A/N: Anon99: Just try an online translator ;-) The one from google is quite good, I think. And why don't you sign in here? You don't have to be a writer to have a Fan Fiction account. It makes things a lot easier. This conversation perhaps shouldn't be on top of my chapter but in a PM to your account.
Now we'll go on with the last day of the weekend. Enjoy...
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Sunday
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On Sunday they stayed in bed almost the entire day.
After jumping out of bed in the early morning and running to the bathroom, Barbara returned to their bed only after a rather long while. A mug with hot tea already waited on her bedside table and Tommy also had returned under the duvet. He sat there sipping at his own tea, his glasses on his nose, a book in his hands.
Barbara slid under the covers and sighed when she cuddled into Tommy's side.
"I hope this will be over soon."
"Your morning sickness?" he asked and put his arm around her shoulder. She nodded. "There's some tea for you."
"Ta. Real tea or just herbal...?"
"A proper English breakfast tea."
"Ah, good. Caffeine! Have you brought the sugar pot? Recently I'm in a sweet mood."
Tommy chuckled. "I've recognised that. The sugar pot's in the kitchen but after I've seen you drinking a cup of sugar with a dash of tea yesterday, I've already put four spoons in it."
"You're a treasure."
After she had finished her tea, all the time watching Tommy reading and making him nervous that way, she broke out into laughter when he finally turned his head with an exasperated expression. She kissed it away before he could say anything.
Then she opened her netbook. There still were things to think of and the sooner they continued their wedding planning, the better. And tomorrow they already would give notice.
"Playing with your lists again?" Tommy chuckled without looking up from his book.
"We have a lot to think about beforehand." she answered and ignored the guest list for now.
"You wanted to unpack some certain boxes in the study." he mentioned turning over a page. He grinned without looking at her.
"Yah. Later." While she typed invitation cards on top of a new list her feet searched for his under the duvet.
"Mhm..." Tommy mumbled. "What's that new list now?"
"A list of things to think of."
"Care if I keep reading a bit while you do this?"
"Nah..."
Half an hour later Barbara put her netbook back onto the night table and cuddled into his side to have another nap in his arm. After giving her a kiss on her hair, Tommy continued reading.
Eventually she stirred again.
"Morning." he chuckled.
"Morning." Barbara yawned. "Shall I get us some buttered toasts?"
"In bed?" Tommy was seriously shocked.
"Sure." He only raised his eyebrows at her answer. His eyes clearly told her about his fears of bread crumbs on the sheets and under the duvet. She grinned and ruffled through his hair. "I intend to spend the day in bed." she informed him. It made him grin with naughty thoughts written on his forehead. Barbara laughed, shook her head and jumped out of bed. "And that includes breakfast."
"Oh, dear..." he sighed when she already was at the door.
After a while Barbara returned with a tray. On it were two plates with a few toasts, a glass of marmalade, a pot with tea, the butter dish and an egg in its egg cup.
"Books aside, here comes breakfast." she announced.
"Oh, and an egg. For me?"
"Of course. Three minutes. Just for you." She laughed when she climbed back in bed. "You can drink it."
After breakfast Tommy put the tray onto the floor next to the bed and asked about her new list. "Okay, what do you have so far?"
"Ah, it's still a bit messy, I just... Stop grinning, Thomas!" He kissed her before she could tell him what she had written down. "Okay. It's food..."
"Clearly the most important thing to think of." Tommy laughed.
"No, clearly one important thing to think of. It just came to my mind as first thing."
"Of course." He still chuckled. "And what will we have?"
"I don't know yet. We will have to talk about it with the hotel. See what they offer."
"We could have dinner there next week."
"Sounds good." Barbara nodded and returned her eyes to the monitor. "You can call them later today. Then: a photographer."
"Mhm."
"I used to come past the shop of Monique Lee," she explained, "when I walked from the tube station to my flat. The pictures she's shown in her windows were quite nice. I've already browsed through her online page. Very professional and unique. I've noted down her number, so we can call her later when we're a bit further with everything. Theeen..."
Barbara obviously did not mention what was next on her list and looked for something she would tell him. Tommy turned the monitor and saw the word dress. He grinned. "Your dress should be on top of the list."
