Say the Words - ch.56 -- The Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman Fan Exchange

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Date Posted: 09:12:44 03/26/03 Wed
Author: dqfan
Subject: Say the Words - ch.56

CHAPTER FIFTY SIX

From that day forward, Charity took the drastic measure of declaring a wedding emergency. In layman's terms, that meant there would be no more risk-taking or life-threatening activities allowed; no deceits or subterfuges would be tolerated - however well-intentioned they might be; and, hospital stays or medical traumas of any kind were completely and totally out of the question, unacceptable for any reason whatsoever.

Psychological traumas, on the other hand, seemed rampant as the morning of May 20th finally dawned.

The Cliffhangers had assembled early in Horizon's Great Room, with everyone except Scott huddled over their final project. As usual, Scott preferred the piano to the incessant bickering now taking place.

"Maybe we should add something else?" Juliette worried.

"Nah, I like it, Jules, just the way it is," Auggie reassured her, as he passed the finished product around.

"It's too long already," Shelby groaned, nurturing a headache that had been festering ever since Juliette decided to wake the entire girls' dorm at three o'clock in the morning because she was "just too excited to sleep�"

"It is a pathetic attempt to win favor through maudlin self-examination," David flung their work on the table in disgust.

"Don't hold back... Tell us how you really feel about it," Daisy quipped sarcastically.

Then, noticing Ezra standing alone, off to one corner of the room, Daisy went over to speak with him, leaving David struggling for a witty retort.

"You okay?" Daisy asked, concerned by Ezra's silence.

"They're gone, Daise�" he said softly, folding his arms across his chest.

"Are you sure?" Daisy placed her hand on Ezra's shoulder to comfort him.

"There's no sign of them, anywhere." Ezra shrugged hopelessly, not taking it well at all.

Daisy thought for a moment and then gave Ezra the most positive answer she could muster. "Well, maybe their work here is done�" she sighed.

"But, I miss them," Ezra replied, surprised by how much he'd grown to enjoy his chats with the fascinating old couple.

Daisy nodded understandingly. "I miss them, too," she agreed quietly.

Still, as she turned to go and help Charity with the wedding preparations, Daisy's eyes began to sparkle with expectation.

"But, who knows�" she added quite spontaneously, for somehow Daisy sensed the day was ripe with glorious possibilities. "Maybe we'll see them at the wedding?"

Her surprising optimism caught Ezra off-guard and he felt a smile creep onto his face. "Thanks, Daise," he grinned as she was leaving.

Even from across the room, David could see the love in Daisy's eyes as she gave Ezra a wink and chimed, "Any time, Slick�"

^^^^^^^^^^

The morning continued to fly by, with Charity impossibly managing to be in three places all at once. Back and forth, she shuttled between Sophie, who was dressing at Annie's; Peter, sequestered at home; and, the Cliffhangers, who were busy decorating Horizon to her exact specifications. Once the happy couple was safely on their honeymoon, Charity intended to take a very long vacation!

But, with each visit from their fearless leader, the troops were becoming decidedly restless - and very edgy.

"Are we having fun yet?" Through clenched teeth, Peter posed his cynical question over the telephone.

Reclining on his sofa, Peter had seized a quiet moment in Charity's absence to do something that always made him feel better when he was stressed - talk to Sophie.

"She's put a lot of work into this, Peter," Sophie reminded him as Annie ushered Gracie out of Sophie's bedroom, to give the couple some privacy.

As Sophie sat on the edge of the bed, with her newly polished nails finally dry, she couldn't recall ever feeling more pampered; but, these few intimate moments on the telephone now with Peter, were, undoubtedly, the greatest luxury she'd been afforded all day.

"We should be grateful," she coaxed him gently.

"We should've eloped�" Peter grumbled, relaxing at the sweet sound of Sophie's laughter on the other end of the line.

"I'm not kidding, Soph," Peter chuckled now, too. "If she tells me one more time to take a nap and get some rest�"

"Are you feeling okay?" Sophie asked at once, still concerned that Peter had rushed his recuperation to accommodate the wedding.

"Well�I'll feel better�when I see you," he whispered seductively, leaning his head back against the sofa cushion, envisioning Sophie, walking toward him, down the aisle.

"Me, too�" Sophie's voice was hushed as her index finger traced lightly over the telephone, imagining Peter's lips in its place.

How she wished the fuss of the wedding was behind them and they could be alone somewhere, just the two of them! Instead, Sophie's head was a jumble of everything that could possibly go wrong.

