A New Dawn

I sat at the breakfast table, alone, as usual. Sam was off somewhere dealing with government affairs I’m sure, he never let me get too involved in those things for fear of my opinion would completely contradict his. The cooks have prepared quite a spread this morning; wheat pancakes, spinach mushroom egg white omelets, hash browns, and hot biscuits with strawberry jam. My assistant Myra brought the daily batch of fan mail from the citizens of Great California, believe it or not this was a daily thing for both Sam and I, but I received a lot more mail than he did, being as I would actually respond to mine. Sam entered quickly and kissed me briskly.
“I apologize for my lateness.” He said taking a seat next to me at the head of the table. One of the cooks brought out a plate of bacon and sausage for Sam considering I didn’t eat meat. “Thank you.” He said with a smile. Ezra, one of Sam’s most trusted guards waited a few steps away from the table, respectful and quiet.
“Good Morning Ezra, come have a seat, have some breakfast.” I said gesturing for him to sit down.
“Thank you but no ma’am, I ate well this morning before work.” He said, always so formal and I hated it. I turned to a laughing Samuel, with his bright green eyes, and flashing wide smile. “How is that you grow even more beautiful with age.” I said. He tilted his head sideways, grabbed my hand and kissed it lightly.
“Come here.” He said, tugging my arm slightly. I stood, the silk robe I was wearing falling over my knees, and sat on Sam’s lap. He kissed my cheek, down to my neck, and then my chest, ever so lightly. I closed my eyes, disappearing the view that sat just outside the window before us, because nothing was more special than this. He inhaled deeply, his face buried in to my chest and ruffled my hands throughout his sandy brown hair. “Your still the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.” He said leaning back and placing his hand on my cheek.
“You’re so full of shit.” I said. He let out a loud laugh and even Ezra who was still standing there awkwardly chuckled. “See even Ezra knows you’re full of shit.” I laughed a little.
“Nonsense.” He said this time sliding one of his fingers over my bottom lip. “Bear my child, I want a daughter that looks just like you.” He said kissing my hand again.
“After the wedding, of course.” I said.
“Ah yes, the royal wedding.” He said grabbing a biscuit from the table and taking a bite. The wedding was actually Sam’s idea. When we were first married we eloped in Vegas he at 24, me at 21, now 2 years later he says we should do it the right way, the way I deserved. “Why haven’t you been planning?”
“Excuse me; I refuse to plan a wedding by myself without any of your input,” I said, now rising from his lap, “especially considering this was your idea anyways.” I walked over to the sliding doors that opened to a patio overlooking the beach, it was quite a sight to see, a sight I once would’ve killed for but now was handed to me so easily.
“Speak your mind.” He said. He would always say that when he knew there was something on my mind that I wasn’t saying.
“You’re never home. I’m beginning to feel like I live here all alone. My only friends are Myra and Jean and that’s because they have to be. There was time were you were my best friend.” I said never turning to look at him. I looked down at my wedding band and under it was the infinity tattoo we had gotten the day after our eloping. He stood and walked up behind me, wrapping his arms around me, kissing my neck again.
“You are my only friend. The only person in this world I trust fully, you must know that.” He said. I turned around facing him and he held me even tighter, kissing my forehead. “It’s just me and you, everything else is just background noise.” I know what you’re thinking; I know what everyone is thinking. How could I love this man who could do so much evil? But that is not the man that I fell in love with.
“Uh, excuse me sir, I apologize for interrupting, but the representative from China is on the line.” Interrupted Ezra in a low voice. Sam sighed deeply into my neck.
“Go,” I said kissing him on the cheek, “I’ll see you later for tonight’s dinner.” I released him, and with one last kiss on the forehead he left me.
“Start planning!” he screamed out before he went, “Text me if you need me!”
“Myra.” I called out and I could hear her little feet rushing to me, she was never too far away. “Let us prepare for an outing?” I said walking back up stairs to the main bedroom.
“Yes ma’am and where will you be going today?” she said in a small quiet voice.
“Ellis Mae’s, be ready in 45 minutes please.
“Yes ma’am” She went back down the stairs to alert the driver and the guards that we would be leaving today and where we would be going. I walked into the room, and into my closet where Jean stood picking out clothes for me to wear, something someone, I don’t know whom, told her to do.
“No, no, no, Jean, I will pick out my own out fits, thank you.” Jean tended to my every need but sometimes she was a little much, but still I appreciated everything she did. She smiled, nodded, and walked by the entrance to the closet where she stood and waited.
I dressed in a short sleeve, long white, sheer dress, with slits up both sides stopping at my waist, chunky black platform heels, and a big black sun hut to match, with my signature dark plum lipstick. Awaiting outside was a black SUV, the driver and one of my guards in the front, my guard Eli, Ezra’s brother next to me and in the back was Myra. We arrived at Ellis Mae’s who now had a store on what used to be Melrose place. She nearly had a heart attack when she saw me exiting the car and entering her store.
