"Does that matter? I know he likes lace."
"Uh, yes, but are you going to be upset if you spend over $100 on some underwear that he's going to rip off your body?"
Kat laughed.
"Marc? Rip it off? Think he's had enough experience with the claps now that he's not going to get that frustrated. Oooh, real stockings!"
Kat grabbed a pair of thigh-high stockings with a lace top, and stretched them out.
"I am definitely getting these!"
"Then you'll need underwear with the joiny bits," Jade replied. "There's that teddy in the front window."
"Mmm, maybe... but he bought me one of those, remember?"
"Well, at least you know he likes it."
"I want something different on our wedding night. Besides, I bought him one of those for the handfast night."
"I'm sure you only did that to get two nights of great sex."
Kat laughed again, and held up the nearest teddy with suspenders.
"And if you think I'm buying this, you're very much mistaken!"
Jade laughed, because the teddy had two conveniently placed holes.
"Is it crotch-less too?" she teased, as Kat placed it back on the rack.
"Gods forbid! This is nice."
Kat held up a simple white cotton suspender-belt, with embroidered flowers.
"Yes, cute. White though?"
"White, black, either or, really. They have both."
Kat produced the black version.
"Yes, black. And black underwear too."
"The lacy ones?"
"So long as you're not worried if he rips it."
"There's those french knickers type ones over there."
"They're cute too."
"You're not really helping."
"Try it on."
"Ah, but I'd need a male's opinion," called Kat as she disappeared into the changing room.

***

Michael gave up on mopping up his drink, and got out of the car. A couple of minutes in the sun dried the embarrassing damp patch on his pants, and he drifted towards the lingerie shop, and entered before he realised what he was doing. He could hear Kat's voice to his right, and moved slowly through the racks of bras.
"Hair up, or down?"
"He likes it down?"
"Yes, but if I do it like this... with my pin? Then he can take it out himself."
Michael spotted Kat standing in front of a mirror, wearing a lace bra and underwear, a cotton suspender belt and thigh-high stockings, using her hands to hold up her hair on top of her head. As he watched, she let go, and her hair swung down in a golden wave. Michael gripped the nearest object, which happened to be a red lace bra and underwear set.
"Yes, he'd like that. Going to wear shoes?"
"Heels, you think? I don't know."
Kat slipped one foot into the provided shoes, and bent over to right the other. Michael gasped and stared, his hands mechanically stroking the bra in his hands. He wanted her. He could take her now. He had a knife in his car. He could get it, kill Jade, and take Kat. The thought of plunging the knife into Jade's stomach excited him as much as the thought of what he'd do to Kat once he had hold of her.
"I don't think heels. I think just the stockings."
Kat turned around to look at the back of her legs with the heels on.
"Though they do make my legs look nicer!"
Michael stared at her cleavage, the slightly darker hint of nipples through the lace, the pale skin of her stomach and...
His view was interrupted as a man stepped in front of him.
"Stop right there, Michael," said Mr. Mori.
Unconsciously, Michael had moved forward, and now there was less than 10 metres between him and Kat. He could take her easily, he thought.
"Get out of my way," Michael hissed. "She is mine."
"You will stick to the plan. Stop thinking between your legs and start using your brain. You cannot take her now."
Michael glared at Mr. Mori.
"You will have her soon," he soothed. "Just a little while longer. Look, you have forgotten your knife in all this excitement."
Mr. Mori's cold voice chilled Michael, and being unable to see Kat through Mr. Mori's chest meant his passion cooled as reason returned.
"Soon," Mori promised, and Michael nodded, turned on his heel and marched out of the shop. Michael got in his car, and locked the door. As he sat there, staring at the steering wheel, he realised he still clutched the red bra and underwear. He picked up the knife and stroked the blade with his fingertips, picturing Kat leaning over, righting the shoe.
"Soon," he whispered to himself, then started the car, jammed it in gear, and headed home.

In the shop, Jade frowned as she looked towards the door. There had been a man, she thought, who looked vaguely familiar looking at bras over there, who had just left. The vaguely familiar part was troubling her. Kat emerged from the change room, happy with her selection, and as they moved to the counter, Jade forgot about him.
"Are you going to get anything?" Kat asked.
Jade shook her head.
"No. I'm going to wait until I don't look like I've just had a baby, and my boobs return to normal size."
Kat laughed and handed over a card to pay for her purchases.
"Fair enough. How about a coffee then?"
"Sounds good to me."
Kat thanked the shop assistant, collected her purchases and card, and the twins left the store.

