Work Text:
“But...wouldn’t you prefer a dress, Sally?”
Sally bit her lip. She had never expected for her and Molly to get so far as marriage. It was something that boggled her mind, to be quite honest. Living together (in sin, Molly had often joked before she began to remind her girlfriend exactly why she enjoyed sharing a bed with Molly) had been enough for her, really. She hadn’t needed to deal with all the hassle of rings and licenses and formalities and people…
But then she’d gotten shot.
It wasn’t even close to serious; there were so few people who owned guns in Britain that used them for anything other than hunting, but NSY knew there were some people hell-bent on causing chaos and that’s whey there were bulletproof vests available, should there be a situation that warranted it.
That’s why she’d been wearing one before going into the warehouse, after all.
And all it had really done was knock her flat on her arse and take the wind out of her. The bullet hadn’t penetrated the skin in any sort of way, it just hurt like the dickens getting hit. But it also scared her more than she had thought it would and as soon as she was discharged from the A&E she marched home, kissed Molly with a passion she hadn’t realized she’d possessed, and asked the love of her life to marry her.
Which brought her to today.
She did like to dress up and all, and weddings were always a good reason to wear a dress, especially if you were a bride, but some part of her wanted a suit. Molly had been happy with anything Sally wanted, though she had firmly been told she would not be allowed to watch her pick out something to wear to the wedding as there should be some small traditions left in the world for them.
So her mum came along, and it was as disastrous as she had known it would be. Not that she didn’t love her mum, and not that her mom didn’t adore Molly, but if you wanted a bridezilla who wasn’t a bride, her mum rivaled Holmes for that spot, except Holmes could be reasoned with when he went too far. Sally had remembered her sister’s wedding and how much all the family except her mum had hated it, and she remembered her brother eloping.
Why she and Molly hadn’t thought to do the same, she would have to figure out later.
“Mum, for the last time, I am wearing a pantsuit because I want to. Molly is always in trousers at work and I think she should get to wear the dress at the ceremony. I’ll find something classy and nice, but still me, and you’ll be proud.”
“I’m already proud, Sally.” Her mother sounded sad, and Sally stopped looking through the racks of suits to look at her mum.
“Is everything all right?” she asked, concern etched on her features.
Her mum reached over to grasp her hand, patting the top of it. Her mother had come from the States to marry a British officer who had been stationed at MCAS Parris Island for a time on joint manuevs with the United States Marine Corps. They had met and fell in love in a whirlwind romance and when her mum found out she was pregnant she came to London and married her father. It had been a happy marriage, and she didn’t remember anything but loving tenderness between her mother and father. When her father died her mum had been heartbroken but had the strong-willed Southern spirit she herself had inherited and carried on. “I’m dying, honey,” she said. “I have a few months left.”
Sally’s eyes widened and she let go of her mum’s hand and wrapped her arms around her. “Oh, Mum,” she said, her voice choking up.
“I didn’t want to ruin your wedding the way I had Marsha’s, or have you elope like Robert did,” she said, holding her daughter. “But I just want it to be perfect.”
Sally had always been taller than her mum and she rested her chin on the top of her mum’s head, blinking back tears. “Molly will understand,” she murmured.
“Understand what?” her mum asked.
“Suit jacket and a big voluminous skirt,” she said with a smile. “And maybe I can get a tiara or something. You wanted Marsha to wear one, right?”
Her mum smiled and nodded, and Sally pulled her into her embrace again. Tonight would be the time for tears and comfort for her but now? Now was the time to make her mum happy. Molly would understand, she knew it. That’s why she loved her so much.