Dorian's Destiny: Altered (26 page)

“The same Dorian you cried
over at this exact table a month ago?” Josie barked, jabbing the
table with her index finger. Megan tapped the ring against her
coffee cup and reluctantly nodded again. “I see, and just when were
you planning on telling me of this engagement?” She crossed her
arms. “You didn't even tell me you were dating him again,” she
added sadly before Megan could answer her question.

Megan heard the hurt in her friend's voice,
deepening the sadness she felt about keeping Dorian a secret. This
worsened her struggle to keep from repeating the abundance of tears
prevalent at their last evening at this coffee shop. “I wanted to
tell you, but I was reluctant after my reaction to Dorian and my
minor hiccup.”

“Minor hiccup,” Josie scoffed. “You seemed
majorly devastated to me.”

“I was,” Megan admitted
sadly.

“But now you're happy.”

“Exceptionally.” Megan
smiled.

“And he had a good
explanation for the 'hiccup',” Josie confirmed.

“He did.” Megan nodded enthusiastically.

“Well then, when's the wedding?” Josie
smiled widely.

Megan was taken aback by
her sudden switch in demeanor. “You’re not upset? No lecturing?”
She asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

“Of course not. If you're
happy, I'm happy.” Josie smiled. “However,” she continued, her
smile morphing into a sneer, “if I find out he's done something to
make you cry like last time, I will kill him. Be sure to pass along
my warning to your husband-to-be.” She finished with a wink, though
deadly serious. Megan chuckled at the thought her human best friend
was far more frightening than her vampire boyfriend. Josie was over
protective to a fault. A characteristic Megan appreciated on most
occasions, but not when she turned into mother bear.

Megan sighed in relief as the weight of her
silence lifted from her. She needed Josie's help preparing for her
wedding, and she had been scared she wouldn't receive it. Reaching
across the table, she hugged her friend. “Thank you for being in my
life.”

“You're welcome, darling.
I'm always going to be here for you,” Josie assured, patting Megan
gently on the back before being released.

“The wedding is as soon as
possible,” Megan blurted.

“Why the rush?” Josie asked, leaning
forward, darting her eyes around the coffee shop searching for
those in earshot. “You're not pregnant are you?” She whispered.

“No!” Megan snapped leaning
back in her chair and searching the room as well.

Still leaning forward, Josie affirmed, “Not
that there would be anything wrong if you were. It's just not a
good reason to rush marriage or even get married for that matter. A
woman has choices.”

Megan held up a hand to
stop her friend. “Josie, no need to get on a soap box. I'm not
pregnant,” she repeated, shaking her head. “We haven't...” She
couldn't say the word. It would be like talking about sex with her
mom.

“Had sex,” Josie inserted,
sitting upright.

“Right.” Megan nodded, straightening in her
chair too. “In fact, neither of us ever has,” she added, hoping to
put an end to any suspension of pregnancy.

“Really?” Josie asked skeptically. “I
thought so about you, but I wasn't sure with all the secrecy
lately.”

“Sorry,” Megan apologized,
bowing her head.

“It's fine. You know I just worry about
you.” Josie smiled kindly. “Dorian's a virgin, huh?” She
pondered.

Megan nodded, adding proudly, “He was a
priest apprentice.”

“What is he now?” Josie inquired, desiring
the word 'doctor' in Megan's reply.

Megan knew what Josie
eluded to. Employment? That was such a maternal question. She was
tempted to say lawyer or doctor but hesitated, deciding since it
didn’t matter to her, it shouldn't to her friend. “A good man. It
doesn't matter what he does for employment, besides, you said you
weren't going to lecture.”

“He is employed though?” Josie asked
apprehensively; her motherly instinct hoping for a man who could
provide for her friend.

“Josie,” Megan
huffed.

“Okay, moving on.” Josie waved her hands in
defeat. “So you want to get married as soon as possible because
you're just so in love I guess,” she mused sarcastically. Megan
raised a brow in warning.

