The Wedding
Previously:
On the morning of the 31st, Katja and Sapphire found their dresses that they wanted to wear, as well as anything else they might want, and at quarter to two, the wedding being at quarter past three, they headed back through the swirling wall, ready to end the year with a bang.
As they reached their destination, the living room of Irina's house, they found themselves in a scene of busy things going on, but not chaos.
"Hi ya," called a friendly, American accent. The two girls looked up, astonished, to see Amy Cahill, whose long red hair was done up in a fancy bun, with curls cascading down either side of her face. She was wearing a dress of Christmas tree green, and sweet silver flats to match. Around her neck was Grace's jade necklace, and there were a pair of emerald earrings dangling down.
"Hello, Amy. Did Irina invite you?" Sapphire asked, and Kat thought it sounded like a rather strange question, because, if Irina hadn't, then Amy wouldn't have been there.
"Well, yes, she did. She's got a lot nicer since the Clue Hunt." Amy said, smiling.
"Lucky, who else is coming?" Kat asked.
"Well, there's Nataliya, the Kabras, Dan, and uncle Alistair." She said, eyeing the girls dresses approvingly. "You look really nice, by the way."
"Thanks, where's Nellie and Fiske?" Sapphire asked, wondering if the Cahills had come on their own.
"I don't know," said Amy. "They received invitations as well, but ever since they did, I haven't seen them."
She then led them into another room, where Natalie was getting her make-up done. She looked up as the artist carefully placed false eyelashes over her real ones.
"Well, if it isn't the two other peasants of the Clue Hunt." She said, her ruby lips pursed.
"Just because we can't afford dresses made from Gucci, silk, tulle, or anything else that's expensive, doesn't mean you can insult us." Kat and Sapphire chorused in unison, just as Natalie and Amy began to laugh.
"I'm just playing a little joke on you; I'm nothing like my mother anymore." She said smiling, and adding, "You look lovely."
Sapphire and Kat laughed, thanked the British girl, and sat down to get their make-up done, which had been kindly arranged in advance by Irina.
"Where is Irina, by the way?" Amy asked, looking around.
"Getting dressed," came a familiar Russian accent, and they looked up to see Nataliya wearing an outfit of pale blue, including her makeup, apart from her lips, which were an icy pink.
"You look lovely," Natalie said smiling.
"I concur, but isn't the colour scheme midnight blue and silver?" Kat asked.
"Well, yes it is, but we can wear whatever colour we wish." Nataliya said smiling.
PAGE BREAK
At twenty to three, Sapphire had just been wondering where Irina was, when she saw her and gasped. Irina was practically floating down the stairs, a dress of midnight blue reaching to her ankles, and matching heels on her feet.
Attached to the dress was a silver sash, with swirling Russian letters and numbers woven into it. Her make-up had the same scheme; subtle blue and red on her face, and her nails painted silver.
A smile graced her face as she spotted the two girls, and they could see why Irina had once been called beautiful. It was as if, when her family had come back, so had her youth.
She was accompanied by a little boy and girl, who were twins, and they were holding the hands of a red-haired woman.
"This is Sophie, who is the daughter of my dear friend Anna." Then, with a smile towards the two children she said, "These are Sophie's children, Alexandria and Demitrivich."
The little girl was wearing a dress the colour of ginger, a basket of dark blue rose petals clasped gracefully in her hands. Her brother was wearing an elegant tux, and he was obviously the ring bearer.
Nataliya glanced towards the clock, now reading ten to three, and stated that they should be heading on their way.
The others agreed, so they headed off towards the procession of cars that awaited them, ready to renew a special part of Irina's life.
PAGE BREAK
The wedding was utterly beautiful. Like some weddings, Irina's was done in a church. However, unlike other weddings, the church was nearly fully encased in darkness, were it not for the luminous sparkling lights overhead, floor lighting, and glow-in-the-dark balloons.
There was also the sound of waves crashing on a beach, real sand on the ground, and a very large luminous moon. That way, there was plenty of light, but in the way one might experience at a beach, at nighttime, and a full-lit moon.
As Irina and Nivolona said their vows, in English, which everybody had learnt, Sapphire couldn't help but cry, a warm smile on her face.
She deserves to be happy, and the room is beautiful. If I were to take a guess at the theme, I'd say it was "A moonlit wedding on a beach." She thought, smiling even wider as Irina and her husband embraced each other warmly, and applauding along with everyone else.
PAGE BREAK
Once the wedding ceremony was over, they were led outside into a glorious garden, and posed for several photos. Nikolai was there, smiling with his left arm around his mother's waist, and looking very happy.
As for the mystery of Nellie and Fiske, well, they were there too, wishing to surprise Amy and Dan.
After the photos were done, they mingled around for half an hour, getting to know Irina's friends and family. Alistair Oh was delighted to have been invited, and it surprised the girls that Irina's father had given her away.
Irina herself was delighted with how well everything had gone, but she said thoughtfully, "If only my brother's could have been here."
AN: Only two or three chapters left.