Page 105 of Dark Destiny: The Turning Of The Loom

As usual, Oridu was not there, but Ogidu was.

"My daughters and Syssi will be here within the hour. Amanda and Syssi are coming straight from the university, and they will not have eaten. I will wait to eat lunch with them. Just make sure there is enough for the four of us. Master Khiann will not be joining us for lunch, but he will be here for dinner."

"Of course, Clan Mother." Ogidu inclined his head. "Will the little mistresses be joining? Allegra and Evie? Should I prepare something special for them?"

He looked eager, and as always, Annani wondered whether it was a real emotion or mimicry of what he supposed was the right expression for the context.

"The girls are not coming. Amanda and Syssi are dropping them at home with their Odus."

"Ah." His shoulders slumped a finger's width. "I wish the little ones were coming. I could have entertained them while their mothers were busy."

As he turned back to lunch preparation, Annani wondered about his response. That had not been mimicry. He seemed genuinely disappointed that the girls were not coming.

The Odus were growing more sentient, but the process was slow, so most of the time she did not notice it. Moments like this brought it to her attention.

The doorbell rang less than an hour later, and as Ogidu opened the door, her daughters and Syssi rushed in, chattering excitedly.

Amanda waved her tablet. "I've already made a couple of sketches and talked with Dominique." She kissed Annani's cheek, then stepped aside to let Syssi and Alena do the same.

Annani accepted the hugs and congratulations, wiped a few tears from Alena's face, then turned back to Amanda.

"When did you have time to do all that? I hope you were not driving and sketching at the same time."

The car could drive itself, but Annani did not trust technology when lives were at stake. She wanted her children to at least pay attention, especially with the little ones in the backseat. Both girls were already immortal, but still. Annani did not want them to get hurt. For immortals, emotional trauma was harder to heal than physical injury.

"Syssi took the driver's seat, while I sketched and brainstormed with Dominique," Amanda said, setting her tablet on the dining table. "He was so excited that he forgot to be French for a moment. I also called Gerard."

Alena groaned. "I cringe imagining the tantrum he threw when you told him the wedding was in less than a month."

"He did, especially since I could not give him a definitive date. I promised him I would have one by tonight. He will start working on the menu right away."

"Can Gerard clear a day on such short notice?" Syssi asked. "And why rush?" She looked at Annani. "Why is everyone in this family always in such a hurry?"

Annani laughed. "Good things come to those who act, not to those who wait," she and Amanda said at the same time.

"That's scary," Syssi said. "You even have the same intonation."

"I've heard her say that throughout my life." Amanda tapped her temple. "It's seared into my mind."

"Can I see what you sketched?" Annani asked.

Amanda woke the screen. "First, tell me about the dress you wore at your first wedding."

Annani closed her eyes and imagined the dress, but then she remembered what she had promised Khiann.

"I do not wish the dresses to be the same. In fact, I want them to be as different as possible so the memories do not mix. Besides, that dress was extremely uncomfortable, and you know my philosophy about comfortable clothing."

"I do." Amanda nodded. "But you still need to tell me about that dress so I can make sure the new one is different."

"Very well. It was white, of course, and made of layered linen. So many layers that the skirt stood away from my body and was very heavy. The bodice was stiff with gold thread, embroidered with the sun disk across the breast.

"And the headdress?"

"It made me almost a foot taller, which I appreciated at the time, but it was very heavy. I definitely do not want to wear anything like that."

"So, no linen, no heavy gold embroidery, and no headdress."

Annani let out a breath. "I already feel lighter. I want to enjoy my wedding. I even want to dance, which we did not do back then."