Wedding plans

Kate looked around and picked up her dolls. She put them in front of each other and talked. “Now, do you promise to love each other no matter what?” She moved both dolls so it looked like they were nodding. “Yes, I do”. Kate smiled and looked up to see her mother by the door watching her playing. “Now I pronounce you husband and wife”. She grinned and her mother winked at her. 

Kate looked around the chapel and smiled to herself. It was one of her most precious memories of her mom and also the moment she decided she wanted to spend her life around weddings such as the one she was at right now.

“Kate, earth to Kate, the bride needs you” Her best friend and colleague Kamala said to her. She nodded and went to look for her. She found her in front of the mirror with all the bridesmaids around her. 

“Mandy, what’s going on?” She asked, smiling. The terrified bride looked back at her and sighed. 

“This is not right, look at me” Kate gave her one of her sweets smiles. “I’m fat, this is not going to work”

Kate took the bride's hands and made her look at her and spoke calmly. “Look at me. You are exquisite, you are timeless, you are the envy of your future sister-in-law, Jenny, whom I overheard at your last gown fitting say, look at those thighs. I’d kill for Mandy’s thighs. But you have more than great thighs, you have the love of a man named Jackson. A man who, when he saw you walk into your rehearsal dinner said, I can’t believe she picked me. I can’t believe I’m marrying the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen… and that tells me this marriage of yours is not only going to work , it’s going to last forever.”

The bride shined at Kate’s words and thanked her. Kate turned around, helped a bridesmaid with her dress and looked at the photographer. “You need to get to the positions I told you, and no more”. He nodded and she kept walking. She reached Kamala and got into position, “Everything ready?” Kamala nodded. “Perfect, then let’s send the F.O.B.”

Kamala looked around and looked at Kate with a frightened look. “I can’t find the F.O.B.” Kate turned around and started looking for him. She stopped the flower girl.

“Honey, go back and count to 100 and start again” The little girl nodded and Kate kept walking. She found the bride’s father crying and drinking on the stairs. “There you are, we’ve been looking for you, it’s time to start”. She took things out of her pockets and started spraying things on him. She took away his bottle and gave him a mint.  

“My little girl is getting married. I remember her nursery school graduation like it was yesterday” She looks at him straight in the eye.

“I know what you’re thinking Mr. Bonnet. Today you’re giving away your little girl. But you’re not losing her…you’re gaining a son” She smiled at him. “You know…when I married of Tony Stark’s daughter he went through the same thing as you”

“Really?” She nodded and helped him up. 

“I know how it is between fathers and daughters. Until today you’ve always been her hero, her ideal man, her knight in shining armor…” His eyes filled up with tears. “But Mr. Bonnet…a girl may have many lovers and even a husband, or a wife or two, but she’ll only ever have one daddy”

Kate looked around the chapel from the top floor, she could see everything from there. The bride walking with her dad down the aisle, the groom crying, Kamala crying next to her, and two women looking up at her. She was used to that, people at weddings talking about her, the wedding planner of a century, or at least that’s what they usually say. That plus how wonderful her life must be. 

Kate spent that night cleaning her apartment, making every corner perfect. She got herself some pizza and sat on the couch with Lucky next to her. Her beautiful one-eye dog who loved pizza as much as her. She found him one rainy night alone in the streets and she couldn’t help but take it home with her. That was two years ago and now look how they were.

Her nights were usually like that, alone in her apartment with Lucky. Sometimes she’d go out with Kamala or other friends but usually that required a lot of convincing on their part. She’d like her routine to stay the same. After her parents die in a terrible accident, Clint and Laura, who were her parents’ best friends, adopted her and raised her with their three kids. She loves them deeply and found in them a new family. 

The next day she was meeting them in their usual place where they’d go and practice archery. It was a family thing and they had a club with close friends.

“Kate!” As always little Nate came running to her so she could pick him up. 

“Hey little man” She picked him up. “Wow, someone’s getting bigger huh?” He grinned at her.

“Oh yeah he is,” Lila said, smiling at Kate. “He is crushing me in the mornings when she jumps in my bed” Kate looked at Nate and then at Laila.

