Chapter 9

The day was filled with white. The snow had begun to fall the previous night and by that morning, the streets were painted in white blankets of snow. Karen awoke, feeling as if the moment present was surreal, not like a normal moment. She took a moment to glance out her bedroom window and down at the park below. It was absolutely gorgeous in the winter. The snow blanketed the trees, the ground, everywhere there was snow, and even more descended from the sky above.

She could not have been happier to be wed on a snowy day. It was beautiful, breathtakingly beautiful.

Karen had been the first up. She stepped carefully over Will, who had fallen asleep beside Jack on the ground beside Karen's bed. They had shared a night, their last night as all being singles. Grace had occupied the space beside Karen the night before. She had seemed rather clingy and unwanting for the night to be over and the morning to come, but it had. Rather Grace wanted it or not, Karen's wedding day had come.

Nathan would probably just be getting up. His own friends would be around him, maybe they were hung over, Karen didn't really know. She had only heard snippets of what they were planning to do the night before. Frankly she didn't care what they had done because Nathan had called her every hour, on the hour, to make sure she knew he wasn't doing anything he shouldn't be.

She loved him for his loyalty and his honesty. Karen herself had barely touched the alcohol which had been passed around the night before. She wanted to have a fresh, open mind the morning of her wedding. She didn't want to have a buzz going during the wedding either. She wanted this to be memorable, something that wasn't hidden in her past by a deep haze which seemed to hang over her past recollections.

More than anything, Karen wanted to see Nathan, she wanted to be with him. She couldn't wait all day to finally walk down the aisle and see him for the first time that day, she wanted to see him, or at least talk to him. She settled for the latter, grabbing her phone from its place beside the bed. Sneaking in to the bathroom, she dialed his cell phone number.

He picked up on the third ring. "Morning sunshine." He purred in to the phone.

Karen smiled, lightly running a hand across her chest. "Morning handsome." Karen lowered her voice, using her seductive charm.

"I was hoping you would call. I've been dying to talk to you." He seemed as relieved as she was to hear the others voice.

"Me, too, honey. I don't think I can wait all day to see you." Karen whined.

"Me either, but I promise that after the ceremony you'll never have to go without seeing me for an entire day. And I won't have to go an entire day without seeing you either. At least we can still talk to each other." He reminded her. "Call me if you need to."

"I will." Karen let her fingers play in her wild morning hair, which would soon be styled and readied for the wedding.

"I love you, Karen Walker." He grinned.

"I love you." Karen smiled, just as she heard someone rouse from sleep in her bedroom. "Oh, honey I'd better go. Someone's up."

"Okay, I'll call you later." They hung up, just as Grace appeared in the bathroom doorway. She looked a little pale, and maybe just a bit hung over.

Karen extended her arms to Grace, who stumbled over to Karen falling in to a sitting position beside her.

"What's wrong with you, honey?" Karen asked, stroking the crazy red heads morning bed head.

Grace yawned, resting her head on Karen's lap. She shrugged, not really sure what was bugging her. At least she had never let herself face what was really bugging her. "I don't know." She articulated, slowly, unsure of herself.

Karen frowned. "Because you've been acting a little clingy lately."

"I guess," Grace was about to admit something. In the early hours of the morning everything seemed different, strange, and most likely more so because of the buzzed state she was in. The alcohol had definitely left a lasting impression on her and she seemed almost fearless. "I guess I like being with you. And I know that once Nathan is in the picture, I won't be. At least not as much."

"Wait," Karen paused, glanced around her bathroom, "…so…honey…you're telling me that…you're jealous of…Nathan?" Karen gave Grace a confused look.

Grace thought this over. "I guess I am."

"Soooo...you…like…me?" Karen asked, looking down in to Grace's hazy eyes.

Grace considered this for a moment. Why was she doing this now? This was selfish. It was Karen's wedding day and she was just now revealing her feelings. "I guess I do." Grace slowly turned away and moved to stand up.

