Chapter 22: True Devotion
Queenie and Fred wasted no time in setting plans for the wedding. Although Queenie disagreed completely with Will and Angel devoting their lives to each other, she was still psyched beyond belief to plan a wedding. It was decided that the two lovers would exchange vows in Central Park. The early-summer scenery was too beautiful to pass up. The reception, however, would be held at Club Tran. Both Queenie and Fred were convinced that, if given the opportunity, the club could be a beautiful reception hall. Skeptically, Angel and Will agreed, but only to please the wedding planners.
The "big day" was only two weeks after Will proposed, since there was no out of town family to be invited, as Will's parents didn't approve of his homosexuality, Angel's mother was dead, and his father was long gone. The only people Angel wanted to invite were Ceci and Carlotta Casablanca, the people his mother had stayed with during her final days. He felt he owed it to them to let them know where he was, and what was happening with him. They had, after all, cared for his mother, who he loved dearly.
Will had only wished to invite his ex-boyfriend, and best friend, Bart, to the ceremony. He was, as Angel so affectionately referred to him as, "Nantucket Boy," and the one who designed and manufactured the clothes at Model Boy.
Aside from Will and Angel's short guest list, the guests would be a sea of transvestites wearing fancy, sparkling evening gowns, and flamboyant gay men, all dressed sharply in well-tailored tuxedos. The event was, after all, being planned by Queenie, who would have rather cancelled the gathering than have some unfashionable attire present. This made shopping for Angel's wedding dress all the more interesting.
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"Ang, I am going to find you the PERFECT dress!" Queenie announced as she walked briskly into Angel and Will's apartment. The lovers knew that giving her and Fred their own key was a mistake.
"Queenie, honey, it's eight AM," Angel hollered from the bedroom, still cuddling with Will after a night of peaceful slumber.
"You're darn right it is! So we better get a move on. Out of bed, now! Come on, we can't waste any time. The wedding is in less than a week, and you still don't have a dress! I thought that would have been your top priority," she scolded as she entered the bedroom, greeted by a pair of topless lovers holding one another. Sighing, she continued, "I'm not kidding, get up! The dress shop is uptown, so we need to go."
"You're not very patient this morning, are you?" Will asked, stretching and finally beginning to leave the bed he was so comfortable in.
"No, I'm not!" Queenie exclaimed, "not when there is shopping to be done. And this isn't just some fun shopping spree, this is a wedding dress! It's important! So we need to goooo!" she whined as Angel and Will lethargically got out of bed.
Pulling on Angel's arms, Queenie yanked him out of bed. "I'm going, I'm going," Angel insisted, as he stepped into the bathroom with a pair of glitzy jeans and a tiny tank top. "We'll be outta here by 9, I swear."
"8:30," Angel heard from behind the closed bathroom door. Rolling his eyes, he got dressed and began his lengthy morning regiment.
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By 8:45, Queenie and Angel were off to buy the perfect dress. Queenie had insisted that Will not come, rambling something about how it was bad luck if the groom saw the bride's wedding dress before the day of the ceremony.
Queenie was right: the dress shop was far away. She hated walking anywhere too far in fear of ruining her expensive heels, so her and Angel took the bus. Angel didn't like the subway, because it reminded him of the day his mother died, so he hadn't been on one since them, and Queenie didn't trust cab drivers. She thought it was strange being in a car with a random person that she didn't know. With all the homophobia that existed in society, Queenie knew that a public bus would be their safest bet.
After an interminable bus ride, the two drag queens finally arrived at the dress shop. The store looked like a standard "special occasions" shop for women, as opposed to drag queens. Angel knew better than that, though. Prior to their outing, Queenie had told him that the uptown queens were very secretive. Most of the people who came into the drag shops didn't even realize that clothes were made for men instead of women. In some cases, they even had the drag clothes in a special, closed off section in the back. Queenie insisted that it was her own knack for knowing where and how to shop that had led her to these secretive drag palaces where she'd found some of her favorite and most treasured ensembles.
Entering the store quietly, Queenie headed straight to the back of the store, holding Angel's hand and dragging him behind her. She knocked three times on the "Employees only" door, and a beautiful woman came to answer.
"Queenie honey!" she squealed as she opened the door and let the two of them in. "It's been entirely too long. I haven't seen you in, what a couple of months?"
