Salene(Braby): In Her Room: Getting Dressed :[Bray]

[_salene_]

Salene left Brady with Mouse and Flower in Mouse's room, she knew she could trust Mouse to stay in her room and out of trouble, and to help the girls keep themselves from getting dirty. She just hoped she could trust the three of them not to start fighting, or Brady to not upset Mouse by talking about going away again. She felt badly that she'd

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[_bray_]

"Hi Salene," Bray said when she came to the doorway. As she complimented him on his clothes, Bray unconsciously brushed a hand over the sash, and grinned as he replied, "Thanks. You look nice too." Bray paused for a moment to consider the interesting dress Salene was wearing, she looked all dressed up, and it just served to drive home the realisation that she - and everyone else in the Mall - was getting dressed up for Bray's wedding. His own wedding. It seemed unreal when he thought about it, but he knew it was true - and very, very soon. Bray got his first tingle of real nervousness, and was thankful to be distracted by the sounds of baby Bray waking up.

However, Salene had it all under control, bouncing the baby gently as she walked. Bray hoped that his son would not dribble on her, that was the kind of thing babies did.

"Oh, I finished getting ready, so I thought I'd stop by and see if there was anything for me to do," Bray said casually, trying not to show that he'd come here because he was getting excited and fidgety, and hoped Salene would give him a task to keep him occupied until the wedding. He shifted from foot to foot, finding it suddenly hard to keep still.

[_salene_]

Baby Bray looked around groggily, confused, and Salene just whispered quietly to him that it was ok and he was ok. She felt like she needed to do that to his Daddy, he looked a bundle of nerves. Salene reminded herself that she had to stay calm, for everyone's sake. It would be her duty to look after the wedding party and to get the guest to organize, there was no room in her emotions for nerves. Clearly, she had to keep her head on her shoulders and be a force of strength and reassurance for all of them, especially Bray and Amber.

"Relax," she told him softly, motioning him over to the sitting area and taking a seat on the couch. There was really no time for this, lazing about, she had a million things to look after, but first she had to make sure Bray was relaxed. "Here, sit down, and listen, Bray everything is going to be ok. It's nothing new, really, I mean, you and Amber, you've practically been a married couple, this just, makes it official. There's nothing different about this. There's not really anything for you to do, honestly, the volunteers have gotten the decorations sorted, just as we'd planned, I need to go set up the altar. Have you gone over your words for the ceremony?"

Salene sat Baby Bray on her knee and rubbed his back. He watched his father with large eyes, waving his little fists around, clearly waking up. "I'd ask you to watch the baby, but I don't want him to get you dirty. Besides, I'm going to have Cloe watch him for the ceremony, might as well drop him off soon," she gave Bray another reassuring smile. "So," she faltered, trying to find something to take his mind off of things, "Do you know where Amber is? I haven't gotten a chance to tell her of the prisoners return."

[_bray_]

When Salene told him to "Relax," Bray found himself doing the very opposite. He sat down stiffly on a couch, taken somewhat by surprise by his nervousness. He listened to Salene, the voice of reason, and everything she said made sense, but still the feeling would not go away.

"My words? Uh..." Bray frowned suddenly. He had not really thought it through properly, and now he was regretting it. The way Salene said it, it seemed so much more formal than he had considered before, maybe he should have written out something beforehand. "I don't, I, oh."

Bray went rather quiet, he looked up and saw baby Bray was looking at him, and he gave the child a smile despite himself. Suddenly he had visions of his son growing up to hear the "funny story" of how his father became a gibbering idiot at his own wedding, and he squirmed at the thought.

Salene's voice cut into his spiral of worrying again, this time with a question. Finally, something he could get right.
"She's gone to Gel's room. Or so she said," he added, remembering her earlier abilities to be in any place but there. "Would you tell her about the prisoner? I think she would want to know sooner rather than later."

Suddenly, Bray stood up swiftly.
"If there's nothing I can do, I should go, I'm sure you have things to do. I'll be in my room."

[_salene_]

Salene reached out and grabbed his wrist, "Don't, go, I mean, Bray," she felt compelled to force him to sit still, to talk and get it all out. She knew him, he would brood and angst, it would put him in better spirits if he got to do it verbally, now. "Sit down," she said softly, but firmly. "You're going to do just fine, Bray, look, we did the run through, and as long as you have your vows put together then everything will go just fine. Remember, you don't say much during the ceremony, I'm the one with all of the lines," she gave a laugh to try and relax him.

It was true, she had a lot to say, she'd spent time reading and rereading them in her spare time, trying to get them down just right. She was worried that she should have written them onto little cards of paper or something, to be sure she said it all right, but part of the thing about this ceremony was that it all felt so much like it needed to come unrehearsed. She knew if she had cards, it wouldn't sound sincere, real, and she wanted this to be as real as she could make it.

