Mommy Mouse (sequel to City Mouse)

Chapter 5: Wedding Day

AN: The wedding venue in the following chapter is completely made up, okay? All I know about Virginia in the summer is that it's really hot and humid, and I didn't want to write about an outdoor wedding, with people being hot and sweaty and possibly passing out and being all gooey and stuff, so yeah...I thought I'd just make up a pleasant and pretty place that would sound nice, an indoor place. So don't go looking for it, 'cause you won't find it!

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Scarlet Oak Plantation was located just on the outskirts of Alexandria, on a tributary of the Potomac River. It had been a spectacular failure as a plantation, and had very nearly burned to the ground a couple of times. Someone had, during the reconstruction, had the idea to turn it into some sort of government building, and it had limped along for a hundred years or so, being used for this, that, or the other purpose, with more and more of its acreage being sold off and bulldozed for other purposes.

It had been reborn in its final incarnation as a restaurant, golf course, and resort destination for weddings and events in the nineteen sixties, when some industrious conglomerate had purchased the plantation, its outbuildings, and the remaining few acres and restored it to its previous glory, reconstructing the beautiful grounds based on drawings and paintings located in the decrepit library, and refurbishing the insides with a combination of antiques and modern comforts.

It was a gorgeous place to have a wedding, and, most important, as far as Mouse was concerned, its main rooms were centrally air-conditioned. The main wedding party would spend the night before the ceremony there, in the lovely hotel, and everyone else could just drive in on the day.

"Mommy? Am I allowed to see you today, or is that bad luck too?"

Mouse's eyes welled up when she heard her son's small voice at the door to her room. Being called "mommy" melted her heart every single time she heard it, even when Leo was bellowing it from the bathroom because he needed toilet paper.

She opened the door to see him standing in his pajamas, untamed bedhead sticking up every which way from his pillow, and he had never looked so dear to her. She knelt to embrace him, pulling him close. She could feel his arms wrap around her, and felt him inhale deeply.

"Mm, you smell good," he declared with a smile.

"So do you," she told him truthfully. "What do you need, big guy?" she asked.

"Who did you sleep with?" Leo asked, looking beyond Mouse, into her room.

"Mary Lizard," Mouse answered with a smile. "She's going to help me get ready today, along with Grandma and a couple of your other aunts."

"Oh. I slept with daddy," Leo said.

"I know," Mouse said. "Is that what you wanted to tell me?"

Leo shook his head. "I wanted to ask you something," he said, lowering his voice to a whisper, which wasn't really necessary because the hallway was deserted.

Mouse looked at him inquiringly.

"Am I--am I allowed to give you something today at your wedding?" he asked. "Like at the wedding? In front of everyone?" He swallowed.

Mouse pursed her lips as she considered. "If you want to," she finally said. " Would you rather just give it to me now?" she encouraged. She had no idea what was going through his fanciful little mind.

Leo shook his head decisively. "I want to do it during the wedding," he said. He looked determined.

"Is it going to take a long time?" Mouse asked uncertainly.