Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 16:39:20 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: PROSE: Berni Goes Shopping

Archive-Name: berni-goes-shopping

   Kevlan Sharr and Bernadette Marshall have just weathered their first
family meal on Estenar with Kevlan's family. The dinner was spent with
the Sharrs doing more catching up, and quite a lot of questions directed
at Bernadette, as the Sharrs sought to learn more about their soon-to-be
newest member of the family.
   Bernadette fielded these questions as best she could, although she
blushed embarassedly and seemed very reluctant to talk too much about
her family other than her brother, Andros, and her mother, Leila. The
other members of her family only earned passing mention: Simon, her
eldest brother, her father Caldren, Simon's wife Nathalie, and their
son, Duncan. But she strove to satisfy their curiousity in an honest
and forthright manner.
   After dinner, Bernadette joined the women in clearing off the table,
the men having been shooed by the Sharr women to the living room to 
finish their catching up....
-----
Kevlan shoots an anxious glance towards Bernadette as he trails along
  after his father and brothers, clearly seeming torn between helping
  with the clean-up and talking with his brothers and father.

Bernadette awards her fiancee a winning smile and nods towards
  the living room door with a wink, as she carries her armload of
  plates towards the kitchen, little Fanna shadowing her with her own 
  plate in hand.

As Kevlan shuffles into the living room to join the other men, Berni
  and Fanna enter the kitchen.

"Why, ain't you a sweet thang!" Varta exclaims as she sees Bernadette
  entering, laden with dirty dishes. "You're our guest, Bern'dette!
  Y'ain't gotta lift a fanger while you're heah, y'know!" She hurries
  over and empties Bernadette's arms as the Singer looks on, amused.

Bernadette says "I don't mind helping, Varta. I'd like to help." Once
  relieved of the dinnerware, however, Berni grins and scuttles back
  out into the dining room to retrieve more of the soiled dishes before
  Varta, Tammany or Shilda can protest. She returns a moment later and
  heads for the sink, smiling amicably at the woman as she keeps the
  contents of her arms out of their reach. "I can do it," she declares
  softly, but firmly, and deposits her load on the counter beside the
  sink.

Tammany and Shilda grin at each other, each nodding in approval.

Varta chuckles and says "Well, if you insist on gettin' yer hands dirty..."

Bernadette laughs. "You don't know HOW dirty I can get!" She winks and
  rolls up her sleeves, and begins attacking the sizeable amount of
  dishes, silverware and serving pieces alongside Varta, as the aunts set
  to storing what few leftovers there were from the meal in the
  refridgeration unit.

As the two younger women wash and dry the eating utensils, Varta says
  cheerfully "Ah think it's jes' wonderful that Kevlan's gone an' gotten
  himse'f pledged finally." She grins at Bernadette and says earnestly,
  "An' Ah'm real pleased he found himse'f a gal as nice as you, Berni."

A mild blush creeps across Bernadette's cheeks, but she smiles back at 
  the other woman. "I'm glad you think so, Varta."

Varta continues chatting. "We all been dyin' t'meetcha...Kevlan writes
  us such colorful lettahs, an' he always sends us holos, too...it's
  almos' like we've known you from th' beginnin'! Ah cain't tell you how
  happy we was to find out y'all were comin' home f'r th' weddin'."

Bernadette chuckles and explains that until about four hours ago, she
  hadn't been aware that they were to be getting married on Estenar.

Eyes wide, Varta laughs. "Well, that musta been a shock! But Ah'm glad
  you din't call it off."

Bernadette flinches unconsciously at Varta's choice of words and smiles
  as she shakes her head. "No, I'm happy to wed him here. But that does
  bring up another little problem...I have no wedding dress." She grins
  and dries another plate, putting it away in the cupboard indicated.

Varta declares "Why, you c'n have mine, if y'want! Or we c'n go shoppin'
  for a brand new one," she amends after eyeing Berni's considerably
  smaller...and less curvaceous...body.

