Lock It Away

22 July

As much as the others argued for us to join them for a celebratory drink at Bull's Head we argued back to just go 'home', relax, unwind, do last minute preparations and go to bed. Oddly, it was Colin who was most insistent of our group. I hardily agreed with his moment of wisdom. Truly, though, to their credit, Jess, Charles and Lee all made a valid point that the wedding wasn't until five so where was the harm? My comeback to that, as equally valid, was to remember the stag party and any or all alcohol could be compared to Lays Potato Chips. You can't eat, or in this case drink, just one. I knew Colin too well by now to assume he'd stop at that one ale and be back at the suite yet, he was the one protesting... against it. I had yet to see him actually turn down a chance to go for a brew but he had. His last, and adamant, reply had been "we've better things to do." Naturally that had gotten winks, catcalls and varied facial expressions of "we got your drift, Col, old boy," before they left and he put his arm round my waist to head across the street to the cottages. I turned back to watch them disappear and see the steeple become another shadow connecting me to a past I was having a harder time dealing with before I fully concentrated on us having a night to spend together.

"What was that all about?"

"Meaning what?"

"I don't know. You could have gone. I can lay out the rest of your things and get the place ready for tomorrow. It's okay, you know."

"Didn't have the need to go."

We stopped as he unlocked the door and held it for me to go inside.

"You're sure?"

"More than. Now, let's go relax, shall we?"

Honestly, it was all I wanted to do at this point. I was emotionally and physically tired. And a bit stressed.

"Wait, just a moment."

I was just about to walk in when he said that and I almost mis-stepped when he spoke and I halted. Then he leaned down, placing one arm behind my knees and one around my shoulders, scooping me up, then taking me inside. A bit of a shock to say the least.

"Always wanted to do that with you."

That was all he said as he headed to the bedroom. I was standing there, still in mild shock, when he peered back out of the bedroom door, part way.

"Did you want to try that dress on? I'd like to see how it fits on you."

"What, now?"

"Yes."

And he disappeared back inside. I immediately put my things down and followed him. He was already undressing.

"It's been a long day. I'm tired and dirty and sweaty and I don't think it would be the best idea for me to put it on right now."

"Come on, we can shower then you can try it on."

"Colin, it's late."

"That's relative."

"To what?"

"To how you want to spend the remainder of the evening and how early you truly want to just sleep. Look, all of our suits are hanging in the upstairs closet with our names on the wardrobe. You've set everyone's boots in a row, alphabetically, and tagged them. We have that Regency aficionado..."

"Costumer."

"Whichever. Who will be here to assist with the cravats and other minor details. The gents will all arrive showered and shaved. We'll be kitted out in thirty minutes."

"That's tomorrow."

"Precisely. So we've all night, haven't we?"

"Not exactly. I don't want to look like my grandmother and be dragging my ass on the ground when I get to Carlene's."

"That was what time?"

"One."

"For five o'clock?"

"Colin, this will be six adult women and two little girls with two bathrooms."

"I see your point. You'd like to leave about half twelve then?"

"Probably.

"It's eleven. That gives us a good, let me think.... two hours for you to get sorted here. That's half-ten. Eight hours sleep, or there about, would be half-two. That allows us three hours. So, what do you say to that shower?"

I let this little head butting go when he figured out I was messing with him. Of course I was now more than ready to take him on. It was what I deemed his reasons for begging off the tavern. His insistence of a shower had me remembering scenes from times past but, in the end, it was just a shower. And while I stayed in the bathroom drying my hair, and myself, he'd walked out, still dripping, with a towel round his waist. I was now convinced things were not going to be as I envisioned but he was plotting something. I'd not yet figured out what, is all.

I finally grabbed a towel and walked back into the bedroom to find he'd taken my gown out of its wardrobe and had lain it across the bed, apparently, unfettered and waiting on me.

"I'd really rather not put that on. I'm not 'up' enough to deal with all those layers of antique undergarments."

"Those wouldn't be necessary. I just want to have a look at you before everyone else. You could do without the extras, couldn't you?"

"I guess but, it is important in that sort of dress for, well, the bodice, it needs..."

"Enhancement?"

"In a word, yes."

"It's not required you do so."

"If you really want to see what I will look like tomorrow, it is."

"I could tie the thing for you."

I truly had no desire to get into that corset more times than was absolutely required. I stood there thinking for a minute before it hit me.

"I've a strapless that might do the trick."

"Excellent. You get sorted. I'll be right back."

"But....."

He was out the door before I finished my plea. This was great. I would need some help getting it on. I wasn't going to be able to lace and do the closures on the back myself. I could see it tomorrow. All of us back to back to back in a big circle getting each other done up. Honestly, it didn't take me long to pull out that bra and put the dress over my head and there I stood, unlatched and sans underwear and he was nowhere to be found. I had heard those big feet go upstairs, though I'd yet to hear him descend. And I couldn't, or wouldn't, sit down. I wasn't about to get this thing wrinkled and I was sure it would wrinkle fairly easily.

I walked over to the full length mirror we had put in here and I didn't look too bad. Although it was hard to envision what it would all be tomorrow when I was fully put together. The hair and slight make-up and all the other trimmings. Colin was being intolerably slow so I started walking around but found myself over by the window, leaning on the sill, looking out on the moonlit water and wondering how everyone else was doing tonight. What they were doing. What he was doing when this was all his idea and now he'd been up in that other room some fifteen minutes when it had taken me about two of those to get into this garment.