"Peter� What about the rings?" she asked nervously, thankful that Charity was safely out of earshot. "Have you heard anything from Gianni?"

"He said he'd be here, Soph," Peter was growing concerned as well. "I still have time to drive into Vancouver and pick something up, if you�"

"No, no," Sophie tried to soothe them both. "I'm sure he'll be here�"

From downstairs at Rusty's, Sophie could hear Charity returning from wherever she had been, and whatever poor misfortunate she'd seen fit to badger this time around. Sophie's panic level rose along with her voice.

"Peter! She's back! I've gotta go!" she shrieked, instinctively causing Peter to bolt upright on the couch, at the mere thought.

"I love you," she added, taking a moment to breathe.

"I love you, too, Soph," Peter encouraged her with his words. "Bye�"

Quickly, Sophie blurted one last thought into the phone as she hung up, "See you soon�"

Even after the "click," Peter continued to cradle the telephone, wanting to keep Sophie close a little longer. Finally, he replaced the phone gently onto the base, allowing his touch to linger for one last second.

"See you soon, Soph�"

^^^^^^^^

"And how are things going in here?" Charity peeked in on her bride-to-be.

One glimpse of Sophie's wistful expression and Charity's radar soared off the charts. Instantly, she moved to sit beside Sophie on the bed. "What's wrong?" she asked frantically. "Did something happen? You look upset�"

Sophie smiled and shrugged guiltily. "I'm just missing him�"

"Oh, is that all!" Charity exhaled with relief and patted Sophie's hand. "You'll be together quite soon enough."

"Now," she ordered sternly, about to rise from the bed. "Let's get you dressed."

Stubbornly, Sophie tugged at Charity's elbow and invited her to sit a while. "There's something I'd like to give you first�" she revealed happily.

"Something to thank you for all you've done�for being my matron of honor�for being my best friend�" Sophie's voice was filled with emotion.

As usual, Charity was taken aback by such a sincere display of affection. Lawsons were taught at an early age how to disguise their feelings with humor and sarcasm. As a result, very few people were lucky enough - or brave enough - to reach beyond and find the priceless hearts concealed beneath the bluster. Sophie had reached beyond and had touched Charity's heart as deeply as any daughter ever could.

"You don't have to thank me," Charity shook her head to dispel any tears.

"I want you to have this�" Sophie continued, ignoring Charity's protests as she handed her the square, giftwrapped package she'd hidden away in the drawer of her bedside table.

"Peter and I both want you to have it," Sophie emphasized as Charity tore open the wrapping with growing suspense.

Charity's excitement heightened as she recognized her gift immediately. "Our Town!" she exclaimed with amazement.

"Oh, no, Sophie," she refused, trying to hand Dorothy's book back at once. "I can't accept this. Peter gave it to you�"

"Read the card�" Sophie insisted, disregarding Charity's objections.

Charity sighed and gave Sophie an indulgent smile as she lifted the flap and read aloud�

"To Charity, whose love is like a candle in the window on a dark night. Thank you for showing us the way. Devotedly, Sophie and Peter�"

Quietly, Charity closed the card, too overcome, at first, to speak. She knew the quotation well, of course. It was Dorothy's own inscription, handwritten within Michaela's copy of "Our Town." It was that copy, safely preserved beneath the WALPOCS' glass case, which Charity had carefully shown to Sophie on her first visit to Colorado Springs.

"I shall treasure it," she said simply, clutching it to her breast as she reached for a tissue to blot her eyes.

"Dorothy meant it and so do we," Sophie told her softly.

Then, hoping to ease Charity's emotional tailspin, Sophie attempted her own brand of Lawson humor to lighten the moment. "It's a lovely book," she continued blithely.

"But, honestly, it's a little boring�" she whispered conspiratorially.

"The letters are much juicier� We're keeping those�" she winked, with a broad mischievous grin.

Charity's hearty laugh filled the room. "Oh, you'll make Peter the perfect wife," she chuckled, regaining her composure, just as Sophie had hoped.

"Come along now�" Charity prodded, tucking the book safely into her purse. "Let's not keep him waiting�"

^^^^^^^^^

There were many things in life that Peter Scarbrow excelled at. He could broker a deal, counsel a wayward teen, scale a mountain, and charm a beautiful woman. But, he could not, now - nor had he ever been able to - completely dress himself in a tux without help. He and Sophie had been the last ones to arrive at the Morp, simply because he'd had to wait for her to straighten his tie.