***

Jade arrived home to find a note from Darryl on the bench, saying that he'd had to go into work, and the kids were at her parent's place. Jade called Lucia, who assured Jade that she wasn't doing anything, and was enjoying playing with her grandchildren, and that Jade should feel free to take her time before coming to collect her offspring.

After hanging up the phone, Jade made herself a cup of tea, and wandered in to look at her creations. The fixative had set, and Jade carefully manipulated the two wooden frames, and placed Kat's picture squarely within the first frame. Then she did the same for the other, and placed them side by side on two easels. Kat's picture had been easy, after inspiration had struck, and Jade knew Marc would love it. Marc's picture had come to her late one evening, and she'd climbed out of bed and sat on the floor leafing through photo albums until she found it. It had been taken at their 20th birthday party, and was a candid shot. Marc was standing slightly apart from a group of people, looking at Kat's back. Darryl had described his expression as "absolute worship". Jade was pleased with the way the pictures had turned out, and with the different angles of the pictures, if Kat was hung to the right of Marc, it would look like they were staring at each other. Jade carefully wrote notes in the cards, signing them "Greatest love, from Jade, Darryl, James and Jessica". Jade smiled. She had just noticed how many J-names there were in her little family. She carried the pictures into the bedroom, so that Darryl could see the finished product before she wrapped them, then returned to place her empty cup on the sink, and left to collect her children.

***

Kat sat at the kitchen table, dressed for comfort, the sun warming her bare back. In front of her was several pieces of paper, all lists to do with the wedding, with her latest final list in front of her. She nibbled on the end of her pen as she crossed things off the other list. Her reception outfit and wedding night outfits were hidden in the wardrobe of the spare room, carefully packed into garment bags so Lucia could easily pick it up and take it to the reception hall as promised. The honeymoon outfits were also neatly folded, though not packed. Kat carefully wrote "Pack for Honeymoon" on her list.

Her dress was organised, and hanging on the back of the spare bedroom door, and Marc's tux was on the back of their bedroom door. The bridesmaid dresses were all finished and hanging in the spare bedroom wardrobe. The flowers were organised, and would be delivered on the morning of the wedding. There was also two huge bunches of "Thank you" flowers to be delivered - to Marc's parents, and to her own parents. They would be delivered the day after the wedding. The caterers had been spoken to, the food was organised, and they would be using the kitchen at the reception hall. They'd used it before, so they knew what was there, which was good. The music was organised. The final RSVP had come in, and Kat had let the reception hall know the final numbers, and the white tablecloths would be delivered tomorrow, and the Master of Ceremonies had promised to call once they'd been delivered. The cars had been organised, they'd be picking up the wedding party from Kat and Marc's. The cake would be delivered about the same time as the flowers. The jeweller had called that morning whilst she'd been out to say the rings were ready to be picked up, and she and Marc were going to go and collect them when he got home from work. Kat glanced at the clock, and noted that he would be arriving soon. None the less, she wrote "Pick up rings" on her list. Followed by "Finalise seating arrangements".
They had the marriage license carefully filed away in the study, and Kat paused as she considered the "Thank you" presents, and groom's gift.

For Marc, she had crafted a heavy leather-bound book, with pewter hand tooling on the edges and clasp, and a small design in the centre. The book was filled with heavy, good quality parchment, and she'd purchased a quill and old-fashioned ink bottle. That was carefully hidden at her friend KatE's house. Kat was not willing to run the risk of Marc finding that! For the brides-maids, Kat had ordered matching necklaces, with differing stones. The necklaces themselves were quite simple, gold chains with a small gold heart pendent, and a small stone against one side towards the bottom of he heart. Kat had selected a ruby for KatE, an emerald for Jade, and a sapphire for Marc's sister, Jackie. Marc had organised gold cufflinks for his three best men, with chips of the same stones in one corner. His brother, Steven, was getting sapphires, his friend Ian was getting the ruby chips and his friend Darren was getting the emerald chips. Marc and Kat were also getting cufflinks and a necklace made for themselves, with tiny diamonds. Kat was hoping that they would all wear them on the wedding day.