Karen grabbed her, bringing her back down on to the ground. "You can't do that." Karen looked angry. "You can't do that! I am in love with Nathan, and now all of the sudden you find it necessary to tell me that you like me, and that you probably have feelings for me?"

"It's not like that Karen…I'm not like that." Grace inwardly scolded herself for having even said anything.

Karen looked at her. Nothing was going to ruin her wedding day, but this sudden news seemed to change things, just a bit.

"Karen, listen, I'm not trying to stop you. It's selfish of me, okay? I'm selfish. I get possessive, I guess." Grace shrugged, trying to get away from Karen, feeling rather awkward.

Karen's demeanor seemed to change. She looked thoughtfully at Grace, placed her hand gently on Grace's cheek. Grace searched Karen's face, trying to find what she was up to, what she was doing. Suddenly Karen leaned in, captured Grace's lips in her own, and kissed her. "Honey, I will always love you, you know that. Nothing has to change between us." Karen assured her as they pulled away, their foreheads touching; Grace feeling strangely assured that everything was fine.

After that strange moment, the day seemed to go by without a hitch. Karen called in Stylist to get her hair washed, dried, combed, and styled. She looked absolutely gorgeous by the time Make-up Artist was finished with her. Her hair hung loosely down around her face in tight curls, her eyes looked beautiful with the gentle eyeliner Make-up Artist had used. She looked beautiful. Grace had sat and watched as they beautified her. It was an amazing transformation. She liked watching it all happen. But soon it was her turn to get beautified. She was sat down in a chair and given practically the same treatment as Karen had just received.

Karen took this moment to steal away and call Nathan. She felt good, yet slightly concerned about Grace's early morning confession. She had just brushed it off, trying to make it look like it hadn't of effected her, but deep down inside it did. She had always liked Grace, and at some points probably was in love with her. When they had kissed she'd always felt something, but she had never let herself confront these feelings. Grace was her boss, not her lover. And she was more of a friend, a very close friend, who, through it all, was usually always there for her when she needed her.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed after letting herself think it through, she quickly found comfort in dialing Nathan's number. The phone rang several times, more than it should have, but finally Nathan answered.

"Sorry, baby. I had to get away from the boys. They'd kill me if they knew I'd talked to you." He laughed.

Karen smiled, his voice always a comfort. Yes, she loved Nathan…but were there feelings for Grace too? Was it possible to love too people at the same time?

"What's going on?" Nathan interrupted her train of thoughts.

"Oh, nothing honey. I just wanted to hear your voice." She closed her eyes and sunk down on to a chair. "I just got my hair and face done."

"I bet you look beautiful, as always." She could hear his smile, and his want to see her, be with her. She wanted that too.

"What're you doin'?" Karen asked, twirling a stray strand of hair, and then thinking better of it and dropping her hand. She didn't want to ruin her do.

"Oh, getting ready. The guys are trying to get me to put make-up on." He laughed.

"I bet you'll look stunning in make-up." Karen giggled.

"I'm sure I would."

"Well, I'd better go see how Grace is getting along with her make-up and hair."

"Okay. And, sweetheart, I'll be seeing you in a little less than four hours." He'd been keeping track, how cute.

"Okay, honey. I love you." Karen grinned

"I love you." They hung up and Karen returned to her bathroom where Grace was getting made up. She seemed to be enjoying herself, Karen noted. However, being in Grace's presence now seemed a bit awkward.

"Hey Gracie." Karen tried for a light air.

"Hey, where'd you go?" Grace asked, realizing Karen had been absent for the last few minutes.

"Oh, Jackie called." Karen lied. Grace nodded in understanding. Make-up Artist was almost finished with her and she looked gorgeous. Karen couldn't seem to take her eyes off of Grace, who had her eyes shut so Make-up Artist could put on eye-shadow. She studied Grace, really looked at her. She was a beautiful woman, sometimes rather selfish, but underneath it all she was good. She'd been there for Karen when she needed someone the most. Nathan had just left. Of course he had had no idea what to do, but Grace seemed to have that motherly edge.

