I own nothing but my OC please don't sue me.
Bella hadn't been involved in much of the planning, the flowers and cake all decided by Alice and I but dress fittings had to be done with the bride herself, no getting around it. Alice insisted the dress be custom made, designed with the finest fabrics and lace.
"Do you think it's too much?" asked Bella, twirling around in the tight bundle of fabric.
"No! It's just enough," exclaimed Alice, fastening the back of the dress with another pin.
I nodded, "I think you underestimate exactly how extravagant this wedding will be, trust me your dress will fit in right along with it."
The dress hugged her figure, the curves complimenting without being obnoxious. The lace detailed into the back with a line of perfect buttons came to close off the back of the dress. Classic elegance radiated off Bella, something so rare in someone of her age.
"Are you almost finished, Alice?"
"Yes, yes, just a few more pins."
I leaned over, a little closer to the bride to be, "You might be here for a little while more, she's still got about twentyish more pins."
"Oh god," Bella sighed and shook her head with a slight tilt of a smile.
"Are you excited?"
"Hm?"
"To get married, I mean."
Bella fiddled with the ring on her finger. "I am, Edward is just…Edward and he's just my everything."
"That's sweet," Young love as it is. Something so pure, so sweet, to have it seemed like a joy and Bella swelled with it.
"Coraline," Carlisle knocked on the door. "We should go soon."
"Go?" asked Bella.
"It's to the hospital," I explained. "Helping with the kids and all, I better get a move on." I gave Bella an apologetic look, sorry to leave her in Alice's clutches alone. She'd be stuck in the dress all afternoon if Alice got her way.
I left the room, saying goodbye to the two women before meeting Carlisle in the living room. Dressed impeccably as always, his dark blue shirt tucked into grey slacks, Carlisle sat in the chair to the right of the bookshelf, a book in hand.
"Sorry, were you waiting long?"
He shook his head. "Not at all, ready?"
I nodded and we made our way out to his car. I still felt out of place, silly as it might be. He was my friend, my friend and yet I was stiff. His shoulders were straight, his hands firm on the wheel and I felt helpless. How long would it take for me to be comfortable? I wasn't sure. Based on how long I'd already known him versus my level of comfort something told me it would be a while.
"Are you sure you don't want me to drive you home?"
I shook my head, no. "Dee and I are going to get dinner after her shift ends anyway."
He nodded, going back to look at the road. I picked at the bits of string on my skirt, looking down into my lap. In all honesty, I wanted to see Dee again, it had been such a long time and I had things to talk to her about/ people to talk to her about. Nothing specific, just some advice I would appreciate her giving me.
Pulling into the hospital parking lot, I couldn't help but wonder if the two of us looked strange. He, a well-liked and respected doctor, and me, a young newly promoted primary school teacher. Carlisle's hair and skin perfect under both the rain clouds in the sky and under harsh light that would make any lesser person shrivel. Not him, he made every room extraordinarily brighter. I, on the other hand, with my wind-swept hair and wrinkled skirt exuded nothing of the sort.
I shook my head, getting out of the car. We were just two friends car-pooling. People did that all the time. No need for my brain to go overthinking things after all this time.
We split ways at the door, Carlisle heading to the back rooms with a smile while I signed myself in. I'd see him later during the day, he did sign up to help plan the summer party but he did have patients to attend to.
I clipped the volunteer badge to my shirt and walked the familiar path to the children's ward. Left at the first hallway and down the corridor until the giant teddy bear pasted on the glass window grew visible.
"Coraline!"
Mr. Williams with paper flowers glued to his shirt walked over, opening the door for me.
"You're colorful today!" A little girl with a mask covering half her face followed behind him, her small hands overflowing with paper flowers.
"Would you like some flowers, too?"
I smiled down at the girl. "Of course, but I can't help but notice the empty spot on Mr. Williams right hand side, I couldn't possibly take all the flowers before you've finished with him."
I was sure Mr. Williams was glaring at the back of my head but I just turned around and smiled. He could do with more flowers, or at least that's what I told the girl as she dragged Mr. Williams back to the main area to plaster him with more.
