(no subject)

[obiit.livejournal.com]

Stella stepped out of their home, dressed up to meet her husband at the new French restaurant near his office. As she headed down the steps, she realised she had forgotten to get the mail. "Damn it." She turned and opened the mailbox and pulled out the large stack of mail, taking it to her car with her. Ray was always insistent that they get their mail, not their servants. "None of their business, Stella," he always said.

She tossed all the mail into the passenger seat before carefully sliding behind the wheel of the Volvo that Ray had bought her when they'd found out she was pregnant. She smiled, remembering. "Don't want anything to happen to you, Cara," he'd whispered, running his hands over her belly, his green eyes bright with emotion.

Stella ran her hand over her stomach and started her car and buckled her seat belt. As she put the car in reverse and turned to look before backing out of the driveway, her eye was caught by an unfamiliar, precise handwriting on an envelope on top of the pile. She put the car back in park and picked up the heavy linen envelope. "Another marriage invitation," she muttered, carefully opening the invitation. She was sure it was from one of Ray's associates. They were always getting invitations of one sort or another.

She pulled the cream coloured invitation out and started to read it.

And the two shall become one...

Sergeant Benton Robert Fraser

and

Stanley Raymond Kowalski

invite you to share in the celebration of their love.

Please join us as we exchange our vows
at three pm, the fourteenth of February at our home.


She couldn't read any further; she looked out the window, the world outside blurred with tears.

Her hand tightened on the card, bending the edge slightly as she wept. She had moved on, why couldn't she let him move on? Why did she have to cry over this? Why did this hurt so? For a brief moment, she thought that this must surely be how Ray felt when she told him it was over between them. She took a shuddering breath, trying to regain control over her emotions, over this foolish hurt that she felt.

Dropping the invitation onto the stack of the mail, she took a deep breath then wiped her eyes carefully with a Kleenex.

Stella shifted in her seat and stared out the window while she tried to regain her composure before going to see Ray - her Ray, who adored her, who loved her but didn't smother her with constant attention.

Like Ray Kowalski once did - he was so needy, and she'd finally had enough. She smiled wryly. "I'm sure that you're already overwhelming Constable - Sergeant," she corrected herself, addressing the invitation sitting on the stack of mail, "Fraser with your neediness, Ray."

She was so glad she didn't want anything like that anymore. She was so glad she wasn't married to Ray Kowalski anymore. He was part of her past. Her tears were just from hormones. Silly, really.

She was happy now, here in Florida with Ray. They had money, servants, a big house with a swimming pool - things she'd always wanted. She didn't work anymore; she could stay at home and just be a wife. And soon, a mother.

Ray Vecchio was a big deal here, people listened to him. She liked being married to an important man.

She patted her eyes once more then reached over and slid the invitation back in the envelope. If her hands trembled slightly, there was no one to see. If she regretted the might-have-beens, the could-have-beens, no one would ever know.

Stella reapplied her makeup in the small mirror, determined to look beautiful for Ray.

They would decline the invitation, of course, she thought as she backed out of the driveway. The baby was due about then.... Her mind made up, excuses already made, she began the short drive to the restaurant to meet her husband.



664 words
by Sanguine

Comments

[dirty-diana.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's a great take. Bittersweet.

(If I may be allowed to nitpick for a second - caro is the masculine. Ray may have meant to go with cara.)

[obiit.livejournal.com]

I appreciate the comment and the correction. It's fixed. Thank you.

[jenboo.livejournal.com]

Interesting to see Stella talking herself out of hurting because RayK isn't hers any longer. A lovely little piece!
And if I might pick a nit as well, Fraser's middle name is Robert (canon from Season 2 ep 'The Edge').

You know, I'm a little miffed at Stella for coming up with her excuses, but I kind of understand why she did it. She may have loved RayK, but I don't think she ever 'got' him. *sigh*

[obiit.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the correction. I never heard that - in fact, I've always been told that no one knows for certain what his middle name is. I'll definately rewatch 'The Edge'. My apologies for throwing you out of the story in that manner, and I have corrected my mistake.

Thank you for taking the time to comment.

[jenboo.livejournal.com]

funny thing is, it didn't really throw me out of the story. I think it's a great alternative, in keeping with his Scottish heritage. :o)

[obiit.livejournal.com]

I'm *very* glad to know that. Actually, that's not why I called him that. I emailed you, privately, btw... I'll do so again - check your mail, please. Thank you.

[jenboo.livejournal.com]

okay, I suck, I was wrong. I was remembering fanon, not canon. I'm going to crawl under a rock now...

[obiit.livejournal.com]

You don't suck, and it's cool. We're cool, right? Right?

[obiit.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

I think that Stella did enjoy the push and pull game she played with Ray. It gave her a sense of power to be able to do that.

People (I think) do not tend to see themselves as they do others. So to me, it made perfect sense that she could not see that she - in her way - was needy also, that she needed... just like RayK needs.

I also was trying to get across (and probably did not project very well) that while Ray Vecchio was an important man, so was Ray Kowalski... to different people.

Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.

[obiit.livejournal.com]

Very true. I think you summed it up right there: It's in the nature of "how DARE you let yourself need someone else, and how dare they love you for it."

Thank you.

[theodosia.livejournal.com]

It always pleases me so much to see Stella done well!

[obiit.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I appreciate that wholeheartedly.

[shayheyred.livejournal.com]

I agree with Theodosia. Often Stella is portrayed in fic as pretty one-dimensional, the vituperative bitch, and this is a well-rounded and insightful change. I think her emotions ring VERY true. Not many of us are selfless enough to feel perfectly fine about an ex moving on, even if we have ourselves. It's a perceptive reading of the situation.

And I'm so glad you used a wedding announcement -- it's perfect for this challenge~!

[obiit.livejournal.com]

I really don't see her as a vituperative bitch - I think she can be a bitch, but that's something all together different, yes? *g*

I'm glad you liked the wedding invitation, and thanks for letting me know you enjoyed it. I enjoyed writing it.

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Wedding invitation!!! D'oh! Way clever! This challenge is bringing out so many smart ideas!

[obiit.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I had a good time writing it.

[doll-revolution.livejournal.com]

lovely! (but not sweet this time!) poignant, yes? very true-to-life, very good.

^__^

[obiit.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much.

[ardent-muses.livejournal.com]

I really like it that you decided to show this through Stella's eyes, and I think the world you created around her is very vivid.

The "important" man thing comes across well. It's a good theme. If Stella can't see (or doesn't want to see) that RayK is just as important in his own way as RayV is, then that's sad.

Still, I'm glad she and RayV have a life they want. :)

[obiit.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I really wanted to show that RayK is as important - especially to Fraser.