21. Bailey-Rose
We had dinner together as a pack, but afterward, Vili and I split off from the group to head to the theater.
I loved how easy it was for us all to be together as a family, but I was thrilled to get a little one-on-one time with Vili.
Solo dates with my Alphas were something I wanted to keep as a common occurrence in our lives.
There would be times in our lives when someone might need more from me, and the others would have to understand, which is why creating moments like this would make it easier for everyone since it was already part of our routine.
The theater was decked out for the event, but Vili had refused to tell me the name of the ballet.
Yet when I saw the giant decorated pile of whipped cream, center focus in the lobby, I connected the dots.
However, my excitement was cut short as a man in a red suit jacket with the theater logo on it was pointing at Waffles and yelling at me.
I’d planned on learning Numolandian, but this moment had me putting that higher on the list of priorities.
Vili cut the man off, saying only three words in a threatening tone, which had the man backing off. There were a few more words exchanged before another man approached us, shooing the angry man away.
“Mr. Rantala,” the man dressed in the fancy suit greeted, shaking Vili’s hand. He continued to speak in Numolandian in a manner that had me guessing he was apologizing for the interaction.
Vili raised a hand so the man paused long enough for Vili to get a word in. “Gustaf, allow me to introduce you to Bailey-Rose, my bonded Omega, and her service dog, Waffles. She’s here with me from Preidon.”
Gustaf placed a hand over his heart and gave me a small bow.
“A pleasure, madam,” he said in flawless English.
“Vili, I was simply thrilled when I got word you were coming tonight, and now I get to congratulate you on your bonding in person. Mrs. Rantala, you’re in for a wondrous evening, and I applaud you for dressing so beautifully to match tonight's performance.”
“Thank you. I’m incredibly excited to be here,” I offered. “However, I would like to mention it’s not Rantala but Thatcher.”
Gustaf blinked, not following my train of thought since, in his mind, that conversation was five minutes ago. Vili gave my hand a reassuring squeeze and pressed a kiss to my hair.
“When we bonded, I took her last name of Thatcher,” Vili explained. “We are Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher.”
“Forgive me,” Gustaf gasped, looking horrified, and flipped open the tablet he’d been holding. “I will make the adjustments to your file at once. Please forgive my mistake, Mr. Thatcher.”
“No need for apologies, you couldn’t know,” Vili assured the man. “I think it is best we head to our seats, no?”
“Certainly, follow me right this way,” Gustaf said, jumping into action.
He led us to an elevator, brought us to the second floor, past a security guard who nodded at us, then pulled back a thick red velvet curtain to reveal the private box.
Vili used a hand on my waist and urged me forward as he hung back to say something to Gustaf, but I was too in awe to pay any attention.
The theater was exquisite, having retained its original beauty and architecture.
Everywhere you looked, there was something to take in.
Craftsmanship like this didn’t exist anymore, but this building held onto it like a secret, revealing the treasure within to those who took the time to appreciate the arts.
Our box was dead center, allowing us to see the full span of the stage.
Beautiful brass opera binoculars were resting on the plush velvet seats for us to use if needed.
I spotted what looked like a champagne bottle in an ice bucket and dismissed it since I couldn’t drink.
At least Vili could enjoy it as we watched the show.
Waffles found a place out of the way and settled down, sighing as if he was as tired as I’d been earlier.
A warm body pressed up against mine as I looked over the railing.
Vili’s sweet marshmallow scent had me dreaming of s’mores and licking the melty, gooey goodness off his body.
He placed his hands over mine, letting his fingers slide into place between mine like puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly.
“Finally, a moment alone with my kitten,” Vili murmured, kissing my neck. “You look radiant tonight, Mrs. Thatcher.”
Tilting my head back, I looked into his caramel-colored eyes to see the love I felt for him reflected there. “Thank you, Mr. Thatcher, you look pretty dashing yourself. I like this moss-green color on you. It brings out all your best features.”
