BXBX NOVEL Chapter 134 - Preparation
The couple looked with amazement at the seedlings of Lettuce sprouting in the germinating tray. Being surrounded with vegetable seedlings of all types in their infancy form is amazing, it gives them a sense of enlightenment on how everything in this world started the same for everyone... plants, animals, and humans. Everything begins in small things then starts growing bigger and taller every day.
"This nursery is amazing!" Graven commented casually.
"Yeah... this is one of my favorite places here on the farm, you can see the different stages of the young plants' life from a seedling to a tiny plant growing taller and bigger every day. It makes you appreciate life the more," she murmured.
She remembered how young and carefree was her life when she's still a child, running around the farm, in the house, and everywhere. But when she grows up from childhood to adulthood all kinds of problems arise... just like the vegetable plants...they will be bombarded with insects and other harsh environmental conditions and later on harvested to be eaten by humans, that's how the short and tragic life of plants started and ended. As for humans... the ending varied... from sickness, accidents, murder, and so on. She wondered how her life would end? But she won't be eaten by humans for sure but by the worms feeding on her corpse! She grinned a little bit.
Graven has been observing Laura's face. "What are you thinking? You seemed to be in deep thoughts," he asked.
Laura shrugged. "Nothing... I just marveled about the short life span of vegetable plants, they will be harvested for food consumption for humans. Their life is so short that begins from planting to harvesting, while humans and animals have much higher mortality rate. Anyways, I wonder if my life ends in this world, will I be able to reincarnate and live again in another world? And what's my life going to be?" she muses.
Graven watched Laura's face intently. He wants to tell her that reincarnation is real and some souls have been given a chance to forget their previous life by drinking the Water of Forgetfulness... and there are instances that the memory of other souls has been forcefully erased by other entities by any means possible. Regarding his and Laura's memory...
"Sister, brother-in-law!"
His train of thoughts was interrupted by the voice of Sofia coming from the entrance of the nursery.
"They're already here, you are needed by Father in the veranda to discuss the wedding preparation with the guest!" Sofia exclaimed excitedly.
Laura smiled.
Graven grabbed Laura's hands and they exited the nursery area, holding hands while Sofia was already ahead of them, bouncing up and down like a hyperactive kid going back to the farmhouse.
When they reached the veranda, several people were already there and some trunk. Laura wondered what are the contents of the trunk? She went to her mother's side. "Mother, please help me to choose everything!" she requested, feeling overwhelmed a bit.
Rosa smiled. "Don't worry, daughter. Let's start with your wedding dress first, chose the first five designs that you like best, and then we will choose the best one along with the perfect fabric for it, it's easier that way," she said.
She placed the catalog of black and white photos of different wedding designs in Laura's hands. "Here is the catalog, you may start choosing now," she ordered.
Laura flipped on the pages of the catalog and began immersing herself in the task of choosing her wedding gown. Fifteen minutes later, she had chosen five dress designs that exude simplicity and elegance. "Mother, I already have chosen five designs," she informed her.
"Good, now let's check the designs closely," Rosa said.
The women scrutinized the wedding dresses from every angle.
A few minutes later, they both have chosen an elegant white long sleeve wedding dress adorned with lovely lace detailing from front to back. The seamstress opened the trunk and took out the sample of the chosen wedding gown and showed it to the bride.
"Here is the sample," she said and placed the dress on the bride's hands.
Laura inspected the wedding dress and smiled brightly. "It's beautiful!" she gushes, admiring the dress for a few minutes.
"Yeah, it's gorgeous!" Rosa agreed.
"I love it! Just perfect for me!" Laura said impressed by the beauty and elegant design of the wedding dress.
The seamstress began taking Laura's body measurement. "Miss, we will start cutting and sewing the cloth tomorrow, and the gown will be finished between five to six days!" she said in a business-like voice.
"Thank you!" Laura said.
Done with the measurement. The seamstress put the gown back in the trunk.
"We're done with the wedding dress. Now let's move on to the menu to feed the guest," Rosa said. She looked at her husband. "How many guests total including the workers on our farm?" she asked him.
"Give an allowance...a total of 150 people..." Simon said brightly.
The restaurant manager began writing down in his notebook. Then he handed the black and white catalog of dishes to the bride. "We also offered wedding cake to our clients, Miss. Maybe you can find something you like with our fifteen grand wedding cake designs," he offered.
"Okay," Laura replied.
