Disclaimer: I do not own the Monkees, but I do own my own original characters. So there.
All Things Considered
Part Nine
Much to Valeries horror, Chris managed to find her wedding dress the night before.
"What the hey is that?" Valerie asked. "You can cover a car with this thing."
"This is my wedding dress. You remember, I was five months pregnant with little Tommy when I wore this beauty." Chris said as she gently stroked the fabric. "At least I think I was that far along."
"I don't recall you giving birth to a small elephant." Valerie said looking at the dress. "What are we doing with it again?"
"We were going to try and cut costs and see if it will fit you." Chris said hanging the dress up on a chair. She then lifted the ruffles so they didn't drag on the floor as much.
"I have a few larger members of my family this might fit, and several smaller ones." Valerie laughed as she looked at the dress. "I don't want to ruin it for you."
"You won't." Chris said. "We'll fit it on you and cut off whats not necessary. Not to mention the two areas where white wine spilled." She shook her head. "I could never get it out."
"You can't see white wine hon." Valerie pointed out.
"But I know its there. That makes all the differance."
"Ok I'll try it on but after I meet Aunt Kate." Valerie said grabbing her jacket.
"But Mikes not even here yet." Chris said frowning as she tried to listen.
"Horns broken. We'll be meeting at that place we ate yesterday if you need me." Valerie said going out the door. "Cake emergencies, you know that kind of stuff. Bye!"
Valerie met Mike at the same diner they ate yesterday. She kissed him on the cheek as they sat down.
"Does your aunt know where to meet us?" Valerie asked as she looked down the road. She had no idea whether or not Mikes aunt would have a ride to the diner or not.
"She does." Mike said. "Shes been to the area once or twice. I gotta give you a little warning: the guys think they are going to give me some kind of bachelor party."
"Sounds nice." Valerie commented. Mike shook his head. "Not nice?"
"Scary actually. There was something in Mexico once. Really whacked out." He rolled his eyes. "Maybe someday I'll tell you about it."
"You probably won't have your party there." Valerie assured him.
"Thanks. They probably won't even let us back over the border!"
"Remind me to ask you about it later." Valerie suppressed a laugh. She didn't know whether she was more afraid of finding out than not finding out.
"How was your night?" Mike asked seeing the tired look in Valeries eyes.
"Chris is kinda scary right now. Overnight she turned into this happy homemaker wedding planning thing." Valerie sighed. "Shes got all kinds of ideas shes been saving for me, shes more excited than I am." She looked at Mike. "I am excited about getting married to you, but I am more nervous about how the wedding will turn out. What do I do? I want her to key down a little but I don't want to hurt her feelings."
"It'll be all right. You're the only friend she has. Once she sees if shes going overboard, she'll ready her own life preserver."
"What?? What fortune cookie did you get that out of?" Valerie said a cross eyed look.
"It'll be fine." Mike said again. He looked up. "There she is. Aunt Kate!" Mike hollered over to a woman standing on the sidewalk closet to the diner. She turned and waved at him. She then walked around a table to get into the outside dining part.
"Nephew!" Aunt Kate said as they hugged. "Who is this fine young lady?"
"This is Valerie, my fiancee'." Mike said by way of interduction.
"Pleased to meet you." Valerie said putting on her best smile despite the rioting butterflies in her stomach.
"Fiancee?" Aunt Kate said looking at Mike. "When did this happen?"
"It was pretty recent." Mike admitted with a sigh.
"Very recent." Valerie nodded.
"How many people have you told? I hope ya'll didn't make me the last to know." Aunt Kate said as she sat. "Excuse me, I had to walk from the bus stop. Some weird woman almost ran me over at the intersection. They don't teach these people here any manners." She huffed. "She was with some young man as well. Might be his mother."
"I'm sorry Aunt Kate." Valerie said.
"Don't apologize." Aunt Kate sighed. "Its people today that are slightly infuriating." She added looking at Mike.
"Ok, what did I do?" Mike said.
"Keep this little lady a secret for long." Aunt Kate said. "I was going to have to talk to a matchmaker before long."