"It has been too long, darling. You haven't met Angel. Ang, this is Katie. She's an old friend of mine, and my all time favorite shopping partner," Queenie introduced, hooking an arm around Katie's waist.
"It is so nice to meet you, Angel. How did you and Queenie meet?" she asked, cocking her head slightly to the side, letting her long, flowing blonde waves bounce over her shoulders.
"Um, it's kind of a long story, but I was homeless, wandered into the club, and she took me in," Angel explained, making the story as brief as possible.
"Oh, well I'm glad you two found each other. Queenie's been known to house some street kids once in a while. How long have you known each other?"
"Over a year now. God, I can't believe it's been that long," Angel answered, thinking back to his first night meeting Queenie.
"Oh wow. You're not just some average stray then. She must really like ya," Katie answered back winking in Queenie's direction.
"You're darn right honey. Angel's like my son, which is why we're here, actually," Queenie chimed in.
"Oh, alright. Well, what can I help you with?"
"Angel is getting married!" Queenie yelped as a large grin spread over her shiny pink lips.
"AH!" she squealed, as her blue eyes lit up and she took hold of Angel's hand, "So you want a wedding dress?"
"Yeah." Angel replied, afraid of what Katie had in store for him.
"So, we were thinking you'd be able to help us out. You know the most about fashion. Even I'm in awe of your matching skills," Queenie admitted.
"Well, I try." Katie said, blushing, then continued, "So what kind of look are you going for, Angel? Do you want something that's more understated, or something that is over the top?" She began to rapidly search through her racks of white dresses, examining Angel every few seconds and picking out a select few gowns.
"I'm thinking something more understated," Angel replied, getting a sharp look from Queenie.
"Babe, this is your wedding, don't you wanna go all-out?" Katie questioned.
"Well, yeah, but it's a small ceremony, and. I don't know," Angel said, bashfully.
"Angel, honey," Queenie said, "You can be as understated or over-the- top as you want, it's your special day."
"I'll try it all and see what works best," he agreed.
"Great!" Katie squealed and pulled Angel to more identical racks of white gowns. "Oh my gawd honey," she exclaimed as she selected an iridescent, floor-length gown off the rack, "my boyfriend's ex wore a dress just like this to some convention he went to, the gaudy little bitch. This dress is totally not made for a function like that, it is strictly bridal attire," she educated them both as she shook her head in shame looking at the dress.
"Um, sorry for asking, but you said boyfriend. You're straight?" Angel asked politely, trying hard not to be too nosy.
"Ang, I had 'the operation'," she said, giggling as she tossed her blonde locks behind her shoulders.
"Oh," Angel replied, looking at Katie and wondered how on earth she could have ever been a man. Brushing it off, he continued to follow her as she selected more dresses for him to try on, each one a bit heavier and flashier than the last.
Finally, the three determined shoppers reached the final rack, filled now with glitter and sequins instead of simple satin gowns.
"This will do wonders for those eyes of yours," Katie said, thrusting yet another dress into his already-full arms.
"Um, Katie, I think I have enough," Angel gasped, out of breath from pacing around the store with such heavy things in his arms.
"Oh dear, I guess you're right. Well then, the dressing room is right over there," she pointed to a black velvet curtain, "Let me know what you think of them, if you need a different size or anything."
"Ang, I want to see it all," Queenie insisted, as she always did, and winked at him.
"Sure sure," he said, dragging himself and dresses into the tiny fitting room.
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"Queenie, this is the twentieth dress I've tried on!" Angel moaned as he zipped himself up into yet another sea of white satin and sequins. By now, he was sick and tired of seeing himself in so many seemingly-identical gowns, each one looking more and more homogenous. Trudging out of the dressing room, he was greeted by an excited Queenie, and an observant Katie.
"I'm not feeling this one. It's too low-cut, and I think a higher neckline would look better on you," Katie nodded as a cue for Angel to return, yet again, to the fitting room and try on another dress.
"This is the last one," he insisted as he unzipped the puffy, low-cut gown and stepped into a much more fitted, satin dress with a beaded neckline. Zipping up in the back, he twirled around the tiny fitting room, watching the train of soft, satin fabric trail behind him. Winking at his reflection, he examined the beaded embroidery on the front of the dress, tracing the swirls and zigzags with his finger. He turned around slightly so he could see the back of the dress, which had a low scoop and strands of glittery rhinestones hanging from the button at the top of the neck. Katie was right- the high-cut neckline worked well on him. It made him look a bit healthier, not so toothpick-skinny like he was. The cut out in the back with the rhinestones was beautiful as well.
