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On the day that Inara realized she was ready to marry Kaylee, the first feeling that welled in her chest (after the usual adoration and euphoria that always came when she thought about her girlfriend), was dread.
Not about the idea of spending the rest of her life with Kaylee by her side; certainly not. Just about the hurdle before married life that was the wedding. There would be so many working parts, so many things to organize. Inara had had more than one client who unloaded their woes about wedding planning on her, the tension and strife mounting and mounting until the inevitable urgent appointment when they would reveal to Inara that the wedding had been called off. It was the planning that did us in, they always said. It was the linen colors and the invitation fonts and the flower arrangements having to be ordered in from Londinium because of the season and his mother really seemed to want to be planning her own wedding.
The first step would be contacting House Madrassa. Inara had no intention of retiring any time soon, and while there were certainly Companions who also had spouses, it was not common and involved an approval process. She and Kaylee had visited House Madrassa before, in order to get Kaylee on Inara's file as an official partner of a registered Companion. Kaylee had clearly not understood exactly why they had to go through so much rigamarole, but she answered every question politely and provided her ident card and medical history without any complaining. Inara was truly grateful for her girlfriend's flexibility, and she'd done her best to explain the ins and outs of all the paperwork that went into a Companion's life.
"I think this might just be something that you only get if you're in the industry and grow up around folks who know it," Kaylee had admitted after Inara explained all of the information House Madrassa had on her.
"But you didn't have to submit your info."
"I trust them," Kaylee had said. "And I love you."
Inara just hoped Kaylee loved her enough to endure wedding planning with her.
She got the ball rolling with a wave call to the House Madrassa office, where she was grateful to see that the person currently working was a friend of hers.
"Well, if it isn't the adventurer Inara Serra herself," Anastazia said brightly when the wave call connected.
"Hi, Anastazia."
"Is this a social call, or a logistics one?"
"It's about logistics, I'm afraid. I am going to be needing a few things from you," Inara told her. "Definitely an appointment to meet with someone who can process relationship registration…and also an appointment at Browning’s Jewelry,” Inara said. “With a focus on women’s engagement rings.”
“Oh?” Anastazia's voice had the teasing curiosity that Inara had sometimes heard during training before they’d all learned control and the career had lost a lot of the mystique. It felt so relieving to hear it, to feel like maybe the admins of House Madrassa would actually be happy for her like so many people’s friends and family.
“I have intentions to ask my girlfriend to marry me,” Inara told her. “She should be listed on my file."
"Let me see…in the official file of Inara Serra…Miss Kaywinnet Lee Frye, home planet of Kowlonshi…travel mechanic on a transport ship. Oh! Inara, you don't need an appointment at Browning's."
"Kaylee deserves—"
"You need an appointment at Millay Adventure Jewelers," Anastazia interrupted. "She can't wear a metal band, Inara, come on. You can get a gemstone set in gold or silver and threaded onto a silicone band at Millay. They can make it a nice soft pink band, too, which it looks like she'd prefer, based on these pictures.” Anastazia gave Inara a knowing look through the wave call. "Who did the registration when you brought Kaylee in to be approved as a Companion's partner?"
"Oscar."
"Oh, gross. I'm surprised he even sent the paperwork through. What a nasty snooty man. Did you know that even the president of uh…oh, what's that tech company that makes all the budget Cortex units…oh, well, you know what I'm talking about. Anyway, that company's president told us that he no longer wanted to hire Oscar and he also didn't want to have a final closing tea meeting because he felt like Oscar was treating him like a second class citizen. Like Oscar is so snobbish and disconnected from reality that at this point in his career he's really only capable of entertaining members of parliament and old money aristocracy."
"What kind of Companion is that?" Inara asked immediately.
"I know, right? Anyway, now that I know it was Oscar you met with, I don't blame you whatsoever for being defensive of your girl." Anastazia went quiet, obviously reading over Kaylee’s file. “Gosh, she looks so sweet. The two of you really are adorable. Oh, you know what, how about an appointment at Browning’s but for a necklace? Something symbolic with birthstones or something else specific to the two of you, so she can have something a little fancier too. What do you think about that?”
“It’s not a bad idea,” Inara admitted. “I know I still have to ask her, but we’ve spoken about marriage at length…I think it might not be a bad idea to start contacting vendors. I have to start getting in touch with family members. Can you send me a list of clients of mine who were regulars when I was living at the House? I figure they ought to be sent an invite even if it's unlikely they'll attend."
“Inara, you’re talking about all of this with the voice of someone who is getting their affairs in order before they go away to federal prison,” Anastazia said, frowning. “I know you love this woman, so what’s going on?”
