this is super late. sorry if there's any mistakes a gal was rushing when she realized how long it's been without an update. 

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The months moved faster than expected and soon enough the wedding was just short of a week. Although it pretty much already seemed as if they were married, it didn't make Sophie any less stressed about the situation. 

"Soph, we need to get going before we're late," Biana reminded her as she finished brushing her hair. They were all going to go for a last fitting for the bridesmaids dresses and Sophie was bringing her wedding dress along so she could try it on one last time as well just to make sure everything was going alright. 

"Sorry," she apologized as she quickly raced after Biana, who was making her way outside the apartment. 

"Hey, watch out before you trip and hurt yourself," Keefe warned, seeing them rush. "Wouldn't want anything to happen so close to the big day."

"Great, now my anxiety has increased," Sophie complained, leaning over to kiss his cheek anyways. "We'll be back in a few hours, tops."

"Don't forget we're going to your parent's house later to check out the decorations."

"Can't forget," she said, tapping her head before rushing outside after Biana. Within a few minutes they were making their way inside the bridal shop. 

"There's the girl of the hour," Marella exclaimed, making everyone inside turn to look at her. 

She blushed at all the stares. "Sorry, I slept in," she explained with a shrug. "If it wasn't for Biana I would've taken longer."

"Why'd you sleep in? You almost never do that anymore." Linh looked at her with concern. 

Sophie smiled graciously at Linh who gestured for her to take a seat beside her. They were all in the waiting room, and Sophie didn't have the heart to ask why they were still in the waiting room. "I stayed up late trying to finish all my work. I've been working as much as possible so when I take all this time off for the wedding it's not like I'm leaving my job in the dust."

"You work to hard," Syden told her, frowning. "We can't have you walking down the aisle with bags under your eyes."

"No, that would definitely be a disaster," Biana agreed. While having Syden around was awkward at first, after Sophie hired her as the wedding planner it seemed as if she had always been with the group and everyone loved having her around them. She fit perfectly, Sophie was grateful to Tam for dating such an awesome girl. 

"A disaster would be these dresses not fitting," Sophie stated. "Were you guys waiting for me or are we waiting for something else?" She gestured to the room they were in. 

"Donatella is getting our dresses out from the back before taking us to the fitting area," Marella explained, talking about the woman who owned the shop. She was the best in the business according Della, and after seeing all the dresses Sophie was inclined to believe her. 

"Where are the parents?" Sophie asked suddenly, noticing Edaline, Della, and Oralie weren't around. 

"They're helping her get the dresses, there's a lot." 

While traditionally a father would walk a bride down the aisle, Sophie had asked for both her adopted parents to walk her. She wanted everyone to be involved with the big day. Della and Oralie would be helping walk down the flower girls and she also asked Alden to walk down the ring bearer. She was happy that with figuring out a different role for Oralie, she didn't feel guilty asking Bronte to be the council member to perform the wedding ceremony. While Bronte was necessarily most people's first choice, and even when asked he usually said no, he had jumped at the chance to minister. 

It seemed like everything was going to be perfect, but Sophie still felt an ache in her chest as if something was wrong. There were so many important people to her that still wouldn't have a part in the wedding, but she didn't want the wedding to become a show. She knew that not everyone could have something. 

"Oh, great, you're here," Edaline greeted Sophie as the women returned holding a few dresses each. Sophie herself was holding her wedding dress. "Ready to get into gear?"

"Yes, hopefully for the last time before the big day," Sophie replied. "You guys know I'm not a big fan of the big dress scene."

"But your big dress is absolutely gorgeous," Biana responded. "No whining about wedding details."

Sophie simply nodded as everyone stood up from their chairs and started to follow Donatella, although they learned she preferred simply 'Dona,' towards the back of the building. They passed racks of different dresses for different styles before eventually making it to the bridal section which included a large fitting room. "This section is reserved for you guys however long you need it," Dona said, smiling warmly at Sophie. "It's been a pleasure making these dresses for your wedding, Miss. Foster."

"Thank you, Dona," Sophie replied before taking her dress and following her friends into the fitting rooms. With the help of her mom, Sophie was first to have her dress completely on right behind Linh. 

"Biana that dress looks amazing on you!" Sophie heard Marella exclaim from inside the fitting room they were sharing. 

"Have you gotten your dresses for the wedding yet?" Sophie asked Edaline, Della, and Oralie. 

"I got mine the weekend you told me you were getting married," Della informed her, grinning. "I might have gotten a bit too excited."

"I got mine a few weeks ago," Edaline said. "I thought I showed it to you but I guess I hadn't. Remind me to show it to you when you come over later today."

"And I have gotten mine as well," Oralie stated. "Almost everything is set and perfect." 

Sophie opened her mouth to reply but Syden, Biana, and Marella interrupted her by exiting the fitting room. All the girls were wearing different dresses to match their personalities and style, and the fitting was to make sure the dresses were the same color blue and still went well enough together. "Can you guys stand in a line together?" Sophie requested and they followed her orders. "What do you think?" She asked her mother who stood right at her side. 

"Linh's dress seems a bit lighter," Della replied instead of Edaline. "But maybe it's the lighting."

