he whispered. Payson lifted her head from his chest and turned her head to see what was going on. Sasha and Harper were dancing just a few feet away from them, Harper standing on the tips of Sasha's shoes as he waltzed around. Payson laughed and Mark hugged her tightly.
"You have a beautiful family, Pay," Mark said.
"So do you, Daddy."
#
"Do you think anyone would blame us if we ducked out the back?" Sasha asked, burying his face in Payson's neck as she sat at one of the tables, talking to the other Rock girls. She laughed, sifting her fingers through his hair and turning her head to kiss him.
"Yes, I do," she said. Sasha grumbled something unintelligible and threw himself into the chair next to her.
"Fine."
"It's almost time to throw the bouquet, the reception won't last much past that," Payson promised. Kelly narrowed her eyes shrewdly.
"Trying to steal her away, Sasha?" Kelly asked with a quick wink.
"Never," he promised.
"Liar," Emily snorted. Sasha gave them an over-exaggerated sigh. Damon, Austin, and Marty appeared, taking the only empty seats left at the table.
"So Austin," Payson started as her friend slung an arm around Kelly's shoulders.
"Yes, Mrs. Belov?" Austin teased gently. Payson smiled, already as in love with her new last name as she was with her new husband.
"Sasha's made a honest woman out of me, when are you going to make an honest woman out of KP?" She waited for Kelly's glare, or some outburst of protest, but neither came. Kelly just kept on inspecting her fingernails as though the whole conversation bored her. Austin gave her shoulders a squeeze and laughed.
"Whenever she'll let me," he said. It was no secret that Austin had proposed to Kelly more than once, and that she had turned him down every time. It had almost become a running joke for the group, and they all waited for Kelly's usually flippant dismissal.
"Ok then, pick a date," Kelly said breezily. The entire table froze as Austin's jaw fell open.
"Really?" he asked. Kelly shrugged.
"Sure. Pick a date and I'll marry you." Payson couldn't help it, she started to laugh. Leave it to Kelly to refuse every actual proposal and then finally say yes when Austin least expected it. Soon, the entire group was laughing with her. There were no tears, no dramatic embraces between Kelly and Austin; it was possibly the most anti-climactic proposal any of them had ever seen. But it was done.
"Oh Lauren," Payson called playfully. Kelly straightened, her back rigid as she glared at Payson.
"No! We will not be having any of this," Kelly said, waving her hands at the party. "You and Sasha can come with us to the courthouse and watch us sign some papers but that is it."
"Hey! What about us?" Emily protested, gesturing between herself and Kaylie.
"If they get to be there, we get to be there," Kaylie insisted. Kelly groaned.
"There's no way I'm getting a small courthouse wedding, am I?" she whined. Austin laughed.
"Once my sister finds out about this? No way."
#
"How're you feeling, Mrs. Belov?" Sasha asked, leaning in the bedroom doorway, his hands slowly unbuttoning his shirt. Payson, still in her wedding dress, turned to face him.
"Mmm, fantastic, Mr. Belov," she said. Shucking his shirt, Sasha started across the room, pulling Payson into his arms and pressing his lips firmly to hers. He lifted her into his arms and started towards the bed but she laughed and pulled away.
"Wait, wait! My dress," she reminded him. He considered it for a moment and realized she was right; he would never get that dress off once he laid her on the bed. Leaning in to kiss her again, he slowly started flicking open the buttons that ran the length of her spine.
As soon as enough of the buttons were undone to allow it, Payson slipped the top of the dress down her shoulders to let it pool at the floor. Stepping back to take in the full picture, Sasha groaned and nearly fell to his knees in worship of his bride. Beneath her dress she wore a white lace corset and matching bikini underwear, both contrasting perfectly with her golden skin.
Unable to hold himself back any longer, he picked her up and tossed her into the middle of their giant bed before following.
"I love you," Payson gasped as he nuzzled her collarbone, his hand smoothing its way up her thigh. "I can't believe I'm your wife." Sasha pressed his pelvis into hers at the words, making her breath hitch.
"Say it again," he demanded, working his hand beneath her back to loosen the laces of her corset.
