CH 3
Elisa tugged a little at the waist of the dress she'd borrowed from the undercover unit's "costume closet". It was a dark green velvet number that reached her ankles, off the shoulder straps, and was tight enough to make Morticia Adams envious. It was the best she could do, if she didn't want to take the time to shop or show up in a hooker-style getup.
"Okay," Beth said, coming out of the women's rest room where she'd been applying her makeup. "I'm ready. Let's get this show on the road."
Elisa Looked at her sister, so obviously happy, and wearing a sweet little tea length ivory satin and lace gown. It was dressy without being obnoxious about it, but still…
"Are you really sure that you want to do this, Beth," Elisa asked her youngest sibling. "Not the wedding," she amended, "But like this? No mom, no dad…"
"Elisa," Beth said with a grin, "I know what I want. I just know that if we went the more traditional route, I'd end up in a Tulle covered monstrosity of a dress that would cost a fortune that I would only wear once, with some random cousin of a cousin's daughter in a pink frilly dress as a flower girl and a line of pastel gowned female attendant fawning all over me…" She gave an exaggerated shudder. " It would be a nightmare for me, and you know it."
Elisa flinched a little. She'd gotten very lucky for her own wedding, having had Fox Xanatos running interference for her. Elisa would have tried to do that for her sister, but… they had the same mother, so…
"I get it, Beth," Elisa said with a sigh. "Just, promise me that you'll let us all have a little say in your reception, okay?"
"Done," Beth said with a brilliant smile. "I want it outside, at night, so that everyone can come. Including the clan, our furry brother and my adorable not-so-little- anymore niece and nephew can come, too. Thanks," she said, giving Elisa a hug. "Thank you for being here and doing this."
"You're my sister," Elisa said with a smile. "You know I'll always be here for you."
"Excuse me, ladies," Detective Stephen Travis said, approaching the two of them. "But I believe that we're up next."
"Okay," Beth said, stepping out of the hug. "Elisa. Makeup check?"
"Gorgeous as always," Elisa said, grabbing a tissue from the small pouch she'd bought at the drugstore on the way just in case it was needed. "One moment, and… there." She pronounced. A little mascara smudge, but you're good to go now.
"Good," She said, brushing her hands over her dress.
'And here come the nerves,' Elisa thought with a chuckle.
"I guess this is where I come in," Matt said from behind Travis. The groom stepped aside as the red haired detective stepped up beside him with a small camera in hand.
"Oh, Matt," Beth groaned.
"Hey," Elisa said, throwing an arm across Beth's shoulders to prevent her sibling's escape. "Pictures for mom."
"Fiiiiiiine," Beth groaned.
"Besides," Elisa said with a smile, "You're kids are going to want to see them someday."
And that was why, the first picture of the day that Matt took, was of Elisa smiling wide in her borrowed NYPD dress, with Beth standing beside her and giving her sister a wide-eyed shocked expression.