Fanna chimes in from her seat at the homey kitchen table "Ah wanna go
  t' town, Mama!"

Varta smiles at her daughter and says simply "We'll see, honey."

Bernadette grins. "Well, I was hoping you'd offer to take me shopping.
  I'd like to pick out something especially for this ceremony. I had
  originally planned on wearing my mother's wedding dress when I 
  thought we were going to get married on Ballybran, but I have to 
  admit...I think I'm happier to have the ceremony here...with family...
  than on Ballybran with just my co-workers." She smiles.

Shilda says "Family's th' proper audience f'r a weddin', anyhow. But
  what about your mama, child? Ain't she gonna be upset you're gettin'
  married without her bein' here?"

Bernadette frowns slightly with a little shrug. "My folks and I aren't
  exactly on the best of terms right now..." she begins...

Tammany exclaims "Nonsense, darlin'! You're their daughter! Don't mattah
  what's happen'd in th' past...when their li'l girl's gettin' herse'f
  married, they'll wanna be theah..."

With a firm shake of her head, Bernadette says softly "I don't think I
  want to talk about this, Aunt Tammany...I'm sorry."

Varta puts in "You two biddies cut it out, now. If Bern'dette wants to git
  married heah with us as her family, then that's how it's gonna be. Don'
  go upsettin' th' bride, now!"

The aunts step over and pat Bernadette's shoulders. "We din't mean t'
  upset you, Bern'dette," says Tammany. "No, we din't realize it was a
  sore spot, child," agrees Shilda.

Bernadette smiles at the two women and nods. "That's alright," she says
  then goes back to drying dishes as Tammany whispers fiercely to Shilda,
  "What'd y'hafta go an' git 'er upset f'r, woman?" "Ah ain't th' one
  who spouted 'bout how 'nothin' what happen'd in th' past mattahs' to
  'er!" Shilda whispers back, as the aunts head back across the kitchen.
None of this escapes Bernadette's enhanced hearing, and she smiles to
  herself.

After a few moments of comfortable silence spent with Varta washing,
  Berni drying and putting away the dishes, Fanna pipes up "When're we
  goin' t' town, Mama? Ah wanna git a purty new dress!"

Varta chuckles as she turns to look over her shoulder at her daughter.
  "Hush, now. You don't need a new dress when you've got four purty 
  dresses already."

"But Ah done wore all them 'fore, Mama," Fanna says sulkily.

Bernadette says "I'd like to get you all new dresses for the wedding."
  At all four females' shocked expressions, she adds quickly "If that's
  alright, of course..."

Tammany blinks and says "Alright? Why it ain't a mattah of bein'
  alright, Bern'dette...it's a mattah of how much _credit_ it'd cost
  to outfit all o' us!"

Shilda joins in, "It's awful sweet o' you to offer, child, but we cain't
  letcha do that. You'll need all yer credits for your married life 
  with Kevlan..."

Varta adds, "Besides, we got plenty of clothes we c'n wear..."

Fanna says hopefully "You c'n buy me a new dress, Aunt Berni!"

Bernadette grins at the little girl as Varta gasps astonishedly at Fanna.
  
"Fanna! You say you're sorry to Aunt Berni right now...we don't go
  askin' f'r new thangs like that! It's very rude!" she exclaims.

Bernadette looks uncomfortably between Varta and Fanna, not wanting
  to interfere.

Fanna says quietly "Ah'm sorry, Aunt Berni."

Bernadette nods. "That's alright." She smiles at Varta as if to affirm
  this and says, "Really, though, credits aren't a problem for me...I
  have more than enough stockpiled...and I'd really like to do this for
  you all...consider it a present." She smiles hopefully at the adult
  women and winks at Fanna.

Varta, Tammany and Shilda all look skeptical. "Well, Ah don't know..."
  one of the women begins.

Bernadette grins. "Well, I do, and that settles it." She chuckles at
  the women. "When should we go?"

This seems to break the tension that had developed in the room, and all
  five females start chattering excitedly about going shopping and the
  upcoming wedding.

