AN: Bkwrmchar/trace619 - re: "Miriam being miserable"... Yeah, you really don't want to like her :-( trace619 - re: "I've always been fascinated by the Amish. It's interesting to wonder how one would handle this in real life. I mean even if they were merely questioning their sexuality it would be very difficult"... Most of us know what it's like to question our sexuality in the "English" world and how difficult that is to comprehend, especially in the beginning. So what it's like for an Amish or strict religious people I can't even begin to imagine. I'm just glad Alex, Olivia, Rafael and Trevor have Liz and Lena in their corner :-).
AN2: Like normal, thankyou to those that take the time to read, comment, fave, follow etc. I truly appreciate each and every person that does :-)
Both girls took off in opposite directions in a preplanned, yet never implemented alert system. Alexandra headed for the workshop and Olivia back down to Lena's house. It was times like these Olivia was glad to be barefoot as she stayed to the grass. She kept an eye on the approaching horse and buggy, unsure if it would pull up at Lena's house or continue up at the workshop. Either could spell disaster if the occupants of either building weren't warned.
Panting heavily, Olivia entered the lounge room to see Elizabeth reclined on the couch and Lena lying on top of her, face to face, the blonde's arm cocooning Lena securely. Elizabeth's chin was resting on top of Lena's head, and Lena's head was turned to the side, resting on Elizabeth's chest. Both were fully clothed in their black dresses and white aprons, sound asleep. One thing that stood out was neither women had their stiff brimmed black bonnets on, and their hair was pinned up in small buns. Olivia knew that in just a few short weeks those buns would disappear for another year.
It pained Olivia to disturb such a beautiful, private moment.
So peaceful.
So intimate.
"Maemm! Elizabeth!" Olivia whispered as she lightly touched the elder blonde's elbow.
"Mmm?" Elizabeth cracked an eye open, her arms tightening around Lena protectively.
"Miriam's coming back with Mara and Mirit. Alexandra's gone to tell the boys just in case they go to the workshop first."
"Thankyou Olivia," Elizabeth smiled appreciatively then turned her attention to her lover. "Lena, time to wake up."
Still half asleep, Lena buried her face in Elizabeth's dress covered cleavage. "Already Liz?" came the muffled response.
Elizabeth pressed a kiss to Lena's head, "I'm afraid so, my darling."
"Moth-... Oh for goodness-... both of you put your shirts back on!" Alexandra scowled as she only saw the bare arms and hands of Rafael travelling up Trevor's bare muscular back before they quickly broke apart and unconsciously wiped their mouths, trying to hide their embarrassment of being caught.
Trevor cleared his throat as he pick up a pale blue long sleeve shirt and tossed it to a blushing Rafael before picking up his darker blue long sleeve shirt, "We were just-"
"I don't care that you were kissing each other and I'm sorry I had to interrupt! What I do care about is that your parents and my mother are coming... if they're not here already."
That got the boys moving a lot faster to put their shirts back on.
"Olivia's gone to warn Elizabeth and Lena. Hopefully they've stopped there first, but you know we have to be vigilant."
Rafael was just slipping his pants braces back over his shoulders and tucking his shirt in when they heard the sound of the horse and buggy halting outside the workshop.
Trevor and Rafael thanked Alexandra in unison before immediately resuming working, now realising how close they could've come to being caught out.
"Alexandra! What are you doing here?" Miriam said as she entered the workshop with Mara Langan. Mirit Langan had stayed with the horse and buggy.
"I was just... seeing if... ahh... Trevor and Rafael..." Alexandra's eyes darted around trying to see something that would easily explain her being there. She spied the empty jug and glasses, "... needed more juice... which the obviously do, with all the work they've been doing on our betrothal chests."
"You weren't trying to sneak a look at your Betrothal chest, were you Alexandra?" Mara asked with a light laugh.
"No Elder Mara, I'm just checking on Aunt Elizabeth's and Elder Lena's behalf."
"Stop with the formality, Alexandra. No need to address Mirit and myself as 'Elders' any more seeing we'll be family... soon enough."
"Alexandra, what are you waiting for? Go and get Trevor more refreshments!" Miriam gave her daughter an encouraging shove towards the jug and glasses.
Mara added as an afterthought, "And Rafael too."
"Of course Rafael as well!" Miriam agreed as she spied Rafael a distance away sawing more timber. "Don't take too long Alexandra! We have to get ready for the Gathering tonight for the formal announcements!"
