Button 14 - Something Blue

Beatrice snapped her cell phone shut with a sigh of disapproval.  Yana and Darryl still weren’t answering her usual Sunday evening call.  She could feel their presence not far from where she stood on their doorstep, so they were home.  “What have you done this time?” she murmured.

She wasn’t terribly powerful, as magic-weavers went, but it didn’t take much to open a locked door if you’d already seen the other side once or twice.  Once she was inside, the threads of magic tugged her senses in multiple directions.  Her eyebrows rose, and she headed upstairs toward the familiar presence of the button.  There, on the bed.

A sigh escaped her lips.  The doll lying on the bed was obviously made of two people, though she was surprised that with the control she’d sensed they were still stuck.  Surprised, that is, until she noticed the cable leading from the CD player to the doll’s nethers, and the buzzing that emanated from the doll in time to the classical music wafting from the player’s speakers.  She shut it off, and waited to see if that was intervention enough.

Once it became obvious that she’d have to take further action, she reached for the button and found nothing but smooth metal.  “Well.  That’s hardly sporting.”  A nudge made it emerge from the doll’s skin, and soon it was in her hands.

Nothing happened for long moments, then slowly the doll released its prisoners.  Darryl rolled off of Yana, gave his head a shake, then sat up.  “Oh.  Hi, Aunt Bea.”

“Aunt Bea?” yelped Yana.  She dove under the covers.  

Darryl shrugged, and walked over to his dresser to get a fresh pair of underwear.  “Thanks for the save.  I’m sure Yana would have figured it out in time.”

“It’s Sunday,” noted Aunt Bea acerbically.  “How long were you stuck?”

“I figured it would be.  We got entangled Thursday night, so... three days.”  Darryl stretched his arms and yawned hugely.  “Kind of hard to sleep with that going on inside you, though.  I’m wiped.”

“I was afraid of this,” grumbled Darryl’s godmother.  She shook the button at Darryl.  “You’re treating this like a toy, not the potent tool that it is.”

“Is that a bad thing?” asked Darryl.

“Magic is not something to be trifled with.  I’m taking the button back.”

“No!” cried Yana, poking her head back out from under the covers  “I only just figured out how to really use it!”

Aunt Bea chuckled softly as she tucked the button into her purse.  “Oh, you’ve figured out more than that.  Have fun, you two.”

And just like that, she was gone.

“What are we going to do now?” Yana wailed.

Darryl shrugged.  “Go back to...”  He sighed.  “Yeah, I don’t know either.  Maybe we could persuade her that the button qualifies as something old, borrowed and blue.  Three out of four.”

“What are you talking about?” asked Yana.

“Uh, wedding traditions?  The bride’s supposed to have ‘something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’.  The button is three of those, and if you use it to make yourself a new wedding dress, that’s the fourth.”

“Oh?  Weird.  Still, do you think that she’d actually go for it?” Yana asked hopefully.

“Beats me,” said Darryl.  “Can’t hurt to ask, though.”

One phone call later, Darryl was smiling.  “She has agreed that you may have the button for the day of our wedding, but only for that day.”

“I can make a lot of dresses in one day, if you can keep them charged.  I’ll have to make a bridesmaid dress for Heather, too.”

“Heather!” exclaimed Darryl.  “Is she still stuck?”

“Never mind that.  She’ll be fine,” said Yana.  “We need to figure out when we can get married!  Call your Mom, see when she can make it out here.”

Darryl sighed.  “Yes dear.”

“Don’t you take that tone of voice with me!”

With a chuckle, Darryl picked up the phone and began dialing.

“Hey Mom...  Yeah, it has been a while.  Look, you remember Yana, right?”  Darryl rolled his eyes at the reaction he got.  “Sorry, yeah, like you’d forget....  Yes, yes, you really should meet her.  I’m trying to get to that.  How soon can you come out for a visit?”

Darryl’s expression fell.  “I know you’re busy, it’s just we’d like to get married soon and...”  He winced, and held his phone away from his ear.  After the noises from the other end died down he put it back.  “I’m glad you’re excited, Mom.  Wait, what?  The long weekend is only two weeks away!”  Darryl’s eyes went wide.  “Yeah, we can have a dress by then.  Aunt Bea has promised to help with it.  Yes, of course I want my sister there.  As long as you two are there, that’s enough.  You’ll make sure she... that would be amazing, Mom.  Thank you.”

