#outofhatboxes

[theheadlessgroom]

Tumblr is a place to express yourself, discover yourself, and bond over the stuff you love. It's where your interests connect you with your

@beatingheart-bride

"I am," Susannah confessed, feeling a touch embarrassed to say so: What was there to be so anxious about? She'd heard so much about the Reverend growing up that it felt as though she already knew him, shouldn't that make her less nervous, to meet a man she already felt like she'd met before?

Perhaps it had something to do with her parents, particularly her mother...she had so few memories of her, considering how early in her life Wilhelmina Pace had died, and any stories she heard about her second-hand were so often cruel, if they didn't come from her father. Perhaps she was anxious to hear someone have something nice to say about her for a change, from someone other than August Pace.

Or...perhaps she was nervous about hearing these stories would make her feel. Perhaps she was nervous about her heart aching when she heard these fond stories, about it dredging up those painful memories of her father, and breaking down crying-something Susannah hated to do in front of others. Perhaps it was all of these things, or none of them, and she just hadn't landed on the answer yet.

Sans her fears of crying in front of him and the Reverend, Susannah expressed these concerns aloud to Philippe as they walked, capping it off with, "I'm...I'm excited to meet him, don't get me wrong, I just...can't help but feel anxious. I've had butterflies in my stomach all day..."

[theheadlessgroom]

Philippe's own heart began to pick up speed as he watched Susannah sit up in bed, her eyes wide with anticipation: it was clear from her rea

@beatingheart-bride

"Oh!"

Hot, joyous tears sprouted from Susannah's eyes as soon as the question left Philippe's lips, a shaky smile crossing her lips as she put a hand to her mouth: Again, despite knowing exactly what he was about to ask of her, she still couldn't help but be surprised.

"Oh, Philippe..." she murmured, eyes glistening still as she lowered her hand to rest on her pounding heart, wondering if it was as deafening for him to hear as it was for her, hearing it thrumming and drumming in her ears. "Before I met you, I...I never thought about the future. I felt like...I had no future, other than working at Mickey's. That my life would always be so...boring, so empty.

But you...you changed that! You came into my life, and brought so much light and energy back into it, and you've...you've made me the happiest woman in all of New Orleans! And to be your wife...that would make the happiest woman in all the world."

She punctuated this declaration by throwing her arms around his shoulder and embracing him in an excited kiss, pale cheeks red as roses as she concluded, "Y-Yes, I-I'll marry you!"

[theheadlessgroom]

Tumblr is a place to express yourself, discover yourself, and bond over the stuff you love. It's where your interests connect you with your

@nola-schuyler

"Oh!"

Well, that wasn't the response he'd been expecting, but Randall's smile didn't at all waver as he instead gave Nola's hand another squeeze, another small gesture of comfort, to assure her that she could tell him anything and everything. She needn't fear anything from him...which was a touch ironic, given what he did for a living, but still...

"Well...who's the lucky lady then?" he chose to ask with a little chuckle, as he leaned over to grab the nearest thing she could sit on (in this case, an old footstool) and invite her to take a seat beside him, as he wondered who this mystery sweetheart was that had so caught Nola's eye.

[theheadlessgroom]

"Well...the way I see it, that's bound to change," Philippe replied as he put down his silverware to once again grasp Susannah's hand, givin

@beatingheart-bride

"Mickey's the hardest headed man I've ever met," Susannah snorted as she took a bite of sausage link. "No matter how many mistakes he makes, he never learns-I've seen that for myself."

Mickey often insisted he knew best, and seldom if ever was willing to hear otherwise...even when he'd been proven wrong time and time again. It was almost sort of impressive, really, his dedication to his stubbornness: It would be a quality Susannah and her father would've admired (after all, to be a Pace was to be stubborn), if Mickey wasn't such an ass.

"Pa used to think that was why he's never split up from his wife, who makes him miserable," she continued. "Doesn't matter how much he complains about her to anyone who'll listen, doesn't matter how much they argue and spat and yell, he won't divorce her, even though that marriage bed has long since grown cold."

Her father had met both his daughter's employer and said employer's wife, and didn't care much for either. He used to say, "Your mother wasn't perfect. She had her vices, and I won't lie and say it didn't put a strain on our marriage. But she loved me, and she loved you, and she wasn't at all a bad person just because of her addiction. But those two...they deserve each other, honestly."

"The day he learns from my leaving is the day he'll leave Min," she huffed, as she took another bite: She wished she could say that, one day, she'd buck up the courage to make a big show of her departure before they left to California, and that Mickey would get on his knees, apologizing profusely, begging her to stay, to make some sort of amends with all he'd done, but the chances of that were what they'd call "slim to none". He was just too stubborn, too proud, too foolish for that...

(A shame...she'd have liked to hear that apology.)

[theheadlessgroom]

"I told them that we were going on a short vacation," Philippe shrugged, "I told them that we were going to visit Mississippi. They assumed

@beatingheart-bride

"Oh...!"

Susannah supposed that made the most sense...it was the easiest, most believable fib he could give to his parents, especially considering how enamored they were with the idea of their boy finally settling down. She was sure they'd have all sorts of questions about her "family" and the time he spent with them when he returned, but she had faith he'd be able to come up with a good cover story for the both of them.