Rosa picked up the catalog of dishes. "Daughter, go ahead chose your wedding cake while I'm going to check out the dishes for the wedding menu," she said.
"Okay, Mother! Thanks for your help!" Laura responded.
In the next half an hour, the women got busy checking out the wedding cake and the menu, Sofia was having fun browsing the wedding decoration catalog...while the men were busy talking about business opportunities in the corner.
A few minutes later.
Laura showed her mother the photo of the delicious-looking five-tier cake adorned with red and gold flower decoration, it's the one that she likes best. 'What do you think of this cake, Mother?" she asked for a second opinion.
Rosa's eyes sparkled. "That's a fantastic cake, daughter! I like your choice!" she raved.
"Okay, I'll choose this one!" Laura told the restaurant manager and handed him back the catalog.
The restaurant manager wrote the name of the cake chosen by the bride in his notebook.
"Daughter, I already have chosen five menus for the wedding! Take a look at this catalog," Rosa said showing her daughter the photo of the dishes.
Laura perused the dishes one by one.
"We will have 7 main dishes and then 3 sweets and deserts. Then the drinks will be a choice between orange juice, watermelon, or pineapple juice. These are the healthier alternatives when it comes to drinks," Rosa explained.
Laura perused the five sets of dishes for five minutes. "I'll choose Set 4, Mother! Because it contains all my favorite dishes," she finally said.
"Good! That's also my favorite!" Rosa agreed. She looked at the restaurant manager. "We choose Set 4 menu," she said and handed back the catalog to him.
"Nice choice!" the restaurant manager said. "Are the 150 guests already final, Madam?" he asked again for confirmation.
"Yes!" Rosa nodded her head.
"Just in case there are some changes, you can inform us anytime, Madam," the store manager said.
"Okay," Rosa answered.
After they finished with the cake and menu, they move on to the wedding venue decoration.
The wedding decorator handed them the catalog containing ten different settings and wedding decors to choose from.
The mother and daughter duo spent the next thirty minutes perusing the black and white catalog and finally, they ended up choosing a beautiful garden wedding adorned with colorful flowers in every corner.
Laura looked at the wedding decorator and pointed at her choice in the catalog. "I want this garden wedding!" she said enthusiastically.
"Okay, that's a good choice, Miss! We will provide 150 chairs and tables for the occasion, including the flower decorations. You have nothing to worry about. Just leave everything to me," the wedding decorator said.
"Awesome!" Laura beamed.
Rosa rose to her feet. "Okay, since we're already done discussing the wedding details. Let's have some snacks and refreshments," she said. She looked at the servant standing nearby waiting for her instruction. "Bring the refreshments!" she told the servant.
"Yes, Madam!" the servant nodded her head and went to the kitchen.
A moment later.
A servant boy brought a jar containing refreshing cool lemonade drinks. Two servant girls arrived, one was carrying a tray of freshly baked creamy and sweet rice cakes and the other brought the plates, cups, and spoon and distributed them to the guest.
The Helman Family and the guest began eating their afternoon snacks.
After eating snacks, the seamstress seizes the chance and gives another catalog for the groom and the rest of the Helman family for their choice of attire.
Graven and Simon have quickly chosen their formal attire for the wedding. While Rosa and Sofia took a much longer time before they were able to choose the best wedding attire for them.
One hour later, the guest bid farewell to the family that invited them and boarded the carriage that will bring them back to the town.
Laura and Rosa watched the carriage exiting the iron gate with a bright smile adorning their faces.
"It's finally over!" Laura released a satisfied smile.
"Yeah, that is how easy it is! When it comes to wedding planning things will become easier if we only deal with the right persons and they will do the rest for us for the right price of course," Rosa said feeling relieved that the heavy planning was already taken off from their shoulders, time to focus on the smaller things.
In the corner.
Graven informed his father-in-law. "Father, I will shoulder all the cost of the wedding," he offered graciously.
"Are you sure? I"m willing to contribute some of the expenses," Simon said.
"No need, Laura is my bride and my wife. I want her to be happy and feel special on our wedding day, it's only fair that I will shoulder all the cost," Graven insisted.
"Okay, if that makes you happy, son, then so be it!" Simon replied with a satisfied grin.
The men wore a pleasant smile on their faces, they formed a close bond with each other in just a short time.
Simon was satisfied and contented that Laura decided to marry Graven and not Cooper which is his first choice. In the end, destiny corrected his mistake and delivered the right man for his daughter, for which he was forever grateful.