He chuckled. “You should thank Zelly… she picked it. Said I had to match your level, although I don’t understand what that means.”
“It means you need to look as pretty as me so you don’t look like the odd man out,” I explained.
“Ah, but I don’t think I can be as pretty as you, kitten,” Vili teased, stepping back. “But I can try to make pretty things that match your beauty.”
Twisting to face him, I gasped when I saw the necklace he’d revealed.
It lay on black velvet, making the gold coloring stand out.
The chain was made of delicate links, and one end had the outline of a puffy cloud in blue gems. Threaded through the cloud was the other side of the necklace that ended with a rainbow colored with gems that matched the real thing.
“Vili…” I breathed in awe.
“This is the first of my collection titled Clouds and Daydreams,” he shared. “They are all inspired by you.”
Unable to speak, I stood there as he placed the necklace around my neck and held up the mirror tucked inside the jewelry box. It was the perfect length so you could see both charms no matter what I was wearing.
“It’s absolutely perfect, Vili,” I said, pulling him into a kiss. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too, kitten.”
Taking my hand, he gathered up the opera glasses, and we settled into our seats.
I was impressed to see the chair’s wooden arm could be lifted, creating one large space for us to cuddle on.
With Vili’s arm wrapped around my waist, the lights dimmed, and the conductor came out.
The audience applauded as he took his bow before facing his orchestra.
While the theater was massive and being where we were, I didn’t feel the need for the glasses.
Soon, I was swept up in the beautiful melodies of the score as a little boy ate too much whipped cream and had to go to the doctor.
Unable to help the boy naturally, the doctor provided medication to ease his suffering.
Only this led to vivid nightmares full of every sweet imaginable coming to life.
The music swept you along, immersing you in this colorful, decadent world of confection.
The stage was full of stunning dancers dressed in costumes of cupcakes, ice cream covered in chocolate with a cherry on top, candy cane snakes, and fluffy adorable animals with overexaggerated features.
Nothing was to be taken seriously—this performance was all about indulging in the fanciful, and I was enamored.
When the intermission was called and the theater lights came on, I couldn’t believe it was halfway over already.
“Come, kitten, let’s get something to drink,” Vili urged as he untangled himself and stood offering his hand. “I forgot to say no champagne.”
“If you want to have some, I won’t be bothered. It’s not like I don’t like the stuff… I just can’t drink it,” I pointed out.
“I don’t care for it, too dry,” he admitted. “They have hot chocolate, not as good as mine, but lots of whipped cream.”
“Sold,” I answered, looping my arm through his as we left the box.
There was a bar down the hall meant only for those sitting in the box seats, so we got our drinks and a yummy-looking cookie without any trouble.
I could only imagine the lines downstairs for the general audience.
To me, it wouldn’t be worth it—I would hate to miss a second of this performance just to get a drink or snack.
“I’m going to the ladies’ room, just to be safe,” I whispered, handing Vili my cup.
He nodded and kissed my cheek. “I’ll meet you at our box, number six.”
Smiling and flashing him a thumbs-up, I hurried to the restroom.
It was as opulent as the rest of the place.
There was even a lady in the room who had everything you needed to refresh yourself before returning to your seat.
Once I’d taken care of business, I returned to our box, double-checking to make sure I’d picked the right one.
Pulling back the curtain, I noticed the space was different.
An easel was set up with a pad of sketching paper and bright-colored chalk to sketch with.
“Oh, sorry, wrong spot,” I mumbled, ducking out of the box, only to be stopped as someone grabbed my wrist.
“Kitten,” Vili called, pulling me back. “You are where you should be.”
Confused, I looked at the art supplies and how the chairs had been pushed all the way back to give more space. There was also a small table with our drinks, cookies, and chocolate-covered strawberries.
“I… I don’t understand,” I whispered.
Vili chuckled and, with a hand on my waist, guided me to the easel. “If you are like me, seeing creativity brings out ideas that make your fingers itch. So now you can dream your own dream and let the magic dance on the page.”