Alexandra whirled back around with the jug and glasses in her hands. "But Mother, that's still hours away!"
"Are you trying to tell me you haven't finished your lesson yet?!"
"N-no... y-yes... I mean-"
"Which one is it, Alexandra?"
"Y-yes, I've finished for today."
"Then we'll need to get ready!" snapped Miriam. "I'm laying out a lovely frock for you to wear tonight on your bed. I made it myself!"
Mara asked, "Alexandra, why is there a flower in your hair?"
"Take it out, you look foolish!" Miriam reached out to snatch the offending bloom from behind Alexandra's ear.
Trevor's response was instant as he measured a length of timber, "I gave that daisy to Alexandra, Elder Miriam... as a token to show her how much she means to me. I put it there behind her ear, but I didn't mean for it to make Alexandra look foolish. Please blame me if blame needs to be dealt."
Miriam dropped her hand back down to her side, "Oh! It's not foolish, not foolish at all. If Trevor was so thoughtful to give you that flower, Alexandra, you keep it. Perhaps after the Gathering you might want to keep that flower for pressing. A wonderful memory of this announcement tonight! And Trevor, you can call me Miriam."
"I have such a thoughtful son! I raised him well!" beamed Mara.
"You certainly did! I'm always saying you can always tell when a child has been raised by their mother. The ones that aren't are nothing but troublesome. Very defiant, no respect for old families and backchat Elders quite a lot from my experience. No wonder my Alexandra turned out just as well as your Trevor!"
Alexandra didn't know whether to laugh, cry or scream at her mother as she began to leave. She knew that last comment was a snide remark about her best friend. But Miriam also failed to see the hypocrisy in that very statement seeing Elizabeth had been the one to raise her.
Mara asked, "But isn't she's having troubles with her cooking?"
The last thing Alexandra heard as she exited the workshop was spoken by Miriam, "It's nothing to be concerned about. Alexandra's having additional lessons with Lena Petrovsky, so Trevor will be taken care of by the time their betrothal ceremony comes around. But I'm sure Alexandra gets her lack of culinary flair from either the Cabot side of the family, or it's a recessive Donnelly trait that my dear sister Elizabeth also had the misfortune of acquiring. She certainly didn't get it from me!"
"Tell me what happened."
"Nothing happened, Olivia... it was just Mother being Mother," Alexandra sighed as she waited for the jug to be refilled by Elizabeth.
Olivia knew that was Alexandra's way of saying Miriam had taken another backhanded swipe at herself or at Alexandra, possibly even the both of them. She wanted to hold Alexandra close, but she knew that wouldn't be possible now. She placed her hand over Alexandra's resting on the kitchen bench and gave it a reassuring squeeze which made Alexandra smile.
"I'm supposed to take those back to the workshop and then go home to get ready, Aunt Elizabeth."
Elizabeth held her hand up to stop he niece, "Alexandra, I'll take the refreshments up there. We'll go home to get ready, when we're ready... just because Miriam will want to have her daily afternoon nap after her exhaustive gossip catch up, doesn't mean we all have to. Right now, you could help Lena make platters of finger foods and snacks for the Gathering with Olivia. I'll inform Miriam to make the short journey home herself."
Alexandra and Olivia turned to Lena as Elizabeth left. Olivia asked, "What do you need help with, Maemm?"
"Nothing at all, Maedel. I want you and Alexandra to spend a little more time together this afternoon... under the guise that you're both helping me. Tonight is going to be an emotionally difficult night, seeing both of you, and both Trevor and Rafael will really have to actively pretend in front of the entire Village. You've all been to enough Gatherings for announcing the pairings to know what's going to happen. Just remember, you're madly in love... with your husbands-to-be, just as much as they are with you."
Both Olivia and Alexandra thanked Lena before returning to the seclusion of the garden. Alexandra spoke as she and Olivia returned to where they had placed the bed sheet on the ground, "We're not going to get to read more Jane Eyre tonight, are we?"
"No, tonight's going to be a long night... but I would like to give you something."
"What's that?"
"Just because we won't get to read... doesn't mean I can't give you your goodnight kiss right now," Olivia said before softly pressing her lips to Alexandra's.
"What on earth is that you're wearing?" Elizabeth's eyes widened in horror as Alexandra, who was nearly on the verge of tears, opened her bedroom door to preparedness to leave for the Gathering.
"Mother laid this dress out for me to wear. She said she made it!" Alexandra grimaced as Elizabeth ushered the younger blonde back inside her bedroom and closed the door.