"This is it," he said to himself as he stepped out of the dressing room, greeted by two approving stares.
"I told you that neckline would look good on you!" Katie exclaimed, examining Angel's body closely, poking and tugging at different sections of the dress. Stepping back and nodding, she smiled and agreed with him. "This is the one. It's perfect."
"Angel baby, I am speechless!" Queenie said, just smiling and nodding in his direction. Having her at a loss of words was quite an accomplishment; usually, he'd be trying desperately to get her to shut up. "So it's settled, then." She said, after a long pause. "We'll take it."
Grinning, Angel stepped back into the dressing room and took off the gown. He put his tiny tank top and sparkly jeans back on, reapplied his lip gloss and left the dressing room, carrying his beautiful wedding dress with him.
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While he walked with Queenie up to the register, both of them following Katie's bouncy blonde hair, Angel looked at the price tag on the dress and gasped. The dress was a LOT more expensive than he'd anticipated, and he felt guilty making Queenie pay that much. As he handed it to her to pay for it, he said "It's okay if you don't want to pay this much. I'll work more at the club to pay you back."
Smiling sweetly and shaking her head she responded, "This is my wedding gift to you: the dress, the party, everything. Even though I'm not a huge fan of this William boy, I want the best for you, and if this is what is going to make you happy, I'm with you one hundred percent of the way. I love you Ang, no matter how much money I have to drop on you." She winked at him and wrapped her arm around his shoulders, resting her head lightly on top of his.
Sighing and placing his own arm around her waist, Angel smiled. "I love you too."
After Queenie had paid with her credit card, Katie put the dress in a black plastic garment back, making sure that Queenie and Angel were careful to keep the whereabouts of their purchase quiet. The yuppie, uptown brides would NOT be thrilled if they knew the shop also catered to the gay community.
"Have a WONDERFUL wedding," she told Angel, "and you have to come back and tell me all about it."
"Katie, baby, you can come if you like," Queenie said, as if it had been implied, "We'd love to have you. It's next week, July 6th, at the "Imagine" memorial in Central Park, reception at the club to follow. Come if you like."
"I'll do my best to be there, I'd really love to. Thanks for the invite. Take care, you two!" she said as the happy pair left the store.
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As Queenie put the finishing touches on Angel's makeup, he reached up to touch his soft blonde wig and fix the flowers that were placed delicately within the false strands. She stepped back from his face, and he examined himself in the mirror, thoroughly impressed with what he saw.
He was truly a vision in white, the shiny, satin dress hugging his skinny body, with the strands of crystals draping down his back, sparkling in the summer sunlight. The embroidery on the neckline of the dress accented Angel's long, blonde wig and dramatic makeup perfectly. Tiny purple stitches in the petals of the flowers brought out the lilac eyeshadow he was wearing, and the pink centers accented his pale pink lips. Even the wig he was wearing was beautiful: long, flowing blonde locks with small white flowers placed randomly throughout the front his hair. He felt truly beautiful for the first time in a while, and wished that his biological mother could be here to see him. Although he knew she wouldn't be pleased with his decision to dress in drag, she would love to have seen him walk down the "aisle" and "marry" a man that would bring him to a life of blissful happiness.
His nerves were beginning to get the best of him, as he chewed on his freshly-manicured nails that still smelled of the salon.
"Baby, you're gonna bite all the polish off. You'll be fine, Fred'll walk you down in a few minutes," Queenie reassured him, resting a maternal hand on his shoulder.
"I'm so nervous, I don't know why I'm so nervous!" he laughed quickly and awkwardly, "I just. I wish Mami was here. I mean, I love you and Fred like my own parents, you know that, but I remember looking at pictures of Mami and Papi from their wedding in Peru, and she looked so beautiful and happy. I know she'd love this." He managed a shy smile as he leaned his head against Queenie.
"She is here, Ang. She's watching over you right now, and I know she's damn proud," she said, smiling down at him and hugging him even tighter.
