Found Along The Way

Chapter thirty-four

"After we book this place, we're holding back on the planning for a little while, and working on your stress. It's too much at once."

Since Lucas promised these words to Anya in January, they did exactly that for the next month, giving Anya the time to focus and get her artwork back to her usual excellence. Now, in February, they were in a good place to continue their planning, of course being extra careful with Anya and her worrying.

"This is the store of my dreams..." Anya squealed, walking into the pink and white boutique, surrounded by all shapes and sizes of wedding dresses, which she was ecstatic to try on, finally having gotten rid of the orthopaedic boot she'd been stuck with. She'd chosen Lina and Caleb to come choose a dress with her, the two friends with the most style in her opinion.

"It's the store of MY dreams! I might just end up wearing something from this to your wedding too." Caleb joked, still earning a look of 'don't you dare.' from Anya.

"Back off boy, nobody else is allowed to wear anything even remotely white to my wedding."

"So I have to throw out my veil?" He pouted sarcastically, Anya shaking her head in response, with a false murderous look on her face.

Caleb was much like Lina before the days of parenthood, a partier. He was enthusiastic, extroverted, and a loud soul, much to his parents' disappointment. They'd raised him in a very studious household, a long line of doctors and surgeons, they were academics... and Caleb was not.

He may have been getting good grades in all the subjects they wanted him to, but he hated them. He wanted to paint, to be covered in glitter and colour, straying as far from the greys of his family as he could, and he was gay. He loved his family, he truly did, but they had other plans for him and he had to choose between his happiness and the satisfaction of his family. They denied who he was, trying to make him push away how he felt just so he'd be as one-coloured as everyone else in the family.

He loved his mother the most, Daiyu Zhao, she'd been hesitant to accept Caleb for who he was, but she loved him dearly. He left his family at twenty-two, and they'd cut all ties with him out of shame for their reputation, but his mother texted him in secret even though they couldn't see each-other. The texts weren't common, and she had to be incredibly careful so her husband wouldn't notice they were still in touch. Daiyu was old, she'd had her share of unfairness throughout her life and as strange as it was to see her son living such an unconventional one, she didn't ever want to be a stranger to him.

In the bridal shop, with Lina and Anya, as a young and excited art student, he was happy. Happy with a hint of grief, but it was better than the prison of his old life.

Anya looked around slightly bewildered, she had no idea where to start and was admittedly not even listening to the sweet old lady who was giving her guidance. Anya was easily distracted by anything beautiful, and this store was the most beautiful one she'd been in.

"Anya!" Lina elbowed her lightly, with a giggle so she didn't seem too hostile in such a sophisticated place.

"Sorry," She said, snapping back into the present, "Where do I begin looking?"

"Well it depends on budget darling, I'd say you should start of this rack." The lady lead them over to a rack of elegant, princess like wedding dresses. A couple of them had poufy, ballgown like skirts, a few of them were slim fitting, all of them of a cream or white colour. There was one in particular, sleeves off the shoulder, dainty gems lining them, a long, flowy skirt that was embroidered and glittered with swirls and flowers. Anya could have fallen in love. She picked it off of the rack and held it up to her friends who's faces were just as ecstatic as hers.