Darryl hung up the phone.  Yana was staring at him in wonder.  “Are we really getting married in two weeks?”

“Yes.”

Yana flung herself into Darryl’s arms, knocking him over onto the bed.  “YES!”

“Now all we need to do is figure out the guest list, find a venue, do the paperwork, and find someone who’ll marry us on such short notice.”

“And flowers.  And we need vows, right?  Wait, paperwork?”

“We need a marriage licence.  Two weeks is plenty of time.  I’m more worried about finding an officiant and a venue.”

“And I need to get in touch with the owners of the diner that kept me off the street.  They really should be there when I get married, I owe them that and more.”

Yana grabbed the phone from Darryl and started dialing.  When it picked up, her expression grew more cheerful than Darryl had seen in some time.  “Bruno?  Hi, it’s Yana.  Remember me?  Mhmm.  Yep.  I’m doing really well, actually.  That’s why I called, for once.  Can I talk to Mama?”

Darry looked surprised.  “You call her Mama?” he asked in a whisper.

“Everybody calls her Mama,” replied Yana.  Then into the phone, “Hi Mama!  Guess what...  I’m getting married!  Thank you.  Yeah, he’s a real sweetie.  We’ll come visit soon.  Look, I’m getting married in two weeks...  No!  I’m not pregnant.  It’s when his Mom’s available...  That’s why I’m calling, to invite you two.  No, not a lot of people, really.  His family is pretty small and you know about mine.  Mama!  Really?  Oh, that would be sweet of you.  Thank you.”

“What?”

“We can have the reception at their place.  It’s a pretty little diner, plenty of room for the few we’ll have.  Right?”

“I guess.  There’s just Mom and my sister Irene on my side.  Maybe Carolyn and Joel from work.  Someone’s got to be best man, after all.”

“Ooh!  I need a bridesmaid.  I hope Heather will be okay with it.”

“You really should change her back.”

“No!  I’m going to give KK her damned dress.  I’ll explain her absence somehow...”

They had a quick dinner then collapsed back into bed.  After spending three days in a shared doll’s body, constantly stimulated by the silver egg, neither had the slightest interest in anything but sleep.

* * *

KK looked at the puddle of golden fabric on her desk.  “You managed to get one, finally?  Yes!  I’ll overlook your absence Friday if this is the result.”

“Well...  Friday was more a consequence than a cause,” said Yana.

KK eyed her newest employee carefully.  “So where is Heather?  You two left thick as thieves.”

Yana tried very hard not to look at the dress, and thought she’d succeeded.  “She, uh...”

“Heather’s the dress?” asked KK incredulously.

“How?” protested Yana, before shutting up to keep from blowing the rest.

“Never play poker, girlie.  You don’t have the face for it.  I built this place on knowing who was drawing to an inside straight.  Well, and these distractions.”  KK cupped her massive breasts, hefted them then let them bounce.

“Oh,” said Yana, blushing slightly.  “I’d figured you’d...”

“Nope.  I’d never even turned a trick before my first video.”

Yana’s face crumpled and she started crying.  Soon KK had the whole tale from her, of appearing without knowing her past, her time on the streets, meeting Bruno and Mama at the diner, then later Darryl.

KK petted the crying woman softly.  “Shh.  I don’t think less of you for it.  Only a lucky few get the choices they want in life.  You’ve told this Darryl of yours?”

Yana nodded.  “He... he was fine with it.  He’s so amazing.”

“Tell him that.  So.  What does all that have to do with Heather being a dress?”  KK picked up the dress in question and gave it a little shake.

“Magic.  I’d just figured out how to make it last... and then Aunt Bea took the button back.  I can’t make any more until the day of my wedding.”

“Wedding?”  KK perked up.  “Your guy finally committed to a date?”

“Yes!  We’re getting married the weekend after next.”

“That’s quick.”  KK glanced at Yana’s belly.  “You’re not...?”