The day passed in a whirlwind of colors, the signs painted and left out on the counters to dry while the patients retreated back to their rooms for lunch, most having their parents in with them while the volunteers milled around the main area, cleaning and hanging various pieces. My hands were covered with more than enough glitter to last a life time. I think my face looked much the same. I just had to open the giant bottles of glitter. It was probably never coming out of my hair.
"You got on as much glitter as I have."
"You'd think it'd come off with water," I rubbed my hands together, "But no, it's just spreading it around."
"I think oil is supposed to work," Mr. Vanders said, thoughtfully rubbing the glitter around on his hands.
"Really?"
He shrugged, hands rubbing together, "The internet can lie all the time."
I made it till the end of a few more hours before I started packing up my things, not even bothering to attempt to scrape off the glitter again. It would just become extra seasoning in my dinner while I ate. I hadn't seen Carlisle all day, I heard from a nurse there was an emergency patient brought in and all the doctors had been a bit preoccupied.
"Got special plans for tonight?" Mr. Vanders walked out with me, his hands equally glittery.
"Just dinner with a friend, then home." I removed my volunteer badge, placing it on the counter and waiting for him to do the same. "How about you?"
He shrugged, a hint of a laugh curling on his lip, "About the same except instead of a friend it's my dog."
"Truly excellent company, top tier."
"Coraline!" Dee's voice bounced over from behind the counter and I swiveled on my heel, Mr. Vanders still behind me. "Vanessa called said she's stuck up in Seattle, accident on the highway, won't be here for a few hours, I can't leave until then, I'm sorry."
I shook my head, "No, no, I understand, it's your job, dinner another night for sure."
"Definitely but how're you getting home?" That was a good question.
Mr. Vanders took the moment to interject. "I can take her home," I turned around, "I mean I can take you home." He corrected with a nervous smile.
"I couldn't impose."
"It's not an imposition, the only thing waiting for me at home is a spoiled dog and cold left overs, you're not imposing."
"If you're sure."
"Of course, so it's decided."
Dee shot Mr. Vanders a grateful look, saying she was sorry for canceling before bouncing off to the back.
"Thank you," I did feel grateful, it was already getting dark and I didn't want to walk at night. It was rather disappointing to think I'd have to wait for advice from Dee, if we even ever got around to rescheduling once the school year returned and both our lives got busier.
We walked out to his car, talking about the kids, the various interesting mixes of parents who seemed both happy and astounded by the state of their children by the end of the day. His car was similar to mine, a little old but still in good condition, a teacher's car for sure as evident by the various pieces of paper strewn across the seats.
"Ready for the school year?" I asked, skimming across a piece of paper I picked up from the seat before settling into the warmth of the interior.
"It's all kind of ready and yet not in any way prepared, but in general I tend to stick to the same pattern of lessons."
I smiled, "I'd like to say I understand but it'll be my first year."
He nodded his head, driving out of the parking lot and onto the main road. "I keep forgetting you're a newbie."
"I'm going to take that as a compliment."
Nodding, almost too seriously, "It was one." The corner of his mouth tilted in a smile before breaking with a laugh.
I told him the turns and streets to go down, guiding him toward my house. The car spanned with warmth from the heater, a nice contrast to the outside temperature as the sun went lower and lower in the sky.
He turned into my gravel driveway, a laugh spilling out of his mouth on time with my own. Conversation flowed easily and I couldn't help but look forward to the start of the school year. It was always nice to have new acquaintances.
Did I procrastinate on putting this out? Yes, yes, I did. I do have a plan for this story in my head. I know that there seems to be a lot of loose threads but I promise that there is a plan and I just want things to progress naturally but also, I want to lock them in a closet and say forget character development. I mean as the writer I could technically write that but the logical part of my brain always wins out with the idea of a natural progression for the relationship (as there should be with any relationship both platonic and non-platonic).
I do actually like this chapter even if nothing super plot driven happens because I think emotionally it's important at least for me. It might be different for people who didn't write it and know where my brain was with this.
Please Read and Review! The reviews really encourage me through writing slumps haha.