"I'm your wife," she repeated. Sasha growled, ripping the rest of the laces free and tossing the garment across the room. Lifting himself just enough to look into her eyes, he smiled wolfishly.
"Say it again."
#
The first time Payson had gotten married, everything felt different the next day. It felt foreign and new, and scary for her to suddenly be someone's wife. But with Sasha, life just went on. The weight of her wedding ring was a comforting reminder, but their lives didn't change in any tangible way. They were still just Payson and Sasha. Nothing appeared outwardly different.
Except for the large banner hanging outside the Rock that said; "Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Belov!" Payson and Sasha shared a look.
"Annabelle," they agreed, sharing a smile.
"My mom is coming in today, so I should be on the floor with you most of the day," Payson said as they entered the office, moving towards their own desks. "But I want some time to work with Annabelle on her double front tuck full. We really don't have much time and she's still a ways from being able to stick it."
"Of course," Sasha agreed. "Take whatever time you need with her."
"Thanks, love," Payson said. She leaned over to kiss him quickly as the doors to the gym opened and Annabelle's voice drifted up to them.
"Hey married people! Let's go, I've got an Olympics to sweep!" Payson and Sasha shared a laugh.
"I believe I'm being summoned," Payson laughed as she made her way towards the floor.
Annabelle was waiting by the beam, already working through her stretches. She smiled brightly at Payson as she crossed the mats.
"Now that you guys are married, do I have to call you Coach Belov?" Annabelle asked, blinking sweetly. Payson snorted.
"No, you can still call me Payson, just like you always have."
"What if someone comes in and asks for Coach Belov? How will I know who they're referring to?" Annabelle pressed. Payson fought a smile.
"I think it will be safe to assume that they're looking for Sasha. He is, after all, still the head coach."
"You're not making this any fun," Annabelle pouted. Payson laughed, shaking her head, and gestured to the beam.
"Come on, we've got a lot of work to do today."
"Aye, aye, Captain."
Obediently, Annabelle crawled onto the beam, and readied herself for the double front tuck full. They were still working on it as an isolated skill, trying to get Annabelle comfortable with the movement, to stick it, before they added it in to her routine and Payson worried that with only four weeks until the Olympic Trials it would never be ready in time.
"Remember, get as much height as you can off the beam," Payson said as Annabelle prepared herself. Payson fought the urge to close her eyes as Annabelle performed the skill, it was never easy to watch a gymnast fall, even if it was just in practice.
Annabelle managed to land on her feet, but her momentum carried her forward and she had to take two big steps to stay that way. Payson sighed. At least she wasn't landing it on her butt anymore.
"Okay, it's getting better. Let's just keep working it."
#
Lauren took one last look at herself in her visor mirror, reapplying her cherry red lipstick, before getting out of her car. It was time to put the plan in motion; Kelly, Kaylie, and Emily had agreed to let Lauren have mostly free reign with the plan, as long as she made sure Payson and Sasha never got wind of it.
Putting a little extra swing in her hips, Lauren sauntered inside the Rock, pausing briefly just inside the doors to figure out where Adam was. When she finally spotted him standing at the edge of the pit, watching Payson work with Annabelle on the beam, it struck her how much like Nicky Russo he looked. He was obviously a gymnast, his short, stocky build was a dead giveaway, and his dark features were just as brooding as Nicky's had been. At least he was relatively attractive, the plan would go a lot more smoothly if she didn't have to pretend to be somewhat attracted to him.
"Isn't she just amazing?" Lauren asked as she sidled up next to him. He glanced at her quickly, and then back again, allowing his eyes to trail up and down her body quickly.
"Yeah," He agreed. Confusion flashed in his eyes. "Who?"
"Annabelle. Reigning World Champ, does a vault no one else in the world can do, working on a beam dismount that almost no one in the world can do. She's amazing," Lauren repeated. Adam nodded.
"Sure, but anyone would be amazing getting that much individualized attention. I thought Payson was the Rock coach, not Annabelle's personal coach," Adam sneered. Lauren rolled her eyes.