“Where’s Cooper?” Kate asked, looking around for the elder brother. “I thought he was coming today”

“He is with…” Lila put her hand on top of his brother's mouth and took him from Kate who looked to both of them with her eyebrow raised. 

“Dad sent him to fetch something, he’ll be right back, but mom’s here” Kate walked with them where she could see Clint and Laura talking with Steve, one of their friends.

“Hey guys! getting lazy over here? No one shooting or what?” She grinned and hugged Laura. 

“Oh honey, we were just talking. How are you? How was the wedding?” Laura, one of the sweetest people Kate has ever known. She loved her mom till this day, but Laura was without a doubt her second mom. 

“It was ok, the usual, daddy crying, bride freaking out…” Kate chuckled. “I can’t wait to see Clint crying when Lila gets married.”

“What are you talking about? Lila is too young…let her be” Clint said, chuckling. “Speaking of weddings and kids of mine” Kate heard Laura sighed and Steve stepped away. 

“What? Cooper is too young too” Kate said and looked at Laura’s apologetic face. “What’s going on?” 

“Kate, do you remember Peter?” Kate was getting more confused by the second. 

“Peter? Who’s Peter?” Laura put a hand on Kate’s shoulder.

“Yeah, Peter, the guy who used to be our neighbor, the one you played with in the garden at the old house” Kate frowned.

“You mean Peter Parker? the boy who used to eat mud and play with spiders?” She couldn’t help the disgust out of her face. She heard Lila and Nate chuckling behind her.

“Yeah, that’s the one. I ran into him the other day and he’s moving to the city and he is ready to settle down, get married and start a family…” Kate put both of her hands up.

“Wait, wait, hold up…what are you trying to say?” Laura sighed again…

“What I’m saying is that he remembers you with some fondness and he was willing to talk to you again…and…” Clint kept on, grinning.

“Oh wow Laura…a man…all to myself? How’s that possible? How can I be so lucky? Bring me to him at once!” She and the kids laughed hard and Laura tried to hide her chuckle.

“Oh, that’s the spirit kid, Cooper you can come in now” He screamed and Kate felt all the blood of her body leave her at once. Was this really happening? Clint couldn’t be serious. And then she saw Cooper coming in with a man who was not the little weird boy she remembered but a not so tall man, pretty handsome and with a confidence he did not have when he was a kid.

“Hi Katy…” He smiled at her. “Long time no see”

“I’ve gotta say all that mud did him good” Lila said from the back and Kate turned to glare at her.

“You look prettier than what I remember” He said confidently and Kate could only glare at Clint.

“Look kid, I know I can be a big pain in the neck but I just want you to have a good life” Kate looked at Clint and saw the pain in his eyes. She knew he cared…

“I know Clint…it’s ok I guess” She shrugged, she wasn’t going to die because of this.

“There’s one more thing…but you have to understand sometimes a father needs to take action and maybe the daughter won’t understand at first but..”

“Spit it out already…” Laura squished her shoulder a bit.

“I’ve found a man who wants to marry you” Kate was speechless and that was something that didn’t happen too often. 

“This is not ok Clint…I’ve told you” Laura said, frowning. 

“What’s wrong with it? I’ve let it happen her way but nothing…so I did it the other way and found her a really nice man” He looked at her and sighed. “Kid, I’m not getting any younger and I know your parents would have loved to see you get married”

“Dad…maybe she should be the one deciding that?” Cooper offered and smiled at his sister.

“If I get any say in this…Katy…I’ve been in love with you since we were kids…I even imagined how our lives could be…big house, children running” He said, sweetly.

“Eating mud…”Lila added in a low voice and Nate laughed.

“Look Peter…I can’t do this…I’m not marrying you” Kate said.

“How about you get to know me a bit better now huh?” He offered his hand to her. She looked at it weirdly but took it. “Hi, my name is Peter Parker, I love cats, I don’t eat mud anymore and it would be lovely if at the end I could get to marry someone as beautiful as you”

Kate had to give it to him…he’s changed but of course, that was something obvious. They played together when they were 10 years old. She looked at Clint and saw him grinning at them. She let go of Peter’s hand and left. She didn’t want to be rude but it was too much to take in.

Kate stopped on her way to her office and bought a magazine in one of the stands that were on her way. She couldn’t believe her eyes, there in the front page was Wanda Maximoff announcing her wedding. This was what she needed. She took her phone out and called.

