Chapter 192: Roses and Webs
*You have to believe. Otherwise it will never happen. – Neil Gaiman*
“I don’t want another big elaborate destination wedding.” Jolene admitted as they sat curled up on the couch in what she now thought of as their apartment.
Her dark and gothic theme still ran throughout the rooms. All the paintings and murals that Dean had painted remained. Pictures of their family and friends were positioned around them.
Shifting on the couch, Neo pulled her into his lap and stretched his legs out along the purple velveteen cushions. Jolene curled into his chest and laid her head on his bare upper chest, just below his shoulder. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed the top of her head.
“I have a suggestion.” He murmured. “The village just outside of town.”
“The one that opens up every year for Halloween for the haunted house?” she asked and grinned at his affirmative hum that rumbled under her cheek. “I always loved that place in high school.”
“Your mom said that you worked out there for a few years.”
“Yeah, that’s how I bought my car.”
He had long ago quit asking if her father had helped them with anything. The man provided the bare basics – including affection and kindness, and nothing more. Even less for the daughter that he did not want.
She had been nothing more than a pawn in his schemes and plans. Both Bob and Hank had tried to change her. Make her be more feminine, more cheerful, more … pastel.
Neo had looked at her, seen her for who she was, and loved her. Before she had gotten her voice back, he was already helping her to embrace herself and accept the darkness inside her. Her clothes began appearing in the hospital closet and none of her family admitted that they knew where the clothes came from.
Thinking back, she could see the knowing smile that Reese would give the darker man. Even more, the satisfied smile that Neo would get when he saw her in the clothes. It didn't matter what she wore, he looked at her with such possession. At the time, it scared her, but now... now, it excited her.
Her dark baggy shirts and sweatpants had been the norm for quite some time. But then, the other clothes began to appear.
Dark jeans or slacks.
T-shirts with Tim Burton characters.
Doc Martins and platform shoes and boots.
Rockabilly shirts with skull and spider accents.
Fitted pencil skirts and retro dresses with crinoline petticoats.
After the incident with her now ex-mother-in-law, the jewelry began to appear. Silver skull earrings. Spider web bracelets. Bat wing hair clips.
Never a necklace.
Not until the spiderweb collar that she still had not taken off. Her hand absently moved to the chains around her neck with the little spider tucked under her t-shirt. Technically, his t-shirt.
And never a ring until the one he gave her at Christmas.
“They have two spots that we could use.” Neo said as his own hand moved to her neck and traced the top of the collar under her hair, now just past her shoulders.
“The old church, which is one of the newer buildings. And the town square.”
“They had just built the old church the last year that I worked there.” She smiled. “The owner’s daughter got married there and I thought it was the most beautiful wedding ever. They had these black roses and spiderwebs all over the place. If I could have planned my dream wedding, that’s what it would be.”
“Then plan it.” He offered.
“Can we do it Halloween?” she asked quietly. Hopefully.
He tipped her face up to his and kissed her lightly. “I’m glad you said that. I already requested three days and that was one of them.”
“What were the others?”
“Thanksgiving and Winter Solstice.”
“OH! If we did winter solstice, could we have Krampus?” she asked with a giant smile and bright eyes.
“They hold a Viking Yule Fest out there during December. There’s usually a few Krampus characters out there.”
“Really?”
Smiling, he nodded at her. “Zach has a great Krampus costume.” At her confused look, he gave a small laugh. “We do security out there and if my guys look like they belong out there, it’s better for them and safer for everyone.”
“You really do think of everything.”
“That’s all Zach.” Neo admitted. “I learned to listen to my people years ago. They understand what they need, and it works best if I get the hell out of their way and let them do what they do best.”
“Like what?”
“Only women that work at the Advocacy Center. The ones that work with abuse victims are all golden labradors. And kids all get the playful giants.”
“How many playful giants do you have?”
“Five. And right now, they’re all assigned. Unfortunately, they get very little time off.”
“Do I know any of them?”
“Brad.” He answered after a moment of thought.
“Brad?” Jolene asked in surprise. “You’re talking about ten feet tall, two-thousand-pound Brad?”
“He’s not that tall. He’s only six eight.” Neo laughed.
“Only.” She huffed as she settled back against his chest.
He gave a small chuckle. “Nervous about your interview tomorrow?”
She would meet with her student advisors and interview for a teachers assistant position at the school while she extended her studies.
“No. I’m just not sure what I’m going to wear.”
“I’m sure there’s something in your closet.” He smiled and spoke against her hair.
“What did you put in my closet?”
“What do I know of fashion?” he asked.
She just chuckled as her hand slid up his abdomen and chest, gently caressing his sculptured muscles. "But JD and Dean are doing their wedding wedding on Christmas Eve."
"They are."
"I don't want to steal their moment."
"So, Halloween?" Neo asked.
“Why Thanksgiving?” came the soft question.
He again tipped her face up and gently kissed her.
“I want to make your worst day into your best day. I want to take those horrible memories and replace them with beautiful ones. I don’t want to wipe him from your life, your time with him helped to make you who you are. But I want you to see that you are so much more than what he saw.”
Her free hand moved up to his cheek.
“That day, you died. The old you died. But I got to watch the new you be born. I got to watch you find yourself, your strength, your soul. I was there for it all, I watched you bloom, put down roots and grow. You floundered and thrashed, but you found your footing and learned to fight.”
“You taught me to fight.” Jolene pointed out and he shook his head no.
“No, pet, I showed you the moves. The fight was inside you the whole time. You fought to live, to walk, to go back to school. Not just for your teaching degree, but for your masters. Every day, I see your strength, and I am in awe of you.”
“Me?”
He smiled at her. “You, you my beautiful bride to be.”
“You’re the beautiful one.” She countered, sliding her hand into his long hair. “On the inside and the out. So patient, kind and …” an seductive grin crossed her face as her voice dropped to only a whisper, “demanding. So beautifully demanding.”
“Only for you now, my beautiful love.”
She moved on his lap and straddled his legs before leaning down and kissing him. “Thanksgiving. I want to marry you at the old church in the village outside of town at Thanksgiving.”
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
