Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Some Achoo

[The Sneezster]

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Some Achoo

Carole was certain that her mother-in-law did it deliberately. She knew how allergic Carole was to perfume - as did any perfume-wearing friend, acquaintance and co-worker - and her she was at the church, perfumed! She was ten paces away, but Carole could tell; her nose was tickling wildly. Biting her lip in desperation, Carole fled to the bridal changing room and locked the door. She rubbed at her nose with tissues, trying at once not to wreck her make up, but desperate to quell the building tickle. She would NOT sneeze on her wedding day! She held her breath, clenched her eyes shut, and bit her lip hard, while she rubbed at her nose. She had planned so hard to stay in control on her wedding day, insisting on silk flowers for her bouquet and the church and banning candles from the ceremony. All family, guests and wedding party had strict instructions to wear no perfume, cologne or aftershave, or risk sabotaging her wedding day.

Was there a more loathsome word than mother-in-law? Carole fumed. She WOULD be in control. Mind over matter. Her nose had other ideas.

Heshew! Heshew! Heshew! The sneezing fit was underway, and Carole knew from long experience that once started, she would be helpless to stop it. Heshew! Heshew! Heshew! Heshew! Alone in the room, and not having to worry about stifling or covering her sneezes, she abandoned her tissues and let the fit ride itself out, spraying the chest above her strapless wedding gown in a fine mist. Heshew! Heshew! The wretched tickle was fading. Heshew! Heshew! She hoped it was done.

Even though her fiancé Philip said that he found her dainty sneezes "cute," she found them to be mortifying. She was an organized person, competent, in control, disciplined - and utterly helpless when her allergic nose started to itch. Already dosed with antihistamines, Carol decided that an extra dose was warranted. She swallowed the pill dry, and seethed.

That witch! She did this deliberately to wreck the wedding and humiliate Carole! There was a knock on the door.

"Carole? Are you OK in there?" It was Lynn, the maid-of-honor, and Carole's best friend.

Carole unlocked the door for her, "Sneeze attack. I think Phil's mother is wearing perfume."

"She didn't dare!" Lynn looked outraged on Carole's behalf, "She knows about your allergies. Everyone promised to be perfume-free today for you!"

"I'm staying in here for now. Do me a favor and sniff her out for me, OK?"

"And then what?"

"I don't know. Can you turn a hose on her?" Carole laughed ruefully. Lynn looked doubtful. "Just check for me and let me know."

"Carole, I know you said that you didn't want one, but I brought it anyway, just in case you changed her mind." Lynn opened her purse and withdrew a gorgeous antique lace handkerchief. "It's old, and I'd like you to borrow it for the day."

Carole threw her arms around her friend. "Thank you! You're the best friend a girl could have!"

Lynn slipped out the room, and Carole sat down fingering the beautiful lace wistfully. She was determined not to need a handkerchief. She had planned for so long, meticulously arranging every detail so that she would be able to be in control of her nose, instead of her nose controlling her on her wedding day. She raised her chin in resolve. She WOULD persevere!

Lynn knocked on the door again. "Carole?" As soon as Carole let her in, she felt the hint of a tickle in her nose. "You were right. She is wearing perfume. What was she thinking!"

"She was thinking to make me look ridiculous by making me the laughingstock of my own wedding, that's what!" The tiny tickle was growing. A bit of her mother-in-law's perfume was probably clinging to Lynn. Carole's sensitive nose crinkled and flared. "Oh darn it!" Heshew! Heshew! Heshew! She turned her back to Lynn and directed the barrage down towards her chest and the floor. Heshew! Heshew! Heshew! She felt so helpless and out of control as the fit continued, Heshew! Heshew! Heshew! Heshew! Heshew! The tickle was starting to recede. Heshew! Heshew! Heshew! Carole shuddered in disgust as the fit passed.

"I'm setting you off?" Lynn asked, alarmed, as Carole turned back to face her. Carole's nose had taken on a definite pink blush as the result of the attack.

"How close did you get to her? I think some of her scent may have clung to you." Maybe not too much, Carole thought, as the tickle was not bothering her at the moment.

"Well, I wanted to get close enough to be certain. I took her hand."

"Ugh!" What am I going to do?"

“You are going to hold your head high, you are going to be as poised and gracious and congenial as you know how to be, and you are going to marry Phil.”

“And what if I can’t stop sneezing?”

