freshoffthefarm | [WEDDING] ... her perfect day

Current Mood: giddy
Current Location: Manderly
Current Music: The Bridal March

Entry tags:

[WEDDING] ... her perfect day

The sun woke her up a good fifteen minutes before her alarm went off. That was her story and she was sticking to it. It was more true that she'd needed the sleeping pill that Danielle had slipped her once she'd snuck back in from her midnight blindfold visit to Webb, but it wasn't true that it had worked as well as it could have. She didn't wake up tired or even stressed, but calm. Married. Today was the day that she'd dreamed of off and on over the last six years, while at the same time wondering where it had all gone wrong. Today, she was marrying the man of her dreams -- and really, how many women got to say that?

Once the moment of introspection was done, she turned on her side, excited. Wrapping an arm around Danielle's waist, she squeezed lightly until she felt her sister hug her arm.

"I'm getting married today," she said quietly and felt her sister nod.

"I know. I've been helping you plan for a few months. I've been cooking for a day and a half," came the sleepy reply. Annie grinned even bigger.

"Come on, get up. I want to grab an apple and a granola bar before everyone in the house gets up. Twenty-seven bedrooms of people looking for breakfast is going to be unholy."

Danielle rolled onto her back and Annie got out of the way, propping herself up on her elbow to look at her sister. "This is why we gave everyone baskets of fruit and stuff like that in their rooms last night. No one has any reason to be out wandering around that kitchen. In fact, they need to be out of it. With the caterers coming in to help in--" Danielle leaned back to look at the clock, "-- a half hour, you need to get in the shower so you can dry your hair and get started. The guys are all cooped up so we can at least wander freely."

Annie nodded. Everything was set in terms of the people they'd hired to set up and serve at both receptions, not to mention the set up on the large lawn for all the guests. There were so many people in the house that she had tasked her nieces with cameras that she could filter later. While a lot of the guests had covers that couldn't be compromised and many others were people that lived for publicity, they'd had to find a delicate balance with a photographer: all proofs, negatives and cards surrendered after the wedding itself. Photographs would be developed by the happy couple and the photographer could charge the same price as usual.

After Danielle was dressed and had left the room to go check on final arrangements and to make sure the lawn was perfect before coming back with Chloe and Katia.

"Everything is going to be set. The rest of the lunch is going to be ready as the ceremony is done, the tables are all set up on the opposite side of the house and the aisle and arch look amazing. Annie, it's all perfect." Danielle looked so pleased with herself that Annie felt tears well up and her sister panicked. "No. Stop that, don't you dare. Actually, no. Do it now before your makeup is on. Do you need a Xanax?"

Annie laughed. "No, I'm fine. Come on, get dressed. Girls? Start with your hair, so you can step into your dresses. Katia, once you're done, please go and get the box of flowers downstairs? It's the one hidden especially for us."

It was makeup first for Annie so she didn't muss her dress, and then her hair. It didn't take long, thankfully, and then she stepped into her dress. It wasn't until she pulled out her wedding gift from Webb that Danielle's eyes widened and Annie actually blushed. "I know. It matches a necklace he gave me years ago. It's in the box there--" After Danielle fastened it, Annie looked at herself and nodded. "I think he'll like it, don't you?"

Danielle just nodded. There was a knock on the door and Danielle went to open it -- Auggie.

"I assume I'm allowed in since I can't actually see the bride?" Annie laughed.

"Come in. Are you ready?" She looked him over. "Because I don't know who dressed you this morning, but you look amazing." Stepping forward, she gave him a hug.

"Are you insinuating that I can't dress myself on a normal day?" Auggie kissed her cheek and ran his hand over her waist. "This is beautiful, isn't it?"

"It's okay," she answered with a smile. "So far, we've decided he'll like it."

"He's never just liked you in anything," Auggie countered, the look on his face saying it all and Annie blushed again. "Now, are you ready to get this show on the road? From what I've heard, the guests are almost all seated and the groom and his men were headed up the aisle in the next couple of minutes."

Sure enough, Annie could hear music playing. "That's our cue, isn't it?"

Opening the box Katia had brought up, Danielle handed both girls small versions of Annie's bouquet, while keeping a medium sized one for herself. It was at that point that Annie thought she might need to take a breath and it was then that Auggie's voice in her ear did the job it always did: calm her down.

"You can do this. Think of it as the op of a lifetime."

Annie smiled at him and turned her head to kiss his cheek. "What would I do without you?"

He shrugged bashfully and smiled in her direction. "Run away from the happiest you've ever been?"

Annie laughed. "Never again."