“No,” Yana barked.  “Just impatient to see the button again.  And we’ve been engaged for almost a year now!”

KK held up her hands defensively.  “Okay, okay.  Your motives are as pure as the driven snow.”

Yana snorted, then started to giggle.  “Not quite.  Still, I’d like you and Nadine to be there, too.”

KK shook the dress again.  “And Heather?”

“Will be my bridesmaid.  Um, once I change her back.”

“So she’s not stuck like this?”

“Not exactly.”  At KK’s arched eyebrow, Yana hurried to explain.  “I can turn her back any time, but she won’t change back on her own.  Unlimited duration change after removing the button, it was what we were trying to figure out.”

“Ah.  So you’re not changing her back because...”

“Because you wanted a dress like this for a shoot?”

“Oh!” exclaimed KK.  “Are you sure she won’t mind?”

Yana grinned, and shook her head.  “Rather the opposite.  She’s even worse than Darryl, and he didn’t object when he...”  She clapped her hand over her mouth.

KK’s eyes went very wide.  “The red dress was Darryl?”

Yana added the other hand, covering her eyes.  “Why do you think I ran away?” she mumbled.  “This one’s not going to cause a spontaneous orgy.  I hope.”

KK ran her fingers over the fabric, waiting until Yana had finally lowered her hands to talk.  “It almost feels alive.  There is some of the same vibe as the red one, but you’re right.  Two days.”

“Pardon?”

“I need her for two days.  Then change her back.”

“Once I change her back there are no more dresses.  Not until the week after next, then I can make a bunch that aren’t actually people.  Are you sure?”

“No, but Heather’s job needs doing, too.  Unless you’ve got experience with wardrobe work?”

“Only from the inside,” said Yana with a wry smile.  “I’d rather be on this side of the door.  I’ll give it a shot.”

Yana did well enough that they kept Heather as a dress through Wednesday as well.  Yana took her home with her, and broke the spell while Heather was lying on the floor of their shower.

“Hey Heather, welcome back.  I figured you’d want to clean up after all that...”

Heather laughed.  “Thanks.  This is perfect.”  She started the shower, and began lathering up.  “Was there something else?” she asked when Yana didn’t leave.

“Yeah.  Darryl and I are getting married in a week and a half.  Will you be my bridesmaid?”

“Yes!  That soon?  How much did I miss?”

Yana chuckled.  “Not much.  Darryl and I got stuck, Aunt Bea rescued us and took the button back.  Apparently the button counts as ‘something blue’, so she’ll let me have it for the day of the wedding.  I can make my dress, your dress, and a bunch of others besides.  Darryl can keep dozens of non-people dresses charged if we bring them back here a couple times a week.”

“Woah.  Cool.  And congratulations.  Sucks we’re going to have to make up all the designs in one go.  Crap!  I need to get to work, then.  How are your plans going?”

Yana sighed.  “Mostly under control.  Too much control.  KK’s helping.”

“Aiee!” Heather laughed.

“No, really.  She’s providing the photographer, and has had all kinds of good ideas for venues.”

“Tell me she’s not setting up your honeymoon, too.”

“Nah,” said Yana with a sigh.  “She’s letting me have a few days off, though.  More if I can get her enough dresses...”

Heather laughed.  “I’ll come up with plenty of designs, as long as you can make ‘em.”

Yana left Heather to her shower.  There was still so much to prepare, and so little time.

The rest of the week passed in a flurry of checklists, hurried meals, and nights of crashing exhausted into bed.  The weekend was little better, but on Saturday they got a break in the form of going to Mama and Bruno’s diner to eat and introduce Darryl to them.  Mama pronounced him “suitable, if a bit thin”, and tried her best to feed him up.

“They seemed really nice,” said Darryl as they were heading home.  “Why did you leave again?”

“Decked a regular who kept slapping me on the ass,” said Yana, looking away.

The silence that followed dragged on uncomfortably long.  To break it Darryl asked, “So.  Looking forward to your stagette?  Joel has some secret plan for tonight that he’s being awfully cagey about.”

Yana giggled.  “Oh, yeah.  It’s going to be something else...”

“Why do I find that phrase unnerving coming from you?” asked Darryl.