"Thanks, Queenie. I love you so much,"
"Ready, beautiful?" Fred interrupted as he walked into the tent they had been getting ready in.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Angel replied, releasing himself from Queenie and gently holding onto Fred's arm. As the two exited the tent, the door flapped closed behind them.
"I love you too," Queenie said to the empty air, "I just hope this is right."
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"Do you, Angel Schunard, take William Dumott to be your husband, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"
"I do," Angel replied, gazing into Will's eyes.
"And do you, William Dumott, take Angel Schunard to be your, uh" he paused uneasily, "wife, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"
"I do."
"By the power invested in me, I know pronounce you." he paused again, and glanced around at the audience briefly, "Partners for life. You may kiss the bride."
Will scooped Angel up in his arms, meshing their lips together in a sea of passion. The wind blew around them, rustling the luscious green trees and flowers that surrounded the serene location of the ceremony. Clapping and cheering began behind the two lovers as they released one another and looked around. Queenie got up from her seat in the very front row, and wiped her eyes diligently enough as to not destroy her perfect makeup.
"The reception will resume at Club Tran, on the corner of 11th street and Avenue C," she announced as the sea of guests arose from their seats and proceeded to waltz onto the bus that she had rented for the special occasion.
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Queenie tapped lightly on her wine glass as she stood up. The crowd silenced quickly as she walked over to the microphone. Her floor-length, scarlet-red dress swished as she walked, the sequins glimmering under the dim lighting inside the club.
"Angel," she said, smiling at him as he sat quietly on Will's lap, "I don't even know where to begin. I remember so vividly the first day you walked into this club. You were so scared. I swear, when I first saw you and we bumped into each other, I thought 'Oh dear Lord, this child is going to DIE of fright!' You looked so young and so terrified." The crowd smiled at her, as if they were urging her to continue. "Beneath it all, though, I could see you were beautiful. Most of all, what I remember, though, is seeing a mirror image of myself when I first came here. I was just as scared, and just as alone, and the only difference was that I had nobody to help me out. I was completely and totally on my own. And I remembered the hell that I went through, and I didn't want someone else to experience that.
"That was over a year ago. Now, it's hard to remember what my life was like before I met you. I can speak for both Fred and I when I say that there is no greater joy in our lives than having you. You're like our own child, and I tell that to you all the time. As much of a fabulous woman as I make," she smiled as the comment elicited laughter from the jovial crowd, "I'm no woman, and I can't have kids, so you're it. You're my son. I know Fred and I can never take the place of your real parents, but, in a lot of ways, we are a family, whether it be by blood or not. We love each other, and that's what important.
"Today is a day just for you. I remember you telling me about what your mother said to you right before she departed straight to heaven," she continued with tears brimming in her deep brown eyes, "Today for you, tomorrow for me. That's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard, and today is for you. Today is entirely dedicated to you and your happiness, because, Lord knows, you put everyone else before yourself, and you deserve more happiness than anyone I know. This is your day, Angel, enjoy it, and be happy.
"William," glancing in his direction, she wiped her tears and smiled sincerely at him for the first time since he'd known her, "You take care of my boy. I wish the two of you all the happiness in the world, and whenever you need us, Fred and I are here for you. Both of you.
"So I'd like to propose a toast: To Angel and William, and a life of love, friendship and happiness. Today for you, tomorrow for me," she stated firmly, as the guests quietly raised their glasses, chorusing in unison, "To Angel and William!"
The party took off like a firecracker after the sweet, sappy speech. The techno music pumped loudly, quaking the run-down building. Looking like a usual night at the club, there was a sea of sparkles and sharply dressed guests as they all danced intensely with the beat of the music.
Will and Angel, relishing in their recent exchange of life-long love sat quietly together, gazing into each other's eyes, dumbfounded by the true devotion and meaning of their vows.
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Authors Note: I really hope y'all liked this one, it took me a LONG time to write. Just as a bit of a warning: there will be a rather vivid sex scene in the next chapter. Our happy couple was just married, so now it's time for the "after party" if you catch my drift. Anyway, if you don't approve of that kind of stuff, or don't like reading it, then don't. It won't be pornographic or anything, but it may be a bit too vivid for some. Anyway, as usual, please read and review, and I do quite love feedback. Anything you got to say, let me hear it. Thanks to all of you who have reviewed already, your support means the world to me! And Meredith- thank you for bringing up the point about Angel's mother. I went back today and edited this chapter to add a bit more of that in.