Once inside the building her colleagues stopped her to ask her questions about their own weddings or even for a crossword puzzle solution. She chuckled and walked inside her boss’ office. She took her magazine and gave it to her.

“What is this?” Carol asked.

“Wanda Maximoff, her family started selling gourmet sausages out of their tiny, working class kitchen. Now, five years later and both parents gone, she is in charge of everything and they’re one of the biggest internet specialty food companies in America.” Kate grinned but Carol seemed unimpressed. Kate walked next to her and pointed to the word wedding. “She placed her wedding announcement in their society pages because she wants her money to be taken seriously”

One of her colleagues comes in with a woman whose skin looks like an orange. “Tanning cream..wedding is this weekend…”

“Quarter cup lemon juice, half cup salt and loofah sponge.” The woman said thank you and Kate smiled at them and her boss. “They see this wedding as their ticket into the club. They want to make it a social event, the party everyone talks about” They’re left alone once again. “I’ve already made contact, they’re coming to the Gibson wedding to see my work. I’m gonna nail this Carol. It’ll be our biggest hit”

Carol smiled at the magazine and looked back up at Kate. “And…”

“And…when I pull it off you’re making me your partner” Kate grinned.

“Partner? Are you high?” Kate chuckled. “I’ve built this from the ground Kate…this” She pointed around her. “is my baby. Do you want me to share my baby with you?”

“That baby didn’t have any food, until you hired me” Carol sent her a bad look but Kate only grinned. “I helped you raise this baby as you say so…”

“Kate…this is not a game” Kate put both of her hands up.

“I know it’s not, but I also don’t want to go and start my own company…” Carol looked scared for a second.

“You wouldn’t..” She got closer to Kate.

“I don’t want to…” Kate used her puppy eyes and Carol rolled her eyes.

“Ok…” Kate squealed and hugged Carol who chuckled. She went outside the office and there was Kamala eavesdropping.

“You’re gonna be a partner!!!” They chuckled and hugged each other.

“I gotta get the wedding first”

Cameron, the receptionist on the floor, got next to them and gave Kate a 20$ bill. “Here you have, the Masons' marriage lasted three months and two weeks. I don’t know how you do it” He chuckled and Kate grinned, taking the money.

“You’re cheating, I don’t know how but you are” Kamala said, rolling her eyes.

“ A thousand years was their wedding song…It’s just math” They walked together and suddenly Kate stopped walking and hid behind Kamala. 

“What are you doing?” Kamala said, trying to get out of her back.

“Shh, don’t move! Do you see that guy over there?” Kate said, pointing at Peter, who was sitting next to the elevator. 

“You mean that handsome fella?” Kamala nodded. “Yeah who’s that?”

“That’s…Peter…the guy Clint wants me to marry” Kate rolled her eyes and Kamala walked to the nearest door with her so they could hide. 

“What do you mean? When are we? Is Clint out of his mind?” 

“Look I don’t know…he doesn’t want me to be alone or some shit but I can’t deal with this right now…” Kate sighed. 

“I mean…It could be worse…” Kamala looked at Peter from afar. “Have you seen those arms?” Kate rolled her eyes. She couldn’t believe this woman was her best friend.

Kate was inside of a huge tent surrounded by cooks and waiters. She was at the Gibson’s wedding and the best man was about to give his speech. She got ready and turned on her mic.

“Now, repeat after me; May you have enough happiness to keep you sweet, enough trials to keep you strong, enough hope to keep you happy, enough perspective to keep you humble, enough success to keep you eager…” Kate said and the best man repeated every word without anyone noticing that she was indeed telling him the speech. 

“...enough friends to give you comfort, enough determination to make each day..a better day than yesterday.”The best man raised his glass and congratulated the couple as Kate grinned and turned off her mic.

“I cannot believe you just gave the best man his lines on a silver platter” Kate turned around and standing there was a woman who Kate recognised straight away. Wanda Maximoff grinned at her and offered her hand. “You must be Katherine Bishop, it’s really nice to meet you. I’m Wanda”

Kate took Wanda’s hand in hers and shook it. “Pleasure’s all mine”. They walked together near the reception of the wedding. Wanda looked around and checked the room.

