In early November, Elmsworth was graced with the year''s first romantic dusting of
snow.
It also weed Mari''s twenty-fourth birthday.
Bright and early, Evadne bustled into the hospital with her "m squad" in tow, ready to give the soon-to-be bride, Ms. Mari, a stunning makeover.
Her team, including herself, was just three-strong-Camille and Nydia.
But with Camille''s styling skills and Nydia''s makeup magic, they could give any celebrity m team a run for their money.
The girls burst into the hospital room, only to find Jareth with dark circles under his eyes, patiently feeding Mari some oatmeal.
Mari lit up at the sight of Evadne, her doe eyes sparkling with joy.
Unable to speak, she waved her hand enthusiastically in greeting.
Nourished by Jareth''s care, Mari''s once crescent-moon thin face had filled out, her paleplexion now kissed with a rosy glow, adding an irresistible sweetness to her beauty.
Love, it seemed, was truly the best makeup a woman could wear.
Nydia felt almost redundant; Mari, like her sister, was naturally radiant, her beauty effortless and fresh.
"Evadne, just a sec, let me finish feeding Mari," Jareth said with an apologetic smile.
Evadne waved him off, "No rush, take your time, we''ve got plenty."
Jareth carefully skimmed the topyer of the oatmeal with a spoon, blowing on it to make sure it wasn''t too hot for her.
The second spoonful he paired with a bit of refreshing greens, worried the in oatmeal might not be to her taste.
This disy of tender care had the three women swooning with a hearty dose of couple goals, grateful they each had their own slice of happiness to stave off any pangs of envy.
Camille''s pert nose twitched, "Wow, that smells amazing. What is it?"
"Fish fillet oatmeal?" Evadne''s nose was even sharper, guessing the dish outright.
"Oh! That''s my favorite!" Nydia''s eyes sparkled, as she felt a rumble in her stomach.
"I made plenty, there''s more in the thermos if you haven''t eaten," said Jareth, offering them to join.
"You made it yourself?" The women were astonished.
Dean waltzed in with a smile wider than if he were attending his own wedding, holding a designer suit for the chairman to change into,
"The live fish was personally selected by Mr. Fairhaven from the market yesterday afternoon—the freshest and the best. He took great care of it overnight. This morning, he prepared the oatmeal himself, and those side dishes too. Wow, Ms. Evadne, you wouldn''t believe how skillful our Mr. Fairhaven is at filleting-quick as a chef!"
Jareth shot Dean a look, and Dean instantly fell silent, though his face still shone with admiration.
"All by yourself?"
Evadne''s eyes widened in disbelief, "My goodness, what time did you get up to do all this?"
"Just a bit earlier than usual, this isn''t my first time," Jareth said, his eyes softening as he gently wiped Mari''s lips with a napkin.
Camille and Nydia were dumbstruck.
They had met Jareth before, more than once, but now, they could scarcely believe that the man before them, domestic to his core, was once Elmsworth''s most defiant and proud Fairhaven scion.
He had changed, in every aspect from his gaze to his demeanor. Only his unwavering love for Mari remained the same.
Mari heard every word Jareth said, and suddenly her nose twitched with a sour
pinch, tears welling up and spilling out uncontrobly.
Caught off guard by the sudden emotion, Camille and Nydia panicked.
Only Evadne felt aplex pang in her heart as she looked at Jareth. "It''s tear incontinence."
Jareth cradled his wife, hisrge hand soothingly stroking the back of her head. "Mari''s autism hasn''t improved yet. But it''s okay, I''m with her, and we''ll get through it together."
Evadne sighed softly.
How could it be okay? Mari had already shown immense strength by not breaking down amid such relentless trials.
Had it been her in that situation, she wasn''t sure she would have coped as well.
After the meal, Jareth stepped out of the room, giving the girls space to work their magic.
He moved to another room to change into the full suit.
Looking at his reflection, his chiseled cheeks, deep-set eyes, and graying hair, he resembled a pine tree - weathered by the snow yet still standing tall and proud, though the sharp edges of his youth were no longer visible.
Then came a knock on the door.
Jareth opened it with a half-smile, "Thad."
Thaddeus raised an eyebrow, brandishing a stic bag,
"I''ve been sent by mydy with orders to dye your hair, Mr. Fairhaven."
Jareth''s eyes crinkled with a rare mischievous smile,
"I''m not sure I trust your skills with my hair."
"Then let''s take a chance. If it''s ruined, we''ll call this one on the house."
They shared an easy smile, a moment of lightness they hadn''t experienced in a while.
Jareth, draped in a cape, sat before the mirror while Thaddeus patiently applied the dye to his hair.
As strands of gray turned ck, Jareth teased, "We promised to grow old together, and here I am, secretly dying my hair."
"Keep it up regrly. Don''t think that just because you''re married, you can let yourself go. Mari might just take issue with that," Thaddeus said, trying to sound cheery despite the gravity in his voice.
"Mari won''t mind. I''m more worried you''ll get jealous."
Thaddeus looked puzzled.
"Jealous of my higher rank, or that I look more mature andposed, ouch!"
Thaddeus squinted slightly, theb snagging on his tangled locks, the pain making him wince sharply. "Calm down, bro! I got it, I messed up!"
With his hair freshly dyed, Jareth stood shoulder to shoulder with Thaddeus in the reflection.
It was as if they were transported back to their glory days, when they were the dashing young tycoons of the business world, striding into the spotlight with effortless grace.
"Jareth," Thaddeus'' voice trembled with a mix of emotions, "I kinda feel like I''m your dad, sending you off to your wedding day."
Jareth let out a heartyugh, pping him on the shoulder, "That''s spot on, big bro is like a father!"
Meanwhile, Mari slipped into the pale pink gown that Camille had custom-made just for her. Long-sleeved, high-necked, and floor-length, it was perfect for fall and winter-vintage yet sophisticated.
Evadne helped Mari in front of the mirror, where she gazed at her radiant reflection, her eyes shimmering like stars.
"The bust is a bit loose; that''s my oversight," Camille, the perfectionist, could spot
the slightest w in an instant.
The sickly thin, Mari looked pitifully frail.
"Mari''s skinplements this shade beautifully. With her long, elegant neck,
the high cor is stunning," Evadne quickly interjected, worried that Camille might whisk the dress away for alterations with no time to spare.
Nydia nodded vigorously, "Exactly, like a swan!"
Evadne giggled, "As for the bust, well, love and marriage will nourish it in time."
Mari was clueless, but Camille caught on immediately, the two friends exchanging mischievous nces like a pair of cheeky conspirators.
Nydia, though naive, had Jason now, and she got the hint instantly, her face flushing to the base of her neck with embarrassment.
Just then, a knock echoed at the door.
Evadne hurried over, swung it open, and gazed upon Jareth, crisp in his tailored suit, hair perfectlybed, the epitome of dashing. She nodded approvingly, "Looks like my man''s got skills."
A bashful Thaddeus lingered behind Jareth, lips pursed in a shy smile.
Thaddeus and Evadne ushered the day''s hero into the room.
As Jareth''s eyesnded on Mari, d in an elegant pink dress with delicate
makeup, his world erupted in a brilliant spectacle.
"Is that my Mari?" His voice was husky, cautious as he asked.
Mari''s cheeks turned a deeper shade of red, her heartbeat racing as she gave a
timid nod.
"Mari, truly beautiful."
Jareth''s Adam''s apple bobbed, his chest flooded with immense joy. He stepped
forward, reaching for her hand to hold it firmly in his.