Queenie and Fred wasted no time in setting plans for the wedding. Although Queenie disagreed completely with Will and Angel devoting their lives to each other, she was still psyched beyond belief to plan a wedding. It was decided that the two lovers would exchange vows in Central Park. The early-summer scenery was too beautiful to pass up. The reception, however, would be held at Club Tran. Both Queenie and Fred were convinced that, if given the opportunity, the club could be a beautiful reception hall. Skeptically, Angel and Will agreed, but only to please the wedding planners.
The "big day" was only two weeks after Will proposed, since there was no out of town family to be invited, as Will's parents didn't approve of his homosexuality, Angel's mother was dead, and his father was long gone. The only people Angel wanted to invite were Ceci and Carlotta Casablanca, the people his mother had stayed with during her final days. He felt he owed it to them to let them know where he was, and what was happening with him. They had, after all, cared for his mother, who he loved dearly.
Will had only wished to invite his ex-boyfriend, and best friend, Bart, to the ceremony. He was, as Angel so affectionately referred to him as, "Nantucket Boy," and the one who designed and manufactured the clothes at Model Boy.
Aside from Will and Angel's short guest list, the guests would be a sea of transvestites wearing fancy, sparkling evening gowns, and flamboyant gay men, all dressed sharply in well-tailored tuxedos. The event was, after all, being planned by Queenie, who would have rather cancelled the gathering than have some unfashionable attire present. This made shopping for Angel's wedding dress all the more interesting.
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"Ang, I am going to find you the PERFECT dress!" Queenie announced as she walked briskly into Angel and Will's apartment. The lovers knew that giving her and Fred their own key was a mistake.
"Queenie, honey, it's eight AM," Angel hollered from the bedroom, still cuddling with Will after a night of peaceful slumber.
"You're darn right it is! So we better get a move on. Out of bed, now! Come on, we can't waste any time. The wedding is in less than a week, and you still don't have a dress! I thought that would have been your top priority," she scolded as she entered the bedroom, greeted by a pair of topless lovers holding one another. Sighing, she continued, "I'm not kidding, get up! The dress shop is uptown, so we need to go."
"You're not very patient this morning, are you?" Will asked, stretching and finally beginning to leave the bed he was so comfortable in.
"No, I'm not!" Queenie exclaimed, "not when there is shopping to be done. And this isn't just some fun shopping spree, this is a wedding dress! It's important! So we need to goooo!" she whined as Angel and Will lethargically got out of bed.
Pulling on Angel's arms, Queenie yanked him out of bed. "I'm going, I'm going," Angel insisted, as he stepped into the bathroom with a pair of glitzy jeans and a tiny tank top. "We'll be outta here by 9, I swear."
"8:30," Angel heard from behind the closed bathroom door. Rolling his eyes, he got dressed and began his lengthy morning regiment.
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By 8:45, Queenie and Angel were off to buy the perfect dress. Queenie had insisted that Will not come, rambling something about how it was bad luck if the groom saw the bride's wedding dress before the day of the ceremony.
Queenie was right: the dress shop was far away. She hated walking anywhere too far in fear of ruining her expensive heels, so her and Angel took the bus. Angel didn't like the subway, because it reminded him of the day his mother died, so he hadn't been on one since them, and Queenie didn't trust cab drivers. She thought it was strange being in a car with a random person that she didn't know. With all the homophobia that existed in society, Queenie knew that a public bus would be their safest bet.
After an interminable bus ride, the two drag queens finally arrived at the dress shop. The store looked like a standard "special occasions" shop for women, as opposed to drag queens. Angel knew better than that, though. Prior to their outing, Queenie had told him that the uptown queens were very secretive. Most of the people who came into the drag shops didn't even realize that clothes were made for men instead of women. In some cases, they even had the drag clothes in a special, closed off section in the back. Queenie insisted that it was her own knack for knowing where and how to shop that had led her to these secretive drag palaces where she'd found some of her favorite and most treasured ensembles.
Entering the store quietly, Queenie headed straight to the back of the store, holding Angel's hand and dragging him behind her. She knocked three times on the "Employees only" door, and a beautiful woman came to answer.
"Queenie honey!" she squealed as she opened the door and let the two of them in. "It's been entirely too long. I haven't seen you in, what a couple of months?"
