It’s been a relief to prepare for this event, a welcome distraction from everything that went down with my mom. It sucked to have that interaction with her. I was hoping to slip by without talking to any of them again, but maybe it was inevitable.
I’m surprised by how okay I feel about the relationship with my family ending. I was upset after, yeah, but that’s more from everything that the interaction brought up. And the comfort from Kerry and Marjorie? It soaked into my soul like gentle rain in the desert, healing me from within.
I giggle as I give a little twirl. My outfit perfectly matches the art that Marjorie snuck out of his mother’s things. We laid out her sketches and paintings on the bathroom counter in front of me.
Marjorie laughs and claps her hands excitedly. “That’s it! You shine just like she’s supposed to. Kerry was right about you.”
I can’t help but grin and give a soft squeal of excitement, something I’ve felt safer doing around Marjorie and Kerry lately. If anyone else thinks it’s weird, I don’t care anymore.
Well, mostly.
Kerry has no idea what’s about to hit him. Well, he knows there’s some kind of secret brewing, but he’s clueless otherwise. We’ve been pretty careful about not letting any details slip.
He’s already downstairs meeting with the Nameless, securing the property and all that. Butdamndid he look good freshly shaven and in his tuxedo. But his early departure worked out well for us. It’s a lot easier to hide the dress when there’s no one here to hide it from.
Tonight’s going to be fun. Dancing, music, drinks, pretty gowns and suits. Almost all of the Nameless are going to be here, even a lot of them that couldn’t make it to our wedding. Kerry already promised me dancing, and Lily is supposed to be here again tonight. Apparently she and herhusbandare flying back inagainfrom Russia. Sounds exhausting, but I’m grateful they are. I can’t wait to see my best friend again. Maybe I can convince Kerry to host more events like these so she can come visit.
Marjorie is dressed in a sensible but lovely dark blue gown, mostly made of silk. Her hair is piled prettily on her head,and she’s wearing makeup, something I haven’t seen her wear before. I just watch her for a moment, a warm feeling blooming in my chest.She feels more familial to me than my own mother.It’s enough to make tears blur my vision for a moment.
She looks at the silver watch on her wrist. “We should be getting down there soon. It’s almost time. Most everyone will have arrived, I’d imagine.”
I nod and blink the tears away, shaking my head to clear those thoughts away. I look down at the art prints one last time, and then back at myself in the mirror. Idolook quite fairy-like, if one had stepped into our world and adapted her outfit to fit our fashion. The green lace sleeves flow down my arm, the satin material of the rest of the dress soft against my skin. Gold jewelry shines on my neckline and from my ears, the charms attached to them jingling happily, making me want to bob my head around just to hear their song. The charms are little teacups, flowers, and pinecones, just like the fairy in paintings from Kerry’s mother’s book. I can imagine a fairywouldlike to collect such pretty things.
I look just like Leannán.
If no one knew the story and the art, it’d probably look just like a normal outfit for a ball. Maybe a bit of a quirky or eccentric one, but that’s okay.
But Kerry will know. I think he’ll recognize it right away.
I loop my arm through Marjorie’s as we head downstairs. I’m a bit nervous about all the socializing, but I know both Marjorie and Kerry will look out for me tonight, and Lily too, if she can. Kerry reminded me last night I can go upstairs at any point, too, if I need a break.
It’s like I can breathe properly for the first time in my life after being around suffocating people who expected me to fit into a box.
I catch Kerry’s eye from across the room as soon as we step into view of the atrium. His eyes widen, lips parting with an expression of awe. Marjorie leans in to whisper to me as we descend the staircase. “Oh yes, he recognizes it. That’s the look we were hoping for.”
I can’t help but giggle and wave to him. He doesn’t wave back. Instead, he abandons the man who he was speaking to mid-sentence and heads straight for us like nothing else matters. If I know Kerry at all, my husband would say that nothing elsedoesmatter more, it never could.
“Leannán.” He’s breathless, and for the first time since he ever uttered that word to me, I don’t think he meant it as a term of endearment. Instead, it’s like he’s acknowledging that’s what I am.
I smile and step off the final stair to stand in front of him, letting go of Marjorie’s arm. I curtsy before him, probably doing a horrible job of it, but he doesn’t seem to mind. “Do you like it?” Awe fills his eyes, like he’s seeing a goddess in the flesh, springing out of a fairytale to stand before him, relieving any nerves I might have had.
He chuckles, rough and deep, and steps up to me, running his knuckles down my arm. “Like it? That is far too simple of a phrase for the wonder I feel in my heart looking at you. You are sunlight dancing through a forest’s canopy personified. You are the golden hour, a sparrow’s summer song, and…I don’t have words to describe just how beautiful you are.”
My cheeks warm at his words. “For not having words, you just said a lot of them, and they paint quite the pretty picture.”
He grins and steps closer. “Not pretty enough of a picture to capture just how beautiful you look, Amy. How did you get such perfect material? The fabric truly looks like it’s been woven with magic.”
I grin and glance at Marjorie. “Your aunt helped a lot. Alyssa O’Neil helped us, she knew all of the right places to look, and connected us with a good tailor here.”
Kerry raises his eyebrows. “Well, how fortunate we are to have such good allies. I never knew the greatest benefit of us connecting with O’Neil would be the fact that his daughter is a dressmaker.”
I nod, rocking up onto my tiptoes and back with excitement over how well things have turned out today, “I know, right? She’s a genius.”
It’s physically impossible for me to stop smiling right now, which seems to be the same predicament that Kerry’s in, too. He takes my hand, bringing it to his lips, lingering for far longer than what’s necessary.
Marjorie swats his arm, making us break eye contact with each other. “Stop eye-fucking her and take her dancing!”
I laugh and cover my mouth at her language, and Kerry grins and shakes his head. “Oh, how you never fail to surprise me, Marjorie.” He turns to her and leans, kissing her cheek. “You look lovely, too, you know.”