                                 - * -

A few days later, the womenfolk pile into the skimmer and head for
  Bremany. The trip takes ten minutes by skimmer, and the Sharr craft
  flits nimbly over an interlaced network of hills, fields, and roads in
  the province till at last it draws near the township that had been
  pointed out to Bernadette on her and Kevlan's arrival.

The aunts, Tammany and Shilda, take it upon themselves to tell their
  nephew's pledged all about the little community that forms the heart
  of Farann Province. Inhabited by a few thousand individuals, it
  provides a central location for commerce--with a shipping center that
  sends goods out to neighboring provinces as well as providing incoming
  goods from across the planet--education, and religious gatherings.
  "Not t' mention dances an' fairs an' concerts," Varta puts in
  cheerfully. "Ah met Morten when th' Sharr boys come int' town f'r th'
  Solstice Parade!"

Some other skimmers are in evidence as the women reach their
  destination, but none of them fly over the township itself. Rather,
  all the airborne vehicles, as well as most of those following the
  roads, head around the edges of the town, some into a residential
  district and others into a network of unobtrusive buildings on the
  very outskirts of the town's shopping core. To these, Tammany directs
  their craft. The buildings sport signs reading PARKING, and skimmers
  can be seen entering the aboveground levels, road-bound vehicles
  occasionally heading down ramps into levels belowground. "Folks like
  t' walk in Bremany," Shilda points out wisely to Bernadette while
  Tammany deftly pilots the skimmer into a parking slot, "an' it keeps
  noise down anyhow!"

Despite Shilda's observation, several vehicles apparently designed to
  carry ten to twenty passengers at once, painted in various colorful
  designs and all sporting on their sides black signs reading BREMANY
  SHUTTLES in bright yellow, can be seen gliding briskly along the roads
  leading into the town. Fanna pipes up excitedly that she wants to ride
  the bus, and is promptly but gently scolded by her mother that the
  shops aren't far away--"An' th' walk'll do you good, little gal!"
  Fanna pouts, but not for long, and with the energy of any child her
  age scurries in circles around the grownups as the three Sharr women
  escort Bernadette into the town.

Occasionally, too, shuttles clearly intended to ferry goods from point
  to point in the town can be spotted. But traffic is infrequent, and
  the chatter of passersby and merchants far outweighs the noise of
  vehicle engines.

Color is everywhere, and mercifully, with the lenses any Singer wishing
  to avoid eyestrain would wear off Ballybran, the riot of hues is
  merely cheerful and not overpowering. The roads are paved in an
  interlocking mosaic of bricks, tinted in dusty blues and reds and
  golds and greens; the sidewalks, too, are bricked but in silvers and
  greys. Signs and awnings adorn many store fronts, and often, the sides
  of buildings sport paintings on their surfaces. And everywhere, too,
  are trees, their leaves rich and green in the middle of the Estenari
  summer. City-bred birds and small rodents often scurry back and forth
  from tree to tree, and more than once Fanna delightedly darts after
  the creatures.

Evidently, the Sharr women are well-known to the storekeepers, for as
  they and Bernadette enter and browse each one, the salespeople and
  customers alike greet the Sharr women enthusiastically. When the older
  women stride briskly into one shop whose brightly painted sign
  proclaims GRETA'S GARB FOR GALS, they are promptly greeted by a
  cheerful "Howdy, Tammany! Shilda! Out doin' some shoppin', huh?"

Tammany nods and replies "We are indeed! Lookin' for some weddin'
  garb, in fact."

The salesperson, a heavyset but pleasant-looking lady with curly graying
  hair and a birdlike manner that contradicts her size, raises her
  eyebrows. "That's raht! Ah'd heard Kevlan was gittin' himse'f
  hitched.." She looks now at Bernadette, who blushes under the woman's
  scrutiny. With a smile, the salesperson asks Bernadette sweetly, "You
  Kevlan's pledged, honey?"

