[USS Charon, Rec Room]
"Signorina leone. Why is cake so small?"
"You know, I wonderrrred that, too." M'Riarr glanced at the tiny cupcakes with a small frown on her snout. Hardly worth the effort of chewing, really. But to a huge lioness, most foods humans liked were small-ish. Funny though that Lucia seemed to agree on this count.
"Is how many people coming? Diciotto? Diciannove? Is not enough food."
"My words precisely" the cheerful voice made both the Italian woman and the Caitian turn around and break out into broad smiles, when Rebecca entered carrying a stack of pizzas, already leaning perilously to one side. "I mean, what's the point of a party unless everyone gets to be jolly well drunk? And you need a foundation for that."
Hiding in the shadow of Becca's magnificent red mane was a smiling dark haired human, almost bent double under the weight of a wine barrel. "Where you want this, amore mio?"
"Eh? Marcello, you put this over there and then out. Out out, e avanti!"
"No males allowed?" M'Riarr looked rather pleased by the idea, just as the sight of the abundance of alcohol made her whiskers twitch with happy anticipation.
"Nope." Rebecca replied cheerfully, setting down the food on one of the long tables provided for the occasion. One was already overflowing with wrapped gifts, stacked into a slightly crooked tower on one side, while the other was now dominated by a barrel of Chianti. "Especially since this might damn well develop into an early bachelorette party."
More guests were floating into the cheerfully decorated room, eagerly greeted by Lucia who had managed to hustle her curious husband out the door while balancing newly arrived gifts on both arms. "Oooh two parrrties in one day?" the Caitian's eyes gleamed with cheerful anticipation and Rebecca narrowly avoided getting smacked by a happily swinging tail. "Well you got to take them as they come." the green eyed woman chuckled, but was interrupted by Lucia "Aaaah la sposa. Buona sera, signorina Johnson. Is your seat over there."
Rebecca found herself with a huge … something .. wrapped in blue paper thrust into her arms while a happily smiling Lucia led the bride to be towards the large couch placed conveniently in the middle of the room.
"Oh my." Lizzy gasped as she looked around at everything. "Signora Lucia, the little cake you mentioned earlier, that is the decoration really for just the bride and groom. There will be plenty of the little cupcakes for everyone to enjoy as well, just not all will be seen at once." Elizabeth said excited about this party. This would be her first, and hopefully, only bridal shower.
Alice was excited, though not really sure why. She hadn't been to a bridal shower before. She hadn't been to any social-events before, not as a guest anyway. She manifested just beside the refreshment table in a light yellow sun dress that accented her red hair. It was the first time anyone would have seen her in anything but her standard Starfleet uniform. {I hope I'm not late, I wasn't sure what the dress requirements were. I had to ask ensign Caplin for advice.} the AI said not sure what to do at such a function.
Lizzy smiled as her friend joined them. "You look great Alice, as you can see we're all dressed very comfortably." Lizzy said softly. "Don't worry this is my first kind of affair as well." Lizzy admitted but it was her own...
{It looks lovely.} Alice said. {I admit I'm a little lost here, It's nice to know that at least one person shares my predicament.} she teased Lizzy
"Considering it's being thrown for me still no clue." She giggled...
"Eh? Is naturalmente you lose thing if you throw." Lucia shook her head at the nonsensical conversation between the two women – woman and security hologram, AI, whatever. Alice. It acted alive, so as far as Lucia was concerned, it was a female until proven otherwise. "Ecco. You sit." She nudged Lizzy onto the couch and strode into the middle of the room like the lion tamer into the arena, clapping her hands.
"Allora, mangiare now and then we talk wedding. You want to bring present to la sposa, you no disturb eating, capisce? Now go with fun."
"Yes, about that, …"
"Aspetta, eh?"
"But…" M'Riarr looked at Lucia, at the food, and finally at Lizzy. "Pizza, Miss Johnson?" The Caitian capitulated, leaving Rebecca and the energetic Italian to buzz around the room like workbees around a ship.
Indira felt a little conspicuous arriving so late to the party, but she set her gift down on the table and went to greet the guest of honor. "I'm so sorry I'm late Lizzy, but I was trying to finish up a special little gift, if you're up for something a little different?"
