Chasing Mr. Carlton ( The story of a Shrew's Son)

4

"Bea. Remember you said you would behave tonight?" Matt said as he poked his head into the room. She was sitting at a small table, dressed for bed with a... Pikachu mask? She turned to face him and he stared, unable to see her expression.

"Beatrice, take that off and look at me." He said and she sighed dramatically, pulling the mask off her head and revealing herself. "Good girl. Janie?"

A bright and bubbly 20 year old popped out from behind the bed, where she was now holding a matching mask.

"Yes?" Janie asked with a smile, setting the mask down on the bed and standing.

"You know the drill. Numbers downstairs... order in whatever you like... bed by 8." Matt said, looking at Beatrice as he spoke. Janie had been sitting for them for a while now but he knew his daughter, knew she was particularly good at negotiating with her baby sitters.

"Yes, Mr. Carlton." Janie said, walking with the mask now towards Beatrice.

"We won't be back too late." He said as he watched them.

"No worries, I love hanging out with Bea." Janie replied.

"We're still on for tomorrow, right?" He asked.

"Yes and I have my friend, Cam, coming with me like you asked. No problem." Janie replied. Matt smile and nodded. He and Bobby had hired Janie and her friend to help with the younger kids at the reception. The Carlton family had quite a few little ones running around so they'd thought it might be helpful. Tonight, however; was the rehearsal dinner and no one was taking any children along.

"Thank you." He said, turning and walking back down the hall toward his and Bobby's room.

"I still don't understand this whole rehearsal dinner thing." Bobby said from inside the closet. "Like we need to practice eating dinner?"

"It's a chance for our families to get to know each other before the wedding." Matt said, walking up to the mirror and taking his shirt from where he hung it.

"Matt- I don't have family coming. It's all your family... all Carltons... even my little sister is a Carlton." Bobby said. He chuckled.

"My family is your family and let me warn you, in case you hadn't noticed, they like to do things big." Matt said.

"This feels like a rich people thing." Bobby said with a frown.

"Face it, Babe, you're one of us now." He replied.

"Right." She muttered sarcastically, stepping out of the closet and holding her hair up. "Mind getting my zipper?"

"Yeah, sure..." He said, turning and then stopping. He stared at Bobby, mouth wide open.

"What?" She asked with a frown, glancing in the mirror. "Oh, I know. Your sister picked the dress and I swear, she overdoes it."

Matt stared at Bobby as she adjusted the sash around her tiny little waist above the skirt that fell slim to the floor. She held her hair up and out of the way now, waiting for him to zip her up... and he did but he couldn't stop staring.

"So, what do you think?" She said, letting her hair fall down around her shoulders. She'd done nothing to it but brush out the pretty waves until they shone but what caught his attention was how big her eyes were without the glasses covering them up. He'd seen those pretty eyes often enough but it was rare he saw them like this.

"I...You..." He began to mutter, looking for words. What could he possibly say?

"You think it's dumb?" She said, shaking her head. "Lord knows what you'll think when you see me in that dress tomorrow."