Disclaimer: All stories are individuals of themselves and are unrelated to each other.
"What about these?" Madge asks. She extends the magazine in Gale's direction and his eyes dart toward the picture very briefly. It's another type of soft blue flower, maybe some sort of purple. He didn't look that long. "Do you like them? For the tables?"
"They're nice," Gale says. He looks back to his computer screen and types a few things in, clicking once or twice. The silence is heavy besides these noises. Madge frowns, looking back down at her bridal magazine, and sighs before closing it loudly. "Wha—what?" Gale tilts his head at her and scowls. "What are you doing?"
"I'm gonna go to my apartment," she says, wriggling her toes back into the shoes she kicked off on before curling up next to Gale on his couch. "Maybe invite Delly over to go over things."
"Madge," Gale reaches out and grabs her wrist before she can stand. "You're mad at me." She shakes her head but the truth is in her eyes. "What did I do?"
"You just," she looks at the magazine she's left on the couch. Gale uncurls his fingers around her wrist as she sighs. "You don't care."
"Care about what?" he asks. His eyes follow hers to the magazine. "The wedding? You're kidding." Madge bites down on her bottom lip. "I do too care," Gale says. "And I liked the flowers."
"You said they're nice about the last six kinds that I showed you!" Madge drops her head into her hands. "Our wedding is in three months, Gale, and I don't feel like we have enough of it planned." She starts to rub at her temples. "I can't decide anything on my own."
She's starting to wonder if he's changed his mind about marrying her. Maybe Madge is too boring for him, because every time she tries to talk about the wedding to him he just nods his head emptily.
"Madge," Gale leans toward her, sliding his arm behind her waist and pulling her toward him. Once his hold is firm he scoops her onto his lap. "The wedding is one day. Just one." He pulls her toward him and presses his forehead to hers. "And the type of flowers that we have, or the color of the placemats, doesn't mean as much to me as the fact that I'm getting to make you my wife."
Madge smiles and dips her head down, but he pulls her up. "I just wish you paid more attention sometimes," she says, lifting her shoulders.
"I'll pay more attention," he murmurs, searching her eyes. "Madge, I could marry you in a barn and it wouldn't matter to me, you understand that don't you?" She shrugs again, still not meeting his gaze. His hands slide down her arms until he reaches her hands, grabbing them tightly. "I love you," he whispers. "If the flowers we're putting on the tables are that important to you I'll pay more attention."
"Okay," she mumbles. Gale dips down and presses his lips to hers. Madge smiles against his mouth. "Okay," she says again when he pulls away, more sure this time. Gale grins, sliding his arms around her waist and pulling her toward him. Madge rests against his chest and his fingers play with the tips of her hair. "I'm just nervous," she admits quietly, feeling his hands rub circles on her back. "Marriage is such a big step. Are we ready?"
"Are you telling me you don't want to marry me anymore?" he asks.
Quickly Madge blurts, "That's not what I meant!" Gale chuckles and leans down to press a kiss to the shell of her ear. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you," she adds lamely, feeling her cheeks heat up. Even after all this time thinking about her future with Gale makes her blush. "It was just fast."
"We dated for two and a half years before I proposed," Gale says, chuckling again. "Our engagement will be a total of seven months. What are you talking about fast?" She pulls away and looks up at him. The second their eyes meet his smile falls and real fear shines in his eyes. "Are you sure you're not having second thoughts?"
"I'm sure," Madge affirms. She reaches up to cup his cheeks. "I love you, Gale. I've just never married anyone before."
The nervousness in his eyes flickers momentarily as his lips curl upward. "I would hope not." He turns into her hand and kisses her palm. "I plan for you to be my only wife," Gale murmurs. Madge smiles again, pulling him toward her so they can kiss. She nuzzles into him when they part, wrapping her arms behind his neck and tightening her legs around his lap. She kisses Gale's throat a few times. "I've got a meeting tomorrow," he says, knowing she likes to leave hickeys. "Be careful, now."
"Mm," she suckles along his collarbone, hoping maybe he'll get the right idea. Madge grinds into him and hears him inhale sharply. She reaches up and plays with the ends of his hair like she knows he likes and hears him sigh. And then she hears something else. His keyboard. Madge pulls away so quickly she nearly knocks his laptop away from him. "Are you on your computer?" she asks.
"I—" he looks toward the laptop and shrugs. She's trying to seduce him and he's on his computer! "Yeah, look," he gestures to the open screen and she turns with a frown.
"Oh," the air leaves her system. A webpage is pulled up and a variety of pictures are on display. "You're looking at houses?" Gale tips his head forward and moves the computer toward them. "That's why you were so distracted earlier," she murmurs, furrowing her eyebrows as he clicks through a few.
"Madge," Gale laughs, sliding one of his hands down her side. "I already said, the wedding is just one day. I'm more focused on what we do after. We sure as hell aren't coming to this place," he says, gesturing to his apartment. "And your place is too small for a family."
"You want to buy a house," she breathes.
"I really like this one," Gale continues, gesturing to the one on screen. "It's got a big backyard that turns into woods after a while. Plenty of room for a dog, because you said you wanted one remember? And there are plenty of rooms for—" she cuts him off, pulling his chin in her direction and kissing her with everything she's got. Gale grins into the kiss but pulls away after a moment. "You like it?"
"I haven't even been thinking about houses," she says, smiling. "We should go see it!"
"Yeah?"
"Yes!" She throws her arms around him again and hugs him as tight as she can. "You're right," she says, feeling him nuzzle into her neck. "I've been too focused on the wedding. We should be thinking about so much more than that."
"Hey, hey," he stops her. "I'm not saying you can't be focused on the wedding. I know how important it is to you." Madge nods against him. "But I know that the wedding is going to be perfect no matter what flowers we get because I am in love with you, Madge Undersee." She releases her hold on him so she can meet his eyes. "I just want to start my life with you."
To hide her blush she looks back toward the screen. "You just want a place to consummate the marriage."
"Mm," Gale chuckles, leaning down so their noses brush. He blinks a few times before smirking. "You were trying to seduce me earlier, weren't you?" Again her cheeks run red. "I knew it."
"Well…" she trails off lifting her shoulders. "It didn't work. So back to house hunting it is, I guess…" she trails off as Gale slides his hands down her sides. She tightens her legs around him. "Maybe later?"
"Houses can wait," he agrees. He has a perfectly capable bed right in the other room.
"So can flower choices," she moans as he burns kisses to her throat.
Gale carries her to his bedroom, leaving the laptop open on the couch and the bridal magazine forgotten. They'll worry about the details later.