Dona had returned just as that was said, and she immediately interrupted saying, "I knew Miss. Foster's request and used the same fabric for each dress." 

"So each dress is definitely the same color?" Sophie reiterated as a question. 

Dona nodded. "Yes, each dress is definitely the same color. Although I did add a few lighter details in Miss. Song's dress, and that's probably what Mrs. Vacker noticed." 

Sophie studied each dress once more, taking note of the lighter details in Linh's dress that confused Della. "I see it now," she replied, a small smile on her face. Finally her face grew into an all out grin. "You guys all look so amazing and you can tell that each dress was made specifically for you."

"I never want to take this off," Biana stated with a large smile. "It's just so... perfect."

"But also, can we acknowledge how stunning you look, Sophie? There's no competition for you, you are going to be the best looking one there," Marella stated, and everyone turned their attention to the future bride. 

Sophie blushed. "I was going for that I suppose, but I still don't know about the best looking one. You guys are beautiful."

"And so are you," Biana stated. "Keefe isn't going to know what's hitting him." 

"I can't wait to see his jaw drop," Della added. 

"Someone better get it on camera when he cries," Marella joked. 

"I don't think he's going to cry," Sophie shot down. 

"Guys always cry at weddings," Syden stated. "I've never even seen my sister's husband crack a smile but at their wedding he had full on tears. A lot of them." 

"If Keefe cried at our wedding I'm going to be a mess," Sophie said, and then turned towards the mirror to looked at herself. "I'm happy it still fits. I was worried I stress ate so much due to the wedding that I gained weight."

"Well, you're still as tiny as ever," Della replied. "You do look absolutely beautiful, Sophie."

"You do," a few extra people chorused and Sophie grinned at her reflection. 

"I can't believe it's only a week away, it feels like just yesterday he asked me to marry him," Sophie stated, looking away from the mirror towards the group of girls. 

"Well, it's soon," Biana said. "I hope I'm next."

"If you get married next your father is going to have a heart attack. All of you are so young," Della told her. 

"But if we're being honest, Biana is probably next to get married," Linh stated, grinning at her friend. 

Biana nodded. "It's true. I'm surprised I'm not getting married first."

"That surprises me as well," Sophie stated. "I never thought I'd get married so soon. Obviously compared to humans I'm not quite as young. Most human get married in their twenties. But compared to elves, where some might wait decades to find the perfect partner."

"Well, let's not waste away here," Edaline spoke up. "I'm sure you've all got plans that you need to get to." Everyone murmured their responses as they moved to chance back into their normal clothing. Which was still rather fancy in Sophie's opinion, no matter how used to it she had become from all the years she'd been with the elves. 

I think I'm going to go straight to my parent's house from here so feel free to meet us there, Sophie transmitted to Keefe as she changed out of her dress. She'd usually use her nexus to tell him stuff like this considering he couldn't exactly transmit back to her, but she wanted to tell him before she got caught up in finishing up everything with the girls. 

While she tried to avoid it since it was technically against telepath rules, she reached into Keefe's mind to get his response. He had told her before she was allowed to do that anytime she needed to communicate with him without a nexus, but she still felt wrong doing it. She got the response she needed and quickly exited his mind. 

"Okay, I'm going to go straight to your place from here since I'm going to be keeping my dress at your house now," Sophie told Edaline, motioning to the dress in her arms as she talked. 

"That's all right with me," Edaline replied. "Is Keefe going to meet us there?"

"That's what he says," she replied as her friends all came out. 

"We're ready to go," Biana stated. "Do you want us to take these to our own houses or do you want us to quickly drop them off at your parent's house?"

Sophie thought about it for a moment. "As long as you all swear not to lose them it's all right with me if you take them with you."

"Okay. Bye Soph," Biana replied, pulling her friend in a hug. Everyone responded the same way, giving her hugs before leaving to their own homes. 

"Ready to go?" Edaline asked after Della, the last one to leave, made her exit. 

"Can you believe the wedding is so soon?" Sophie questioned her mom as they waved goodbye to Dona. 

"It's going to be even sooner before you know it," Edaline replied. "Soon enough it'll be the day of and you're going to wonder where all that time went."

"It's weird," Sophie replied. "But I am really excited for the new chapter of my life to begin, especially to begin it with Keefe."

"I always knew you two were going to end up together," Edaline confessed. "Your father was in denial. After that one time Keefe betrayed everyone your father lost hope in Keefe, but there was always a part of me that knew Keefe was the one you truly loved."

"You never thought Fitz?" Sophie asked, almost everyone thought those two would end up together. 

Edaline shook her head. "A mother always knows. You don't question it." 

---

hi the worst author on the planet here reporting late once again. i'm trying guys. i started writing this on the 9th (which was still sorta late) but got up in the middle and then accidentally never came back. oof. 

chapter questions:

1. when do you go back to school? or have you already? i'm starting my senior year of high school on the 4th of september and i'm not excited. 

2. did you go on vacation or are you planning to go this summer? i'm leaving to go to missouri for ten days and visit my grandparents tomorrow 

3. the wedding in book land is a week away. are you excited? i'm gonna hold off at least another chapter for the wedding but it is vv soon :):):)