"Full moon, is it?"

I hadn't heard him come back in and I didn't turn around right away as I leaned a little further into the window and looked downstream.

"It is. Reflecting off the water too. It's awfully nice out there."

I could hear his feet falling on the stone tiles in here and it didn't take rocket science to know he was making his way over, so I turned around to find he had gotten himself into his wedding garb, sort of. He had on the breeches and the shirt, though it was in no way buttoned at any point. The breeches, which I finally got to see were broad fall, I had no doubt they would be, were only secured by two of the five buttons per side.

"You can close your mouth now."

I did. I admit my jaw had dropped.

"So this is the frock, is it?"

"Yep, this is it."

"And your hair will be?"

"Up as best I can mange. Unlike our ancestors, we modern women cut our hair. So it will be a test of wills to get it somewhat fashionable for the event."

"What else?"

"We've over the elbow gloves. I guess that's about it. Oh, and those shoes you've already seen."

"And?"

"And nothing."

"No bobbles or beads then?"

"No, that's for Carlene. I don't have anything that really goes with this type thing."

"You mean to tell me you didn't go out shopping all over Texas to find accessories?"

"For this? No."

"Come over here."

He was only three feet away but I took the two steps to meet up with him and stood there staring into his face. What I wanted to do was unbutton those breeches the rest of the way.

"Turn round."

"Why?"

"Could you just do this this one time, please, without responding with an inquisition?"

"Sorry."

He moved in as close as he could get to me without messing up the dress or performing a rear entrance. Though the way we were attired it was not about to happen that quickly. I couldn't see what he was doing but could tell his hands, or arms were in action. Then I saw his arms coming down in front of me and I felt cool metal on my neck.

"Could you hold it in place?"

I reached down and held it as he not only clasped it shut but leaned in and was breathing on my neck.

"My necklace?"

"Yes."

"When did you get this?"

"I had the chance to go to the flat a time or two these past months. One night I was clearing some drawers and that jewel box, for lack of better words, called me. There it was, still in its same place, and I had the thought it might be nice to wear when you had the opportunity. You've not had much chance to wear it, have you?"

"No, you know I haven't."

"I was still at a loss as to why you leave it there."

"Because, Colin, it's something we share."

"Go have a look. What do you think?"

I was momentarily lost in admiring the look and trying to decide if the platinum went with the dress or no until I realized his chest was bare on my low scooped dress back and the hem was being raised higher and higher up my legs by two big, smooth, teasing hands. I had an immediate 'knee jerk' reaction and grabbed his hands with mine.

"Not in this dress Colin. Let me change."

"It would take time we have little of."

He spun me around slowly. That's when I noticed it didn't matter how many buttons were on those breeches, they were no longer through the holes that were made for them and the broad fall had... fallen. It was probably the split second I completely forgot about wrinkles or crinkles or ruining the dress. He had deftly switched his hands to keep moving the material upward while I turned and, at the same time, had managed to step us slowly backwards so I was now up against the wall. The breeches down-turned front panel had left nothing to the imagination, nor did it make it necessary he undress further. I got my answer to whether he was going to wear undergarments tomorrow, I think. Although I wasn't dwelling on it.

With the ease of a practiced art he slipped inside me and placed his hands on the wall either side of my head while simultaneously finding my wet, open and ready mouth with his hot, dripping tongue. I snatched the back of his head in a tight grip and forced my tongue into him as hard as I could until we both needed to breath. Then I wanted so badly to arch back but had no where to go except into that wall. I think he instinctively understood and put his hands on my hips, lifting me, and took us both over to fall onto the bed. Hardly missing a thrust we fell sideways and rolled around the bed in a heated frenzy until we could go on no longer.

Still in what we were to wear not so many hours off we drifted off into sleep. I woke to a still lit room but got up and shut the lights. They weren't necessary as the full moon was now positioned to flood the room. I did, finally, have the presence of mind to take off my gown, set it on a hanger and go into the bath to assess possible damage. I was most concerned there might be staining that may not be able to be righted for the event. I found a spot that would not show because of the outer layer but did wash the area with soap and rinsed it out. The material was, thankfully, such that if I steamed up the bathroom it would be wrinkle free and ready to wear. Colin's tux might be more of an issue as he was still in it, though not the shirt that I also placed on a hanger and could iron and starch in the "real" morning.

When I finished doing what I could, for now, I slipped on a summer night shirt and went back to that windowsill and was awash in the glowing light from heaven. I sat there for a long time and looked over at Colin when he roused and turned over in the bed now and then. I did a lot of thinking, but they were all good thoughts. I removed my necklace and held it out to read the back. In a way I had missed this too. It was more than a gift. It was a reaffirmation of our unique union after a troubling and tumultuous storm that we had weathered. It was the symbol of our relationship. Delicate as a flower, solid as the rocks that had formed the metal from which it was forged.

I knew I needed to get back to sleep. It was going to be a long day that wouldn't end until the next, I was sure. I dropped out of the shirt and got back into bed next to him, still wondering what we were going to do about the breeches. I leaned on one elbow, watching him, running my hand through his hair until one of his reached up and took it. This person, this man, whether he was mine before or would be again I honestly couldn't say. He was with me in this life and he was really all I needed. I didn't need earrings or necklaces or dresses or anything else in that vein from him, ever. He, in corpus, was my gift.