“Then you won’t stop, and you won’t let it stop you. You won’t let her win.”

Carole sighed. Lynn was right, of course. The wedding would go on, allergies, sneezes and all. She looked at the antique lace handkerchief, and then at Lynn. She threw her arms around her best friend and kissed her.

The guests had taken their seats in the pews, the wedding party had gathered in the vestibule, and Carole was still locked in the dressing room. Lynn knocked.

“It’s time.”

Carole emerged, beautiful, composed, and perfect, her head held high, and her carriage regal. Her father took her arm and kissed her cheek.

“You are perfect, baby girl. Everything is perfect.”

As she joined the wedding party in the vestibule, the scent of her mother-in-law’s perfume wafted towards her, and she felt the itch of it in her small, straight, sensitive nose. She might not be able to keep from sneezing, but she was determined to keep her dignity. She would not hide or stifle her sneezes. She would hold her head high and sneeze beautifully and with dignity.

Carole waited for the itch to climax, and calmly raised the lace handkerchief to her nose. As the strains of the wedding march began from the sanctuary, she smiled as the first perfume-induced sneeze emerged. Heshew! Her father turned towards her, alarmed, but Carole just smiled and nodded reassuringly. Heshew! Heshew! The sanctuary doors opened, and the bridesmaids and ushers filed in. Lynn shot her a proud smile, which Carole returned. Heshew! Heshew! Heshew! Finally the only ones left in the vestibule were Carole and her father. Ignoring the sneezes, except to politely cover them with the lace handkerchief, she took his arm and marched down the aisle, sneezing every few steps. All heads turned towards the bride, and all were stunned at the transformation. The girl they all knew, who was always so mortified of her allergic sneezing was transformed into a creature of grace and dignity, whose dainty and musical sneezes seemed to accompany the processional music.

Joining Phil at the altar, before the priest, Carole’s sneezing fit continued. The priest waited for her to finish, but Carole nodded for him to begin. Over her Heshews!, the priest began: “Dearly beloved: We have come together in the presence…” Heshew! Heshew! Heshew! Carole fluttered her handkerchief and looked nonplussed. Phil’s eyes grew wide with wonder and awe at his amazing bride.

“Carol, will you have this man to be your husband; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?”

Carol nodded vigorously, beamed and loudly proclaimed, “HESHEW!” The priest puzzled for a moment, then decided that hers was clearly an answer in the affirmative, and continued.

“Philip, will you have this woman to be your wife; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?

Phil beamed, “Oh yes! I will!”

“O gracious and everliving God, you have created us male and female in your image: Look mercifully upon this man and this woman who come to you seeking your blessing…” at this point the priest paused. There were a few giggles from the pews, and then, the wedding guests shouted, almost in unison, “Bless You!”

The sneezing fit was winding down, and the tickle in Carole’s nose was almost extinguished. Three last “Heshews!”, and it was gone. Carole beamed and glowed pink in pride and triumph. She had faced her greatest fear, and come through it winningly. She dabbed at her rosy little nose with the handkerchief, and brought her arms around Phil. They locked eyes and kissed.

“I love you so much – forever! When I saw you suffering your attack and handling it so well, it occurred to me that every sneeze could be a blessing on our life together. I hated to see you go through it, but I’m sure we’ll have a very blessed life together.”

“That’s why I was smiling so! Every sneeze was for a blessing for our new life.”

“Bless you a thousand time, Carole!” Their lips met again.

[Blah!?]

Veeerrry nice! One of my favorite scenarios for sneezing is in a wedding!

Just one thing, I'm pretty sure that CarolE is a man's name. I think it is with the E on the end, but I'm not sure. I know some variation of it is a man's name.

Ahhh whatever. It's not that important.

[The Sneezster]

I know a Carole, and I'm pretty sure that she is a woman.

Yeah, just looked it up in the online baby names list -- it's a girly name. And Carole Lombard, the actress, spells it that way, too.

[And Beat Him When He Sneezes]

That was a cute story. I liked it.

[count tiszula]

Terrific story; Sneeze and be proud, eh? I love the fact that she wins the congregation over... perhaps converting them all to sneze worship.

And the lace hankie; why hasn't that been on Related Fetishes before?

[Sawyer]

Nice story. Really, I liked it. The ending was cute.

And I think Carole can be short for Caroline...? I dunno.

[Alucard]

I love your story!