Running with Shifters (completed)

Chapter 26 Isadora

Chapter 26

Isadora

I catch Vlain's scent (I can't really describe it, except that it vaguely reminds me of old books) and look up from the pew I've been scrubbing just as he enters the chapel. He looks around and, once he spots me, smiles before speaking. "Lin just called, he's a few hours out."

I let out an excited little squeal and everyone smiles at me before turning back to their work. It's been nearly a week since we've gotten engaged and the wedding is tomorrow. No one saw any point in waiting, especially since everyone we'd want to be here is already here. Well... almost everyone. If only Rob, Janet, Demetrius, and everyone from the Complex could come.

We already have a church, someone to officiate (Vlain is actually a priest, having gotten the title when he was still living off of humans and using the church as a trap for his unsuspecting food), and Kate's finishing my dress as the rest of us clean the building. The whole building is one huge cobweb. Which is totally understandable, considering the only thing Vlain's ever fixed was the stonework and that he didn't care about actually cleaning.

I'm about to start back to scrubbing when Kate comes in and drags me down to the basement and into Vlain's room (he said we could use it for changing into the dress, considering that it's way larger than the bathroom). This is the first time I've actually seen his room since we've been here. The walls are a dark brown and it's surprisingly... homey? There's a bed with a navy blanket and pillow and a light grey arm chair next to an overflowing floor to ceiling bookshelf.

The dress is lying on the bed and I can't help but stare in shock. It's beautiful! I look over to Kate in surprise and she just smiles and hugs me. I can't believe she could make something so incredible. It's white (obviously) and has a floor-length bell skirt made out of some sort of almost sheer lacy fabric. The top is simple; a sweetheart neckline and little cap sleeves, tiny ruby seed beads scattered along the neck and bottoms of the sleeves. Sitting next to it is, and I can't believe my eyes, is a white corset embellished with ruby seed beads and tied together with a red ribbon.

I had no idea she knew how to make corsets! I'll have to ask her if she'll make me some in different colors.

A few minutes later the dress is on, fitting me perfectly, and I twirl in front of the mirror as I watch the skirt balloon around my legs. Giving Kate another hug for her amazing job, I carefully undo the corset and step out of it before changing into my clothes.

Opening the door to the chapel I come face to face with Meg as she cleans one of the door's windows. I give a little squeal and she squeals back as we both do a sort of hoppy little happy dance. She's already seen the dress and she knows how awesome it is and she shares in my excitement. The night we got engaged she stayed up all night waiting for us to come home and then spent the next four hours grilling me about every detail of what happened.

Once we've finished our little happy freak out session I go back and continue scrubbing the pew I'd been working on before Kate pulled me away. Suddenly Em and Brad run past me, 'sword fighting' each other with the ends of their brooms. "You two cut it out and finish sweeping. You can play outside once you're done." They both stop mid-swing, looking at me wide eyed, and it takes me a second to realize that I just used the tone mom used whenever I was in trouble.

Oh, no! It's already begun! I have a mom voice! I suppose I might as well get used to it, hopefully I'll have my own kids eventually and I'll have to use it on them. If they turn out to be anything like me, I'll have to use it a lot!

My body gets into a cleaning rhythm and my mind spaces out, only to be pulled back to reality who-knows-how-long later when Lin's arrival is announced.

I've dropped my cleaning rag, gotten to my feet, and am out the door in a mere second, wrapped in his arms the next.