Shilda draws Bernadette forward, beaming proudly at the salesperson.
  "Ayuh, Greta, this heah's Bern'dette Marshall, Kevlan's bride."

Varta giggles. "Bride t' be, but hopefully not for much longer."

Bernadette grins at the salesperson, identified as Greta, and says
  softly, "Nice to meet you."

Greta smiles at Berni. "Well, now, ain't you a purty li'l thang?" she
  exclaims as she takes Bernadette by the shoulders and turns her around
  a bit so she can get a better look at Kevlan's pledged. Turning her
  back to face her, Greta says "You ain't from Estenar, are ya? You talk
  like an off-worlder," she observes.

Bernadette grins again and shakes her head. "No, I'm not. I hail from
  Chanuuk, originally."

Varta chimes in "Berni works with Kevlan on Ballybran. She's a Sanger,
  too!"

Greta ohhhs and returns her gaze to Bernadette again. "Ah ain't nevah
  heard o' Chanuuk, dearie, but we all sure do know 'bout Ballybran!"
  She wraps an arm around Bernadette's shoulder and steers her towards
  the large window at the front of the shop, pointing off down the
  street towards a small but obviously popular park, where children
  scurry through a tree-shaded playground and often into the trees
  themselves, and indulgent adults watch from wooden benches. "Since
  Kevlan done gone to Ballybran, he been doin' mighty fine f'r himse'f.
  Lookit there... Kevlan done bought all th' playground equipment out
  theah f'r th' children," she declares with a measure of pride. She
  looks at Berni again. "Your man is one special person...ever'body jes'
  loves him!"

Bernadette blinks at all this and nods mutely at Greta, as she's
  abruptly released.

A small cluster of townsfolk have gathered around Shilda, Tammany, Varta
  and Fanna, as well, all babbling about how darned sweet Kevlan is for
  buying new school books for the kids, too, and everything else that
  Kevlan has contributed to for the betterment of the community. One
  woman beams happily as she tells Bernadette all about the new tractor
  Orynn, with his son's permission, helped her and her husband purchase,
  and another declares her obvious approval of the improvement to
  Bremany's connection to the planetary computer network.

Then one young lady with brown hair and huge soulful brown eyes pipes up
  excitedly, "Mr. Sharr got holos o' Kevlan singin'.... on Ballybran!"
  At that, the women all brighten further, their chatter picking up in
  eagerness.

"Ah 'membah when he was jes' a l'il stick of a boy, but already singin'
  up a storm!"

"He sounded _real_ good in th' holos!"

Greta flashes a hopeful look to Shilda and Tammany and Varta. "What d'
  you think, y'all? Will Kevlan be comin' intah town?"

Bernadette continues to stand near the window, watching the group of
  women bemusedly until Tammany's raised voice cuts above the chatter.
  "A'raht, girls, a'raht! Yes, Kevlan's back home, an' mebbe he'll sing
  f'r y'all...but we come heah t'day t' do some shoppin', and you
  gals're all frettin' Bern'dette!" She cranes er neck over the heads of
  the small crowd to where the rather startled Singer is waiting, and
  tells her fondly, "Bern'dette, honey, you c'mon now...let's go find
  you a propah weddin' dress..."

The Sharr women wiggle out of the crowd, leaving the rest of the
  gathering to their chatter as they work their way back towards the
  women's dresses. Gradually the knot of women disperses, taking their
  chatter with them, but Kevlan's name occurs in every other sentence
  until the excited commentary fades at last out of Bernadette's
  hearing. Still somewhat overwhelmed--and wondering to herself if
  Kevlan is aware of the impact he's had on the local townsfolk--
  Bernadette relievedly turns her attention to the clothing Greta has
  for sale.

"Ooooh! Ah like this one!" Fanna exclaims and points at a slinky
  midnight blue dress with silver threads interwoven throughout.

Varta chuckles. "That's jes' a li'l too grown up for you, Fanna. Let's
  find the children's section an' have you pick somethin' out theah."

