Grey Matter

Epilogue - Grey Matter

"I can't believe she kept this from me. And what's worse, I had to find out by Victor." I sobbed into Sebastian's chest.

We were laying in bed. His arms wrapped around me as I cried. This usually made me feel a thousand times better, but the level and hurt and humiliation I felt right now was as tall as the Eiffel Tower.

"She thought she was protecting you, babe. I can understand that. You were a delicate kid at the time. That's a lot to lay on someone." Sebastian said softly. 

I didn't say anything after that. I just laid quietly on his chest until I drifted into a dreamless sleep. Forgiving Grams was going to take time. And after a couple weeks I finally decided to have Grams come into a couple therapy sessions with Dr. Ruth. After a couple sessions Grams and I were on back speaking again. Sebastian had completely iced out his parents and even went as far as talking his father that he wasn't welcome to the wedding. I couldn't blame him, Victor was the reason for a lot of tension in the family gatherings.

With the weeks that passed, I had taken on my role as one of the members of the Fine Art Society. Mr. Galespi welcomed me with open arms and I was introduced to the rest of the members. In total there were seven of us: Mr. Galespi, Myself, Darcy Harcourt, Terrence Graves, Weston Reeves, Fredrick Wartright and...Wilhelmina Darkbloom. In the midst of our first official meeting at the Seattle Art Museum, she'd sashayed into the room dressed in an optic white pantsuit and oversized, wide brim hat. I was stunned to see her just as much as she was to see me.

After the meeting she had given me a hug, welcoming me on the board and telling me how excited she was for the wedding. I informed her that Sebastian and I hired a wedding planner, Lyla Duchannes, who had said she'd "give us the wedding of the century". I just wanted to have close friends and family. Though, given who my fiancé was, the wedding would be huge by default.

"We could have get married in Milan?" Sebastian suggested that night as he watched me cook dinner perched on the island stool. He had a Wedding magazine he was flipping through in front of him.

"That's pretty over the top." I giggled as I cut up some asparagus.

"Milan is beautiful. Or Morocco. Though, we could go traditional and have it at the family church in London." He shrugged, resting his chin on his hand as his coal black eyes studied me.

"Sebastian, I'd be happy just having the wedding here in Seattle. We're already spending so much money." I chuckled.

"Seattle? God, no." Sebastian snorted.

"Yea, we could have it at that cute plaza downtown." I suggested.

"We should have it somewhere a little more private. There'll be paparazzi everywhere." Sebastian sighed.

"Wherever you choose, Sebastian. Really, I just want to marry you." I smiled at him.

"What do you want, Serena? I've been going on about this wedding and it's not even for me. It's all about you. What is your dream wedding?" He closed the magazine and turned all his attention to me.

"My dream wedding?" I laughed.

"Yes. Your dream wedding. What is it?" He grinned.

I closed my eyes and imaged the wedding in my head. I saw a perfect cloudless sky, an ocean of stark white flowers and him dressed in a tuxedo waiting for me down the aisle.

"Well?" He said softly.

"I see flowers everywhere and perfect weather and you. That's all I can muster." I sighed.

"That's it?" He frowned. "Come on, Serena, use your grey matter and give me something."

"Sebastian, if I think about all the details, I'd have a panic attack. Let's just set a destination and go from there. Okay?" I tilted my head to him.

"Okay. I guess that's reasonable." He nodded.

I smiled wider, "Good. Now let's eat."

************************************

"Sebastian, what are you doing?" I giggled as he towed me beside him.

"Just keep your eyes closed. We're almost there." His voice was almost an echo. I knew we were at the Seattle Art Museum because I'd just left another meeting with the board. Sebastian had met me here after work and had said he had a surprise for me.

"Are we almost there?" I asked.

"Almost." He said, further this time. After a minute later he finally cued me to open my eyes, "Okay, now."

My eyes fluttered open and I was taken back by the darkness. I could barely see my feet when I looked down. I could tell that I was standing in a room surrounded by mirrors and I caught sight of my white sheath dress in my reflection. Then something extraordinary began to happen. Tiny little flecks of light began to surround me like a shower of stars and the room began to glow with a faint shade of orange.

"Oh my gosh." I whispered.

"Turn around." His voice sounded behind me and I did so to find him knelt down before me holding a tiny black velvet box. When he opened the box there was oval shaped diamond ring that seemed to sparkle bright than the radiant lights around us.

"Serena Viola Kelly, from the very first moment I saw you, I knew you'd be my wife. I saw you and I realized I never wanted to not know you. I never knew how much I needed someone like you. You're beauty, your grace, your kindness and strength. Would you do me the extraordinary honor of becoming my wife?" Sebastian smiled up at me as the tears began to well up in my eyes.

I'm smiled the widest smile I've ever smiled in my life.

"Yes."