“Prior experience.  Come on, it’ll be fun!”

“Riiight.”  But Yana wouldn’t be drawn out.

* * *

Later that night, Joel and Darryl’s cab stopped at a familiar location.  As they got out, Darryl stared at the building.  “How on earth did you swing a stag here of all places?”

“Talked to your wife,” said Joel simply as they walked up to the doors marked KK Studios.  Inside, they were met by two of the hunky male actors at the studio, who were wearing little more than tight pants, bow ties and cuffs.

“Come one, you two.  Let’s get you into wardrobe.”

“What?”

“We’re going to learn to dance with these guys,” said Joel excitedly.  “Come on, think of the potential! The girls love this kind of stuff.”

Darryl chuckled ruefully.  “I wouldn’t know.”

“Really?  Mr. ‘I need a super distracting vibrator’, you’re going to claim a totally vanilla love life?   You still owe me the story on that, by the way.”

Darryl blushed.  “It would be very difficult to explain.  But thanks, Yana loved it.”

“Seriously?  That’s all I get?  She really must have to make you miss a day at work,” Joel said with a laugh.

“Something like that,” Darryl said, with a fond smile at the memory of his time as a doll with Yana.

Getting dressed in outfits that matched Gary and Steven’s tight stripper garb distracted Joel from his questioning.  At first, Darryl found the dancing doubly embarrassing.  First, because they were learning a very lewd set of moves.  And second, he was stumbling like a drunk sailor through the routine.  After a while his nerves settled and he started having fun with it.  

Gary and Steven were friendly and honest, and seemed to have endless advice about what turned women on.  Darryl wished he had pen and paper handy, and saying so out loud earned him a poke in the ribs from Joel and orders to “Live a little!”

The tearaway pants were fun, too.

When Gary pronounced them ready, he led Darryl and Joel off to one of the larger studios, and told them it was time for their reward.

Five women in brightly coloured veils pranced into the room and up onto the raised platform in the middle.  They wriggled and writhed to the beat of a middle eastern sounding piece of music.  All had veils over their faces as well, making it impossible to identify them.

Darryl was initially distracted by the huge bosoms of the second and fourth dancers, but the one in between them soon caught his attention and held it.  She was thinner than the others, and a touch less practiced a dancer, but her eyes bored into his like a laser.  The other dancers were playing to the audience of four, but this one was entirely focused on him.

As the veils were shed, fluttering into the seats like falling leaves, the slim body that emerged from under the middle dancer’s veils looked more and more familiar.  Darryl couldn’t believe they’d found a stripper that looked so much like... then the last veil fell, revealing Yana’s face, grinning at him and only him.

Darry clapped and cheered louder than the other three combined.  Then Yana slid up close to him and whispered in his ear, “Your turn.”

Darryl stared at Joel.  “Is she serious?”

Joel was already getting up, and dragged Darryl up onto the stage with him.  “It’s only fair.  Man up!”

So Darryl and Joel performed their newly learned stripping routine beside Gary and Steve, cheered on by Heather, KK, Nadine, another actress Darryl didn’t recognize, and Yana loudest of them all.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur of alcohol, more dancing, and very little clothing.  Joel and Heather made sure the bride and groom to be got home in one piece, and poured them into bed.  Darryl and Yana were asleep before they left.

“So,” asked Joel as he locked up behind them.  “Nightcap?”

Heather chuckled warmly.  “Sure, try to liquor me up and get my clothing off.”

“Would that work?” he asked with feigned innocence.

Heather punched him in the arm hard enough to make him stumble.  “Randy goat.”

“Guilty as charged.”

They walked off arm in arm.

* * *

The next week was at least as hectic as the previous.  Thankfully, Aunt Bea found them a lovely park as a venue, with a promise of perfect weather for the day.  KK supplied a photographer, though Darryl and Yana turned down his offer of services in the honeymoon suite.  His offer of a rain cheque was met with an uncomfortable laugh from Darryl and a shy nod from Yana.

The paperwork came through with days to spare, drawing a sigh of relief from Yana, as her documentation was a bit sparse.

