Chance and Choice by Cheyne

Danielle de Frise stood in her wedding dress and scrutinized her image in the mirror. It was two days before her nuptials and the alterations on her gown had just been completed. Danielle didn't want to lay blame but she found it mighty suspicious that the dressmaker she used was a favorite of her Aunt Virginia's, who had been uninvited then re-invited to her wedding. Danielle preferred the old bitch stay away but with everything else, the pressure from the family was too much. Her mother and Aunt Gloria were on her side but the other relatives, coerced by the dangling of Virginia's will, threatened to boycott the event if Danielle didn't reconsider having Virginia there. She wasn't going to until her dress was held hostage. It was dirty fighting but she expected nothing less from her nasty aunt.

"Dress looks good there, Deep Freeze."

Danielle spun, surprised to see her good friend and bridesmaid, Kya Liberis. "God, I haven't heard that nickname since college."

"And even then it wasn't true. You were anything but an ice princess." Kya winked. "You know, from what I hear."

"You only wish you knew," Danielle teased. "So what's up, Kya Kegger?" In response, she received a playful, arched eyebrow glare. "Hey, if you can call me by my college nickname, I can reciprocate."

"Fair enough. No more nicknames." Kya set her shoulder bag down and reached over to feel the dress fabric. "Oooo, nice."

Danielle turned around. "Unzip me, would you?"

Kya lowered the zipper on the strapless white gown. "I'm not be able to make the rehearsal dinner tomorrow night."

Danielle whirled. "What about the rehearsal itself?"

"That I can do but I have an emergency dinner meeting with a client that I can't get out of."

"Oh." Danielle was disappointed. "We'll miss you."

"Yeah, sorry. I tried to work around it but I couldn't. So?you getting excited?"

"Right now I just want it to be over and on my honeymoon. I mean, I expected things to be insane but not like this. Everything is so out of control. I want to get through the ceremony with no major issues, do the minimal requirements during the reception and then get drunk off my ass. Hopefully I will maintain enough decorum not to flip off my relatives. Or something worse."

"Speaking of your relatives?" Kya's hypnotic blue eyes flashed at Danielle in supplication.

Danielle held her breath as an anticipatory smile curled her lips. "Yes?"

"I'm bringing a date to your wedding. Well, actually, she's already on your guest list, but I wanted to give you a head's up that we will be there together."

"I knew it!" Danielle clasped her hands together and pulled a stunned Kya in for a hug. "Riley, right?" She released Kya, looking for confirmation.

Kya nodded. "You're okay with that, I take it."

"I'm better than okay with it, Kye. I think you two are perfect together."

"But she's never been in a relationship with a woman before. And I haven't considered dating anyone since Jillian. This could have disaster written all over it." Kya helped Danielle out of her dress.

Danielle got her gown back on its hanger and grabbed her clothes. "So you guys are already talking relationship? God, woman, you do work fast."

"Actually, we are going to see how things work a day at a time. My instinct tells me it could easily head toward a relationship."

"This is a huge step for you. For both of you, really." Danielle finished dressing and tucked in her blouse. "Do you know if Riley has mentioned this to Aunt Gloria and Uncle Tim?"

"I don't know. I assume she'll say something to them to prepare them. How do you think they'll react?"

"They're pretty cool but Riley is their only child. It may not be exactly what they envisioned for her. I know Aunt Gloria really wants grandchildren. They're not homophobes by any means but you know how things change when suddenly it becomes about your own kid."

"Yes, I know that well." The memory of her parents disowning her when she came out still stung. "If her parents don't accept it, how do you think that will affect her?"

"It'll hurt because they're very close but if Riley wants it bad enough, she'll find a way to make it all work." Danielle motioned to the attendant, who was busy with another customer "So, tell me, who made the first move?"

Kya smiled. "Riley. She came to my office yesterday and asked me to go for coffee. I did and we talked and we would both like to give it a try. I just hope she's strong enough to deal with all the opposition."

"Riley's not a pushover. She stood up to our Aunt Virginia Sunday and told her off. That took a lot of balls. If she's strong enough to deal with the crap that comes with that, trust me, she will do just fine deflecting any opposition that comes with being with you. Going up against that witch is like a Catholic going up against the pope." Danielle drank from a bottle of water, then offered a sip to Kya, who declined.

"I'm terrified, Danielle. I have a gut feeling this is going to turn into something really special?and I can't go through getting that involved, falling that hard again and, for whatever reason, have it all taken away."

"Look, you, of all people, know that nothing is a guarantee."

"That's what scares me the most."

"Kya, Relax. It's a date. That's all. I'm the one getting married."

"And your impending marriage started with a date."

"Life is all about chance and choice, Kya. Choose to listen to your gut and take another chance on your heart."

*****

To Be Continued (in sequel).