“Where is she?” Wanda asked.

“Who?” Kate looked around as well.

“Bel, my fiancee, she should be here” Kate chuckled.

“Don’t worry, at most weddings there’s one person who’s involved, and the other one just nods at everything” Wanda chuckled and nodded.

“Yeah, that’s Bel alright” Wanda looked up and waved. “Look, her parents are there”

“Hello dear, we are Melina and Alexei, future in-laws of this sweet child here” Melina said, smiling. “You must be Katerina?”

“Kate it’s fine” She smiled and then showed them around the venue. She knew she had to bring her A game to get them hooked and hire her. Bel’s parents gave her some details they wanted for their daughter’s wedding such as Bel’s mom singing their dance song which Wanda said no and Kate agreed. 

“We haven’t hired her yet, Melina, so stop telling her what to do, please” Wanda looked at her and apologized but Kate just chuckled. 

Alexei got serious and looked at Kate. “So…Miss Bishop..Let’s get down to business..What do you see for our daughter’s wedding?”

“Well..on the top of my head…” She started smiling and speaking as she was telling a fairy tale. “Night, 620 Lofts and Gardens. White silk tents thin enough to see the stars…Candlelight, Wedgewood, exotic Waringin trees imported from Bali…” They were in a trance listening to her. “I’m thinking Gatsby . Not a period wedding, but the spirit of it. The time after WWI, when everyone had money, when everyone was trying to out-do everyone else, to have the best house, the best car, the best wedding…Your wedding can capture that. Your wedding can be what this country’s all about, fulfilling the American dream.” 

Kate was talking on the phone with one of the biggest smiles she could muster while she talked on the phone with Carol. “I did it Carol! I got the wedding” She kept walking without really paying attention. “They want it in three months…I know…a bit of a rush but I can make it…can you put Kamala on?”

She crossed the street without looking. “Guess what smartass?” Before she could keep talking, the heel of her shoe got stuck in a sewer. She tried to get herself out of it but it was impossible. She looked up and saw a taxi driving her way. She moved her foot faster but nothing. The taxi was getting closer and closer. She looked inside the taxi and saw the driver looking at his phone. “ Am I really going to die like this?” Kate thought. The driver looked up and seeing Kate there, he turned the wheel and crushed it into a garbage container. Before Kate could sigh in relief, the garbage container started heading towards her. 

“Kamala, can’t talk right now…I’m about to be run over by fucking garbage” she dropped her phone and tried to unfasten her shoe’s straps with shaking hands. “It’s not coming off…fu…got it” But before she could get up something barreled into her, hammering her to the sidewalk.

Kate looked up feeling a bit dizzy. There’s a blonde woman on top of her. A really strong woman Kate thought.

“Hey” She said, looking down at Kate.

“Hello” Kate replied. They were still lying on the sidewalk.

“How are you feeling?”

“Peachy, you?” Kate could feel herself getting dizzier.

“Not bad” The woman smiled and Kate lost all focus. “You experiencing any faintness? Nausea? Difficulty breathing?” The woman who was still on top of Kate, had her hands in her face and was looking at her eyes.

“Breathing’s a bit hard…but then again..you’re on top of me cutting off my air supply” The woman grinned down at her.

“Mental clarity is excellent. You do not appear to have a concussion”

“Thank you. Why are you still on top of me?” Kate frowned and the woman chuckled.

“Just trying to stay on top of the situation” She moved off of her. “It seems that the dumpster tried to kill you” She looked at her hand. “And it seems my thumb is broken, дрисня” (Shit)

Kate looked back and saw the smash container into a mailbox and then it clicked.

“You…you saved my life” She said, surprised.

“It was a pleasure. Maybe one day you can save mine” The woman grinned again. Kate could tell that the woman was indeed beautiful and the accent…well…nevermind.

They got up but Kate lost her balance and the woman caught her just in time and picked her up bridal style. “Hey hey…I got you” Kate buried her face into the woman’s neck.

“mmm…you smell like sweet cinnamon rolls and mac and cheese..” Kate didn’t even know she said it out loud. 

The woman looked weirdly at her but chuckled. “Yeah, I get that a lot”

Kate passed out in the woman’s arms.