No, she couldn't think like this. Today she was marrying Nathan. She loved Nathan. She wanted to be with Nathan.

Before Karen knew it she was being whisked away and put in to her wedding gown. It was beautiful, more beautiful than the one she had worn at her wedding to Lyle. Partially because this time Nathan had come with her to pick out the dress and had insisted she get this particle one. She loved it, it felt great and she looked great in it.

She was beginning to panic, but only a little bit. Weddings always made her a little panicked, well they did when she wasn't smashed. This wedding she was not, but by the time she stepped in to her wedding dress, literally less than an hour away from the wedding, she was craving that all too familiar burn that vodka gave one as it went down the back of her throat. In order to keep herself from racing to her mini-bar, she pulled her cell phone out and called Nathan, whose voice reassured her that everything was fine, and that the wedding was almost there.

Nathan was right. Before to long, Karen was walking down the aisle, Jack on her arm, as they had decided. Will and Grace had gone in before them, and Karen watched as they took their places on either side of the alter. She saw Nathan's face for the first time that day and her whole persona seemed to light up. She was glad to reach the alter and unleash Jack from her grasp. Jack took his spot behind Will, who was standing behind the best man, one of Nathan's friends named Stephen. Grace was the maid of honor, and behind her stood some of Karen's other friends. Grace hadn't known Karen had had so many friends, but Karen was always a surprise.

The preacher began his long spiel about marriage, a long spiel Karen should have known by heart, but had never really listened to in any of her past marriages. This time she was once again too captivated, captivated by Nathan's eyes which were staring right back in to her own. She almost missed the part where she said "I do". All thoughts of that morning and how strange it had been seemed to disappear and thoughts of what Karen wanted to do to Nathan returned. She had plans for that night. Big plans.

She felt Nathan slipping the ring on to her finger. She didn't even look down, just continued to study his face. After the preacher was done with the exchanging of the vows, he finally said the words that Karen had been longing to hear. "You may now kiss the bride."

Karen leaned forward and up, meeting and locking lips with the man she was now married to. Their lips did not come apart for quite awhile. The preacher ended up saying, "I know pronounce you man and wife," before they parted.

Grace stood, smiling, hiding her envy. She wasn't sure what she was envious of. Maybe it was the fact that Karen found Mr. Right and she hadn't, or the fact that Nathan had found Karen. Either way she felt selfish, and hoped that Karen didn't remember too much of that mornings conversation. Probably by now Karen had forgotten all about it. All about Grace's confession she had made in a moment of weakness.

The party afterwards was the same-old, same-old. The cutting of the cake, the mingling with guests, the chicken dance, and all the other wedding ceremony rituals. It was all a blur to Karen, who stayed half the night on Nathan's arm, staring dreamily at him, wanting more than anything to get him by himself and have at him.

She had several drinks, but not enough to give her a drunk edge. Grace seemed to avoid her most of the night, and in fact disappeared after awhile. Karen, in need of a distraction from her sexual thoughts, tore herself away from Nathan and went in search of Grace.

Karen found Grace alone, sitting in the bathroom on a love seat, staring off in to space. "What are you doing?" Karen asked, sitting down beside the lovely red head who didn't move an inch upon noticing Karen. "Your husband's out there dancing with Homo McFarland." Karen tried to get Grace to smile, and for a second there was a smile, but it faded. "What's wrong, honey?" Karen asked, sipping her champagne and staring at the beautiful woman beside her.

"Nothing." Grace shrugged.

"Honey, if it's about this morning, it's okay. And you know I love you." Karen rested her head on Grace's shoulder after kissing her cheek gently.

Grace processed this. She let her hand stroke Karen's cheek. "I know." And all feelings she had felt for Karen, all the strong ones at least, seemed to fade away. She could only ever love Karen as a best friend, a sister, and she was beginning to except the fact that she liked it that way.

So with everything settled between them…the rest of the wedding ceremony was spent with the fag four breaking it down and dancing the night away. But the best part, at least for Karen, was what happened after the ceremony…

TBC...yay! Worst chapter ever! Next one should be better. ;)