Dana entered the workshop. The music was blasting, drowning out the noise of the welding machine and other tools. The hood of a car was up, and Juice was hovering over it. Heading towards him, she wrapped her arms around his waist. Her move startled him, he jumped up, bumping his head against the hood. Wildly he spun around, although his face lit up when he saw her.
"Oh hey, it's you." He laid his hands on her hips, kissing her.
"You expected more pawing?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "Since our engagement there have been plenty of Croweaters trying to change my mind about a married life."
She chuckled. "Those poor girls. They have to watch that hot body of yours every fucking day and they can't even touch you."
Smirking, his hands wandered to her behind. He pulled her close. "You're here because you miss that gorgeous body?" he grunted in her ear.
"You would like that, huh?" Her fingers hooked through his belt hoops. "But I have to disappoint you, I'm here because Kozik told me so."
Juice's eyes started to sparkled. "Ah, I forgot."
"You forgot?" She couldn't think of a reason why Kozik had asked her to come over.
"Uh-huh."
His smirk made her squint her eyes. "This sounds like some conspiracy."
"Oh, it definitely is. But it's not you who should worry about it."
She raised her eyebrows, but he resisted the temptation to give her an answer.
"I will pick up Casper from the babysitter. I've taken care of everything." He kissed her temple. "Have fun."
Pulling back his hands, he nodded to someone behind her. "She's all yours."
She turned around and was met by Kozik's smirk. Well – she'd never expected to hear that from Juice, given their past.
Kozik pulled her in an one armed hug and let go of her. "Hey babe. Ready?"
"Eh – I have my doubts? Where are we going?"
"You'll see." He winked, laid an arm around her waist and led her out of the garage. Instead of heading for the parking lot, he took her to the picknick table on which Jax and Happy were smoking.
Kozik tapped his friend against the back of his head. "Time to go, princess."
"Go where?" Happy huffed.
"You'll see. Come on."
Happy gave his friend a suspicious glare, then he aimed his questioning look at Dana.
"I don't know anything about this either. He just told me to be here at half past one."
Her brother said nothing, moving his inscrutable glance back to Kozik, as if he was trying to force him non-verbally to answer his question. Of course it made no difference; it only widened Kozik's smirk.
With a grunt, Happy pushed himself away from the table. Kozik didn't go to the line of bikes, but he walked over to a car. Dana decided to sit in the back since she was smaller than the guys and there wasn't a lot of legroom. There was a strange feeling in her stomach. What was Kozik planning this time? Nevertheless she had to bit back a smirk at the sight of Happy's petulant face.
Kozik started the engine and left the parking lot, sweeping away the tense silence by turning on the CD player and singing along at the top of his lungs.
Dana stared out of the window, trying to understand what was going on. She really had no idea.
Only after parking the car at the shopping area of a nearby town, Happy made another attempt to figure out what the hell they were doing here. His voice sounded threatening, almost as if he was close to torturing Kozik to get answers.
"Patience, killer. It's just around the corner."
Dana sauntered behind him, exchanging a look with her brother, who didn't seem to know what to do. They rounded the corner. At first they passed a bridal shop, beside it was a shoe store. She wanted to move along, but Kozik's fingers glided around her wrist and he made her stop.
"This is it."
"What?" she asked confused.
"You're not gonna wear a jeans at your wedding, do you?"
"No but..." She stared at the wedding dresses behind the shop window. Sure – she had dreamed about her dress, had fantasized about it. She however had no mother to take with her, and her female friends were dead or gone. She'd decided to go to an outlet a few weeks before the wedding, or she would buy something online. With a lump in her throat, she looked at Kozik.
"You didn't think you had to do this on your own, did you? No way kid, we're gonna get you a pretty dress." He shoved her towards the door.
Dana looked over her shoulder to Happy, who crossed his arms, his face wronged. "What am I doin' here?"
"You're here because I know shit about fashion."
"And I do?"
"No. But the opinion of two dumb asses is still better than one. Come on grumpy. This is your sister's day."
Dana went through the door. A pleasant warmth came towards her. She still felt moved because Kozik did this for her and when she headed towards a rack with dresses and stroked the soft fabrics, she swallowed a lump in her throat.
"Pick all the ones you like," Kozik told her. "Hap and I will tell you what looks best on you. If you need any advice."
On a whim she pulled her friend in an embrace. "Thanks Koz," she whispered. She closed her eyes. He might not be a girl, but she couldn't think of anyone she'd rather wanted around.
