#59: Pre-Wedding.

Though Derek had not gotten promoted on Wednesday, he had earned enough money to buy a chess table,

which helped with the severe "fun deficit" he often had when returning from work.

After a bit of sleep, he gathered several more microscope samples from plants, created more slide artwork and sold it, bought more furniture for Kelly, and had a fireplace installed.

Early Thursday morning, everyone at Bill and Regina's house was already up.

(Since Bill and Regina always got up at 5 a.m., Alice, Dude, and Kelly just figured it was easier to keep to their hosts' schedule.)

Dude was upstairs bathing in the master bathroom, because that was the only tub available in the house (and there was no shower).

'Geez, I hope I don't get a sliver in my butt from this thing!' he thought, about the wooden bathtub that Bill had handcrafted.

Alice made French Toast for breakfast, and the girls were getting giddy helping Kelly with the arrangements for her wedding to Derek.

Dude came downstairs.

"Hey, have you ever considered putting a freakin' shower in this place?"  he asked Bill.  "So we're not all risking butt slivers???"

"Hey," Bill countered, "have you ever considered getting your own freakin' place to live, and not sponging off me???"

Dude laughed.  "We'll see, after the tour.  Hopefully either I can earn enough money to get my own place, or I could move in with my bandmates, IF they're not in the mood to kill me by that point."

After breakfast, Dude helped Regina clean out the refrigerator.

"You know Bill's just kidding, right?" Regina asked Dude.  "You're welcome to stay here as long as you need to."

"Yeah, I know it's just the 'guy-ballbusting' thing," Dude said.  "And I'm only just now FINALLY starting to get the hang of it!"

As soon as the sun came up, Alice went back to making and selling cupcakes.

Peter, taking a morning walk, stopped by after Lou had left their house for her 9:00 a.m. job.

"Every time I look over here you're outside baking cupcakes--why are you being such a maniac about it?" Peter asked Alice.

"Hey, just trying to pull my weight around here," Alice responded gaily.  "I've never been able to earn any money before, so this is a really great thing for me.  And Kelly's too busy with wedding plans to use her present yet, anyway.

"Plus," she admitted, "I still need a dress for Kelly's wedding, and I just can't find anything at regular stores, and I'm starting to think I'm going to have to spend big bucks for it."  She sounded a bit worried.

Peter laughed.  "Alice, it just CAN'T be that difficult to find a dress!"

"You have NO IDEA how hard it is!!!" Alice protested.  "All the salespeople told me, 'don't wear white, don't wear black, nothing strapless, nothing backless, nothing low-cut, nothing too short, AND NO SEQUINS!!'  And that doesn't leave ANYTHING!!!"

Peter tried to keep from laughing again.  "Come on, Alice," he said.  "I have to go out shopping myself now to find something for the wedding, and I don't have to go to work till 5:00.  Come with me, and we'll find something for you."

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Notes from the author:

Thanks to kiara24 for Alice's ruffled crop top