This is Prompt No. 55-Jewelery
"Mitchie, please hold still!" Louisa exclaimed, unable once again to insert the comb into Mitchie's hair due to the latter's squirming.
"Sorry," Mitchie mumbled again, trying to stand still.
Louisa succeeded in placing the pearl-encrusted comb into Mitchie's hair and stepped back to admire her work. She nodded with satisfaction, and a slight sense of pride. "You'll do," she said indifferently, but Mitchie knew that she was quite proud of her handiwork.
"Thank you," Mitchie said sincerely. She gazed into the vanity mirror and said, "Thanks to you, I look pretty for today."
Louisa snorted. "Pretty? Mitchie, you look gorgeous." She smiled and quickly added before Mitchie could rebut, "Now hurry up and put your shoes on. Your daddy's going to be up here any moment to get you."
Mitchie let the subject drop, not wanting to get into an argument on her wedding day. She sat down, arranging her white skirts around her, and began to slip on her shoes. They were frivolous, but gorgeous, and Shane had presented them to Mitchie secretly, telling her, "Please wear them, for me." Mitchie had rolled her eyes, but had consented.
"You know," Louisa said, breaking through Mitchie's train of thought, "I think I'm really going to miss you."
Mitchie glanced up at her friend and felt a slight tug on her heart. Louisa reminded her so much of Anna that it felt like she was leaving a piece of herself behind all over again. She bit her lip to keep from crying and said, "I'll miss you too."
"When will I see you again?" Louisa asked.
Mitchie felt her heart sink even lower. "I don't know," she told Louisa honestly. "It'll have to be when the war is over, and who knows when that'll be?"
"Hopefully soon," Louisa said.
Mitchie nodded. "Yes, hopefully soon, but if it isn't, then we'll see each other later." She stood and hugged Louisa. "When the war is over, try to stay as close by as you can. If everything turns out well for the Union, we'll come and find you."
"And if not?" Louisa asked, and Mitchie detected a slight amount of fear in her voice.
"If not," Mitchie promised, "Shane and I will try and "buy" you. Then, you'll be free."
Louisa smiled and nodded. There was a knock at the door and both young women knew that their time was up. This was the last time they would be together in a very long time. Louisa threw her arms around Mitchie, hugging her tightly, and Mitchie hugged her back. Louisa jumped away as the door opened, busying herself with straightening Mitchie's already straight hem.
Mitchie's father stood in the doorway, looking quite handsome in his suit. He smiled as he gazed at his daughter, far more grown up than he could even imagine, and said, "Shane is a lucky man."
Louisa giggled. "Yes, sir, he is." She smoothed Mitchie's skirt one last time and then nodded with satisfaction. "You're ready," she proclaimed.
Mitchie nodded to her, her eyes once more saying goodbye, and then she took her father's arm and let him lead her out of her room, down the stairs, and out onto the grassy lawn of the plantation. As the bride and her father came into view, the crowd stood and turned to face them.
Mitchie's smile widened as she took in the whole scene, set up for her and Shane. The sun shone on the gathering, making the grass seem greener and the carpet she was to walk down seem whiter. Shane, dressed in a stylish suit, stood at the end of the carpet, smiling at her with a look of such love that Mitchie knew he wasn't pretending. The guests, arrayed in their Sunday bests, seemed to sparkle against the sun, and even the minister, garbed in traditional black robes seemed rather cheerful. Nothing could dampen this day for her!
Mr. Torres guided her down the aisle, and in a movement as old as time, took her hand from his and placed it in Shane's. He kissed her cheek, and then was gone. Mitchie looked up at Shane through her veil and smiled widely.
"Dearly beloved," the minister began, and his voice carried throughout the area as he spoke of the love and commitment that the two young people in front of him were to share.
"I do," Mitchie said at the appropriate times, her voice ringing out with all the love she possessed for the man beside her.
"I do," Shane said clearly, his voice exemplifying the same love as Mitchie's.
Shane then slipped a thin, gold band onto Mitchie's finger and rubbed her hand with his thumb lightly. The band had been the only jewelry she would allow him to give her, the bare minimum for the ceremony. He had allowed that only because she had her wedding ring that he had given her before, back at the base.
"I now pronounce you man and wife," the minister said, and he even seemed a little eager as he said, "you may now kiss the bride."