"I told you, this list is messy." she pouted.
"You'll have to look for a dress with your bridesmaids." Barbara only snorted in reply. "Who will that be?"
"No one."
"Oh, yes."
"I don't know. Probably Yazza, if she's given birth by then. I'd also like to have her as my witness."
"I thought as much. And the others?"
"Witnesses?"
"No, bridesmaids. You should have a few."
Barbara only groaned. "Really? Bridesmaids are... I don't know..."
"No bride without bridesmaids." Tommy grinned.
Barbara still frowned. "Well, Yazza. And Violet. And maybe Judith?"
"She'd be delighted. And?"
"More?"
He nodded.
She groaned again. "No." Tommy cocked his head an Barbara gave in. "We'll see." She inserted bridesmaids under dress.
"Mh... Next things to think of: flowers... cake... music... Oh, and the pub for that first reception after the ceremony." She typed it down. "I also have listed 'seating plan'. But that will be discussed when we have our final guest list. The same with invitation cards."
"We could send 'save the date' messages for those who will be invited by all means."
"Yeah, just not today. We have to go through the guest list before we do that and apart from the fact that we still have at least a bit of time, I'm not in the mood now."
"Although it's important."
"Yeah, I know, but I don't want to argue today."
"We don't have to argue. Give me the guest list. I'm going to cross out a few." Barbara gave him the black folder and he picked the sheet of paper that was on top. "Oh, that's your list." he muttered.
"You know, I'm still not fine with the amount of people on our lists. Do we really have to have so many people attending our wedding? I mean..."
"But I want the world to know how much I love you." Tommy smiled apologetically.
She groaned. "You can advertise it on Piccadilly Lights if you wish, but on our wedding day there should be good friends and family and not-"
"Barbara, I've already winnowed my cricket team and almost all rowing club members."
"Yes, but maybe we could come down to a list of 60? By the way, do we also have to invite Sir Hillier?"
She had asked it in a way that made Tommy laugh out loud. "I guess His Highness would be delighted to appear at Lord Asherton's wedding, but no, I don't think he has to attend it..."
"Good. Nonetheless we have to tell him of our wedding plans soon."
"Mhmm." He placed a hand on Barbara's belly. "And of your pregnancy." he whispered into her ear.
"Oh, nooo..." she wailed. "I'd be damned to office duty!"
"Which is highly advisable, concerning the safety of our child."
She snorted. "Yah, as if we're constantly in danger when we're on the scene or at some witnesses' homes..."
"I'm not going to discuss this, Barbara. And there's probably a rule for it which I'm not going to violate."
Barbara only groaned in annoyance and pulled the blanket over her head so he would not be able to hear what she was mumbling there. They certainly would have a few more words about that topic. But not now.
Tommy took the list of her guests which still laid on top of the duvet. In silence he read a few names he knew but more names he did not. Suddenly he realised that Barbara seldom talked about her family. A few names on the list were crossed out already. "Tell me about your family, Barbara." He put the list back into the black folder and leant into the pillows.
"Now?"
"Why not?"
Reluctantly Barbara told him about the people on her list that were her family and so quite some time went by. There were uncles working in factories and a doctor even, and aunts working in shops or offices and one being a professor for economics. Barbara told him about cousins at the supermarket checkout or employed at an insurance company, a few children, and some nieces and nephews she had. Some were distant, even so distant that she had crossed them out in the minute she had noted them on her list, and some were closer.
Her mother's sister for example, aunt Sabina, an office clerk somewhere Barbara did not know, with her two daughters Sasha and Tonya, who had studied at the University of London, all three always nosy and asking if she had a partner. They already had started to ask if she had a boyfriend when Barbara was twelve. "On every rare occasion we've met. Quite annoying. And they're all a bit vain, but other than that, most of the time they're quite nice. Although they kept their stupid habit of asking if I was in a relationship. As if it's the most important thing for a woman to find a man."
"And now you've even found me."
"Yes, I think they're going to be shocked about the fact that I am going to marry someone, and someone so handsome at that."