"There's only a month left until the Olympic Trials, of course she's getting a little more personalized coaching, but so are the other elite girls. It just happens around this point in the cycle. You would know that if you'd ever actually been on the Olympic track. Where did you compete?" Lauren asked sweetly. She couldn't resist the dig, but in her experience men would work harder for your attention if you knocked them down a peg or two first.
"University of Michigan," he grumbled. Lauren smiled.
"Well, it's no Olympics but it certainly isn't something to be ashamed of either. What was your event?" Lauren moved a little closer to him, trying to draw his eyes away from Payson and Annabelle.
"Pommel horse," he said curtly. Lauren tried not to let her frustration show. The man had a laser like focus on the beam. Subtlety was not going to work.
"I'm Lauren, by the way," she introduced.
Finally he turned towards her to shake her hand. She gave him her best "come hither" smile and lightly stroked her fingers across his palm as he pulled his hand away. She saw him shiver.
"Adam."
"Adam," she said, making her voice drip with sensuality and stepping in close enough that she was almost pressed against him. "Why don't you take me out for a drink tonight?"
His eyes traveled her body again, much more slowly this time, and he grinned.
#
"I saw something very strange at the gym today," Payson said as she, Sasha, and Harper sat down for their first dinner as an official family.
"Oh?" Sasha asked, looking up from cutting Harper's chicken into bite sized pieces.
"Yeah. Lauren and Adam left together, and they looked very cozy," Payson said. Sasha snorted out a laugh.
"Figures those two would find each other," Sasha said. "If it keeps him out of our business, I say go for it."
"Yeah," Payson said distractedly. Sasha glanced up at her.
"What?" he asked. Payson thought for a moment, chewing her lip as she ran through her memories of the past couple of weeks.
"I think the girls are up to something," she said slowly. It would be just like Kelly, and Lauren, to try taking matters into their own hands.
"What of it?" Sasha asked. "Like I said, if it keeps Adam distracted, let them have their fun."
"Aren't you worried it will come back to bite us?" Payson asked. She could think of so many times when their schemes had backfired, and the last thing they needed was another complication this close to the Trials. Sasha laughed loudly.
"Maybe, but where's the fun in that?" He winked at Payson, drawing a smile from her, and leaned in for a quick kiss.
"I suppose you're right," she sighed. He tossed her another cheeky grin.
"Love, I'm always right."
#
Lauren slipped out of Adam's bed and grabbed her cell phone from her purse before slipping into the bathroom. The clock said it was nearly two in the morning, which meant it was four in Miami and if Kelly wasn't already up, she would be soon. Kelly had flown home after the wedding, planning to return in time for the Trials, and had demanded the Lauren keep her updated on the progress of the plan.
Lauren had strung Adam along for a week, flirting with him and making him take her on dates, making him think every night was the night, until it wasn't. Finally, knowing that she risked losing his attention and therefore ruining the plan, she'd slept with him. And if the way he'd talked to her after was any indication, she had him by the balls. He would do anything she wanted, whenever she wanted.
Phase 2 is a go. Boy is wrapped around my finger. Lo
Lauren sent the text, smiling to herself. It felt good to be plotting for someone else's benefit rather than her own.
"Lo, you okay?" Adam's sleepy voice asked from the other side of the door. Lauren gave herself a quick once-over in the mirror and then put on a smile as she opened the door.
"Better than okay, baby," she said in her sexiest voice. "Take me to bed."
A/N: BIG thanks to remuslives, franxample, THE VOLTURI RULE, Ida-cullen, Anonymous, goalie19, lakessler, explamation points forever, Egyptian Kiss, XNatalieX, Kiwiflea, LauraW89, Barrel of Monkeys, and poppetrussell for your reviews! I'm so glad everyone enjoyed the wedding
Now, I try not to do snap-shot chapters like this (with super short scenes) too often, but this one called for it. Next time, we'll pretty much be up to the Trials! Woohoo!
Fair warning (and try not to hate me): Updates on any of my fics during the month of November are probably going to be scarce. I'm doing a little something called NaNoWriMo and it will take up most if not all of my spare time. That said; reviews tend to make me throw caution to the wind. So if you want to see some during November…you know what to do!