The entire bridal party headed toward the double doors at the back and waited for the signal that it was time to exit the house. The backyard had been decorated stunningly, with white rose petals lining the grassy aisle. The President had arrived an hour earlier, and important people were scattered throughout the seats. Annie didn't care about any of it. Once the music started, she only had eyes for Clay.

Holding onto Auggie's arm, she walked slowly down the aisle in the blue shoes he'd bought her for this particular occasion, her eyes focused on his. No, she wasn't going to cry, she was entirely too happy. Her life was perfect.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Clayton Webb for the first time in his 55 years, slept late.

Of all the days not to get up exactly on time, it was the morning of his wedding. Thankfully, Bud Roberts came to the rescue and after banging on the door for a good five minutes, managed to get Webb up.

"Mister Webb, you're a half hour late."
"Oh...shit."

And with that, Webb was off. After some initial panicking, he appeared showered and dressed with twenty minutes to spare. Annie wasn't going to think that he'd left her at the altar, and all he had to do was skip breakfast. He'd be fine, right?

By the time he was done, AJ Chegwidden had arrived in the guest house, and both men were dressed in Full Dress white uniforms complete with medals. Bud's Son AJ was in a morning suit similar to Webb's.

Webb took a deep breath after putting on the pocket watch Annie had given him in the pocket on his vest.

"Nervous yet, Webb?"
"Surprisingly, AJ, not yet." It was a total lie.
The former Admiral just huffed out a laugh.

Bud checked his watch, "Time to go, Sir."

Webb just finished putting his boutonnière on and grabbed his hat. At least he wouldn't look two out of place with two Naval Officers as his groomsmen. Everyone had to wear hats.

They took their place at the altar and Webb tried to keep from hyperventilating. He figured if he showed any indication that there was any sort of emotion going on under there, Danielle would kill him.

Though once he saw Annie, it didn't matter. He was getting to marry her, even after all the garbage he'd put her through years before, and he couldn't be more thankful.

It was only because she could see the smile on his face that she smiled, too. She'd been intending to remain just as stoic as he was known for being so that she didn't burst into tears or break into giddy laughter, but the look he gave her made her just smile and she bit her lip to keep from doing either.

Holding onto Auggie as tightly as she was, she knew that he knew how she was feeling and was glad he didn't have the click of her footsteps to gauge anything on this time. At the head of the altar, she handed her bouquet to Danielle and took Clay's hand.

Because he was so old fashioned, Annie'd agreed to the more formal service -- as if everything else wasn't incredibly formal already -- of the Church of England and turned to look at the man who had come to officiate.

He began with a reading which culminated in asking if anyone objected to the wedding itself and though Annie tensed on the inside, she didn't dare show outwardly that she had any worry. There was no way on God's Earth that Jai (or anyone else there) would actually object. When no one did, the man continued, reading scriptures and talking about matrimony, but Annie let her eyes slip to Webb's and she smiled again.

Webb swore if Wilcox moved a muscle he would have him sentenced to Canada. He could almost feel Joan glaring at Jai from where he stood. He'd have to ask Arthur if that's what really happened later.

When Clay caught Annie's eye he winked once, very quickly. No one had to go to Canada.

Ducking her head, Annie grinned widely in the general direction of her cleavage until the giddy feeling had passed again and then concentrated on what the man in front of them was saying once more. Just in time, too, because he turned to Webb and began:

"Clayton, will you take Anne to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and protect her, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

Annie looked at Clay expectantly, but she was fairly certain she knew what the answer was.

"I will." There was absolutely no hesitation on his part. He'd always tried to do everything he could to keep that promise now. A ring wasn't going to change that.

"Anne, will you take Clayton to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and protect him, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"

She had taken a deep breath at Clay's lack of hesitation because everyone in attendance from their office knew that taking a vow was just putting into words what he already did every day.

"I will." Her voice was soft and then she really did think she was going to cry. Thankfully, the officiant continued. Taking her right hand, he put it in Clay's and instructed the Director to repeat after him.

"I, Clayton Porter Webb, take thee, Anne Catherine to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law; and thereto I give thee my troth."

Once he had done so, Annie took Clay's hand and, following the man's direction, repeated the same in reverse. It was followed by the blessing of the rings, before the officiant motioned to Clay.

"Place it on her finger and repeat after me: With this ring I thee wed; with my body I thee honor; and all my worldly goods with thee I share: in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

Webb smiled a little as he slid the wedding ring, that cost almost as much as her bracelet onto her finger, "With this ring I thee wed; with my body I thee honor; and all my worldly goods with thee I share: in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

Then he grinned right at Annie, there. All done.

