Flora turned the pages of the thick wedding catalog, scanning the photographs for the specific dress design she had in mind.
She had already reviewed two separate brochures, but neither had featured the aesthetic she wanted. She paused on a page, frowning as she scrutinized the cut of the gown.
"Are you still struggling to decide?" Alie asked.
"Yes," Flora replied, closing the booklet slightly.
"Take your ti," Alie said. "It is your wedding day, after all." She glanced toward the stroller, where Noah was occupied with his toys, making soft sounds as he played.
"By the way," Flora said, looking up at her, "do any of these catch your eye? I told you earlier that I am willing to go with your recomndation."
Alie shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, but you should choose the dress that you want to wear, not the one I happen to like."
She shifted her gaze back to the catalog. "Besides, there are several designs in the back of this book that you have not looked at yet."
Flora nodded and continued turning the pages one by one. Halfway through the booklet, she stopped. The dress featured a delicate lace neckline and matching lace sleeves. The silhouette was clean and precise, appealing to her imdiately.
Alie leaned in to observe the image. "This one is a strong choice."
"I agree," Flora replied, a wide smile forming. She tilted the catalog toward the cradle. "Noah, look. This is the dress I am going to wear."
The toddler glanced up from his toys, his eyes resting on the picture for a brief mont before he turned his attention back to his play.
Alie chuckled at the interaction. "He doesn't understand the significance of a wedding dress yet, but you are going to look wonderful in it."
"I have decided," Flora said, tapping the page. "I will go with this design."
The shop assistant standing nearby stepped forward, retrieved the booklet, and made a careful note of the selection. "And when is the date of the wedding, Miss?"
"It is on the next full moon," Flora replied.
"Very well," the assistant said. "That gives us sufficient ti for the tailoring. I will calculate the required deposit and have the paperwork ready for you shortly."
"That is fine," Flora nodded. She stepped away from the counter and turned to Alie. "What about you? Have you decided what you are going to wear? We could look for sothing here, if you would like."
"No, I have a designer in the capital," Alie explained. "I will contact them instead."
"I see," Flora said.
Alie glanced toward the toddler in the cradle. "Karn is getting married next week, and Noah has been chosen as his ring bearer. He is quite adept at moving on his own now."
"That is wonderful," Flora remarked, her eyes lighting up.
"It is," Alie agreed. "I would like for him to serve as the ring bearer for your ceremony as well. I had not considered it until now, but I think it will be a perfect addition to the wedding."
"That is true," Flora said with a warm smile.
After finalizing the arrangents at the wedding boutique, they stepped outside and found Gabriel and Zander walking toward them. Noah imdiately dropped his toy, waving his small hands and babbling as he recognized his father.
"What are you doing here?" Alie asked, clearly surprised by their presence. "I thought you were busy at work?"
"I was, but I finished earlier than expected," Gabriel replied, lifting Noah from the stroller.
"Gabriel and I ran into each other outside," Zander added. "Did you manage to select a dress?"
"Yes," Flora replied.
"We will leave you two to your plans," Gabriel stated, glancing at Alie. "Let's have lunch together. You, , and Noah," he said in a low voice.
"That sounds good," Alie smiled. "Flora, enjoy the rest of your day," she said before departing with Gabriel and their son.
~~~~~
Karn arrived ho in the evening, physically drained after a long day of distributing wedding invitations to his acquaintances.
He reached for his phone to call Aisha, but the sound of the doorbell interrupted him. He walked to the door and pulled it open to find Aisha standing there, holding several shopping bags.
"Aisha!" Karn said, his fatigue lifting as he saw her. He stepped aside to let her in and took the bags from her hands to lighten her load.
"I figured you would be exhausted, so I decided to stop by," Aisha said, smiling. "I did so shopping for us. My salary arrived two days ago, and I wanted to buy you a few things."
Karn looked at the bags, then back at her with a concerned expression. "You didn't have to do that. I should be the one pampering you, not the other way around."
Aisha arched an eyebrow, her expression playful yet firm. "Why is that? Is there a rule that says a woman cannot buy gifts for her partner?"
"There is no such rule," Karn replied. He took her hands, gently leading her to the couch. As she sat down, he knelt on the floor directly in front of her.
"Everyone I visited today is genuinely happy for us," Karn said. "Aisha, thank you for trusting in my love." He raised her hands to his lips, kissing her knuckles with a tenderness. "Thank you for giving yourself this chance."
"It would have been impossible without you," Aisha replied softly. "You revived the love in my heart. If not for you, I do not know if I would have ever experienced anything like this. Your entrance into my life was the spark I have been searching for all this ti."
Karn smiled, his expression softening as she leaned down to brush her lips against his. He shifted his weight, moving from his kneeling position on the floor to press his knee into the edge of the couch cushion.
He brought a hand up to cradle the back of her neck, his fingers grazing her hairline as he leaned in to deepen the kiss. Aisha responded by leaning back into the cushions, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pulling him closer to ensure there was no space left between them.
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