The tie�the cufflinks�the dreaded cummerbund. There were simply too many pieces, too many chances for error�too many opportunities to look absolutely ridiculous! Peter could count on one hand the times he'd actually worn one without incident.

Apprehensively, he stood before his bedroom mirror, shirttails untucked, cuffs unlinked, and his cummerbund hanging draped, sarong-like, over his right shoulder.

"Good grief!" Charity exclaimed, entering just in time.

"Here, let me help you," she offered, just as Peter had prayed someone would.

"Tuck!" she instructed, pointing to his shirt.

"Turn!" she ordered, securing his cummerbund around his waist.

Meekly, Peter obliged, and, with each command, miraculously, he began to look more and more like a presentable groom.

"Your best man should be doing this," Charity fumed, cinching the cummerbund tighter, just to make her point. "Didn't you say you had two of them?" she huffed.

Peter had chosen co-best men: his brother, Mark, and Frank, neither of whom were present - to Charity's great consternation.

"Frank's picking Mark up at the airport now, Aunt C.," Peter informed her, hoping to contribute something positive to the evening. "He's coming in on the corporate jet."

"Well, it's good to hear something is proceeding as planned," Charity pretended to be miffed.

"Speaking of plans�" Peter interrupted her nervously. "Is it all set?"

"Everything�" Charity assured him with equal mystery.

"Are you sure? It got there okay?" Peter wanted everything to be perfect.

"My dear, it's ready and waiting for her," Charity promised with a sly grin.

"Then, could you do my cufflinks?" Peter begged winsomely, handing her the sapphire cufflinks he'd inherited from his father.

Charity curled her fingers over them and closed her eyes for a moment, as some very cherished memories rushed over her. "I was with Rachel when she bought these�" Charity's voice drifted deep into the past.

Unaware that the cufflinks had been a gift from his mother, Peter was fascinated. "Mom bought them?"

Though Peter had seen his father wear them often, Don Scarbrow was not the sort of man to share sentimental stories, especially about jewelry.

Charity nodded happily, surprised Peter didn't know. "They were her wedding present to him�"

"Blue was her favorite color," Charity reminisced fondly, remembering the last time she had been a matron of honor, accompanying Peter's mother, on her wedding day. It seemed like only yesterday somehow as Charity pictured her best friend so young and full of life. In Peter's mind, she appeared, too - perhaps a little older, but certainly no less beautiful, especially her smile. Emotionally, both Peter and Charity felt Rachel's gentle presence, there, in the room with them now, sharing their joy.

"Oh, I was never very good with cufflinks," Charity flustered as she sniffled away her tears, unconvincingly.

Through brimming eyes, Peter grinned, when, suddenly a familiar voice echoed in the doorway. "Maybe I could help you with those?"

"Mark!" Peter looked up with relief.

"Enter, the best man," Charity smiled, upon seeing him.

"Hey, Mark, thanks for coming," Peter greeted his brother with a warm bear hug.

"Mark, dear�" Charity sighed deeply and took a step toward Rachel's other son�the son with whom she had virtually nothing in common�the son from whom she was never able to coax more than three words in a row�the son who avoided her like the plague�

Determined, for Rachel's sake, Charity made a move to hug Mark.

With excruciating timing, Mark chose the exact same moment to offer Charity a business-like handshake and formal greeting.

"Aunt Charity�" Mark mumbled stiffly, feeling like a five-year-old in the presence of his most overbearing non-relative. How his mother could have been best friends' all her life with someone so�different, was a complete mystery to him.

Awkwardly, each tried to compensate for their gestures. Charity pulled back and offered her hand, while Mark opened his arms reluctantly. At an impasse, they stood still, virtually frozen in place.

Peter rolled his eyes at the sight. "Nice to see you two haven't lost your touch," he laughed, pushing them together for a brief, conciliatory hug.

"Frank's gone home to change," Mark informed his little brother, fastening their father's cufflinks as he spoke. "He'll be back soon."

"And the jet's ready when you are�" Mark confirmed the only request that Peter had made of him: a one-time-only loan of the corporate jet so Sophie couldn't discover their honeymoon destination until they had actually arrived.

"I appreciate the sacrifice, Mark�" Peter joked, "You, agreeing to fly back commercial and all�"

"I guess I can rough it, just this once," Mark played along, happy to send Peter and Sophie on their honeymoon in style.

"You don't need my pilot?" Mark questioned suspiciously.

"Nah, got one of my own," Peter replied, winking at Charity.

