(no subject)

[noteful]

Meg Ford has two small stacks of photocopies on the table in front of her.

One set of photocopies is in English. The other is in French.

Meg's attention is fairly evenly divided between the two, both of which are versions of an Anglican wedding ceremony.

She is, for the moment, ignoring the blank notebook between them.

Comments

[cutting_edgex23]

"You are working?"

X's question is prefaced by her sitting down at Meg's table, peering carefully at the stacks of photocopies as she does so.

Maybe it will save time?

[noteful]

"Sort of," Meg says, "but it's nothing that can't be interrupted.

"Hello, Laura."

[cutting_edgex23]

"Meg," X says, after a moment. "Hello."

Beat.

"I am allowed to ask? What you are working on."

Religious services are not something X is very familiar with.

Shockingly.

[noteful]

"Of course," Meg says.

"This is the wedding ceremony from my church," Meg says, sliding the English translation over to Laura. "And this is the same ceremony in French. And since my family and friends don't all know French, and Alain's family and friends don't all know English, I'm trying to figure out which parts to do in which language."

[cutting_edgex23]

"Oh."

X starts flipping through the English service, careful not to tear or disarrange anything.

She is good with documents.

"I can help."

Beat.

"If it will be useful?"

She speaks both languages, at least? Even if she does not know the actual details of the service.

[noteful]

"I'll probably wind up working on it with Alain. It just seems like the sort of thing we ought to do together," Meg says. "But thank you for the offer."

[cutting_edgex23]

X considers that.

"You will not fight? If you have preferences. And he has others."

Conflict resolution within a relationship is something X only has a glancing familiarity with.

Well. When it comes to a broader scope of relationships, at least.

(X is perfectly aware that she does not generally fit into the categories of 'normal' behavior. And she is curious.)

[noteful]

"No," Meg says, "I don't think we will."

For one, Alain would agree to get married in Ancient Greek if Meg really wanted to.

Or Pig Latin.

"Alain and I don't fight much.

"And there's no real right or wrong here, so I don't think we'll have any trouble compromising.

"The main idea is just to put enough of the ceremony in each language that everyone there feels a part of things."

[cutting_edgex23]

"It is sensible," X says, after a long pause.

If she sounds a little hesitant -- so what?

"I do not go to church."

In case Meg was wondering.

"Or temple. And I do not pray."

[noteful]

"Have you ever been a church service before?" Meg asks.

"Or temple or mosque or any religious building?"

[cutting_edgex23]

"Sooraya has talked to me about Allah. And I have met angels here."

Like Castiel.

"But I do not think the church the Purifiers used is a good example."

Somehow.

[noteful]

"No, from what you've told me it's probably not a good example at all."

They don't sound like good people, the Purifiers.

"I go every Sunday to mine."

Sometimes Alain comes with her. Sometimes he doesn't.

[cutting_edgex23]

"You like it?"

This should probably sound like less of a question than it actually does.

But X is curious.

And it is -- different.

[themidnightson]

"Stealing hours at the end of time?"

It's a dry, quiet inquiry.

[noteful]

Meg looks up with a bright smile.

You can't steal what's given to you.

Hello, Edward.

[themidnightson]

He inclined his head, in answer. Leaning only barely, to read the fronts as they were laid out in front of her. He didn't really even have to lean that smallest bit. Every bit of it would have been clear from several feet behind her. But there were appearances to keep that became ingrained in certain ways.

[noteful]

I'm piecing it together.

Or making a first attempt to, at any rate.

She suspects it will undergo some revisions before they're done.

[themidnightson]

Edward set his hand on the back of the chair to her side.

"What are you looking for at present?"

[noteful]

"I don't know that I'm 'looking for' anything.

"I'm just trying to get a feel for the French version of the service, and see if there are parts that it makes more sense to do in one language or the other.

"Well, aside from the 'who giveth this woman' part. That I know will be in English."

Since it's a question for her dad.

[themidnightson]

Fittingly. "How will it break down among attendees?"

[noteful]

"Mostly Francophone.

"Alain has a much larger family than I do."

But it's her church.

And their wedding.

[themidnightson]

"Are you leaning toward French, then?"

[noteful]

"I'm hoping to make it about even, honestly," Meg says.

And the sermon will be in English.

[themidnightson]

He took the chair and turned it, slanted toward her more than the table as he sat. Thinking briefly about the weddings for all three of the girls in his family. And the other weddings he's watched over the years, sans choice. "Will you have readings?"

[noteful]

"Of course."

One in English, one in French.

They're kind of part of an Anglican service.