"I will tell Amber about the prisoner," she added, changing the subject once more, "I will stop at Gel's on my way to Cloe's and let her know," she gave him a gentle smile. "Do you need," she paused, Salene didn't want to pressure him into talking. Maybe it had just been she who felt as if she could tell him anything now, perhaps he didn't feel that way, especially not after having been through everything he went through. "You can talk to me, Bray, get it all off of your chest, if you need to. You won't upset me," she offered, trying to look calm and warm, inviting.

[_bray_]

Without emotion, Bray looked down at the hand that had suddenly taken hold of his wrist.
"I'll be fine, really..." he started to say, but when commanded to sit down, he did just as he was told. As he sat down, Bray let out a big sigh that slumped his broad shoulders, and he stared sheepishly at his shiny black shoes for good few minutes, even after Salene had finished talking.

"I don't know why I'm suddenly so nervous, I wasn't at all before," he admitted finally. "It's just, everyone's gone to so much trouble - especially you, Salene - and Amber wants it to be perfect, and I don't want to screw it up." He let out a groan as he buried his face in his hands.

What was this? Bray had not felt like this since before the match final of the youth basketball league that he'd been in during his schooldays. He had been one of the team's strongest players, and they had all been counting on him for a victory. The funny thing was, they had won, and Bray had been well congratulated for his part in ensuring their success, and he had felt so good. His parents were so proud...

But this was completely different. This wasn't about winning, or even exerting himself physically, which had always been the challenge Bray had excelled in. This was his marriage, his commitment, the rest of his whole life! And though he knew in his heart that it was what he wanted, Bray could not help being staggered by it all.

[_salene_]

Salene felt herself relax a bit as he began to open up, a broody groom would do no good, if he got it all out now he'd be more likely to relax, at least a bit, during the wedding. The baby waved his fists, looking at his daddy with his face in his hands before looking up at Salene with a coo. She bounced him a little then put a hand on Bray's back, comforting both boys at the same time. "Of course we have, Bray, it's your wedding. It's like Tai-San would say, a wedding will be good for the Tribe, it'll bring us all together. Look," she shifted the baby on her leg so he was sitting on her thigh more and leaning against her.

"Amber will think it's perfect, even if something goes wrong, even if I stumble all over my words. She's happy this day has finally come, and if I know Amber, as long as you two have completed the ceremony by the end of the day she'll be ecstatic," she took her hand back and adjusted the baby once more.

"Look at this boy, he's so beautiful, he's a testament to your love, nothing can break that apart, you've proven that time and again. The wedding is just a formality, and nothing will stop it from happening," she hoped she was helping. She was worried that she was making it all worse, she meant what she said, and she knew Amber well enough, but sometimes there was nothing a person could say to Bray to make him feel better. He had a good way of dwelling.

[_bray_]

"I don't much care what she would say," snapped Bray at Salene's mention of Tai-San. The venom with which he said it took even Bray by surprise, and he looked up quickly. "I'm sorry, it's just the nerves talking," he shrugged, and was silent again.

Bray listened to Salene's reasoning, and she was right, he knew. He looked at the perfect little boy sat upon Salene's knee and it all made sense again.

After a while, Bray smiled gently.
"Thanks Salene," he said, "you have a way with words. I know it's right, I just let the butterflies get me."

Leaning over, Bray put a hand on Salene's arm to show his appreciation. She had really become a great diplomat, knowing just what to say and when to say it, and Bray was very proud of who she had become.

He let go of her arm, and ruffled his son's hair gently before standing up again.
"I think I'll just go and think about those vows, then," Bray said, but he was still smiling as he said it. The fear that had gripped him a few minutes before had subsided.

[_salene_]

Salene eyed Bray slightly shocked and certainly wary as he spat out his disdain for Tai-San. What had that been about? Nerves, ahh yes, well, everyone was bound to be a bit on edge, especially the Bride and Groom. Her mind wandered slightly to wonder how Amber was doing, hoping she wasn't snapping at Zandra or Gel right now.

A smile spread across her face and her features softened, "Of course, and I just say what is true, that's all. Don't worry about the butterflies, it is an Eco wedding anyway," she winked and gave a soft chuckle. Bad jokes, bad jokes, she just hoped it'd help. She would have given his hand a pat, where in the past it would have tongue tied her and made her have butterflies, now it was simply comforting in it's own way. Salene was quite glad that she had, in the course of things, finally gotten over her hang up on Bray.

She stood up as he did, shifting the baby to her hip, "Right, and I'm off to see Amber and drop the baby off with Cloe," she said, more to herself than to Bray. She walked him to the doorway in the sitting room and put a hand on his shoulder, "And Bray? Really, you're going to do just fine," she gave his shoulder a squeeze before walking off to Gel's Room.