Title: Yesterday to Tomorrow: Chapter Forty-two, 843
Rating: NC-17 [violence, swearing, nudity, sexual situations]

Summary: Wedding invitations have to go out... to A LOT of people.

Previous Chapter Lost Like a Prayer

Current Chapter 843

Next Chapter Out with the Girls

With the kids down for their naps and the lack of desire to unpack anything else, Alyssa settled onto the couch with her notebook. Oh it wasn't just any notebook. It was the notebook. The one with all of the details of their wedding contained within it. And all neatly organized. Flipping open to the calendar, her eyes looked it over.

"Mon dieu!" she gasped. "We have to send invitations today!"

Setting the notebook down, Alyssa stretched for her cell phone, dialing Chris in a breath.

"Lyss?"

"Are you terribly busy today, Chris?"

"Not really. Is there something wrong?"

"We need to go pick out and print and mail our wedding invitations. Today," Alyssa answered.

He chuckled, "You're working on wedding stuff, aren't you? Told you that you couldn't go a week without worrying about it."

"It's been eight days since I even looked at the notebook, Chris," she pointed out. "But not the point. We need invitations."

"And I have to go for that?"

Dead silence.

"Lyss?"

"You better be here in an hour to pick us up," she declared.



Sitting the kids down at a little table with colouring books, crayons, and a few other assorted toys, Alyssa joined Chris and the saleslady. Her eyes quickly scanned at whatever Chris was looking at and shook her head.

"We have a minor dilemma," she declared. "To keep on schedule, I need to mail my invitations today. So let's begin with what you have in stock."

The saleslady frowned, "Printing invitations takes—"

"An hour at most. I know how they're made. If I had the equipement I would print them myself," Alyssa interrupted. "Which I suppose could be remedied if you are not willing to work with us."

Chris had to look down to hide his small smile at Alyssa's response.

"But quality assuranc—"

"Very well," she turned to Chris. "Get the kids, Chris. There's another stationary shoppe down the street who claimed they could meet any deadline. We mustn't waste our time here."

Turning the pair headed towards the kids.

"Wait! How many invitations were you looking for?" the saleslady asked.

Alyssa stopped and turned, "Nine hundred. Printed on blue linen stock or white if you have none. With a simple border."

"It would take approximately an hour to print all of those," she stated.

"That would give me time to begin addressing the envelopes," she replied, heading back to the counter. "Show me what you have."



Shaking her hand, Alyssa set aside the envelopes. With a sigh and a smile, she looked down at the formidable stack. Eight hundred forty-three envelopes addressed with Alyssa's pretty calligraphy in a shimmery blue ink. Finished.

"Baby?" Chris entered the dining room, glancing at the stacks of envelopes around the table. "You coming to bed tonight?"

Her eyes went to his, "Yes of course. Just had to finish the invitations. So I can go to the post office and drop them off in the morning."

"You finished them all?" he asked, picking up one off the nearest pile. "All nine hundred of them?"

"The guest list is only eight hundred forty-three," Alyssa pointed out. "But yes, they're all done."

He stared at her, "We really have that many to invite?"

"Yes."

Chris shook his head, "So much for a small wedding."

"I never said anything about a small wedding."

His mouth opened and closed, "Right. You didn't. But I didn't know we knew that many people."

"We do."

"If you insist."

"Chris, you made the list yourself," she held up the sheet of paper. "Don't tell me that you don't really want to invite all these people now."

He reached for it, glancing over the paper, "Wow. We do know a lot of people."

Alyssa rolled her eyes and stood, "You have a tux fitting the day after tomorrow. You and the guys. Can you squeeze it in?"

"Fitting?" his eyes met hers.

"Yes."

"I suppose I have no choice," he replied.

"Unless you intend to marry me naked in front of more than eight hundred people," she replied, heading out of the dining room, flicking the light off.

"I'll marry you however you want me to. Naked, clothed, whatever," Chris claimed, hurrying after her.

"Since your kids will be there, I'll opt for clothed," she teased. "But a naked Chris right now wouldn't be such a bad thing."

His arms slipped around her waist, holding her from going up stairs. His lips touched her throat, words muttered against her skin she couldn't quite understand.

"What was that?" she breathed.

"Nothing, love," Chris said, before scooping her off the ground.

Alyssa giggled softly, "Just don't drop me. I would hate to have to explain that to the kids."

He kissed her again, "No worries at all. I'll never drop you."