The only thing left by Friday was the officiant.  They’d checked everyone they could find, but all the listed marriage commissioners were busy.  In the end, Aunt Bea settled their panic by promising that she would deal with it, and told them just to focus on their vows.  Of course, that set the nearlyweds scrambling as they hadn’t even started.  Luckily, Aunt Bea had a book full of sample vows she could loan to them.

Saturday afternoon Darryl’s mother and sister arrived.  They (mostly Darryl’s mother) insisted on dragging Darryl and Yana on a drive through the country, as the fall leaves had been amazing from the air.  They proved even more spectacular from the ground.

As the sun set, it found them at a tiny restaurant off the beaten track, enjoying the dying light setting the forests ablaze with even more colour.  The meal had also been surprisingly nice, and Darryl’s mother insisted on paying for it.

“So, Yana, where’s your family from?” asked Darryl’s mother, who had insisted that Yana call her Diane.

Yana traded a look with Darryl, then shrugged.  “They’re not around any more.”

“Oh!  You poor dear.  Well, as of tomorrow you’ll have family again.  Not a lot, sadly, but better than none.”

Yana smiled, and ducked her head.  “Thanks.  That means a lot.”

“And if that son of mine gives you any trouble, you come to me and I’ll sort it out.”

“Mooom!” protested Darryl.

“I’ll be sure to do that,” Yana said.  “But he’s mostly a sweetie.”

“Mostly?” asked Darryl’s sister, Irene, with a grin.

“Except when I want him not to be.”

“Oooh.  Do tell.”

“Irene...” said Diane threateningly.  “Leave your poor brother alone.  You can have the story out of her at Christmas.”

“Christmas?” asked Darryl.

“We’re all getting together for Christmas,” insisted his mother.

“But we haven’t done that in years!”

“And now you’re about to be married.  Maybe it’s time we started acting like a family again.”

“I...”

Yana put a hand on Darryl’s, placatingly.  “I think that sounds lovely.”

“Good, then it’s settled.  I’ll arrange the transportation.  You can cook a turkey, right, Yana?”

Yana laughed.  “We’ll figure it out.”

Once they were safely home, Yana let out a long sigh.  “Your mother is intense.  Would you be offended if I said I was glad she lives a long, long way away?”

“No.  We... well we never really had a lot in common.  She wanted me to be an engineer, not a writer.”

“I can’t imagine you as an engineer.”

“Nor could I.  Bucking her plans for my degree was the first time I’d really stood up to her.  It was scary, but...”

“Regrets?” asked Yana softly, tugging Darryl toward the bed.

“Not that.  I kind of wish I’d managed to actually make a career of writing, though, rather than just fixing other writer’s mistakes,” Darryl said morosely.

Yana kissed his sadness away, and they cuddled together for a time before they slept.

* * *

“Rise and shine, lovebirds!” came a loud familiar voice outside their door.

“We’re up, we’re up,” yawned Darryl as he opened the door.  “It’s hours and hours before the ceremony.  Aunt Bea just dropped off the flowers.”

“And the button?” asked Heather eagerly.

“Yeah.  Hey, Joel.  We should head into the den, and let the girls have their fun.”

“Sounds like a plan,” said Darryl’s best man.  “We need to keep you distracted.  No getting cold feet now.”

Darryl laughed.  “Not a chance.”

Once the men were safely out of the way, Heather shook a sheaf of papers at Yana.  “Come on girlie, let’s get to work and earn that week off that KK is giving you.”

Yana laughed.  “You’re worse than Darryl is.  He was my panties until just before you knocked on the door.”

“You didn’t use it on yourself?”

“Well... maybe a little.”  Yana flipped her skirt up, showing that she was both pantiless and looked more like a doll than a woman between the legs.

“Woah.  Is that as fun as it looks?”

Yana giggled.  “Yeah.  Haven’t had a chance to try this version out.  I’m going to keep it until tonight, at the very least.”

“And then what?” asked Heather, suddenly serious.  “Aunt Bea’s not going to let you keep the button, right?”

“I know,” sighed Yana.  “I’m just hoping I’ll get to beg it off her from time to time.  But every time I ask about the possibility I just get cryptic comments about crutches and nests.”