Shane raised Mitchie's veil, gently settling it over her head, then tipping her chin up so that he could kiss her softly, yet meaningfully. The crowd clapped enthusiastically and Mitchie smiled widely as she pulled away from the kiss. Shane took her hand in his and they turned to face the crowd for the first time as husband and wife.
"Shall we join our guests?" Mitchie asked, still smiling up at Shane.
He glanced down at her, her cheeks pink with excitement and her whole face shining with love, and felt the urge to kiss her again, which he barely restrained. "As you wish," he said instead, looping her arm through his and beginning the walk back up the aisle towards the refreshment tables that had been set out for after the wedding.
For the next three hours, the people of Virginia celebrated the Gray marriage with plenty of food, laughter, and dancing. People whirled around, a tangle of trousers and billowing skirts, and Shane and Mitchie were usually in the middle of the group. Mitchie also danced with her father, and Shane spun Mrs. Torres through the dance steps until she was giggling like a young schoolgirl.
Finally, the August air became too cold, and the guests waved the young couple, seated in a buggy, off. Mitchie sat in the front with Shane since there was no room in the back. They had piled in all of her belongings and were off to the small town on the opposite side of the plantation. They were going to send the buggy back once they got there and then they would head off on their honeymoon trip.
"That was lovely," Mitchie remarked, her voice betraying a slight amount of fatigue.
Shane glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and nodded. "I agree," he said, and then added, "and I'm not pretending."
Mitchie smiled at him. "Who's meeting us in town?"
"Nate and Caitlyn," Shane told her.
"Are they bringing-" Mitchie began, but Shane cut her off.
"They're coming alone. They didn't want anyone to see you, just married, holding out your arms for a baby that's over half a year old."
Unfortunately, Shane's logic made sense, and Mitchie nodded, slumping back into the seat. "Okay," she said softly.
Shane glanced back at her and put his free arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer to him. "I'm just as anxious to see my daughter as you are. We'll get there before you know it."
Mitchie nodded and snuggled closer. "I know," she told him. "I just miss her."
They rode the rest of the way in silence, and soon, the town came into view. Mitchie found herself sitting up in her seat, her eyes roving the town until she could find her family. Finally, she spotted the young couple standing next to two horses. "Shane, Shane, I see them!" Mitchie cried excitedly.
"Hush!" Shane ordered her and leaned close to explain, "We have to get someone to take the buggy back before we can go meet them. If your parents should ask, we need to be seen alone."
"Oh," Mitchie replied dully, her eyes still fixed on Caitlyn, who was struggling not to look at her sister-in-law.
Shane pulled the horse up in front of the small hotel and jumped down, lifting his arms up so that he could grab Mitchie's waist and pull her down. Together, they strolled into the hotel and Shane asked if there was anyone available to take the buggy back to the plantation.
"Why sure!" the man behind the counter said, and rug a little bell he had perched on the edge of the warped counter. A young boy scurried out, and Shane gave him directions to the plantation. He saluted and hurried out to unload Mitchie's belongings before he returned the buggy.
"Is there any place that we could store these trunks until we can come back and get them?" Shane asked the man. "We can't take them on our honeymoon."
The man glanced at the three trunks that his boy had brought in and offered, "I suppose you could keep them here. I'll put them behind the desk for you and you can come back and get them later."
Shane smiled and nodded, passing the man a few Confederate notes as "thanks" for his generous offer. The man was still leafing through the bills when the Grays left.
Seeing no one on the street once they headed outside, Shane nodded to Mitchie. "You can go now," he told her.
She took off running, grappling with the skirts that were slowing her down as she ran toward Caitlyn. "You're here! You're here!" she cried excitedly.
Caitlyn, with her own overflowing amount of excitement, met Mitchie halfway, hugging her tightly and exclaiming over and over how much she had missed her. Once they had calmed down, Caitlyn informed Mitchie, "Shania's missing you."
Mitchie remembered her daughter, who had been forgotten upon seeing familiar faces, and she turned to Shane who had joined the two women and was hugging his brother, and asked, "Can we go now?"
Shane nodded, smiling. "Whenever you're ready," he told her.
"I'm ready," Mitchie assured him.
Nate and Caitlyn mounted one horse and Shane and Mitchie mounted the other. Together, the two couples spurred their horses towards the base, towards Shania, and towards home. Mitchie let herself smile as she adjusted to the rocking motion of the horse. She was finally going home.
A/N: We're finally getting somewhere! I always hate having to use filler chapters, no matter their importance! :P Hope you liked it! Please review. *wink wink* DrrmGrl!