Lifting his ring, Annie's hand shook just a little as she slid it onto his finger and repeated the same words he had. "With this ring I thee wed; with my body I thee honor; and all my worldly goods with thee I share: in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

Swallowing hard, she gave him a smile that showed she was extremely close to crying and nodded. All done. Looking at the officiant again, she took a deep breath.

He was smiling, too. "As Clayton and Anne have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth to each other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving of rings, and by joining of hands; I pronounce that they be man and wife together, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder. Amen."

He paused and then added with a laugh, "You may kiss the bride."

Which he did in not quite as a theatrical a fashion as he had that one lunchtime in DPD, but it was up there. He wished he saw who started the applause.

As the kiss ended, Annie laughed at the applause, turning to look at all the guests and sliding her hand into Clay's. Her smile was big and her blush was in full swing. When the music started, she took her bouquet back from Danielle and they walked back down the aisle.

At the end, she turned to him and said, "Did I tell you that you look amazing in that suit? Because you do."

Off to the side, she kissed him again, slowly and softly.

"I'm glad it lived up to your expectations."

He smiled and returned her kiss, "I love your dress."

"I'm glad you do, we were all hoping you'd like it," she told him. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the guests standing. "Apparently, everything is set up on the other side of the house for the reception. I think we're supposed to let them go first. Come inside with me?"

Webb nodded and took his hat off as he followed Annie, "I don't think I've ever heard you called Anne by anyone."

She laughed, still feeling giddy and happy and so many other emotions from the ceremony.

"I don't think I've ever been called Anne so many times since I was little and only when I was in trouble. And... when I was sworn into the Agency." Upstairs, she fixed her hair and moved her engagement ring from her right hand back to her left, then admired them both. "We're married."

Looking up at him with wide eyes, she blinked. "You didn't freak out or change your mind. You did almost make me laugh, though."

"I came close to freaking out, but I was faced with the fact that if I did, your sister would kill me, regardless I wouldn't change my mind."

He put his hat on their dresser, took off his suit coat and sat on the bed, taking a look at the ring on his own hand, "This is perfect."

"It wouldn't have been Danielle you would have had to fear. There were enough people in those chairs with guns that I could have borrowed from that I would have taken care of it myself." Her voice was cheerfully threatening.

Hiking up her skirts, she sat down next to him and took his hand in hers. "I'm glad you like it," she said softly and then she felt the tears well up. "I love you so much."

Clay smiled a little as he watched Annie try to adjust her skirt then put his arm around her shoulders, "That's a lot of dress."

Then he leaned over and kissed her temple, trying his best not to mess up her hair or makeup, "I love you too."

"This dress was, actually, my dream dress," she told him with a smile when he pulled her close. She honestly didn't care if he messed up either at the moment, she just wanted to hug him back. "We should probably go back downstairs soon."

Lifting her head, she kissed him properly, reaching up to dab at her eyes with her fingertips.

He noticed that Annie was wiping her eyes, "Everything okay?"

"I am." She was smiling softly and sniffling and then shook her head. "I can't cry or I'll screw up my makeup and Danielle will kill us both. Let's go."

Clay stood and took her arm before getting his hat again, "Let's go."

Outside he had to be social and make nice with everyone who was staying with them, thankfully he's used to being a bureaucrat.

Annie wasn't so much used to being a bureaucrat, but she had a lot of experience mingling and making nice in the field, so she did that now. Giving him a small kiss at the back door, she waited until the applause died down as their guests saw them again and then they split up to make the rounds.

The music played lightly in the background -- Webb had said a DJ, which she'd procured for the evening, but a four-piece orchestra sat in the corner of the yard for the morning brunch, which was on the way. Weaving in and out of the tables, she shook hands and accepted kisses and hugs from everyone she saw, including Joan and Arthur, making small talk as she did.

Webb was impressed. Annie always thought she wouldn't fit in in his social circles. He, on the other hand, firmly believed that CIA Deception training was a perfect starting point.

Clay made his own rounds talking to everyone, and even joking with Arthur about their affinity for younger blondes who are better with guns than they are.

Annie was still fairly certain she wouldn't fit in with the social circles that he'd grown up in, the ones that his mother had floated in. Yes, those people were there, too, and a lot of the top people from DC's elite. As long as she could fake it with a smile and the best training the CIA could offer, she was going to be fine.

When all else failed, she could find Auggie and Jai and cheese cubes. Really, they were like the Three Musketeers and, even in her wedding dress, wearing more diamonds than she'd ever worn in her life, she found it easy to laugh with her best friends. The fact that they stayed near the banquet table while the servers prepared brunch as if it were another awards ceremony said a lot about the way the hierarchy still worked at the Agency.

She was having a ball.

Eventually, Webb made his way over to Annie after making the rounds of the room a few times. Now, he was practically starving and made use of the buffet.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject