"Okay," Tara said, sitting down at the table, "I have a pen and paper."
"And I have Oreos," Willow replied, sitting down opposite with a plate of the cookies, "We're good to go."
Tara smirked and watched for a moment as the redhead twisted and dunked her cookie in a glass of milk.
"I'm marrying a big kid," she said , shaking her head, before taking the lid off her pen and holding it to her notebook, "I made a list of things we need to agree on for me to organise apart from rings which we'll look for sometime this week. Oh and dresses. Are you okay to organise yours yourself? Do you even want to wear a dress?"
"I already have it done," Willow replied, sticking out her tongue, "I bought it online. It's being delivered to Becky's so you can't sneak a peek."
"Okay, Willow's dress, check. Next thing…do you want a Jewish ceremony, sweetie?"
Willow swallowed the cookie in her mouth and bit her lip in contemplation.
"Wow. I didn't even think about that. Um, I think if you could find a rabbi to marry us that would be cool. Do the whole breaking the glass thing. It doesn't have to be like a full service or anything since you're not Jewish and all. Maybe like a secular thing but I'd really like some of the Jewish traditions in there. I mean, is that okay with you?"
Tara reached across the table and clasped hands with her fiancée.
"Of course. I hope I can find a rabbi who'll do the whole gay marriage as well as the interfaith thing."
"Ask Becky. She knows everyone in Boston."
"Ask…Becky…" Tara read out as she wrote it down, "I will find us the perfect rabbi."
"I know you will."
Tara smiled and blushed a little as she scanned her page.
"We still want to do it in the Public Gardens, right? I know we have to fill out some form-"
"Your amazing fiancée did that, too," Willow grinned, picking up an envelope from the counter behind the table, "Last night, when you went to bed. Filled it out, wrote the cheque. We just need to send it in."
"You're amazing. How much?"
"Fifty bucks. I started an excel spreadsheet so we could keep an eye on costs. I emailed it to you since you're gonna be looking after most of it."
"Check email. Noted. Next on my all-encompassing list…guests."
Willow scooted her chair around so she was next to Tara and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
"We should be beside each other doing this," she said, tapping her finger against Tara's notebook, "Well, you and me obviously."
"I don't think we need to put ourselves on the guest list…"
"Smart ass," Willow said with a playful scoff, "Put us down so we include ourselves in numbers for food and stuff."
Tara wrote their names down on the top of the list with a little heart next to Willow's name, which made the redhead smile.
"Becky, Alice and Brian of course. Plus a few people from work. Jamie, Ben, we're all friendly. And Mr. Evans. He really likes you, he told me once. Says you've got a 'delightful enthusiasm and zest for life'."
"Uh huh," Willow said with a small grin, "Which is code for 'she babbles'."
Tara chuckled and nodded as she counted the people on her list.
"So that's seven people…and a plus one for all of them…" she paused and turned in her seat, taking both of Willow's hands in hers, "I'm just gonna ask this once and if you say no then that's fine and I promise I won't bring it up again."
"Um…" Willow started, the serious tone making her uneasy, "Okay…"
"Do you wanna invite…or at least tell your parents?"
Willow opened and closed her mouth a few times, unsure of what to say to the unexpected question. Her initial reaction was to say no and like Tara said, never speak of it again, but after a moment of contemplation she realised that she should at least tell her parents.
At least that way she could never be accused of not trying to patch things up.
"I should tell them," she said in a somewhat-sure voice, before it turned scared, "Baby, I haven't spoken to them in over five years. And they have made it known in no uncertain terms that I'm not their daughter as long as I live this 'sinful lifestyle'. What if I just get scripture yelled at me or, or-"
"Shush, love, shush," Tara soothed, pulling the smaller girl into a hug, "I shouldn't have suggested it, I'm sorry."
Willow enjoyed the closeness for a hug for a few moments before pulling back and shaking her head.
"No, you know what? You're right. I just accepted it last time. I accepted their rejection of me. But you weren't in my life and now you are my life and it's their loss if they don't wanna be a part of that. But I'm gonna at least give them the opportunity. I'm gonna be the bigger person this time and I'm gonna be as strong as you make me."
"You're strong all on your own," Tara whispered, "Strongest person I know."
Willow took a deep breath and went in for another quick hug, before giving the blonde a loving kiss and pointing at the list with a small smile.
"Let's get this finished. That way if I call them and get cast off again you can snuggle me better and we won't have to worry."
"You sure? We can finish this anytime this week…"
"Yea, I'm sure. Besides, I'm having fun. What could be better than planning my wedding to you?"
Tara cupped one of the redhead's cheeks and stroked it softly with her thumb.
"Actually getting married."
Willow grinned and kissed the blonde's palm before taking the pen from the table.
"So we've got guests covered…unless you had anymore?"
"No, that's all I have. We've got a pretty small circle of friends."
"Yea. But they're really awesome friends."
"They are. So that just leaves reception…"
"Well we just need a small venue room…" Willow said, tapping her fingers against the table, "Worst case, we have it back here, okay?"
"I'll figure something out," Tara replied, writing something on her notepad, "Okay, that's everything…I just need to buy invitations and stamps and stuff… oh and the cake-"
"Chocolate with vanilla icing!"
Tara suppressed a laugh and glanced at the empty plate on the other side of the table.
"Like a giant, inside-out Oreo?"
Willow blushed and shrugged her shoulders.
"Maybe. But it's my favourite and I know you like it too!"
"Honey, if chocolate with vanilla icing is what you want, then chocolate with vanilla icing is what you get."