"Oh goodness Alexandra, take it off right now. It's hideous! My niece will not be seen by anyone in something like... that! Miriam has no taste whatsoever! She made that dress years ago and wore it to her own pairing announcement! Puce is not a colour to be worn! It's the French word for 'flea' and relates to the colour of their droppings after they've eaten. You could also say it's puke misspelt... and that dress makes me want to throw up, just like it did all those years ago!" Elizabeth opened Alexandra's wardrobe as Alexandra slipped both her bonnet and the offending dress off while she waited in her short pantalette bloomers and button up camisole behind her dressing screen.
Elizabeth spoke as she sorted through Alexandra's various dresses, "Now... seeing you don't have to wear your apron tonight... you should put on either this lovely sky blue dress that you made not too long ago... or... this light teal dress I made for you recently. Even though tonight's about the... announcements, you still want to look nice for yourself... and especially for Olivia! And that monstrosity of a dress Miriam made is not nice! I honestly thought she got rid of it, but I was obviously mistaken." Turning around to face Alexandra, Elizabeth held up each option for the younger blonde to choose from.
"The teal dress, please. I know Olivia's wearing that greyish blue dress with the tiny white polka dots you made for her at the same time as this dress for me for tonight's announcements." Alexandra asked, "So what am I going to do with this awful dress then, Aunt Elizabeth?"
"You never saw this Alexandra..." After exchanging dresses, Elizabeth pulled a pair of small sewing scissors from their scabbard from within her apron pocket and quickly unpicked along a seam under a full length sleeve. It didn't take long seeing the thread was old and rotten.
"... Oh dear! No time to fix this poorly made dress that should never had been made in the first place," Elizabeth smirked as she removed the evidence of the thread that had held the seams together.
"You're terrible, Aunt Elizabeth!" Alexandra giggled quietly as she stepped out from behind her dressing screen, smoothed out her dress and placed her white organdy bonnet back on her head, letting the ribbons hang freely.
"No, this dress is terrible. I just corrected a major faux pas. Noone your age would wear something that awful... correction, noone should ever wear a dress that awful! Now, I'm just going to get a little something special for you. Wait here."
Elizabeth exited Alexandra's bedroom, returning a few moments later with a small perfume bottle to dab a tiny amount on each of Alexandra's wrists.
"Mmm... roses. I like that scent."
"Nice and subtle, perfect for a young lady like yourself. I'm certain Olivia will like it too." Elizabeth slipped the bottle back in her apron pocket, intending to place it back in her room when they left for the lounge room where Miriam would be waiting. "Oh! Don't forget the flower Olivia... I mean Trevor gave you."
Alexandra walked back over to her dressing table, took the daisy out of the small bud vase and placed it back behind her ear.
Elizabeth looked her up and down, trying not to look too proud of her Maedel. "You look beautiful, Alexandra."
"Thankyou, Aunt Elizabeth... thankyou for for everything. You and Lena these last few years..." Alexandra trailed off as her emotions started to bubble to the surface.
"I know. I understand... Lena and I understand," Elizabeth embraced her niece warmly. She asked as when she eventually pulled back, "Are you ready for this?
Alexandra slowly shook her head, "No. But I know it has to be done."
"Just remember, Lena and I have been in the same situation you'll be finding yourselves tonight. All those emotions you're feeling and will feel for the next few hours... we've been there. At least your 'husbands-to-be' are in on the act, and know they'll be pretending just as much as you'll be... Lena and I never had that luxury. We'd better go now. Don't want to keep Miriam waiting."
Miriam rounded on her daughter as soon as she saw Alexandra enter the lounge room, "Why aren't you wearing the pretty dress I laid out for you?! It's a beautiful rich colour!"
Elizabeth slipped her hand through the open seam of the dress and waved her fingers, "I'm positive you wouldn't want Alexandra wearing a dress with a poorly sewn seam." The mocking tone in Elizabeth's voice was lost on her younger sister when she continued, "Consider what other Villagers would think, Miriam. A Cabot wearing such shoddy clothing! It should never happen."
"I made... mend it. I'll mend it. That is unless you do it, Elizabeth. You're fast at mending things like that. I want Alexandra to look her best tonight."
"I really don't think I'd be able to mend it in time and do a proper job, Miriam. It's a full sleeve, and it should be double stitched. I'm sure you don't want Alexandra to be late for the Gathering, nor would you want to keep Mara waiting." Elizabeth may have considered it if Miriam had asked her courteously, but even then she'd have used the same excuse. The dress was truly ghastly.