“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my Samuel!” She said in a thick Russian accent, her eyes wide with excitement. She walked up to me and bowed, grabbed my hands and kissed them relentlessly. Eli began to step in but I stopped him before he could. “I have written you so many letters, this is amazing.”
“Yes, I have read all of them, including the one where you offer to design my wedding dress.” I said, her eyes got even wider with excitement, and her hands still holding mine, squeezing tight. “I would like to take you up on that offer if it still remains.” She stood silently, still, blinking every once in a while for a moment.
“You’ll have to excuse me for my dumbfounded look but the day of my wildest dreams is coming true.” She said.
“Me too.” I said squeezing her hands back and guiding her to sit down on the couch. As soon I sat down she popped back up, startling me, causing me to stand up too.
“Oh no, sit down, sit down, please. I must get my sketch books.” She said arm flailing around in the air. She stopped suddenly and turned to look at me. “Where are my manners? Do you want any tea?” She said rushing to a hot water furnace sitting behind her desk.
“Oh no, thank you Ellis, I’m fine.” It’s not that I didn’t want any, I wasn’t allowed too. Sam said I never knew who could be trying to poison me; we don’t even eat at public restaurants and our chefs sleep at the house. She rushed back to the couch across from me with a sketch book in her hand and a pencil.
“So what are we thinking? Everything must be big, extravagant, flawless, and ---
“Actually I was thinking, simple.” I said interrupting her.
“Simple?” she asked confused.
“Yes. I’ve always hated ball gowns so I was thinking something sleek, tight fitting bodice, maybe a little lace. Normal dress for a normal girl.” I said nervously awaiting her response.
“Oh honey, with all due respect, you and your husband will never be normal.” She said and immediately placed her hand on her mouth. “I shouldn’t have said that, please forgive me.”
“No, it’s okay. I miss honesty… it’s refreshing.” I said, “Ok, so what were you thinking?” I asked and of course she went on a rampage of ideas and for hours we sat trying to hone them all in. after a few hours she measured me and we came up with an idea we both could be happy with.
“And what about bridesmaids?” She asked me as we sat down after she measured me.
“Oh, uh I guess I won’t be having any bridesmaids.” I said a little embarrassed by my lack of friendships.
“Hmm” she said trying to contain her confusion, “Well how about you let me know if you change your mind.” She said scribbling something in her notebook after. I said my good byes to Ellis and headed back home. California was so different now, all of the big tall buildings, and packed in houses were all gone. Now just stood long beautiful palm trees and green high grass for miles and miles. We sped at 90mph on Pacific Coast Highway with the coast running next to us. I had to admit it was better this way; less things and people taking away from the beauty of the land.
I arrived home to Sam bathing in the tub with bubbles piled high.
“Come join me.” He said with a smile on his face and light in his eyes. I stripped down right in front of him and climbed in my back and head on his chest. He’d sponge the water up and down my legs and chest, kissing me every now and again. “What did you do today?” He asked softly in my ear.
“As if you don’t know.” I responded, rolling my eyes. Sam was constantly checking on me with the guards, wanting to know my whereabouts every hour we were apart. He laughed a little and kissed me again.
“I at least like to pretend to be normal.” He said, I laughed at the thought of what Ellis Mae had said to me earlier.
“Ellis Mae says we’ll never be normal.”
“Ellis Mae is right, you’re very far from normal.” I sighed heavily.
“I don’t have any bridesmaids.” I said still a little embarrassed, even in front of Sam.
“Then I don’t have any groomsmen.”
“Yea, but don’t we need bridesmaids and groomsmen.”
“Says who?” He said, “like Ellis Mae says we’re not normal. No point in trying to have a normal wedding.” I laughed a little at that, he always knew how to make me feel better. “Remember? It’s just me and you…”
“Everything else is background noise.” I said finishing off the sentence I had heard so many times before. He kissed me again and again and for a moment I was 21 again, head over heels in love.
“Guests will be arriving in one hour.” Said Jean whom was standing at the door of our bathroom, damn near startling me to death.
“Jesus Jean.” I said; she smiled and bowed out silently. Sam laughed hard and loud, “That girl is weird, Sammy.” He laughed even harder.
“She’s trustworthy.” He said. “Come on, we have to get ready.” He said nudging me a little.
“Do we have to?” I groaned loudly and slumped deeper in to the tub.
“Well we could make everyone eat dinner in here, watch us uncomfortably as we wither up like prunes.” He said sarcastically. I groaned even louder, rose out of the tub, and grabbed a nearby towel. “Wear red tonight.” Sam said as he too stood up out of the tub and dried himself off.
“Why?” I asked being as Sam never really offered me fashion advice.
“Cause its sexy.” He said, “Then later on tonight I can take it off you.” He winked at me and left to his closet; I had the perfect dress.