Unadulterated Pleasure

9: Time Apart

Amara stood still as her mother took in both sides of the dress skirt she'd made. Amara knew that she would make it slightly bigger to take it in to fit her perfectly. They'd gotten quite a bit of her dress done over the last week that Dorian had been gone.

The two of them working on the dress during the day kept Amara's mind off of the fact that Dorian wasn't there and wouldn't be coming home after work. It was during the evening, typically when she was getting ready for bed. She would then call him and spend a couple of hours on the phone with him until she drifted off to sleep.

Amara had anticipated missing him the way she had when he'd first gone back to work at the office, but this was different. At least then, she'd known that at the end of the day, he was coming home. Now, she was dealing with the fact that he would be gone for another week.

It made her feel as if she were a bit clingy or needy with the way she missed being around him, missed being in his presence. Amara hadn't thought when she was acquired from the academy that she would be this attached to the person she ended up with. It was pure luck to Amara that she'd ended up with Dorian. Someone who clearly cared about her, as he steadily showed her with his actions. Someone she'd come to care about as well.

Once her mother got the skirt pinned and lined the way she wanted it, Amara was helped out of it, and she grabbed the pants she'd taken off to give an accurate fit, putting them back on.

She sat in her mother's room with her for the next couple of hours while she started on the changes to the dress's skirt. They didn't really talk about anything. Amara read the book she'd started the day before, and her mother hummed along to whatever song was in her head as she worked.

It wasn't until there was a knock on the door that Amara realized it was dinner time. She got up, making her way to the door to find Amy on the other side with a tray housing two plates and drinks. Stepping aside, she let the other woman in, and Amy placed the tray on the table before telling both of the women she'd be back in about an hour to retrieve it. Amara smiled and thanked her as Amy closed the door on her way out.

Her mother took a break from working on her dress, and the two of them sat down to eat together. Amara enjoyed that she could eat with her mother whenever she wanted to now. Versus only on her designated visit days.

"Have you thought of a joining date, Mara?" Her mother questioned after they'd been eating for a few moments.

"Maybe in a couple of months. The weather will still be nice in October for a joining outside." Not that the months before wouldn't be the same. Though there were still four seasons. There were only two temperatures. Nice, mild weather, and cold, snowy weather. While May to October was mild, it was as if a switch flipped on the first day of November, and the cold made its presence known until the end of April.

"You want to get joined outside?"

"Yes, but I'd have to find a place. The backyard is beautiful. So, I want to find something like that because I know as a safety precaution Dorian isn't going to want to have it here."

"Lauren's coming over in a couple of days. I'm sure she can help you get a jumpstart on looking for places before Dorian gets back." Adina suggested.

"That's a good idea, Mom," Amara responded. "Do you think that she'll know what paperwork I'll need to fill out or have Dorian fill out in order to get Tahly a temporary release to be my bridesmaid?"

Adina hummed in thought, "If she doesn't, I'm sure we can all put our heads together and figure it out."

They ate the rest of their dinner, discussing other joining things. Amara and Dorian had a joining planner, but Amara was like any young woman getting joined and wanted to share it with her mother.