Breaking Bones

Chapter 23: Preparing for Happiness

Leonard laughed heartily as he too stood from his seat to set his dishes in the kitchen sink, stopping in front of Anatalia as he did so. 

"Pick whatever you like best darlin. It's your wedding." 

"It's your wedding too, Len. I want you to have a say as well." 

"If you insist. But you agreeing to marry me was all I needed to be happy. I want you to have the wedding of your dreams. So, if there's anything that you really, really want, I'll agree to it. No questions asked." 

Talia smiled softly up at Leonard as she rolled up onto her tip toes to place the softest of kisses to his lips, pulling away ever so slightly so as to speak without Martha hearing her. 

"If we were at our own place, I'd take you upstairs to reward you for that answer." 

Leonard groaned lightly at Anatalia's words, the seductive and mischievous smirk on her face not helping his growing need for her in this exact moment. He placed a quick yet firm kiss to her lips before she dropped back down onto the heels of her feet, making it harder for Leonard to reach her with ease. 

"I'll make it up to you as soon as we get our own place. As many times as it takes." 

Now it was Anatalia's turn to blush as she turned away from Leonard and walked back to the dining table where she could eat her plate of seconds in peace, and hopefully cool herself down in the process. 

"Alright, I'm going to go shower and then head to Jenny's. You ladies have fun today, okay? Call me if you need me for anything. I mean it. Anything." 

"We'll be fine, Leonard. Nothing an old woman and glowing bride can't handle. You go tame that witch and get us more time with Jo. I haven't seen my own granddaughter in months because of that hag." 

"I'll do my best, mama. I love you both." 

"We love you too. Now shoo." 

Leonard smiled at his mother before turning to look at Talia once more. He wasn't sure of the exact moment it had happened, but Leonard was so inexplicably in love with Anatalia that moments like these his heart could barely take it. This was everything he had ever hoped for his life to be. A beautiful wife, both inside and out, that loved him as much as he loved her, who got along with his family and made an effort to be a part of their lives, who supported him in his work while still having dreams and goals of her own, and who could make his worst days also his brightest with just a single smile. Leonard would never be able to fully express just how much he loved her, but he would spend every day of the rest of his life trying. 

"I love you, Tali." 

"I love you too, Len. Now go shower. We'll see you later tonight." 

With one more grateful smile in Talia's direction, Leonard moved up the stairs to prepare himself for the day. 

-----

"This is the one. This is where we need to get married." 

After a morning full of long car rides to various venues in Georgia, Ana and Martha had finally found the spot that screamed 'the one'. It was a large, vintage greenhouse with frosted glass windows encased by intricate green iron making up the greenhouse's structure. Long vines of various different plants grew along the greenhouse's perimeter, adding to its natural beauty as it let the slight rays of sunlight in through the partially opaque glass.

"It's beautiful, Talia. And the windows can be opened in case we wanted a more open concept for the wedding but can be closed if the weather is too cold to permit it. And we can line the aisle perfectly down the center of all of the plants with seating closer to the front."