"Yay! Thank you, gorgeous. Oh hey, wait! The honeymoon!" Willow exclaimed suddenly, before a frown crossed her features, "We're not gonna get a chance for a honeymoon! We have to have a honeymoon, it's, it's essential, we have to celebrate in warm tropical-ness and drink cocktails and have lots of hot sex and-"
She was cut off as Tara brought their lips together once again, kissing until Willow seemed to calm down.
"I will make us cocktails wherever we end up living and we always have hot sex but if it will make you feel better, I promise that our first weekend as a married couple, in our new place, that regardless of the numerous boxes we'll have to unpack and anything else that will be going on, that we will spend the entire weekend in bed. All naked, all gay."
"With lots of hot sex?"
"Nothing but hot sex."
"Well then," Willow replied, trying to hide the massive grin threatening to break out on her face, "Agreed. Hey, maybe we could start now…?"
"You have to call your parents."
Willow's face dropped and she kicked the leg of Tara's chair, pouting.
"Way to turn a girl off. Mention her parents."
"Honey…"
"I know, I know. I'm procrastinating. I'll call now. Wait, what…what if they've moved or something? The number's changed?"
Tara stood up and took the phone from its charger, handing it to the redhead.
"Only one way to find out. I'll give you some space."
"No!" Willow said, lacing the blonde's fingers with her spare hand, "Please stay. Please."
Tara pulled the redhead up and walked them both over to sofa, settling them into a comfortable position, her arm around Willow's shoulders, with the smaller girl resting her head on the blonde's chest.
"Okay…so dialling now…"
Willow held the phone in front of her for a moment before dialling the California area code. It took her another few seconds before she felt able to dial the rest of the number of her childhood home.
Putting it against her ear, she glanced at Tara, who gave her a reassuring smile and exhaled slowly as it began ringing.
"Hello, Rosenberg residence."
Willow stiffened as she heard the familiar yet almost alien voice of her father on the other end. She turned to Tara, looking terrified and the blonde just stroked her hair calmly, kissing her forehead.
"Rosenberg's…Hello, is anyone there?"
"D-Daddy?"
There was silence on the other end until Ira Rosenberg spoke up again, his voice shaken.
"Willow? Is that really you?"
"It's me, Daddy."
"Oh Willow. Oh you have no idea how much I've wanted to call, but so much time passed and oh how are you, bubbala?"
Willow felt a wave of relief and joy wash over her at the term of endearment and clutched the phone tightly against her ear.
"I'm good. I'm great actually. I have a really good life now, and I'm just about to start a new job, with the FBI, actually, they want me to be a technical analyst."
"The FBI? Well, that's...I always knew my little girl would do wonderful things."
"Yea. I'm really excited. And Daddy…well, the reason I called…I'm getting married."
There was a brief silence on the other end but Ira filled it quickly.
"Who's the lucky woman?"
Willow felt her heart swell and entwined her fingers with Tara's, smiling up at her fiancée.
"Her name is Tara. We've been together since college, four and a half years. And she's so beautiful, Dad. She's the love of my life."
There was a small silence as Ira gathered his thoughts and Willow heard him take a deep breath on the other end of the line.
"I don't expect you to want me to walk you down the aisle but would it be too much to ask for an invitation? I really can't believe you've called, my darling. I have so much to make up for, to apologise for. When you first told us about yourself, I was just so scared of all the discrimination you could face and your mother bombarded me with research about phases and experimentation and such and I let myself be lead. But then one morning, about a eighteen months after you came out, I woke up and realised I'd lost my little girl and nothing could be worse than that. I tried calling you but your number had changed-"
"I got a new cell," Willow replied by way of explanation, "I broke mine and then got Tara one and we went on a plan and…stuff."
"I just want you to be happy, Willow. I can't say…I'm afraid your mother is not of the same opinion. She's all but denigrated your existence. I keep all your photograph's in your bedroom and just go in there and sit sometimes."
"Dad, you're of course invited to the wedding. And, well, I'd love it if you could walk me down the aisle. We're getting married by a rabbi and everything."
"She's Jewish?"
Willow chuckled at how Ira's voice had perked up and rolled her eyes.
"No, she's not Jewish. She's just doing it for me."
"Well I look forward to meeting the woman that seems to have captured your heart. When is the wedding?"
"November 24th. And we're actually probably moving right after as well, with the new job and everything. But maybe when we're settled in there we could have you and Mom over for a visit?"
Willow registered the awkward silence on the other end and could practically hear her father shuffling his feet.
"Or maybe just you?" she asked, understanding the reason for the uncomfortableness, "Mom's a no-go for anything I'm guessing?"
"I'm so sorry, bubbala. But I want to be there for you again, to be your father. As much as I can. As much as I deserve, which I know isn't much."
"I'd like that, too, Daddy. I really would."
"Listen, Willow, I have to run, your mother is having the University President and his wife over for dinner and I'm on hosting duties. But I can call you on this number?"
"Yes, of course. Or my cell. I can, um, email you that. But I'm down in Quantico from next week for nine weeks, so I won't really be available much. But I'll check my emails if you wanna catch me there."
"I'll make sure I do. Bye, Willow. I love you. I never stopped."
"I love you, too, Dad. Bye."
Willow hung up the phone and turned her head to see a grinning Tara, who had heard the entire conversation.
"He's coming to the wedding."
"I know."
"And he can't wait to meet you."
"Well I can't wait to meet him."
The redhead manoeuvred herself so she was sitting in Tara's lap and surprised the blonde by crushing their mouths together passionately, cupping her cheek as their tongues began duelling. They pulled back, breathless after a few minutes.
"What was that for?" Tara asked, her cheeks flushed.
"For being supportive and encouraging me to do that. I have my father back, baby. And I couldn't have done it without you."