"I...I do wish you were meeting my family," she found herself saying aloud before she could stop herself, as she continued to gaze out the window: She didn't have much of it, granted, but she still wished he could've met them nonetheless, particularly her father's side of the family.

"I...I wish you could've met my father," she lamented quietly, as the familiar New Orleans surroundings began to fade away as the sun continued its ascent into the sky. "He...he would've loved you, I think...he'd have admired your...compassion, your good heart, your grace...I think you two would've gotten along very well.

I'm sure my ma would've liked you too...I-I don't remember her much, but...I imagine she woulda liked you a lot. She probably woulda welcomed you into the family with open arms."

[theheadlessgroom]

Philippe felt his heart skip a beat as the door creaked open, and he was met with the sight of Susannah standing in the entryway, smiling at

@beatingheart-bride

I am?

These two words, this simple little question, very nearly came out of Susannah's mouth before she stopped herself, reminding herself of Philippe's sincere nature. This was a man who would never lie to her, least of all about her appearance, and so she allowed herself to be flattered in that moment, cheeks turning a soft pink as she replied, "Th-Thank you, Philippe. You..y-you look v-very handsome!"

Not about to let him linger out on her front porch all night, she was quick to sweep him inside and into her little kitchen, where she had everything laid out, ready and waiting for them. She was also pleasantly surprised by the strawberry-creme bonbons he'd procured for them; they would make a wonderful dessert to cap off tonight's dinner.

"I-I...I have something for you too!"

Before they sat down to their meal (she would've liked to have just dug in, but perhaps giving him this gift would mitigate some of the butterflies in her stomach and let her actually enjoy dinner), Susannah hustled out of the room, only to then return with a small box-not ornately wrapped or even particularly eye-catching...unlike what was inside.

It was a hand-knitted sweater, made in a beautiful sky-blue yarn, laced with delicate honeycomb and blackberry patterns, very similar to the one Wilhelmina Pace knitted for her future husband many years ago (the only difference being was that the one she made was a soft buttercup yellow; Susannah had it tucked away in the cedar chest upstairs, along with many other heirlooms). It would be plenty warm to wear, once the cold snap eventually settled in.

"I-It's an Aran sweater," she explained shyly, her heart pounding in her chest as she watched him open it, on pins and needles, waiting for his reaction, wondering nervously all the while: Will he like it?

[theheadlessgroom]

Immediately, Philippe perked up at the mention of a bal de masque. He supposed he shouldn't have been too taken aback, given the Graceys' (e

@beatingheart-bride

"Who, me? Moi?" Doreen asked faux-innocently, pressing a hand to her chest as she dropped her jaw in mock surprise, as though she were shocked, absolutely shocked that Philippe would accuse her of such a thing, before flashing them a playful grin. "What would ever give you that idea?"

"Oh, no reason," Susannah smiled, to which Doreen giggled (oh, her friends knew her so well!), but while she continued to elaborate on her scheming to Philippe, Susannah herself found herself staring out the window, lost in thought. The wheels in her mind were already beginning to turn, her heart was beginning to race, and a little smile was dancing on her lips all the while.

How wonderful it all sounded...to return to Gracey Manor for one of Doreen's lavish, wonderful parties, and in the company of her dear friends, no less! It'd be wonderful to see Edward and Belle again, to see the mansion again, all under the cover of a mask...for once, she wouldn't have to be Susannah Pace, lowly seamstress, but could instead be a beautiful, anonymous maiden...

And that maiden would need a dress.

Trembling wore three different dresses to church, Susannah would only need one...she made a note to herself to go back to her mother's book of fables, and look to those very dresses for inspiration. This would be her magnum opus thus far, her most impressive piece of work to date: A gown fit for a fairy tale maiden.

And if she could dance with her prince in such a gown, oh...her heart ached at the thought, and she wondered to herself if, between now and when the ball actually happened, if she and Philippe would be like Edward and Doreen, secretly courting under the noses of everyone. She dared dream they would be...

[theheadlessgroom]

How serendipitous it was to hear that their friends were also hearing wedding bells, and that both couples had gotten engaged at the exact s

@beatingheart-bride

"We are," Doreen replied with a smile, as she began to cut into her catfish. "We briefly considered Florida, I toyed with the notion of us moving into my family's summer home there, but...I just don't think it would work out, us moving there. I'll miss it, and I'll miss my home here in New Orleans, but I think it'll be a fresh start for both of us, we're looking forward to it."

"Have you told anyone else about your engagement?" Susannah asked, as Edward nodded, "My father knows, and Belle knows. Of course we would want both of them at the wedding, but I get the feeling they'd like to do more than that..."

"We're thinking they both may try to follow us out to California," Doreen elaborated. "We don't object to the idea, of course, it's just...surprising, I suppose!

I quite love the idea...Mr. Henshaw has always been so kind to me, and Belle, well...she's more of a mother to me than my own, and so to have them both by our side as we start this new chapter in our lives...it means the world to us."

A softness had crossed Doreen's face upon saying this, and Susannah couldn't help but smile softly, her eyes beginning to glisten a little as she wrung the skirts of her dress, saying, "W-Well...I think it's going to be a-a very packed carriage then, because, w-well..."

At this, Edward's eyes widened, the beginnings of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he looked from Susannah to Philippe, asking, "Are you...thinking of moving to California too?"