With construction started on the new Damage Control wing, and ground-breaking and final architectural plans behind me, the next thing on my plate to tackle was the official reception to celebrate mine and Steve's wedding. It was more than just your regular wedding reception, though. It was to be my launch into public society, and introduction to the general public.
I headed towards Pepper's office. I had already had several meetings with her to go over details: the guest list, schedule of events, talking points, how to handle myself with the media. I was glad more than ever that I had talked Steve into eloping. Our reception was looking closer to a public relations event than the meaningful celebration our wedding had been. I was looking forward to having my whole extended network of friends and family get a chance to meet Steve, but this was becoming more and more like work the longer I prepped for it.
I had been a bit worried about all the personal time I was taking. Not all of it was directly work related. But, when I spoke to the Director of Damage Control, she reassured me she was inclined to give me significant leeway. Both for working away at solving the contaminant problem that had started all this, when I was in quarantine and technically should have been on medical leave, and also for the rush of PR it was bringing to Damage Control.
"It's helping the department budget significantly, can't complain. And besides, the fact that everything's been running so smoothly in your absence is as testament to your organization and leadership skill. I'm more than happy with the way you're dividing your time."
This afternoon's meeting, though, was going to be more fun. We'd progressed to appearances, and what I was going to wear and how I would present myself. Pepper had taken charge of this, too, arranging a short-list of dresses for me to try on. Pepper always looked like she meant business, and although her colouring and figure were very different than mine, I knew I could rely on her impeccable taste. I had known what I wanted for the wedding; for Steve, I had dressed almost girlish: cheerful and bright. This was different. I wanted to present an air of dignity and seriousness (and if I was honest, still a little sexy).
I got to Pepper's office, and her personal assistant directed me down the hall to an oval room, set up with standing mirrors, soft seating and a rack of gowns.
Pepper swept into the room, in her polished, no-nonsense way.
"Oh good, they're all here. I hope one of them will suit."
She strode over to the rack at the side of the room, paging through the gowns hanging there.
"Have a look, and we'll see what you think. Although you can't really tell until you try them on."
I joined her for a closer look. There were three gowns hanging there. I was a little surprised at the low number, but I supposed they didn't want to overwhelm me with choices, for which I was grateful. There was a black heavy gown, peppered with tiny brilliant crystals, a navy velvet dress, in the most plush fabric I'd ever felt, and a red gown, with a lustrous structured bodice. Right away I favoured the navy, remembering the Captain's favourite colour.
But, Pepper had already picked up the black gown, supporting the full skirt with her other arm, and passed it to me. "Here. Try this on. There's a dressing room just off to your right there. Don't worry too much about fit, we'll adjust for that."
The first gown was the most intricate and expensive-feeling thing I had ever worn, heavy with beading, and with a solid finish to all the seams that you didn't find in off-the-rack clothing. Where had Pepper gotten these gowns? It was sleeveless, with a high neckline, tapering tightly to my waist, and then smoothly flaring out over my hips and falling to the floor in an A-line shape. It was a very simple and understated cut that was saved from being plain by the rich sparkle of the beaded embellishment. A swath of sparkling crystals encircled my waist, tapering down and diminishing down the skirt, to only a few singly placed sparkles at knee height. It was like a constellation of stars, like the milky way spread across the night sky.
I stepped out of the dressing room, to see Pepper and Helen sitting and chatting on a sofa.
"Oh good, you made it," I said.
"Yeah, there was no way I was going to miss out on all this fun," Helen responded.
"What do you think?"
"It's so pretty. I love the sparkle. But how do you feel?"
"Fancy. Mis-matched," I said, gesturing to my pony-tail and almost bare face.
"Don't worry about hair and make-up," Pepper put in. "I've got a great team. We'll figure out something appropriate for the day once we get the dress chosen."
Helen and Pepper took turns commenting on the dress, and how it complemented my figure and personality. The consensus for the first dress was elegant princess. Gorgeous, but not quite the tone I thought I wanted to hit for my début.
The second I tried on was the navy velvet, long sleeved, with a plunging V neckline. Intricate ruching draped across the front of the gown, drawing the eye to my waist, highlighting and concealing to idealise my figure. The fabric, too plush to be clingy, was still close fitting to the knee and then flared out into a sweep of trumpet skirt. I looked fantastic in it.
It earned wows from Helen and Pepper, too. Definitely still my favourite.
But, the third. The third gown, the red, fit like a glove. The highly structured bodice cinched me in and made me feel taller. The barely off-the-shoulder sweetheart neckline flattered and drew attention up to my face, and the column skirt, with a tailored sweep of voluminous fabric behind, commanded attention. This was it. This was the one. The first gown had been pretty, the second mature, but this one… in this one I felt like I could conquer the world.
Helen and Pepper could tell right away. "How do you feel?" Helen asked.
"Great," I said, thinking, "Powerful, like I can hold my own."
"Yes, It's a good choice," put in Pepper, "The red works." I could see her PR wheels turning as she pondered the rest of the colour scheme for the event.
A seamstress appeared out of nowhere to take some measurements, then all the gowns got packed away to be whisked away to wherever they came from, and it was back to the mundane prep of memorizing talking points and mock interviews. The reception was three days away, and I was more than ready to get it over with.