“Well.  If we only have it for a time, and have to get your hair done and our dresses made as well as the dozen designs I have here... let’s get to work!”

* * *

“And that’s twelve,” said Heather with a satisfied clap of her hands.  Both women stared at the array of glittering, curve fitting dresses hanging from the rack.

“Good.  Ready to go?”

“Let me touch up your hair one more time, then we can tell the guys to head to the park.”

A few minutes later, Yana was staring about the den, puzzled.  “Where’d they go?  I checked, and Darryl and Joel’s cars are still both here.”

Heather kicked at a shiny length of fabric on the floor, then picked it up.  “Were you fantasizing about the stagette?  I’m pretty sure we didn’t send you home with mementos like these.”  She shook out the fabric, revealing it to be a very narrow pair of glittery pants, just like the tearaway ones Darryl had worn.

Yana looked at the pants briefly, then shook her head.  “That’s not Darryl.  It is a person, though, so it’s Joel.  Keep looking.”

Heather held up an incredibly tiny bit of purple fabric.  “Fantasizing about your honeymoon as well?”

“Darryl!”

A moment later, both guys were standing there in their tuxes, looking relieved and stunned respectively.

“What the hell just happened?” asked Joel plaintively.

“No time to explain,” said Yana.  “Go!”

After the door slammed behind them, Heather asked, “What did happen?  You didn’t even notice using the button on them?”

“I guess...”  Yana mused.  “They were making too much noise, remember?  I thought I was just fantasizing about it, but... I had no idea the button had that kind of range!”

“Maybe it’s for the best Aunt Bea’s taking it back, if you can accidentally change people with it, and not notice.”

Yana shuddered.  “I hate to admit it, but...  Augh!  The time!  We have to go!”

* * *

The park was as pretty as promised.  The trees all around were ablaze with colour.  A rose arch was framing a small table with a simple cloth on it, to act as an altar.  The arch itself had had fresh roses woven in among the dormant ones, making it bloom out of season.

Darryl and Joel were already standing by the altar, and to Yana’s surprise, Aunt Bea was standing behind it.  They hadn’t had time to rehearse the next bit, and Heather had to grab Yana’s arm to keep her from dashing up to Darryl and giving him a huge hug.

“Stay here,” she hissed, “look pretty and sedate as you walk up.  Wait until I’m in place to start.”

As Yana walked slowly up to the altar in her long white gown, she saw the love and tears in Mama and Bruno’s eyes, and couldn’t help but welling up a little herself.  She willed herself to be strong, but when Bruno took her hand to accompany her to the altar and give her away, tears started trickling.  “Thank you,” she whispered.

When Aunt Bea raised her hands for silence, and started conducting the ceremony herself, Yana’s surprise briefly stemmed the tears.  The gesture was so sweet that she started up again without delay.  Aunt Bea discreetly slipped her a handkerchief while she carried on about love, marriage, and kinship.

Yana managed to compose herself in time for the vows, and smiled as she listened to Darryl speak his lines with a strong voice.

“I choose you, to stand by your side and sleep wrapped with you.  To learn with you and grow with you, even as time, life and more change us both.  I promise to laugh with you in good times and struggle alongside you in bad times. I promise to respect you and cherish you as an individual, a partner, and an equal.  May we have many adventures and grow old together.”

Yana wanted to hug him right then, but restrained herself and repeated the same vow herself, in a voice made quavery with emotion.

The part where they got to kiss was the biggest relief of her life, and the kiss felt like it went on and on forever.

“I am now proud to present to you,” called out Aunt Bea in her clear, loud voice, “for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Darryl and Yana Greene.”

Everyone cheered, and Yana pulled Darryl into a bow.

After a round of congratulations, and a scattering of falling leaves to carry them on their way, the whole group moved to Mama and Bruno’s diner for the reception.  The food was excellent, as was the company.

Once the cake had been cut, served, and eaten, Bruno fired up the diner’s audio system. “The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me is You” started to play.  Yana grinned at Darryl, and got a big smile in return.  They both proceeded to a small cleared area that served as their dance-floor, and soon were joined by others.

Yana and Darryl danced with everyone, then made their way through the small crowd saying their goodbyes.