Grinning, she pulled a little bottle filled with brownish green paste."In India a bride's hands and feet are decorated with henna. It stains your skin usually dark brown, and it is said that the darker the color and the longer it lasts, the deeper and longer the love between bride and groom." Blushing ever so slightly, "I didn't think you'd really want the full mehndi-ki-raat ceremony, but maybe just a little design? I have enough for everyone, too."
Lizzy's eyes widened as she was bumped onto the couch really. She had to start laughing she couldn't help it. Smiling at Indira as she arrived she wasn't really late despite thinking she was. "You're not late." she said then her eyes widened in curious excitement at the thought of Henna. "Oh you know I actually heard of that. I think it would be fun. However if you put Henna on Alice, you'll have to modify her holographic emitters for it. I think it's a fun idea." Lizzy said with a grin. "So where to put it?" She asked then...
Indi laughed. "Well, traditionally a bride's hands and feet are covered halfway up the shins and forearms, so I don't think we'll get into that. Mehndi-ki-raat usually takes most of an afternoon or evening. But maybe something simple on the top of your foot, or maybe the palm of your hand? We should probably wait, though, until after everyone eats and you open your gifts. We don't want to stain anything by accident."
Lizzy was wearing an off the shoulder pale blue peasant blouse, with her long full sandstone colored skirt and silly ankle boots that match her skirt. there was a rainbow colored pendant that touched her soft skin that radiated with happiness. "Well what about my shoulder?" Lizzy asked, "this way it won't get on anything and I can still eat." She grinned invitingly. she'd never had a tattoo before, never thought highly of them. however this wasn't perm.
Having already devoured a pizza with some kind of tasty meat on it, M'Riarr blinked curiously at the new arrival "Would it worrrk on furrrr, too? And while we're on the subject, Miss Lizzy – I'm not surrree what to do about the brridesmaid dress. The color is verrrry pretty, but … well, I never worrre a dress before. What if I make a mess of things?"
In the background, Lucia announced the party as started by tapping the Chianti barrel and Rebecca floated past the table only a few minutes later, depositing glasses with the deep red wine.
"I think we should start opening gifts soon or there's going to be a mutiny" the red haired woman chuckled good naturedly "Oh, and stop worrying M'Riarr, just cut out a piece for the tail. You'll be fine."
Alice smiled as the topic turned to Gifts. She had to ask several people what was customary at this type of event, however; she did end up settling on something. A slight nod of her head and the familiar blue energy of the transporter appeared then gave way to a small, but brightly wrapped box. {I wasn't sure what was acceptable, so I guessed.}
She said.
Lizzy laughed softly. "M'Riarr, it doesn't really have to be a dress, you could turn it into pants or shorts and cut a hole in it for your tail." She said softly not really use to bridesmaids really well not yet. Presents however was something she agreed with though and couldn't wait to start opening.
Indira grabbed a small plate of finger food and settled into watch the gifts being opened.
Lizzy reached for Alice's gift first not sure if she was to just grab one or if they would be handed to her. She started to carefully unwrap the brightly wrapped box ok well not carefully so much as just rip into it a little then try to be calm then back to ripping...
As Lizzy ripped into the box, a small book like device rested inside. Contained inside was a complete history of Dylan and Lizzy's courtship as could only be collected by someone with unlimited access to internal sensors and recordings. {I took Commander Marcus' gift idea and ran with it} she said. Hidden just beneath the object were a pair of tiny booties. {I have researched Human mating customs and Propagation seems to be at the peak of this activity, so I thought I would; how do you Humans say... Hope for the best?}
"Ah, is curiosa, eh?" Lucia ambled over and winked at the small assembly gathered around the table, but Rebecca had already taken the hint and ambled over, carrying several boxes. One item at least was easily identified as a silver tray with a set of champagne flutes, wrapped carefully in transparent foil. Kicking aside a few balloons as she went, she haphazardly stacked the gifts between empty plates and half-full wine glasses.
"I sure hope you have room for all this stuff in your quarters. Seems like some people got a bit enthusiastic here."
[To be continued…]
Lt. Jg Elizabeth Johnson
Assistant Engineer
(NPC apb Kai)
&
Lt. Jg Indira Bai
Assistant Medical Officer
&
Alice (APB Dark)
Carrington Institute
Serial# GCX-112
Advanced Security AI
&
Ens M'Riarr
Assistant Helmscat
&
Lt Rebecca Hadley
Assistant Ops
&
The one and only Lucia
(apb I-Chaya)
USS Charon