Kat wrote "Fax seating to Poet's Lane" and "Pick up and Wrap Presents" on her list, followed by "Write Thank-you cards". Then she turned to a new page, titled it "Thank you Cards", and started writing: "Sylvia and Stan, Lucia and Erick, Jade, KatE, Jackie, Steven, Darren, Ian..." She stopped writing as the front door opened. She gathered the lists that were no longer relevant and placed them on the recycling pile, tucking her "to do" and "Thank you" list into her diary.
"Love?" called Marc.
"Kitchen!" Kat replied, quickly tidying things away.
Marc entered as Kat slipped a light cardigan over her bare shoulders.
"Hey, baby," he said softly, leaning down to kiss her.
"Mmm... hello, love."
"Ready to go?" he asked.
"Yes," Kat replied. "Just need to put shoes on. Lock up?"
"Sure."
Marc and Kat met at the font door a minute later, and left to go to the jeweller. A moment after Marc's car topped the hill, Michael pulled out, and followed them.

***

"So, are we organised?" Marc asked.
"Mostly," Kat replied with a smile. "We have to pick up the rings and presents tonight. I need you to glance over the seating arrangements with me, and then fax that off to the reception hall... And then we have to wrap the presents and write the "thank you" cards."
"The place cards are done?"
"Yes, we got those done with the invitations, remember?"
"Oh yeah... What are we going to do with the place cards of the people who aren't coming?"
"Send them to them, with a "we're sorry you couldn't make it" note?"
Marc chuckled.
"Maybe, love."
They drove in silence for a while, until Kat smiled at him.
"I love you."
Marc smiled back.
"Only 10 days, tarrishagh."
"I know. Little scary, huh?"
"A bit. But as far as I am concerned, we are already married. This is only the legalities."
Kat reached over and covered his hand with her own.
"Saturday week you will be mine," Marc continued as he pulled up near the jeweller. "And nobody will be able to say otherwise."
"I'm already yours, baby. Nobody would dare say otherwise now."
Marc smiled, and leaned across to kiss her softly.
"Come on then, Mrs Bradshaw. Let's go and collect your slavery ring. Soon you will be cooking, cleaning, and ironing my shirts!"
Kat laughed, and swung her legs out of the car.
"If you want to eat your shirts, love, that's up to you!"
Marc locked the car, and the two entered the jeweller's together.

"Are they satisfactory?" the jeweller asked, displaying the 6 identical gift boxes. Kat beamed.
"They are perfect. Exactly what I imagined."
"These two here are your copies," he added, opening the boxes to Kat's necklace, and Marc's cufflinks.
Marc leaned over to examine them in more detail.
"And here are your wedding rings."
Kat glanced at the two golden rings, resting on a bed on dark velvet, and smiled.
"We'll also want two gold chains," she said. "I want mine about this long," she held apart her hands, "but you'll have to ask Marc how long he wants his."
"The same length as yours is fine, love."
The jeweller nodded, and reached for a board of fine chains, producing two identical golden chains.
"Are these suitable?"
"Perfect."
"They are yours, at no extra cost."
"Oh... Thank you!"
"Consider it a wedding gift. It is next week, is it not?"
"Yes - Saturday week."
"I wish you all the best."
"Thank you."
"Do you have somewhere safe to keep these until then? I can keep them in my safe for you, if you wish."
"No, that's fine. We have somewhere secure."
The jeweller nodded and glanced at Marc, who nodded that he had finished looking, and then started closing the cases. Kat picked up Marc's wedding ring, and carefully slid it onto one of the chains, fastening it around her neck. Marc's ring nestled safely between her breasts. Marc followed suit, and soon Kat's wedding ring was hanging around his neck. The jeweller smiled, and closed the now-empty box, and placed it in the bag with the other boxes. Marc followed him towards the back of the shop, while Kat looked at the display case.

After paying, and thanking the jeweller again for his fine work, Marc turned and glanced at the window. Standing in the window, looking at Kat, was a dark figure. Marc shuddered involuntarily, and started towards Kat. The figure moved on, and was gone by the time he reached Kat.
"Did you see who was in the window?" Marc asked.
"No?" Kat asked, curiously. "Why, was it someone you knew?"
"No," Marc replied. "He just seemed to be looking at you."
Kat laughed.
"I'm standing behind a diamond display, love. I have no doubt as to what they were looking at!"
Marc shook off his worry.
"You're probably right, love. Let's get something to make for dinner, a bottle of wine, and some nice pens to start writing these thank you cards!"
"Sounds good to me, baby," laughed Kat, pausing for a kiss. She called goodbye to the jeweller, who wished them both all the best for their wedding day again, and as they left the shop, Kat chuckled.
"What?"
"We have another thank you to write now!"
Marc laughed, the sunlight and Kat's smile banishing the last of his worry.
"Well, as we both know what my writing is like...."
Kat laughed, and they climbed into the car. A few minutes after they'd left the jeweller's, Michael climbed into his car and headed home for something to eat before his evening's observation of Kat and Marc's house.