Miriam looked Alexandra up and down disdainfully and huffed, "I guess what you have on will just have to do then. Now, what is that unbearable pungent stench?"
Within the Village's Meeting Hall on Saturday evening, the 4 young adults sat fidgeting on the wooden chairs near the front of the building, off to one side. On the raised platform stage, Donald Cragen was in the midst of reading out notices for those families living in outlying areas who hadn't attended the picnic during the day. Some were for Villagers seeking assistance getting particular jobs completed, some wanted to trade goods, and a few were to say which families were visiting other relatives in case anyone went calling.
"Oh I wish he'd hurry up and announce the pairings so the whole Village knows!" Miriam muttered to all those sitting nearby, over on the opposite side of the building. "And I wish Alexandra would tie up her bonnet properly!"
"Donald will take as long as necessary, and do you see any of the other young ones with their bonnets tied? Now hush, we're catching up on the news!" Elizabeth chastised.
"You would be aware of all this if you'd have come to the picnic today!" Mara replied.
"Yes well, some of us have to teach things to young adults that others should've already done so!" Lena rebutted.
"... and lastly, Eileen Switzer has an over abundance of sweet fruit preserves. So if any Villagers would like to trade with Eileen, particularly savoury or pickled preserves, please see her after the Gathering tonight." Donald gave Eileen an acknowledging, kind smile.
Miriam and Mara exchanged glances and smirked while trying to stifle their giggles, which in turn made Elizabeth and Lena roll their eyes.
Donald placed the notices on a nearby chair before continuing, "On Thursday evening, here at the Meeting Hall, the Elders of the Village met to discuss certain events. With input from loving family and friends who have watched children grow in to young adult... observing relationships form and develop to strong bonds and love over the years, and with the approval of the Elders... we are here to officially announce the betrothal pairings before their Rumspringa."
The young adults braced themselves.
"The Village Elders are pleased to announce that Olivia Benson is to be betrothed to Rafael Barba... and Alexandra Cabot is to be betrothed to Trevor Langan."
There was an enthusiastic round of applause from the entire Village as the young adults stood up, the boys removing their straw hats and placing them back on their chairs. The 'wives-to-be' were being led hand in hand by their 'husbands-to-be' to where Donald was standing, each 'couple' to stand either side of the unofficial leader. To the Villagers, it looked as though the boys were whispering sweet nothings in the girls ears at they made way up on to the stage, but that couldn't have been further from the truth. A similar conversation was taking place between Alexandra and Trevor as it was between Olivia and Rafael.
Rafael murmured, "I know you're my best female friend, but I'm really sorry about what's about to happen."
Olivia kept her voice just as low, "So am I. But we have to. So do Alexandra and Trevor."
"I've never... you know."
"Neither have I. Just be glad they don't expect anything more than a peck on the lips. There is no way would I kiss you like I kiss Alexandra... no offence."
"None taken. I wouldn't want to kiss you like I kiss Trevor either."
"Let's get this over and done with then," Olivia said as she and Rafael stood on the left side of Donald, while Alexandra and Trevor stood on his right. The brunette swiftly scanned the room, spying Elliott a short distance away with his newly growing chin curtain beard and his wife Katherine beside him, cradling baby Maureen in her arms, wrapped in a light blanket. Katherine was wearing a black organdy bonnet, signifying she was now betrothed, but not yet an official Elder. All Villagers had to be over the age of 25 before they were deemed an 'Elder', with females changing to having the stiff brimmed black cotton bonnet. Lena and Elizabeth on the other hand, had worn black cotton bonnets instead of the sheer black organdy ones until they had become Elders, signifying their continual state of 'mourning' for their deceased 'husbands-to-be'. Elliott, currently having a navy blue band around his straw hat to indicate he was betrothed, would receive a black band once he was an Elder. Brian and Dean each were looking sad and dejected as the other, but all their other schooling friends scattered around the room with their families were smiling and giving little waves to the 'couples' on the stage.
Donald spoke again when the young adults were in place. "I, on behalf of the Village propose they seal their tentative betrothals with a kiss!"