“Fine,” Josie sighed,
finally giving in. “So, since you're rushing, I assume you're not
planning on a big to-do”

Relieved Josie had ceased
her mothering, Megan explained her plans. “His father will marry
us. As for the wedding, even with indefinite time, it would be
small. Dorian only has his father and I only have you. I would love
for you to come and I'm sure it would be okay with
Dorian.”

“I would love helping you
prepare, if you need me to, but an invitation to the wedding is not
necessary. It's quite romantic that you're eloping.”

“I not only need your help, I want it. To be
honest, although I'm excited, I'm also terrified,” Megan confessed,
butterflies flapping in her abdomen.

“Everyone is, darling,” Josie laughed
softly. “Now, how about we both go home and get some rest. I'll
pick you up for lunch at noon and we'll spend the afternoon getting
you ready for your wedding.”

“Okay,” Megan replied gratefully.

*****

Megan entered her apartment to find Dorian
sitting on the couch rubbing a blissful cat. “You two look
content.”

“One of us is,” he smirked, glancing at
Blaze slumbering in his lap. “Did you talk to Josie?” He asked,
turning his attention back to her.

“Yep.”

“Did she threaten to murder me again?” He
questioned reluctantly.

“Yep,” she snickered. “She's coming by at
noon...”

He didn't give her time to finish her
statement before announcing, “I'll make myself scarce then.”

She smiled slyly, “Are you afraid of my
friend?”

“Yes,” he revealed without any
hesitation.

Laughter erupted from both.

“You'll have to meet her sometime you
know.”

“I know,” he nodded. “Maybe
after we're married. I imagine she would be reluctant about making
you a widow.” He joked about his fear, but it was real. He saw the
conviction in Josie's face and heard it in her voice. Conviction
that strong deserved his respect and his fear.

As promised, he disappeared just before
Josie's arrival, which was probably wise. Megan didn't want to
divulge that he had already moved in.

*****

Megan eagerly devoured the spaghetti in
front of her. It was, after all, her favorite dish at her favorite
Italian eatery. Josie knew her so well.

In between bites of her own
heaping bowl of noodles, Josie informed Megan of her plans, “How
about an afternoon of beauty – my treat?”

Megan nodded as she slurped up a noodle.
Giggling, she wiped the lingering sauce from her chin. Josie shook
her head and smiled.

“What? I can't help it. This is very good
spaghetti, besides, you knew what would happen when you brought me
here.” Megan returned a smile before diving back into culinary
heaven.

“Oh, yes I knew. I'm just
enjoying watching you relish your lunch.” Josie waited until Megan
had completely finished to spring her surprise. “Since I couldn't
sleep after the bomb you dropped on me this morning,” she paused
with a wink to ensure Megan knew she was only teasing, “I did a
little shopping.” Pulling out two boxes from her tote, she
instructed, “The small one, I want you to open now, the other, on
your wedding night.”

Megan stared at the two presents wrapped in
traditional bridal shower fashion. She sighed. She was missing so
much with her rushed nuptials. Focusing on the positive instead of
the lack of pomp and circumstance, she smiled. She took great care
removing the white ribbon and fancy silver paper, wanting to keep
them as mementos. “Oh my!” She exclaimed as her eyes took in the
contents of the little black box.

“Now if you don't like it, remember I was
rushed,” Josie teased.

“Are you kidding? It's beautiful.” Megan
gushed as she carefully removed the treasure inside. She traced the
delicate crystal flowers decorating the hair comb; clear petals
elegantly swirled around sapphire centers.

“I'm glad you like it. Now
you have something that contains both your birthstone and will work
for your something blue.”

“I love it. Thank you,”
Megan beamed, gently placing the comb back in its box before
flooding it with her happy tears.

“Now, let's go get pampered,” Josie
announced.

After a couple of hours of dipping, rubbing
and painting various parts of her body, Megan looked and felt like
a new person. Her skin glowed and her nails shined. “Wow, I feel
amazing. Thank you, Josie,” she chimed.

“You're welcome,” Josie grinned, “but don't
thank me just yet. There's one more thing still to be done that you
probably won't enjoy. I'm hoping your current mood will overshadow
any discomfort.”