"Well, I'd better go check on Sophie," Charity determined, for it appeared that Peter's situation was momentarily under control.

Absent from any of her wedding command posts for too long, Charity's mind conjured countless potential catastrophes in the making. Truly, it was difficult to know where she was needed most.

"Do me a favor, Aunt C.?" Peter asked as Charity turned to leave.

"Anything�" Charity had moved heaven and earth, already, it seemed. Nothing could phase her now.

"Give Sophie a kiss for me?" he grinned, buttoning his tuxedo jacket.

Proudly, Peter adjusted his newly cuffed sleeves just so, his ensemble finally complete. The result was totally amazing - and, what's more, Peter knew it.

"So�how do I look?" he preened, blue eyes sparkling as he fished for a rare compliment from his aunt.

Charity smirked, seeing both her nephews quite pleased with Peter's rapid transformation. Bemused, she hoped for the best.

"You'll do�"

^^^^^^^^

"Something old and borrowed�" Fondly, Annie loaned her grandmother's lace handkerchief to Sophie. With no sleeves to her gown, Sophie tucked it discreetly inside her bodice as Gracie giggled.

"Something new," the little girl recited her line with excitement. Eagerly, Gracie presented Sophie with a delicate pearl bracelet.

"Thank you�" Sophie couldn't begin to express her gratitude for such a generous gift.

"It's from all of us�Curtis, Gracie, and me," Annie explained as Sophie extended her arm so that Gracie - with only a little help from her mother - could place the bracelet on Sophie's wrist herself.

"And something blue�" Charity completed the rhyme, arriving at the doorway with a simple bouquet of forget-me-nots for Sophie to carry with her, down the aisle.

Sophie took the bouquet and smiled. "You thought of everything�"

"Blue�just like Michaela," Charity beamed.

"You look incredible, Sophie," Annie complimented with a sigh.

"You don't look too bad yourself, Bridesmaid," Sophie grinned, returning the praise.

"No, I mean it, Sophie�That dress is�" Annie was speechless as Sophie turned in front of the full-length mirror.

The dress was obviously handstitched, from an era long-gone-by. It may not even have been a wedding dress originally. Fashioned from antique ivory silk, it fell to a few inches below Sophie's knees. A party dress, perhaps, it was positively stunning in its graceful simplicity.

Frankly, after row upon row of white gowns with poofy sleeves, elaborate trains and sequined beading, Sophie had been ready to give up. She felt positively ridiculous in each of them. Taffetta was for twenty-year-olds! All Sophie wanted was something that would make her feel feminine, but not girlish. Was that too much to ask?

Running out of options, Sophie and Charity had ventured to a small boutique on Robson Street, which was boasting of a recently acquired estate collection. The dress wasn't white, it was cream. No poofy sleeves, it was sleeveless, in fact. And it wasn't floor length, but tea length. The more the saleslady described it, the more intrigued Sophie became. And when she finally brought it out�

Much softer against Sophie's complexion, the beige color warmed her skin and complimented her blonde hair perfectly. The pure silk fabric required not even the faintest speck of ornamentation. It draped against Sophie's body and clung to her every curve as if it were made for her, accentuating, but not too revealing. Only the neckline swept low, with a gently scalloped silk collar that cascaded loosely to form a vee at the bodice. The same scalloping appeared at the dress' flaired hemline, flattering Sophie's long legs. It was a dress made for dancing. Elegant, sophisticated, unique and vibrant - it would be an untraditional wedding dress, for a most untraditional woman.

Charity had, of course, accompanied Sophie when she'd tried on the dress that day. But, the full effect was far more breathtaking. Sophie's hair was swept off her neck in a casual up-do, secured by a thin headband, studded with tiny pearls. Her minimal jewelry focused all eyes on Sophie - and her dress.

"She's right�" Charity agreed with a faraway look in her eyes. "You look wonderful."

Sophie smiled with contentment. She did feel incredible - and wonderful. She felt like�a bride.

There were no doubts, no pangs of fear - not even a twinge. There was only joy, pure and simple. Peter was waiting for her�waiting to begin their life together. Exuberantly, Sophie led her attendants onward with one thought, and one thought only, on her mind.

"Time for the wedding!"

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Replies:

Re: Say the Words - ch.57 -- dqfan, 09:16:28 03/26/03 Wed
- Re: Say the Words - ch.58 -- dqfan, 09:20:17 03/26/03 Wed
  - Re: Say the Words - ch.59(Final) -- dqfan, 09:24:17 03/26/03 Wed