Tommy proudly grinned with lovestruck eyes. "I feel flattered."
"You've literally asked for it, m'lord." Barbara chuckled and caressed his cheek.
Then, for a long while, they did not think about lists, guests or family but indulged in several sweet kisses instead.
"Is there anything left on your list or can we finally put that stuff to the side now?" Tommy whispered onto her lips. "It's in my way."
"Actually there is." she mumbled with closed eyes and he groaned in annoyance.
"Alright then." Tommy sat up with a melodramatic sigh. "Go ahead. What is it?"
She opened her netbook again and read from the page she already had clicked on earlier. "It says here: A short time after they are approved in the superintendent registrar's office, a short non-religious ceremony takes place. The registrar, the couple and at least two witnesses must attend; guests may also be present."
"That's good." Tommy chuckled into the crook of her neck. He had already slid back into his cuddling position at her side.
"It also says here that at the Westminster register office-"
"Where is it exactly?" he mumbled onto her skin but somehow did not really care.
"Umm... Westminster City Hall, 64 Vict- Thomas!" Barbara laughed out loud. "Stop tickling me!" Without taking his hand off from where it was, Tommy mewled a protest she ignored. "64 Victoria Street. It's the nearest to our home... Not there now, Tom!" She squirmed to get herself away from his gentle hand before she went on as if nothing would be happening under the duvet. "...and it's a nice venue. If they have a spare date it will be there, okay?" Barbara felt him nodding against her shoulder. "We can have 100 guests with us, but it also is cosy with just a few. Sounds good. I'd like to have 'just a few'..." She smiled and gently stroked his chest before she read on. "Readings and music in the ceremony must be agreed in advance." She paused and Tommy looked up. "Mh, I think I don't want that."
"Maybe a bit of background music while we all enter?"
"Hm, yes, we can keep that in mind." Barbara noted "music for the ceremony?" on her list and read on. "Marriage: you and your partner sign the marriage schedule or marriage document at the ceremony. Before that, you must exchange vows. Yeah, that's what I was looking for. The vows."
Tommy propped himself onto his elbow. He locked eyes with her. "I love you to the stars and back," he vowed right there in their bed. "now and forever."
"Yes, I love you too, I swear, cross my heart." she chuckled and gently put her hand on his cheek again. "But I think that's not what they mean. Look, here are some examples. With the required and unchangeable parts in bold text."
On the internet page of the register office there were a few examples and suggestions for ceremonies and the vows that had to be exchanged. Both slid deeper into the pillows with every new text they read to each other. Eventually there were more kisses than text until Tommy finally put away her netbook so they could concentrate on their gentle vows under the duvet.
They missed lunch time but actually they did not care. Only later, it was almost evening, they woke up again and decided to go downstairs to have some food. There still were enough leftovers from the previous days.
After dinner Barbara finally took care of the cardboard boxes with all her papers.
In the study, Tommy already had put his required certificates onto a small pile on his desk and now sat in front of his computer to browse a bit through this and that, some menu suggestions from the hotel and some examples for invitation cards.
One by one Barbara added some documents to the pile of his while she went through her folders, files and papers and other things like a few more pictures or souvenir cards in the boxes. The space in the cabinet Tommy had cleared for her was more than enough for the few things she had.
"Ummm..." she eventually said and went from squat into properly cross-legged sitting on the carpet next to one of her boxes.
"Yes?" he looked up.
"I was thinking... err... about some of your possible guests." A series of pictures from the New Year's Eve party at Howenstow had triggered it.
He cocked his head. "Now?"
She fiercely nodded. "It's just an important detail. I... umm... Your uncle Ulysses..."
"Don't worry." Tommy gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm not going to invite him."
"Good. And, err..." Barbara slightly blushed but held his gaze. "Just to make that clear: If you, uh... plan to invite Beatrice, you're not going to marry me."
Tommy laughed out loud. "No, she's most definitely not on my list either. And she wasn't. Not even before you blackmailed me."
"Good. Now that this is sorted out - do you want a nightcap?" She grinned.
Since she knew that she was temporarily not allowed to have one she loved to at least sniff at his beloved whisky before giving him a glass.
.
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