“What?” Megan stammered. “How could anything
at a spa be uncomfortable? And even if there was, why would anyone
want to do it?” She reasoned.

“Bikini waxing,” Josie
blurted, ripping of Megan's band-aid of wonder.

“What? No! Really?” Megan begged. Josie
smiled and nodded.

“But you said pampered, not tortured.” Megan
mumbled, seriously considering making a run for it.

Josie grabbed her shocked
friend by the hand, pulling her toward the back of the spa. She
wanted Megan’s nuptials to be perfect, so she gladly did her part,
no matter how painful it might be on either of them or whether
Megan was completely compliant. That was part of her mish-mashed
job of mother, big sister and best friend; a job she eagerly signed
up for the first day they met.

Chapter 18

Dorian couldn't stop
staring at his beautiful future wife sitting across from him. She
glowed; her inner radiance filtering through her freshly polished
skin. Her image provided an irresistible distraction from the
monotonous hours in flight back to his father – a grand improvement
over the previous trip.

“What?” Megan inspected herself for
something out of place.

“I didn't think it possible for you to be
more beautiful,” he answered, eyes wide, absorbing her
brilliance.

She blushed. “Thanks. They used miracle
working creams at the spa.” She rubbed her cheeks for emphasis.

He leaned forward smiling, enjoying the
burst of color his comments elicited. “Such a feat is a miracle.
You were already breathtaking. I have no words to describe how
stunning you are now. I don't believe they even exist.”

She stared at him, mouth slightly agape,
baffled over his inability to describe her beauty. She never
imagined her looks would bewilder someone like this. “So is this
how our life together is going to be, you staring at my
indescribable beauty.”

“Maybe,” he joked.

Slightly uncomfortable over the flattery,
she turned to glance out the window. “How much further?” She asked
as miles of forests spread out beneath her.

He copied her action. “We should be landing
soon.”

*****

Standing outside the door of his father's
small stone church, Dorian asked. “Ready?”

She nodded, although
visibly shaking. The usual cold feet weren’t to blame. Her nerves
were racked with the fear of parental rejection.

What if I'm not good enough for Dorian's
father? He's a priest after all. He's bound to have extremely high
expectations for his son's wife, especially spiritually. Will I
measure up? I'm a believer, and a good person, but I'm no
saint.

Her doubt was interrupted when he grabbed
her hand and ushered them both into the church's sanctuary.

“Father, I've returned,” he called out,
walking slowly up the middle aisle with her gripping his hand
tightly.

Father Murphy emerged from a back doorway
and hurriedly made his way to the couple. “Hello my son.” He spoke
briefly to Dorian before turning his attention to her. “You must be
Megan,” he beamed as he took her free hand. “It is an honor to meet
you, my dear. And may I say, I understand why Dorian is so taken
with you.” He cast a quick glance and smiled toward his son. “You
are a lovely young lady.” This sentiment caused both of them to
blush.

She felt her earlier doubt fade with Father
Murphy's compliments. “Thank you.”

“You are most welcome, my
dear,” Father Murphy responded, taking in the beauty standing
before him. She stood perfectly still. However, his scrutiny
rekindled her fears.

I knew it. He's sizing me up. Can he tell my
worth just by looking?

As his piercing gaze lingered at her head,
she felt the urge to check her hair for what had him so transfixed.
Unfortunately, she didn't possess a free hand. Finally, she asked,
“Is my hair sticking up, or is there something in it?”

“No, my dear,” Father Murphy shook his head.
“Your hair is perfect. I was simply searching for your halo,” he
added kindly.

“My halo?” She asked, dumbfounded.

“Yes, you must be an angel to have brought
my Dorian back to me.” Father Murphy answered sincerely.

Her earlier fears of
worthiness vanished completely.
An angel
was even better than a saint. “That's the nicest thing anyone has
ever said to me,” she gushed.

Father Murphy cast a quick accusing glance
to Dorian, and then smiled at Megan. “If that's the case, I need to
have a chat with my son.”

“The ceremony?” Dorian
asked after allowing her and his father a few minutes of mirth at
his expense.