"I love this, baby," he answered with a wink. "A girl's supposed to choose a wedding gown with her bestie."
Before she let go of him, she pulled him close one more time; then she took a knee-length dress from the rack. She took a critical look at it, but hung it back after concluding it was too simple.
"What kind of dress do you like?" Kozik asked, who started to search too. "Such a hoop thing?"
"Something classy," she answered. "But not too bombastic."
She looked over her shoulder, to the saleswoman. She was watching them from a distance, but she wasn't sure if the woman wanted to give them some time together, or whether she didn't know how to deal with a biker, or whether she was simply too scared to walk past Happy, who had taken a seat in the middle of the room and looked like a grunting rottweiler.
"Think you should have left him at home," she chuckled.
"And missing the chance to see him bawl his eyes out when he sees you in a wedding dress?" He laughed. "No way!"
. . .
Never in his life he had expected to be inside a bridal shop. Still, that was exactly where he was right now. Waiting until Dana left the dressing room, in which she had disappeared a while back, together with the saleswoman. Kozik sat down next to him, a way too wide grin on his face.
"Come on man. This means a lot to her."
"That's the reason I'm still here," he grunted. Sure – she deserved this. But somehow the thought that she only had her brother to take with her, stung. This was something she was supposed to do with her friends, or with her mother or mother-in-law. She had none of them.
A little awkwardly he scratched the side of his upper leg. He didn't know what to do once she left that dressing room. What if it looked horrible on her? Should he be honest?
That however was not the issue. When Dana shoved the curtain to the side and smiled shyly at them, his jaw dropped. The strapless bodice hugged her upper body perfectly and was decorated with flower designs, of which the tendrils curled down unto her hips. From there, the lacy fabric fanned out, taking her feet from sight. The most beautiful thing of it all however was her beaming face; the pure happiness that seemed to lit up her skin.
Suddenly, tears were stinging in his eyes.
A year ago he'd never believed to be a witness of this. His little sister preparing herself for the most beautiful day of her life. He blinked his eyes, hastily wiping away the tear that rolled down his cheek, hoping nobody noticed.
"Gotcha!" Kozik yelled. "Ha! A tear!"
He wanted to object, but he didn't trust his voice. Instead, he simply ignored his friend. He got up, looking her up and down.
"You look beautiful kid," he said in a hoarse voice.
She caught his glance. If she had been a normal person, all love would have been beaten out of her a long time ago. The look in her eyes however was still loving.
Again he swallowed, fighting his tears.
Dana stepped towards him, wrapping her arms around him. Carefully he held her. "I'm glad I'm here," he admitted quietly.
She looked up, smiling. He caressed her cheek, laying a kiss on her forehead.
"I love you kid."
"I love you too." She stepped back and turned around. "And? I think it's really beautiful."
"Happy's tears are a good measure," Kozik smirked. "So I would take this one."
Happy elbowed his side, although he showed his sister a half-smile.
"I wanted to ask you something, Hap." Taking a deep breath, she took his hands. "Do you want to be the one walking me to the aisle? The one giving me away?"
Happy swallowed. That question came totally unexpected. Not that he knew who else could do it; he simply hadn't given it a thought at all.
"Uh..." he stammered. 'You don't... You don't want dad to do it?"
She shook her head. "You know me. You know Juice. It would mean a lot to me if you want to do it."
"Yeah... sure," he said hoarsely. "Yeah – yeah of course I will do it."
If possible, her smile became even bigger. She turned away from him again, admiring herself in the mirror. "I don't think I'll ever take this off."
Kozik chuckled. "Just wait until you gotta pee. It will be a hell of job not to piss all over it."
Dana glared at him. "You really need to ruin my moment?"
He raised his hands in surrender. "Hey, I'm a man. We're practical. Actually, every bride should take a guy with her to help her decide."
"I think it's time for a new job, Koz. Selling wedding dresses."
He smirked. "I always had this feeling I've missed my true calling."
Dana started to laugh and turned back to the mirror. Her hands glided across the fabric and she smiled at herself. "I'm not sure what I love more; Juice or this dress."
"Take the dress," Happy suggested. "Saves a lot of trouble. You simply hang it in the closet when you're sick of it. Or you sell it. Sounds perfect."
Dana turned around, shaking her head. "You're such a Romeo."
He smirked. "The biggest Romeo one can think of."
. . .
[↓ Dana's dress ;D]