Baby Just Say Yes

"Mom, seriously. I'm not wearing that dress." Rayleigh said to her mom a few days later while sitting at the Haner household's kitchen table with her mother, Suzie, and too many wedding magazines, pictures, brochures, and business cards to count. Feeling a headache coming on, she put her hands on her head and sighed tiredly.

"It's an exclusive Calvin Klein, dear. There were only five ever made." Her mother argued quietly. "And it would look just spectacular with your body."

"I'm not wearing a white dress." Rayleigh said absolutely. "That's final."

"But, Rayleigh, sweetheart. It's a tradition to wear white." Her mother said.

"I have to agree." Suzie nodded. "Not that I'm saying you have to wear a white dress, of course."

"I've already picked the dress." Rayleigh announced. "And I'm not changing my mind."

"But--"

"Ah, Ms. C. Don't be such a downer on my future bride-to-be." Brian said, walking into the room. Immediately both Suzie and Abby put their arms protectively over the wedding stuff in the middle of the table.

"Brian Elwin Haner, Jr! You are not supposed to see the wedding arrangements!" His mother said sternly. Rayleigh laughed.

"Suzie, it's fine. He's part of it too, and that means he has to help plan it." Rayleigh said with a malicious giggle. Brian looked at her, horror written on his face.

"B-But I th-thought th-the bride always handled all that stuff!" He argued.

"Well, in my world, both the bride and the groom split the work evenly." She argued sensibly. Brian's eyes widened, and he left the kitchen abruptly.

"I never saw anything. I never saw anything!" He insisted as he left behind three laughing women. Papa Gates walked by, stuck his head into the kitchen, looked first from his wife to his son, then shook his head as he walked towards the couch and turned the station to Comedy Central.

"Now, where were we?" Abby asked chipperly.

"I was just saying that most of the arrangements have already been made. I waste no time, mother. After all, the wedding is only in a month and a half."

"But why that soon, honey? I know you like to get things done in a timely matter, but a wedding is nothing to rush." Suzie said. Then she lowered her voice. "Besides, you'll want to enjoy your last few weeks of singleness."

Rayleigh's eyes widened, and Suzie smiled at her knowingly. "I was just joking, dear. I know both you and Brian love each other, and that you'd never do anything to hurt the other...well...not anymore. But before the wedding, your mother and I were planning on--"

"Suzie! We can't tell her! It wouldn't be a surprise!" Her mother chided Suzie, who looked at the table guiltily. Rayleigh gave her mother a pleading look, one that not many people could ignore, and her mother sighed. "Fine. Go ahead and tell her."

Suzie clapped happily. "We've decided that for your bachelorette party in a couple of weeks, we're flying you down to Vegas and we're going to Thunder Down Under."

Rayleigh's eyes widened. "Are you serious?! You guys are--are out of your minds! Brian will never fly for that!"

Suzie got a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Tell me, Rayleigh. Does he go to strip clubs on a regular basis?"

"Well, yeah, but--"

"And tell me, Rayleigh. Does he ever ask for your permission?" She continued, cutting her future daughter-in-law off.

"No, but that doesn't mean--"

"Then it's final. We're taking you down to Thunder Down Under. That's final." Suzie said with a nod of her head. Rayleigh knew she wouldn't win this arguement.

"Now that that's out of the way, we have to figure out who's going to be involved in the wedding."

"Papa Gates and Adam are both walking me down the aisle." Rayleigh spoke. "I've asked them both, and they both want to."

"Alright, I guess that's okay." Her mother agreed.

"And I want to ask McKenna to be my Maid of Honor." Rayleigh continued. Her mother and Suzie brimmed.

"You've pretty much got it figured out, don't you?" Her mother asked. Rayleigh nodded.

"Yeah. I want Val, Lacey, and Gena to be my bridesmaids, and I think Britney should be the flower girl, since she loves flowers." Rayleigh continued. Britney was Adam's daughter out of wedlock, and she hardly ever saw her, though the two of them were pretty close.

"So who's going to be the ring bearer?" Suzie asked. Rayleigh smiled.

"I think we should ask Johnny, since he's so short, but that might be mean." She laughed.

"I heard that!" He called from the living room. They all burst into laughter.

"No, seriously, though. Who?" Her mother asked.

"I think I'm going to ask Brian's cousin Alex to be the ringbearer." Rayleigh told them. They nodded.

"He'll absolutely love it!" Suzie said. "I can hardly wait to ask him!"

"Then all that's left is to figure out Brian's Best Man and his groomsmen." Suzie said.
"I'm leaving that to Brian, though I'm pretty sure who he's going to pick." Rayleigh said.
"And have we decided where the ceremony will be?" Her mother asked. "How about a caterer? A florist? Hair dressers and makeup? Oh, dear. There's so much to do and so little time!"

"Chillax, Mom. We'll figure it out. We still have time." Rayleigh said with a smile.