The gaggle of women move through the shop to the children's section and
  watch Fanna ooh and ahh over the different dresses on display.
  Finally, the little girl, with her mother's help, decides upon a
  pretty knee-length dress of pale blue and white.

Bernadette tells the saleswoman, one of Greta's assistants helping her
  run the store, to hold on to the group's purchases to tally up the
  total all at once at the end of their spree.

The saleswoman, whose name tag reads 'Paxton', raises an eyebrow and
  says politely, "Y'mean, sep'rate bills, raht?"

Bernadette smiles and shakes her head. "No, I mean all one bill. I'll
  be paying for everything the five of us pick out today." And with
  this, she withdraws her Guild ID plate and pushes it across the
  counter for Paxton to hold onto for the duration of their shopping
  spree.

Paxton's eyes go wide as she looks at the plate and nods. "Yes'm.
  Y'all take your tahm an' let me know if y'need any he'p." She flashes
  a bright smile at the quintet.

Shilda and Tammany grin at each other. Varta chuckles, "You c'n put
  your eyes back in your head, Paxton Quigley. This heah's Kevlan's
  pledged."

Paxton smiles again and nods. "Of course. Ah knew that," she says airily
  with a wry grin.

Tammany and Shilda take time and care picking out sensible, yet 'dressy'
  outfits, adding the garments to the growing pile of clothes and
  accessories with the salewoman. Greta frequently checks in with them,
  and, like Paxton, watches the growing pile with astonished admiration.

Varta chooses a lovely dark blue dress with white polka dots and white
  belt. It's neckline shows off Varta's generous cleavage attractively
  as well as the thin gold chain that Bernadette also picked out for
  the woman, against Varta's protestations.

Finally, everyone clusters around Bernadette as she starts trying on
  different wedding gowns.

Bernadette emerges from the dressing room, displaying one style of
  dress as the women look on critically.

"Ah don' care much f'r th' sleeves on that'un," states Shilda.

Tammany says "Th' cut o' the skirt is kinda awkward, too, on your
  figure, Bern'dette..."

Varta quips "It jes' ain't very flatterin' on ya, Berni."

Finally, Fanna adds "Ah like it!"

Bernadette grins as Varta teases the little girl, "Oh, you like every
  dress in creation." Fanna harumphs indignantly...for a four year old.

Shilda thrusts another dress at Bernadette. "Heah...try this'un."

Obediently, Bernadette accepts the gown and retreats to the fitting
  room, returning moments later. Again, it's the general consensus that
  although the dress is 'okay,' it's not really right for her.

After several different attempts at different gowns with the same
  results, Bernadette emerges from the dressing room in the umpteenth
  style and is beginning to get a little grumpy. The pleased gasps
  and exclamations from the women, however, instantly raise her
  spirits and she looks hopefully at them. "Do you like it, too?"

Varta breathes "Why, you look simply gorgeous, Berni! That's th' one!"

Fanna pipes "Ah like it!"

Shilda and Tammany both nod vigorously, and Bernadette hurries back
  into the changing room, removing the dress and adds it to the pile,
  as well. She bubbles "I don't even need to have it altered!"

Together the women also help Bernadette choose shoes and accessories
  and at the end of a long day of shopping, Bernadette returns to
  Paxton's counter and settles up the bill without even a flinch at the
  rather daunting total. Paxton and Greta--for it takes both of the
  salespeople--package up all their purchases carefully and send them on
  their way, calling happily after the women, "Y'all have a lovely
  weddin'!"

Shilda yells back cheerfully, "Aww, y'all be invited, o' course...!"

Tammany smacks her sister's shoulder lightly, saying sternly, "Iffin
  Kevlan an' Bern'dette wanna invite half th' town, that's their
  business, not your'n!"

Bernadette blushes, but smiles, and hedges, "I, um, I'll have to talk
  it over with Kevlan."

Varta pats Bernadette's shoulder affectionately. "You do that, honey."

And with that, the quintet return to Farann Province and the Sharr
  farmstead, happy, tired and utterly successful.

[End.]