Valerie looked at Mike, who looked sheepish.
"Shes kidding, shes kidding. Right Aunt Kate?" Mike nodded as he said this. "You're kidding!"
"Course I am." Aunt Kate said. She touched Valerie on the hand. "I love to get him once in a while. Keeps him on his toes." She winked at Valerie who was beaming. Official Nesmith approval! "Now can you tell me about this wedding?"
"Yes, you can tell us about what you indeed plan for this wedding." Valerie heard a familiar voice behind her. She turned and glanced behind her. She thought her eyes were going to bug out of her head.
"Mom!" She said looking at her mother. Today she wore a turquoise green summer dress with a hat to match. Before she could wonder what dumpster she got the outfit of, she saw the person next to her. "Elijah! What are you doing here?"
"You!" Aunt Kate said at the same time. "You almost done run me over!" She said fighting what seemed to be a sudden burst of Nesmith anger. Valerie had seen shades of that with Mike,mostly over the toaster in the morning, and that was before he remembered to plug it in.
"You were jaywalking." Valeries mom, Clairice sniffed. "I had right of way."
"I'll give you right of way..." Aunt Kate muttered. "This is your mom?"
"Yes." Valerie said. "Accept that apology now?"
"Hmmph." Was all Aunt Kate said. "And who is this?" She said referring to Elijah, who had longer hair than usual, if that was possible.
"My ex-fiancee'." Valerie said putting a big emphasis on "Ex". "What are you doing with satan?" Valerie asked her mom.
"This is that Elijah?" Clairice pointed at Elijah.
"The one and only." Elijah said as charmingly as he could.
His accent didn't seem to work on Valeries mom, for she smacked Elijah over the head with her purse.
"Low life scumbag!" Clairice said winding up another hit. "He told me he had an emergency here and needed a ride."
"You didn't have a car yesterday." Mike said puzzled.
"Uncle Elmer insisted I use one of his." Clairice shrugged.
"I heard about the wedding." Elijah sputtered as he fixed his hair. "I wanted to talk you out of it."
"Oh so you can be part of a wedding where you don't leave my daughter at the alter?" Clairice said shaking her head. "You got some nerve." She swung the purse at him again and missed the mark.
"This can't be any worse." Elijah grumbled. He turned and ran into Chris.
"Hey!" Chris said. "My favorite punching bag!" She said cracking one of her knuckles. That was all it took to send Elijah down the road.
"I'll talk to you later!" Elijah called.
"Ok what was that about?" Chris asked. "Miss a little and you miss a lot."
"Hey Chris." Valerie waved.
"Hey go sit with Aunt Val." Chris said to Michelle and Tommy, who had come with her.
"Are these your kids?" Clairice sniffed as she recognized Chris. "It seemed like you were pregnant forever."
"My little angels. It only felt like I was pregnant two years." Chris added. "I'm married. I have a wondering pair of children and a good business. I turned my little mistake good." She said looking at Valeries mom pointedly.
Tommy walked up to Valeries mom. He held out his hand to her. "Are you my grandmother?"
Clairice looked at Tommy, and it seemed her heart melted in front of their very eyes. "No," She stammered. "but I could be if you want me to."
Tommy smiled.
"Okay then." Valeries mom smiled as she took Tommy on her knee.
"You're a nice lady." Tommy said. "My gramma took a long trip a year ago." Hes smiled again. "My mommy says we'll catch up some day."
Valeries mom hugged Tommy and looked over at Chris. "You did good."
Chris clapped her hands. "Okay, I got something to say."
"Anything else mushy and I'm going to puke." Valerie said.
She turned to Valerie. "I needed a break from wedding planning. I need help or I'm going to go nuts."
"Let me help." Aunt Kate said. "I know a few things we can take care of."
"Me too." Valeries mom said. "I'll tell your Aunt here everything she needs to know."
"Wow." Valerie said later as she and Mike walked down the beach.
"I know. After all our worrying, I think the next few days are going to be easy as pie." He said as he planted a kiss on her cheek.
