THEN I FOUND YOU [mcd]

chapter twenty seven

Zianna's handwriting is exactly as I imagined it'd be. It's beautiful and neat all at the same time. From how quickly she writes each line, I cannot understand how she writes so well. Each letter looks perfect and without error. It's almost like she didn't write them.

My handwriting pales in comparison to hers. I already envy her invitations compared to my own.

The invitations are simply done. Elegant lettering fills the page, and twine is gently wrapped on the letter. Then, each letter is placed inside an envelope with baby's breath stamped against the back with a wax seal.

I've made the mistake of telling Kandi I would finish these invitations today and hand them out. I've placed a lot on my plate, and Zianna has been eager to help. Thanks to her, I am able to write and deliver each invitation quicker than I could on my own.

I've opened all the windows in the house, and it's left a wonderful breeze to flow in from them. The smell from flowers and grass follows in its shadow. Kandi is watching over the children today, and I have told Garroth that I will be spending the day continuing to prepare for the wedding.

Nekoette has stopped by a few times to give me more baby's breath, but I can't help but chuckle at the overwhelming abundance of them.

"Gargar has never been one for such duties," Zianna says, beginning to make conversation between the two of us. She ties a gentle box of twine on the invitation before reaching for an envelope. "We were able to teach him to sit still and patiently as a child, but it was evident that he'd rather remain active. He'd convince Vylad to play outside with sticks in hand for an imaginary duel. He'd call himself a guard, and Vylad was convinced he was a charming rogue. Zane never cared much for those kinds of games. Garte would force him to sit outside, even if he read books to humor me. Garte also wasn't found of Kandi playing such rough games, so she was forced to stay inside with me."

I look up at her with a soft smile. "That sounds like the image I had of Garroth as a child. So energetic and loving." The stack of envelopes before me continues to grow with passing time. Zianna sips from the tea beside her. "At the orphanage, I preferred to stay outside rather than indoors. The older girls didn't favor it, but I was still fairly young before I was adopted. We'd play with the boys sometimes when they would let us."

Not all of my memories in the orphanage were upsetting. Playing with the others and being with Laurance always made me happy. Laurance made me feel safe. It was like no matter how much wrong there was in the world, I was safe as long as I was next to Laurance.

Though now he's gone, and both Tu'la and the Shadow Knights cause a growing threat.

He didn't like to venture out too far into the unknown. He was a shy child. Laurance would keep me in my place when I'd try to sneak too far out, but that was from my curiosity.

"What was it like. . . ?" Zianna's words seem hesitant and separated from one another. It's like she's too afraid to ask for my information for fear of upsetting me. "Being an orphan?"

"I suppose it wasn't the greatest. My birth parents died so early on in my life that I don't remember them. Laurance only remembers the smallest bit of information regarding them. I was lucky. Most people want children, and Laurance and I were young enough where we were still desired by other people. At that time, I didn't realize that the older you got, the less likely you were to be adopted. Laurance was catching onto that just before we were adopted. I didn't learn that until afterwards. I never had a mother figure, and there wasn't much of a bond between me and the people who ran it. I was lucky enough to have a father."

There seems to be visual pain on Zianna's face. She places her hand on top of mine and causes me to stop working. I look at her, a bit of a blank expression on my face. It isn't because I don't know how to feel, but rather I wasn't expecting her actions.

"Tha-That sounds horrible." Zianna stumbles over her words. With a sigh, I stand up to wrap my arms around her in an embrace. It's more for her than myself. It makes me think that when she was in O'Khasis she didn't hear the stories. She didn't see it happening. O'Khasis can only be much worse from how large it is compared to Meteli. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that."

"I grew from it. Everything happens for a reason," I say, smiling softly before sitting back down in my chair.

The invitations are quickly finished and placed in their envelopes. Zianna and I are now writing down names on the front, so I know who to give them to. In all truth, Garroth and I are taking a chance. Maybe a silly chance the more I think about it. We want to somehow give Vylad an invitation. I don't know if he'd come, or if he'd receive it, but we want to do it. He'd know we're happy. He'd know I finally got what we both wanted for me. I finally fell in love with someone who could love me back.

The names quickly finished. I place them in a basket and prepare myself to deliver them. Zianna is coming with me for another tour of Phoenix Drop and to see who is here. It's adorable how much she cares about our day-to-day lives.

"What happened to Laurance?"

My feet stop, and I slowly turn around to face her. I smile weakly before opening the door, so we can leave. "He's in the nether. I don't think I'll ever see him again."

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With each step I take, the more pride I feel. Fake pride. My stomach is in knots, and I'm terrified that it'll come out as bile in my mouth. I'm only walking forward proudly because I'm being the bigger person. Garroth will be proud of me. Kandi may think I'm foolish. And last, Zianna is behind me.

This is something that I've been debating on doing. The invitation was at the bottom of my basket when we left, and now it's all by its lonesome.

Garroth will come home to dinner being hot on the table. We'll laugh and smile and joke around before Zianna feels the need to announce what we've done today. He'll be happy. He'll be proud.

My knuckles knock against the wooden door, waiting for an answer. My heart is beating out of my chest, and the feeling of nausea will not go away. I'm a big girl. I can do this.

"Alex? What are you doing here?"

It's too late to turn back now. Zianna stands a few inches away from me, but I feel like I'm alone at this moment. My hand fumbles inside the basket looking for the single invitation. It's grasped onto, and I fear my shakiness can be seen by everyone around me.

"I wanted to give you an invitation. . . To our wedding."

The shock on Aphmau's face alarms me when she stares down at the invitation in hand. She slowly reaches for it, and it clicks that this is real and not a figment of her imagination.

There's a soft smile on her face as she turns her head back to the babies playing on the floor. "Thank you."