Part 9
One Step closer
It hadn't turned out to be as simple as just handing over his credit card. In fact there seemed to be nothing simple about arranging a wedding, especially when that wedding was meant to happen in just over a week and a half.
The date had been set, which was a good thing Alex supposed. The 26th of July was going to be the happiest day of his life, the 24th was going to be the rehearsal of the happiest day of his life and the 20th was going to be the day when it was alright to go to a strip bar. Of course all the days up to then were going to be hell.
"Ouch!" Alex groaned as another sharp pin was pushed into his leg accidentally.
"Sorry again," the tailor said through a mouthful of pins.
"It's okay," Alex muttered "I never liked that leg anyway,"
"Its not as if he's cutting it off," Max pointed out with snort.
"He might as well be," Alex pouted "I don't see why I need a new suit when I've got dozens that would do just fine,"
"Did you tell that to Isabel?" Max asked, knowing perfectly well that Alex didn't dare protest to anything Isabel suggested concerning their wedding because she would give him a icy look which would send whole armies fleeing.
"Of course he didn't" Michael said answering for Alex. "We all know Isabel wears the pants in that relationship"
"Oh and you don't do everything that Maria tells you I suppose," Alex asked, waiting for Michael to answer with anticipation since Maria had just walked into the room unnoticed by everyone but Alex.
"Maria knows that I wear the pants in our relationship!" Michael said smugly
"Do I?" Maria asked making her presence known.
"Jesus, I'm getting you a bell around your neck woman!" Michael said with a groan. "You keep sneaking up on me and…"
"And what Michael?" Maria asked raising a shaped blonde eyebrow
"You startled me," Michael said
"I startled you?" Maria asked with a grin, remember a similar conversation they had years ago.
Michael nodded and wrapped his arm around her waist "But its okay, I forgive you."
"Uh huh, great" Maria said rolling her eyes "Anyway I just dropped in to let you know that Sean isn't going to be able to make it today so he will just have to have his fitting when Tess brings Nathan and Lucas for theirs."
"Is Serena still avoiding him?" Alex asked with a frown. No one had thought that Serena and Sean's fight would last as long as it had.
Maria nodded, "She's not talking any of his calls and her Grandfather won't let Sean see her but Sean muttered something about her not being able to run tomorrow night at the party so…"
"Uh oh" Alex said "I thought Sean wasn't coming tomorrow night. He told Izzy that he wasn't coming"
"I guess he changed his mind," she said with a shrug.
"But Serena is bringing someone else," Alex said, his head beginning to ache with thoughts of the drama his and Isabel engagement party was turning into.
"Who?" Max and Maria asked in union
"Bryon Townsend, you know that guy she was dating in college," Alex said, wishing to god he hadn't agreed to Serena bring someone who wasn't Sean.
"God, I hate that guy," Max said, remember the encounters he had had with Bryon when he had first met Serena at college.
"Sean hates him even more," Maria pointed out, although she had always thought that Bryon was a nice enough guy.
"Looks like we'll be having us some fire works" Michael said
"This is a disaster," Alex groaned as another pin went into his leg.
"This is a disaster!" Isabel moaned as she looked at her list of things to do "There just aren't enough hours in the day."
"It could be worse," Serena said handing Isabel a cup of steaming coffee.
"Serena, I'm getting married in a week and a half and there still so much to do." Isabel cried "Tell me how could it possibly be worse?"
"You could not be getting married," Serena said with a smile "Or you could be dead or you could be getting married to Michael,"
Isabel smiled, "I guess it could be worse."
"Yeah it could be," Serena said, tugging one of her chocolate curls absentmindedly "Now why don't you tell me what I can do to help and we'll start ticking everything off that extremely neat and freakishly organized list you got there."
"Okay," Isabel said with a grateful sigh "Can you phone the florist to check that everything is still okay with the flowers for tomorrow night? And when you've done that I need you to go and see how the arrangements for Alex's bachelor party is going. Make sure that Kyle and Sean aren't arranging anything too wild and then could you…Serena are you okay?"
"Huh, yeah I was just…is Sean okay? I haven't spoken to him since well you know." Serena sighed "I miss him,"
"Why don't you call him?" Isabel asked gently
"I need more then what he can give me," Serena said, her eyes full of pain and regret.
"He does love you Serena," Isabel stated
"Has he said something to you?" Serena asked hopefully
"No but…"
"I should go and make a start on this list," Serena said cutting Isabel mid sentence. She got up and grabbed her bag before making her escape.
"Where was she in such a hurry to be?" Alex asked as he entered the kitchen.
"Anywhere that doesn't involve the topic Sean," Isabel said "How are the fittings going?"
"Great, really enjoyed it." Alex lied but he wasn't about to tell Isabel that he hated it and found it a total waste of time. "Has everything going?"
"Fine, I guess," Isabel said looking down at her list "I've got everything ready for party tomorrow night apart from the flowers, which Serena is doing."
"So everything is on track then" Alex said with a grin of relief "Maybe we could go upstairs and practice for the wedding night,"
Isabel rolled her eyes, "Maybe if you had asked me to marry you in January then everything would be on track but as it is I've still got a hundred and one things to do before the wedding day and the rate I'm going we might not end up with a wedding let alone wedding night,"
Alex gasped, "No wedding night but that's the best part!"
Isabel raised an eyebrow obviously unimpressed by what he had said.
"You know after the pledging of ever lasting love and till death do us part, etc, etc." Alex said giving her a lopsided smile.
"I think someone needs to learn their vows a little better," Isabel said with another roll of her eyes.
"You know you are just so sexy when you are annoyed with me," Alex stated grabbing her hand and kissing the palm of it. He gave her a goofy grin that sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
Isabel felt herself begin to melt, why did he have to be so damn adorable? It was nearly impossible to stay annoyed with him when he looked at her with that boyish grin and his love for her clearly written all over his face.
"Maybe it wouldn't hurt if we spent the rest of the afternoon getting some practice in for the wedding night," Isabel said with a grin
Alex jumped to his feet, pulling Isabel with him. "I think its for the best,"
"Izzy, honey? Are you here?"
Alex groaned as his future in-laws filled the kitchen.
"Why doesn't anyone knock around here?" Alex muttered to himself and received a sharp poke in the stomach and a glare from Isabel.
"Mom, Dad. What are you doing here?" Isabel asked kissing each of her parents' cheeks.
"I thought it would be a good time to go over the sitting arrangement for the reception" Diane said holding up a large board, which seemed to have appeared from nowhere.
Alex tried not to sigh out loud. What did a guy have to do to get some minutes alone with his future wife?