Irene seemed to finally find her voice as Yana and Darryl were taking their leave of her, and asked in an awed voice, “Is that really the legendary KK here with us?”

“Legendary?” asked Darryl, warily.

“Among the people I work with, yeah.  Can I get an introduction?”

Yana laughed, and nodded despite Darryl’s sour look.  She beckoned KK over, and the big woman approached with a predatory prowl.  “Ah!  I’d hoped to speak with you before the evening is out Miss Greene.  Or should I say, ‘Geenie Glitter’?”

Irene’s blush was incandescent.  “You know?”

“I heard a little about you, figured I’d do some research.  You’re not bad, for a newbie.  If you’re ever out this way again, come visit the studio, I’m sure I can fit you in for a few shots.”

Irene’s face lit up.  “I’ll do that!”

Darryl looked back and forth between his sister and his fian... no his wife’s boss with dismay written all over his face.  “You’re seriously...  Reenie, say it isn’t so!”

“Shush, bro.  Mom doesn’t know.  Uh, yet.  It’s all been tasteful, I assure you.”  She looked over at KK to get some kind of reassurance.

“As that stuff goes, yeah,” granted KK.  “Nothing hardcore.”

“Can we not talk about this while I’m standing here?”

KK grinned.  “Sure.”  She put one arm around Irene, and pulled her toward the impromptu bar.

Darryl shook his head.  “Let’s go.”

At the hotel, Darryl was not surprised to find Aunt Bea waiting in the lobby.  She had arranged for their hideaway for the first two nights, after all.  She grinned when she saw them, and tossed Darryl a room key.  “I got you an upgrade.  Come on!”

Darryl caught it then looked at Yana, who just shrugged.  They followed Aunt Bea to the stairs, and up a flight to a pair of ornate double doors.

“The honeymoon suite,” Aunt Bea announced proudly.  “Take a look!”

Darryl fumbled with the lock for a few seconds, then opened the doors.  Before they stepped in, Aunt Bea hissed, “Carry her over the threshold!”

Darryl tore his eyes away from the ornate room that had been revealed, and scooped a giggling Yana into his arms.  She felt lighter than he expected, and he carried her as far as the couch in the sitting room.  The bedroom was as big as the sitting room, and had an ornate four-poster bed in the middle of it.  Better yet from Yana’s point of view was the immaculate bathroom and its clawfoot tub.

They both turned to Aunt Bea, who was still watching them with pride.  “Thank you so much!” gushed Yana.

“Yes, thanks.  For everything.”

Aunt Bea smiled.  “And now, I’ll be off.  But first...”  She held out her hand, and waited.

Yana cast a pained look at Darryl.  “Can’t we keep it a little longer?  I was going to...”

“No.  Day is up, and you no longer need your crutch.”

Yana sighed, and plucked away the button at her throat.  Her short white dress melted away into a plain sundress, dropping two thick towels and a pillow to the floor in the process.  “I’m going to miss all this,” she moped as she dropped the button into Aunt Bea’s outstretched hand.

Aunt Bea grinned at her enigmatically.  “No you won’t.”

As the door closed behind her, Darryl hugged Yana tight.  “Sssh, it’s not so bad.  We have each other.”

“But I wanted to wear you tonight!” wailed Yana.  She closed her eyes, imagining how the button would have spun threads of magic and woven them about Darryl.  She felt him melt against her, then her eyes opened wide with surprise as his weight dropped away to nothing.  A puddle of bright red fabric slid through her fingers and pooled at her feet.

Yana stared down at it for a long, incredulous moment.  Then she snatched it up and turned to the door, yelling, “AUNT BEA!”

The locked door opened, and Aunt Bea stuck her head in.  “See?  Told you.  Now go on, and fulfill that vow of yours.”

“Bu...”

“You know, the ‘wrapped with’ bit?  The others didn’t realize what it meant, but I thought it was lovely.”

“I... we...”

Aunt Bea waggled her eyebrows comically.  “And have fun!”  The door closed and locked behind her.

Yana stared down at the slinky fabric in her hands.  Then she started to peel out of her old dress, never letting go of the slip that was her husband, her grin growing wider by the second.