The White Queen (S.Rogers)

Chapter 97

Brooklyn found a parking spot, near the dress shop Kitty had made the appointment at, and managed to squeeze her car in. She wasn't sure if the city deliberately made the spots small, or the cars near her were shitty parkers. But she managed it.

Climbing out of the car, she grabbed her messenger bag, feeling the weight of her school books, slamming the door, and hitting the lock function on the fob. She checked the traffic before jaywalking to the other side of the street, pausing as foot traffic came between her and the shop door, reaching out as she came up to it. Pulling the heavy frosted glass door to the upscale boutique, she entered, pausing as the sight of dresses set up as samples and the scent of high end materials hit her. She wrinkled her nose at the yards and yards and yards of white everywhere.

Steve wanted to get married in the church.

This meant, according to everyone around her, that she needed to make the right choices, when it came to their wedding.

Starting with the dress.

Everything she had read, everything she had seen in shows and movies, since she had come out of HYDRA, as well as everyone around her, insisted that the dress was one of the most pivotal choices she could make. It would help set the mood and the tone of her wedding. It was the one thing that most of the other choices would be made around. The flowers had to match the dress. The decorations would either mirror or contrast the dress, depending on the style and cut. The bridesmaid dresses would be chosen after the dress. Hell, according to Kitty, even the reception could be affected by the dress.

The dress was the key to everything else.

Kitty had reserved the twentieth of June, for their wedding. It was a Saturday. And it was in June. How Kitty had managed it, when as far as Brooklyn understood, almost every day in June was reserved, sometimes years, in advance, she wouldn't guess. Kitty was a force of nature, in Brooklyn's opinion. If there was a God, Brooklyn was sure that even He would tremble in the force of Kathrine Marino when she was on the rampage.

Kitty was sitting on a large padded (WHITE) bench talking to a beautiful dark skinned woman with even more beautiful braids that were water-falling to her waist. As soon as the door closed behind Brooklyn, the sound of the city fell away, leaving a island of calm in the midst of the insanity outside.

Noticing her, Kitty stood up, putting her hand on the dark skinned woman's arm, as she passed her, smiling at Brooklyn as she came over to her.

"You found it." Kitty nodded, wrapping her in a hug which Brooklyn easily returned. "How was your first day of classes?"
"Mostly just introductions, going over what is gonna happen in the class. Professors going over what they expect from us, and how they want us to do it." Brooklyn shrugged, adjusting her messenger bag. "But, since they are introductory classes, core classes, they don't expect anything too heavy."

"You'll do fine. How's Steven feel about your schedule?" Kitty stood back, clasping her hands, tilting her head.

"He's happy. He's home, for the foreseeable future. Until they get the new facility upstate up and running." Brooklyn shrugged again. "He's so happy right now, puttering around the apartment, catching up on paperwork, filling out forms, requisitions, setting up training schedules for the new players. Cleaning, housework, laundry, cooking... he's happy as a pig on a stick."

"Pig in shit." Kitty corrected. "But I can see that. Come meet the wedding planner."
Brooklyn nodded, following Kitty as she led her over to the dark skinned woman.

"Brooklyn, Honey, this is Kendra Townsend." Kitty held out a hand, gesturing towards Kendra. "Kendra, this is my daughter, Brooklyn."

"It's such a pleasure to meet you, and to work with you." Kendra smiled, her teeth visible, holding out her hand. "I look forward to making your wedding something for you to be proud of."