"KISS!" Elliott shouted enthusiastically to start the entire Village to call out and chant. Olivia gave her older friend a thoroughly unimpressed glare but all he did was grin back at her. Of all the Villagers to start the chant... now all Olivia wanted to do was smack Elliott upside the head. Olivia saw both Rafael's parents, Jorge and Teresa, and his 10 year old sister, Carmen, were joining in, looking so proud for their son and older brother. Donald joined in with the Villagers calling out for them to kiss, looking just as proud. Olivia looked over at Lena and Elizabeth, who were slowly clapping along with the crowd but not partaking in the chant. It was their way of supporting the young adults, but still having to 'play the game' themselves. It would look too odd if they just sat there and not participated whatsoever. Lena gave Olivia a tight lipped smile before giving a small nod of her head as encouragement. The one saving grace was neither Alexandra or Trevor were partaking, it wasn't expected of them to do so seeing they would subjected to the same ritual next.
Olivia turned back to face Rafael, "Just do it now."
"Alright then... if you say so," Rafael leant forward and pressed his lips to Olivia's for a few moments and the crowd erupted to cheers, wolf whistles and even more applause. A wave of relief washed over the both of them as Rafael pulled back. Olivia's eyes darted over to Alexandra's hiding behind her gold fine wire framed glasses. It pained the brunette when she saw the flash of jealousy it caused the blonde, to see someone other than herself kissing Olivia. But Olivia knew those emotions would hit her in mere moments when Trevor would have to kiss Alexandra.
"KISS!" Miriam immediately called out to restart the chant once the cheering for Olivia and Rafael had died down. All Alexandra wanted to do was crawl to the corner and hide from her mother's eagerness, she was already feeling her cheeks reddening with embarrassment. One of the Village males was supposed to call out, not her own mother! Why on earth did Miriam have to do that?! But noone seemed to take notice as once again, the cheers, whistles and applause steadily built to a crescendo as Trevor leant closer.
Olivia's hand tightened in Rafael's hand as she saw Trevor's lips make contact.
"You're crushing my fingers!" Rafael hissed out the side of his mouth.
"Sorry!" Olivia apologised, though she didn't loosen her grip until Trevor pulled back a few moments later.
Alexandra's eyes made contact with Olivia's, and the brunette could see the remorse in them for having to kiss Trevor. Obviously Alexandra had seen Olivia's flash of jealously that had hit her. Olivia had hoped that Alexandra had seen a similar remorse when she had to kiss Rafael just earlier. A look passed between Rafael and Trevor in silent pain and remorse, but also in understanding.
"Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends of the Village... our tentatively betrothed couples!" Donald said as he walked to the side of the stage to allow all the focus on the 4 young adults.
The Villagers began to clap and cheer again as each 'couple' approached the other. As each girl wrapped her arms around the other for a hug, Olivia leant intimately closer. The blonde knew that look Olivia was giving her and began to panic, "What are you doing?! You can't kiss me in front of the entire Village!"
Olivia gave a lopsided smile, "But I'm congratulating you on your tentative betrothal to Trevor. I can kiss you, and you can kiss me to congratulate me on my tentative betrothal to Rafael... and noone from the Village will suspect a thing. Maemm told me she and Elizabeth did it when they had their announcement... the one and only time they've ever briefly kissed in front of other Villagers."
"Really?" Alexandra raised a single eyebrow.
"Uh-huh. And the best part... we can do it front of Miriam and she won't be able to say a thing, even if she wanted to!"
"I like the sound of that! Well then, congratulations Olivia Benson."
"Congratulations, Alexandra Cabot."
Playing it safe, they softly pressed their lips to the each other cheek near the corner of their mouths for a moment, each imagining the hearty cheers and clapping from the Villagers that was still occurring was for them. Trevor extended his arm to shake Rafael's hand before they gave each other the briefest of hugs under the guise of congratulating each other, each whispering that they loved the other. They imagined the applause was just for them as well, that their love for someone of the same gender being accepted openly by the Villagers, as welcomingly as their 'tentative betrothals' to their best friends of the opposite gender. To make the current situation look just as real at they were attempting to be, Rafael quickly pressed a brief kiss to Alexandra's cheek, and Trevor to Olivia's cheek in congratulations after the real couples broke apart. There were murmured apologies spoken between all 4 young adults for having to kiss the other's 'betrothed'.
The boys took the girls by the hand to lead them down off the stage to continue the formalities, now the 'official announcement' was out of the way. With the likelihood that there wouldn't be an opportunity for the next hour or so to talk again, as they would be individually congratulated by every Villager of their tentative betrothal, and the 'couples' would undoubtedly have to recount several times how they each slowly 'fell in love' with the other, Olivia took the chance to quickly whisper to Alexandra, "I really like the perfume you have on."
Alexandra couldn't help but smile as her heart beat that little beat faster.