"It has been too long, darling. You haven't met Angel. Ang, this is Katie. She's an old friend of mine, and my all time favorite shopping partner," Queenie introduced, hooking an arm around Katie's waist.
"It is so nice to meet you, Angel. How did you and Queenie meet?" she asked, cocking her head slightly to the side, letting her long, flowing blonde waves bounce over her shoulders.
"Um, it's kind of a long story, but I was homeless, wandered into the club, and she took me in," Angel explained, making the story as brief as possible.
"Oh, well I'm glad you two found each other. Queenie's been known to house some street kids once in a while. How long have you known each other?"
"Over a year now. God, I can't believe it's been that long," Angel answered, thinking back to his first night meeting Queenie.
"Oh wow. You're not just some average stray then. She must really like ya," Katie answered back winking in Queenie's direction.
"You're darn right honey. Angel's like my son, which is why we're here, actually," Queenie chimed in.
"Oh, alright. Well, what can I help you with?"
"Angel is getting married!" Queenie yelped as a large grin spread over her shiny pink lips.
"AH!" she squealed, as her blue eyes lit up and she took hold of Angel's hand, "So you want a wedding dress?"
"Yeah." Angel replied, afraid of what Katie had in store for him.
"So, we were thinking you'd be able to help us out. You know the most about fashion. Even I'm in awe of your matching skills," Queenie admitted.
"Well, I try." Katie said, blushing, then continued, "So what kind of look are you going for, Angel? Do you want something that's more understated, or something that is over the top?" She began to rapidly search through her racks of white dresses, examining Angel every few seconds and picking out a select few gowns.
"I'm thinking something more understated," Angel replied, getting a sharp look from Queenie.
"Babe, this is your wedding, don't you wanna go all-out?" Katie questioned.
"Well, yeah, but it's a small ceremony, and. I don't know," Angel said, bashfully.
"Angel, honey," Queenie said, "You can be as understated or over-the- top as you want, it's your special day."
"I'll try it all and see what works best," he agreed.
"Great!" Katie squealed and pulled Angel to more identical racks of white gowns. "Oh my gawd honey," she exclaimed as she selected an iridescent, floor-length gown off the rack, "my boyfriend's ex wore a dress just like this to some convention he went to, the gaudy little bitch. This dress is totally not made for a function like that, it is strictly bridal attire," she educated them both as she shook her head in shame looking at the dress.
"Um, sorry for asking, but you said boyfriend. You're straight?" Angel asked politely, trying hard not to be too nosy.
"Ang, I had 'the operation'," she said, giggling as she tossed her blonde locks behind her shoulders.
"Oh," Angel replied, looking at Katie and wondered how on earth she could have ever been a man. Brushing it off, he continued to follow her as she selected more dresses for him to try on, each one a bit heavier and flashier than the last.
Finally, the three determined shoppers reached the final rack, filled now with glitter and sequins instead of simple satin gowns.
"This will do wonders for those eyes of yours," Katie said, thrusting yet another dress into his already-full arms.
"Um, Katie, I think I have enough," Angel gasped, out of breath from pacing around the store with such heavy things in his arms.
"Oh dear, I guess you're right. Well then, the dressing room is right over there," she pointed to a black velvet curtain, "Let me know what you think of them, if you need a different size or anything."
"Ang, I want to see it all," Queenie insisted, as she always did, and winked at him.
"Sure sure," he said, dragging himself and dresses into the tiny fitting room.
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"Queenie, this is the twentieth dress I've tried on!" Angel moaned as he zipped himself up into yet another sea of white satin and sequins. By now, he was sick and tired of seeing himself in so many seemingly-identical gowns, each one looking more and more homogenous. Trudging out of the dressing room, he was greeted by an excited Queenie, and an observant Katie.
"I'm not feeling this one. It's too low-cut, and I think a higher neckline would look better on you," Katie nodded as a cue for Angel to return, yet again, to the fitting room and try on another dress.
"This is the last one," he insisted as he unzipped the puffy, low-cut gown and stepped into a much more fitted, satin dress with a beaded neckline. Zipping up in the back, he twirled around the tiny fitting room, watching the train of soft, satin fabric trail behind him. Winking at his reflection, he examined the beaded embroidery on the front of the dress, tracing the swirls and zigzags with his finger. He turned around slightly so he could see the back of the dress, which had a low scoop and strands of glittery rhinestones hanging from the button at the top of the neck. Katie was right- the high-cut neckline worked well on him. It made him look a bit healthier, not so toothpick-skinny like he was. The cut out in the back with the rhinestones was beautiful as well.
