Luna Plateada - Short Story by Marie C. Lecrivain

 

Luna Plateada - Short Story by Marie C Lecrivain

    On Santee Alley, behind Modern Bride, in the Fashion District of Downtown Los Angeles, is a small store called “Luna Plateada”, where Mama Quilla handcrafts sterling silver bridal/bridesmaid’s jewellery and accessories, including one-of-a-kind hand-woven veils.

    Shopping at Luna Plateada is by appointment only; either booked two weeks in advance, or if the bride-to-be (but not yet a bridezilla), is earnestly searching for that extra bit of “wow”, and not a status symbol, for her wedding day. The Modern Bride store associates have been carefully trained as to what signs to look for, and then, a personal invitation is extended by the manager who will personally escort you to Luna Plateada. Mama Quilla’s creations are not Hermès bags; each one is tailored to the specific wishes of the bride, most of which she’s not yet articulated.

     When you walk into Mama Quilla’s shop, you’ll see her famous veils hung and draped for dramatic effect along the walls, which give the effect of walking into a gossamer fog. Mama Quilla is usually at the counter with a samovar of herbal tea and fruit, because she knows the last thing a bride needs is carbs and caffeine.

    Tall and willowy, and dressed in blue and gold, Mama Quilla will welcome you with a firm handshake, look deep into your eyes, and then escort you, (and only you), to an area cordoned off with a filmy white curtain decorated with moons and stars. She’ll seat you in front of a vanity with three mirrors. She then leaves you alone for a few moments to relax, and chill; this is probably one of the last times you’ll get to be by yourself before the big day.

    When she senses you’ve had enough time to get comfortable, Mama Quilla will come in with a cup of tea, admire your lovely angles in the mirrors, and then chat with you to get a sense of who you are and what you’re about. It’s very easy for you to fall into conversation with Mama Quilla; she’s a natural at putting people at ease. When she’s ready, she’ll ask you two questions: 

    When did you know they were the one?

    What is the one thing you’d want your love to see in you that they’ve not seen yet? 

    Don’t be nervous. There are no right answers to these questions, and are as unique and important as the person to whom these questions are posited. Don’t be afraid to take time to think before you answer, either. Mama Quilla understands the implications, and the mounting tension that lies beneath the psyche of every bride who approaches her wedding day. Sometimes, this is the moment when the bride starts to realistically examine her reasons for wanting to get married. Sometimes, the interview ends there, as it should, and the nuptials are put off/cancelled.

    For those who’re ready to walk down the aisle, Mama Quilla will bring you a veil, (and tiara, if you request it), for you to try on, and then she’ll leave you alone to admire your image, dream of your wedding day, or to absorb the reality of the fundamental change in life you’re about to embrace.

    When you come out from behind the celestial curtain, you stand taller, head held high, ready to move on to the next task for the big day. Mama Quilla will carefully pack your veil into a silver box, along with instructions for its aftercare. Prices are not advertised, but they’re rumoured to be on a sliding scale, which is fine with Mama Quilla; it’s not the veil you’re paying for, it’s the experience.

 

Marie C Lecrivain is a poet, ordained EGC priestess (part of the ecclesiastical arm of Ordo Templi Orientis), and co-publisher of Sybaritic Press. Her work's appeared in Gargoyle, Nonbinary Review, Orbis, Pirene's Fountain, and many other journals. She's the curator of Dashboard Horus: A Birds Eye of the Universe, an online publication for travel themed art writing, author of several books of poetry and fiction, and editor of From Ashes to Stardust: A David Bowie Tribute Anthology (forthcoming, 2022 Sybaritic Press, www.sybpress.com).