All of Me

“Diana, that sounds like an awful lot of changes. I like the vineyard and house the way they are. I’ll agree the gazebo and outhouse can use the updating, but changing the landscape of the vineyard may ruin it. Just because we don’t want to work it, when we sell it, buyers might be looking for a working vineyard.”

“Sell it?”

“I didn’t think we’d live her forever,” Marty insisted.

“Really? But I love it here,” Diana told him, looking around with a frown. “Which is why I want to get married here.”

“But all the changes…” Marty replied.

“I’ll hire the best landscapers in the state, Marty. I would never want to harm the vineyard. I’ll make sure whoever we hire has experience with this sort of thing. Besides, we’re not tearing it down or anything, just relocating some of the vines to create a space,” Diana argued. “The outlying vines won’t be touched at all, except maybe to do a little pruning for beauty’s sake. But really, you’re supposed to cut them back every few seasons anyway.”

“Did a little research, did ya’?” he asked, smirking.

Sheepishly, she grinned at him. “Yes, I did.” She grabbed his hand. “Marty, think about how beautiful this could be. Picture it in your head.” She described the aisle, the gazebo, lit up with twinkle lights and surrounded by their friends. She described the house, assuring him that while they would have to remove the furniture for the reception, Rena would take care of hiring people to do that. The two of them wouldn’t have to lift a finger.

“I’m still not sure, Diana. I mean, our home would be turned upside down for at least a week, and we’d have workers tromping all over the place.”

Diana could see she was close to winning. He hadn’t said no, or even hinted at no, just that he wasn’t sure it was a good idea. “Babe, I’ve worked with Rena on projects like these before. She doesn’t hire oafs who destroy the area around them. Her workers are solid.”

Marty nodded. “I understand that, I just…” He looked into his wife’s pleading eyes and felt the shift that meant he’d say yes. He struggled with no when it came to Diana because he wanted to give her everything. He threw up his hands, pretending to be irate, and said, “Fine.”

Diana squealed and threw her arms around her fiance. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

He held her back so he could see her face. “But if I don’t like a change, it doesn’t happen. Deal?”

“Deal!” she yelled, hurting his ear.

*****

On Monday morning, Diana hurried into the building where Events at Ease, the party planning company she worked for. The first item on her agenda was to discuss going part time with Janice. Since she really only planned three or four events in as many months, she was part time already without being called part time. She used none of the amenities the full time employees were offered, such as medical insurance, though she did have a 401K and stocks. She’d give those up, but she didn’t mind all that much.

She stopped by Janice’s assistant’s desk, smiling at the sweet woman. “Good morning, Barbara. How are you?”

Barbara, an attractive woman of fifty or so, returned the smile. “I am well. She’s waiting for you if you want to go on in. There’s coffee and pastries on the side table. She has another meeting soon, but I don’t think they’ll miss a cup and a pastry.”

Diana’s smile broadened. “I don’t think so either. Definitely getting a cup, but I have eaten breakfast.”

“See you later,” the woman called as Diana stepped to the door and knocked softly. She waved as she heard her boss call for her to come in.

“Good morning, Janice,” Diana announced as she walked inside, closing the door behind her. Diana’s favorite thing about their office was the casual nature. Janice, the owner, insisted on a family environment and expected all employees to be on a first name basis.

“Hello, Diana!” Janice cooed as she rounded her desk for a hug. Her perfectly coiffed hair didn’t move, and her pink suit, the woman’s favorite color, was tailored to fit her body as if she’d been sewn into it. After the hug, Janice gestured to the coffee. “Please, make yourself one and join me on the sofa.”

Diana meandered to the coffee pot, looking at the office she’d been in several times. The plush carpet, a white that made her nervous, made her footsteps soundless. Beautiful cups and matching saucers waited to be used by guests, and the wooden table was creatively designed and most likely expensive, as was every piece of furniture in the room. Janice had designed the room for the upscale clients her business catered to, and she fit the part of a person who knew about the finer things in life.

Once Diana was comfortably seated on the sofa, she sipped her coffee delicately and sighed. “My gosh, this is delicious.”

“Isn’t it? I found it in a coffee shop. You barely need to add a thing,” Janice smiled, her perfectly straight, blindingly white teeth flashing at her.

“I agree. I’ll have to get the name from you. Marty will love it,” Diana told her, feeling like she was at brunch rather than at work.

“I’ll text it to you.” Janice lifted her phone from the table in front of them and typed a message quickly. Diana felt her purse vibrate and smiled her thanks. “So, Rena tells me you and Marty are thinking of hiring the company.”

“Yes. That’s one of two things I wanted to speak with you about, actually,” Diana informed her. “Marty and I,” she shrugged, “well, I have decided to have our wedding at the vineyard where we live. However, we’ll need to make several renovations to prepare.”

Janice tilted her head. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, but since you’ve planned several parties since you’ve worked here, you could plan it yourself.”

“I could, but the stress of planning my own wedding just sounds plain terrible.” They shared a laugh. “Rena and I got to talking the other night about what would need to be done, and after chatting with Marty, we decided it would be better to have someone else handle the details.”

“Very wise, very wise indeed,” Janice schmoozed, nodding her head in agreement. “Well, I’m on board. I’ll let you and Rena handle the details and the contract, etc.” A pause in the conversation allowed them to sip their coffee, a sigh slipping for two sets of lips, then giggles.

“We’re sighing like two teenaged girls looking at a hot guy,” Diana laughed.

Janice giggled. “Ah, those were the days.” They sipped again. Janice placed her saucer and cup on the table and clasped her hands on her lap. She sat with her back straight and her ankles crossed. Diana had the absurd idea that she looked like the Queen of England sitting for a portrait, though much younger. “So, what was the other thing you need to speak to me about?”