"This is it," he said to himself as he stepped out of the dressing room, greeted by two approving stares.
"I told you that neckline would look good on you!" Katie exclaimed, examining Angel's body closely, poking and tugging at different sections of the dress. Stepping back and nodding, she smiled and agreed with him. "This is the one. It's perfect."
"Angel baby, I am speechless!" Queenie said, just smiling and nodding in his direction. Having her at a loss of words was quite an accomplishment; usually, he'd be trying desperately to get her to shut up. "So it's settled, then." She said, after a long pause. "We'll take it."
Grinning, Angel stepped back into the dressing room and took off the gown. He put his tiny tank top and sparkly jeans back on, reapplied his lip gloss and left the dressing room, carrying his beautiful wedding dress with him.
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While he walked with Queenie up to the register, both of them following Katie's bouncy blonde hair, Angel looked at the price tag on the dress and gasped. The dress was a LOT more expensive than he'd anticipated, and he felt guilty making Queenie pay that much. As he handed it to her to pay for it, he said "It's okay if you don't want to pay this much. I'll work more at the club to pay you back."
Smiling sweetly and shaking her head she responded, "This is my wedding gift to you: the dress, the party, everything. Even though I'm not a huge fan of this William boy, I want the best for you, and if this is what is going to make you happy, I'm with you one hundred percent of the way. I love you Ang, no matter how much money I have to drop on you." She winked at him and wrapped her arm around his shoulders, resting her head lightly on top of his.
Sighing and placing his own arm around her waist, Angel smiled. "I love you too."
After Queenie had paid with her credit card, Katie put the dress in a black plastic garment back, making sure that Queenie and Angel were careful to keep the whereabouts of their purchase quiet. The yuppie, uptown brides would NOT be thrilled if they knew the shop also catered to the gay community.
"Have a WONDERFUL wedding," she told Angel, "and you have to come back and tell me all about it."
"Katie, baby, you can come if you like," Queenie said, as if it had been implied, "We'd love to have you. It's next week, July 6th, at the "Imagine" memorial in Central Park, reception at the club to follow. Come if you like."
"I'll do my best to be there, I'd really love to. Thanks for the invite. Take care, you two!" she said as the happy pair left the store.
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As Queenie put the finishing touches on Angel's makeup, he reached up to touch his soft blonde wig and fix the flowers that were placed delicately within the false strands. She stepped back from his face, and he examined himself in the mirror, thoroughly impressed with what he saw.
He was truly a vision in white, the shiny, satin dress hugging his skinny body, with the strands of crystals draping down his back, sparkling in the summer sunlight. The embroidery on the neckline of the dress accented Angel's long, blonde wig and dramatic makeup perfectly. Tiny purple stitches in the petals of the flowers brought out the lilac eyeshadow he was wearing, and the pink centers accented his pale pink lips. Even the wig he was wearing was beautiful: long, flowing blonde locks with small white flowers placed randomly throughout the front his hair. He felt truly beautiful for the first time in a while, and wished that his biological mother could be here to see him. Although he knew she wouldn't be pleased with his decision to dress in drag, she would love to have seen him walk down the "aisle" and "marry" a man that would bring him to a life of blissful happiness.
His nerves were beginning to get the best of him, as he chewed on his freshly-manicured nails that still smelled of the salon.
"Baby, you're gonna bite all the polish off. You'll be fine, Fred'll walk you down in a few minutes," Queenie reassured him, resting a maternal hand on his shoulder.
"I'm so nervous, I don't know why I'm so nervous!" he laughed quickly and awkwardly, "I just. I wish Mami was here. I mean, I love you and Fred like my own parents, you know that, but I remember looking at pictures of Mami and Papi from their wedding in Peru, and she looked so beautiful and happy. I know she'd love this." He managed a shy smile as he leaned his head against Queenie.
"She is here, Ang. She's watching over you right now, and I know she's damn proud," she said, smiling down at him and hugging him even tighter.
"Thanks, Queenie. I love you so much,"
"Ready, beautiful?" Fred interrupted as he walked into the tent they had been getting ready in.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Angel replied, releasing himself from Queenie and gently holding onto Fred's arm. As the two exited the tent, the door flapped closed behind them.