“I just…I know that it's going to be a mess. Not that my family is particularly prone to feuds, but the stress of planning and the fact that I'm my mother's only daughter…I can see the sleep I'll lose for this. We'll need a venue and catering for the engagement party, which I think needs to be on Sihnon…then the wedding shower and individual bridal showers. Mine would be on Sihnon, but Kaylee's would have to be on Kowlonshi for all her friends. I'm sure she'd like to have access to travelling vendors, though, if she's interested in a party. My bridal shower means…" Inara groaned, though she'd been bracing herself for this. "Contacting cousins and old friends and seeing where they are and if they're available for a party, and then making sure all of them are happy. After that, there'd be the bridal luncheon and then the ceremony itself. I know it would be a lot more fun to have a Kowlonshi wedding, but my family will expect a Sihnon event, we'd need to start looking for venues as soon as possible. It will have to be black tie, if I want all of my relatives to even consider coming. And that will mean all those wedding minutiae regarding flowers and linens and food and tea ceremonies. Oh, and before that, we'll have to book something for the rehearsal dinner and plan something for an afterparty, so that my cousins don't die of boredom from the formal reception. A farewell brunch might be a little bit of overkill, but—"
“Inara, Inara! Nothing says you have to have a dozen different events in order to get married,” Anastazia pointed out. “After the House approves the marriage, which I’m absolutely sure they will, you just need to get a license and have someone officiate and get two witnesses. You don’t have to invite anyone if you don’t want to.”
“Every wedding I’ve been to—“
“Okay, well, every Companion I’ve ever met has stayed with a House or contracted with a cruise ship or a resort for their whole careers. And most of them retire before marriage. So who cares? Since when does Inara Serra follow the path laid out before her by her station of birth and her choice of career?"
Inara checked her calendar and Anastazia promised she'd arrange a shopping appointment at Millay Adventure Jewelers the next time Inara was on Sihnon. She ended the wave call with the feeling of dread completely lifted. A quick glance at marriage laws told her that she didn't even have to go to a courthouse. They could get the paperwork logged on the Cortex and get married anywhere they wanted. Something small and cozy felt like it would suit them, and then they could have a celebration; a loud and boisterous one with Kaylee's friends and family that only really needed a month's advance notice, one that was far from the Core so the crew with active warrants out would be able to celebrate too. There would be the opportunity to have a dinner on Sihnon with Inara's family at some point.
Now all Inara had to do was propose. It would be a while before she could get the ring, so she did have a lot of time to think and rethink and overthink what a perfect proposal might look like. She thought about it often, taking down notes whenever she had an idea, and though none of them gelled with each other and none of them stood out from the others either, she felt that one day, she would figure it out. She had to. She and Kaylee spent some time together on Persephone the next time there was shore leave; they dressed up and went shopping and got lunch and Inara felt like she was seeing possible proposal spots everywhere she looked. Eventually, Kaylee suggested they spend the afternoon walking through the botanical gardens and Inara started to think she was going insane, picturing herself asking Kaylee one of the most important questions of her life in every single turn of the path or quiet alcove. One of them could work; they were all very picturesque. Inara logged the Persephone botanical gardens alongside the Sihnon Lights Promenade and the Three Hills badlands. Should she pack a picnic? Should she make dinner reservations for afterwards?
"Inara?"
"Kaylee?"
"Are you alright? You look worried."
Inara took a moment to look at Kaylee and breathe deep. She felt better already.
"I've had a lot on my mind, I think."
"Will you mind terribly if I add another thing to all of that?" Kaylee wondered.
"Something coming from you? No, I wouldn't mind," Inara said with a laugh. Kaylee grinned at her, took Inara's hand in hers, and sank to one knee in front of the lupines.
"Will you marry me?" She asked, and Inara was nodding effusively before Kaylee had even finished the whole sentence.
Kaylee stood to snap open a ring box and slide the ring on Inara's finger before embracing her, and there was a smattering of applause from bystanders.
"Rén ci de fó zǔ, I'm so excited to marry you," Inara said into Kaylee's neck. "Let's do it on Kowlonshi; have one of those bonfire dances you took me to last time."
"Yeah? You want a Kowlonshi wedding?"
"I do. And then we'll make it real easy for your dad."
"He'd like that a lot," Kaylee said as she cupped Inara's face in her hands and kissed her. After a few moments basking in their new status as fiancées, they continued to meander through the gardens and it was only then that Inara looked down to the piece of jewelry Kaylee had just given her.
"This is my dream ring," Inara realized. She recognized it as being very nearly identical to the sketches and collages she'd made as a romantically-minded teenager: a round, glowing sunstone in a cast gold ring engraved with delicate vines.
"I called House Madrassa," Kaylee informed her giddily. "I talked to a lady named Anastazia and she told me all about what you used to tell your friends about what you wanted for a ring when you grew up back when you were all training at the House or back at finishing school before that. I had it made custom on Three Hills at a shop that Anastazia recommended and when I went in for the design appointment, they poured me a glass of sparkling wine with a raspberry in it. I felt so fancy."
"When did you speak with Anastazia?"
"Oh, it must have been around half a year back," Kaylee said with a thoughtful frown. "She's real nice! She also told me about a shop on Sihnon…I think it was called Circling the Sun? She said we can get dresses for dancing there, because I'd like to wear my pink ballgown for our ceremony but I don't think I can square dance in it."