"I love you too," Queenie said to the empty air, "I just hope this is right."
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"Do you, Angel Schunard, take William Dumott to be your husband, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"
"I do," Angel replied, gazing into Will's eyes.
"And do you, William Dumott, take Angel Schunard to be your, uh" he paused uneasily, "wife, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"
"I do."
"By the power invested in me, I know pronounce you." he paused again, and glanced around at the audience briefly, "Partners for life. You may kiss the bride."
Will scooped Angel up in his arms, meshing their lips together in a sea of passion. The wind blew around them, rustling the luscious green trees and flowers that surrounded the serene location of the ceremony. Clapping and cheering began behind the two lovers as they released one another and looked around. Queenie got up from her seat in the very front row, and wiped her eyes diligently enough as to not destroy her perfect makeup.
"The reception will resume at Club Tran, on the corner of 11th street and Avenue C," she announced as the sea of guests arose from their seats and proceeded to waltz onto the bus that she had rented for the special occasion.
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Queenie tapped lightly on her wine glass as she stood up. The crowd silenced quickly as she walked over to the microphone. Her floor-length, scarlet-red dress swished as she walked, the sequins glimmering under the dim lighting inside the club.
"Angel," she said, smiling at him as he sat quietly on Will's lap, "I don't even know where to begin. I remember so vividly the first day you walked into this club. You were so scared. I swear, when I first saw you and we bumped into each other, I thought 'Oh dear Lord, this child is going to DIE of fright!' You looked so young and so terrified." The crowd smiled at her, as if they were urging her to continue. "Beneath it all, though, I could see you were beautiful. Most of all, what I remember, though, is seeing a mirror image of myself when I first came here. I was just as scared, and just as alone, and the only difference was that I had nobody to help me out. I was completely and totally on my own. And I remembered the hell that I went through, and I didn't want someone else to experience that.
"That was over a year ago. Now, it's hard to remember what my life was like before I met you. I can speak for both Fred and I when I say that there is no greater joy in our lives than having you. You're like our own child, and I tell that to you all the time. As much of a fabulous woman as I make," she smiled as the comment elicited laughter from the jovial crowd, "I'm no woman, and I can't have kids, so you're it. You're my son. I know Fred and I can never take the place of your real parents, but, in a lot of ways, we are a family, whether it be by blood or not. We love each other, and that's what important.
"Today is a day just for you. I remember you telling me about what your mother said to you right before she departed straight to heaven," she continued with tears brimming in her deep brown eyes, "Today for you, tomorrow for me. That's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard, and today is for you. Today is entirely dedicated to you and your happiness, because, Lord knows, you put everyone else before yourself, and you deserve more happiness than anyone I know. This is your day, Angel, enjoy it, and be happy.
"William," glancing in his direction, she wiped her tears and smiled sincerely at him for the first time since he'd known her, "You take care of my boy. I wish the two of you all the happiness in the world, and whenever you need us, Fred and I are here for you. Both of you.
"So I'd like to propose a toast: To Angel and William, and a life of love, friendship and happiness. Today for you, tomorrow for me," she stated firmly, as the guests quietly raised their glasses, chorusing in unison, "To Angel and William!"
The party took off like a firecracker after the sweet, sappy speech. The techno music pumped loudly, quaking the run-down building. Looking like a usual night at the club, there was a sea of sparkles and sharply dressed guests as they all danced intensely with the beat of the music.
Will and Angel, relishing in their recent exchange of life-long love sat quietly together, gazing into each other's eyes, dumbfounded by the true devotion and meaning of their vows.
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Authors Note: I really hope y'all liked this one, it took me a LONG time to write. Just as a bit of a warning: there will be a rather vivid sex scene in the next chapter. Our happy couple was just married, so now it's time for the "after party" if you catch my drift. Anyway, if you don't approve of that kind of stuff, or don't like reading it, then don't. It won't be pornographic or anything, but it may be a bit too vivid for some. Anyway, as usual, please read and review, and I do quite love feedback. Anything you got to say, let me hear it. Thanks to all of you who have reviewed already, your support means the world to me! And Meredith- thank you for bringing up the point about Angel's mother. I went back today and edited this chapter to add a bit more of that in.