3.59pm, june 3.

to be fair, richard wasn't making much of an effort with this. he was one of those guys who wears a suit on a regular basis, so his outfit today could have been something he wore to work. or whatever. he didn't really care. he looked smart- that was enough, right? he'd spent the day being bored, lying in the park smoking cigarettes and reading his dog-eared copy of titus andronicus. it was a lazy day, one of those that he'd prefer to spend lying around doing fuck-all. but he had to get married.

it wasn't that he was having second thoughts. it was more that this town didn't seem to sit right with him. almost as soon as he'd arrived, there'd been whispers about his promiscuity, as if he'd charged in with his duck armed and ready to impregnate all the women, even the married ones. that was simply not the case. richard wasn't a chaste virgin of a man, but he has both standards and common sense. the only women he'd sleep with were unattached and attractive. and once he was married, that would stop. he was a little sad to see those days go, but he was realistic. he wouldn't be able to seduce younger women forever, and it was best if he settled down with someone. he had no doubts that he could do it. after all, most of his prior conquests were actual relationships. he had his fair share of one-night stands, but he wasn't scared of commitment. why would he sign up for this is he was scared of committing? that'd be like an arachnophobic volunteering to babysit a herd of tarantulas. but he was having thoughts about the sort of woman his future wife might be. if he went by the women in this town... she wouldn't be his type. or at least, she'd take some moulding, which was something he wasn't sure if he could be bothered to do. and he couldn't set himself up for a lifetime of boring sex with a boring woman who wanted kids and a new kitchen. he needed more than that.

he stood, hands in pockets, at the altar, ignoring the aged priest who had appeared, richard's face set in calm repose. there was nobody in the church save for him, the priest, and two bored-looking witnesses who obviously couldn't get another day job. he didn't want to exchange pleasantries with any of them. he wanted to see who this charlotte woman was. that was why he was here. and if she appeared in a cloud of white lace, simpering at him from behind a veil, he'd just walk out. simple as. he didn't care about hurting feelings. he just knew he couldn't live with a typical evergreen woman. he just hoped the wait he'd had to be matched was the vow computers finding him someone good, crunching numbers and data.

the music- the wedding march, as was obviously expected- began to play, and richard straightened a little, still as nonchalant as if he were waiting for a bus.

In all honesty, Charlotte found the wedding procession a bit...tactless in a situation like that. She didn't know this Richard Feynmann that she was going to marry, and she didn't think that, were this in any way real for her, she would have wanted to have a ceremony in a chapel anyways. She wasn't at all religious, and she would have preferred something outside, something much less rigid and formulaic, but she was doing what she had to to fit in, and if that meant putting on a dress and heels and walking alone towards a stranger in a suit, than so be it. She wasn't going to wear white, that would just be wrong, and this wasn't a big deal, so why bother with the ballgown wedding dress? No, she chose something more casual, something that she had had for awhile, and threw that on instead, not wanting to put too much effort into something that was, well, arranged in the first place.

The emptiness of the large chapel reminded her of just how alone she was in life, but unlike most people, who might have been filled with a sense of loneliness or sadness, she was glad. She didn't like to have people in her life, to be close to anyone, and anyone that she did have a "relationship" with in any way was a lie. Everything about her, right down to her name was a lie, really. She didn't want her parents to be here, even if they could have been. They were in jail for being stupid, for letting themselves get caught in their lies because they got cocky, and that was something that Charlotte would never let herself do. She couldn't drop the ball here, she couldn't let anything slide through the cracks, lest she end up in hell like her parents. They had trained her, but she had surpassed them, and she wanted to continue to do so.

This was the beginning of her first long con, and she had to play a part - really, that part would be whatever her husband wanted, but right now, she was a slightly nervous bride, mostly because she knew it would be highly unrealistic to be completely composed in a situation like this. The man in front of her wasn't really what she had been expecting, but that wasn't a problem, any man would do, really, so long as he had enough money to make this worth her while, and she threw a shy smile onto her face, glancing at him quickly, then back down at the ground as though it took concentration to walk in heels that high, despite the fact that she was a pro in that area. She reached the alter and looked up at him once again. "Hi," she offered softly, making only fleeting eye contact before turning towards the official. "Let's...let's do this." She licked her lips, hoping to add to the illusion that she was nervous about getting married to a total stranger.

she wasn't in a giant white dress. thank whatever deity was smiling on richard. instead, the slim brunette walking towards him was in a soft-grey number that left her calves bare, the heels she was wearing making her walk both awkward and oddly alluring. all in all... he approved, after looking her over with an obvious glance. and why not? she'd likely do the same with him- being subtle wasn't richard's kind of thing. america was just... repressed. you had to pretend to appreciate while not looking, to play at being holy while sneaking glances. no, richard wasn't one for pretending. richard let his wants and needs known. much to the surprise of the stepford town.

he removed his hands from his pockets as she approached, offering a small, crooked smile in response to hers, his teeth white despite the sheer number of cigarettes he got though. he wasn't sure how he did it, but evidently he was blessed. hopefully she wouldn't mind his smoking, because if she asked him to give it up... well, he'd likely be gone. choose between a woman and cigarettes, he'd go with cigarettes every time. at least they were dependable, and giving up would mean changing himself. and richard thought he was pretty good, thanks.

"hi."
he nodded in agreement, also turning to face the previously-ignored priest, who seemed to be a little confused that richard was behaving so casually. he supposed most of the people he saw were nervous. maybe richard was... but it hardly mattered. he was an actor- nerves were as integral to his life as breathing. yes, he didn't perform much any more, but if a part called, he'd take it. he liked stretching himself, playing women, children... whoever he could, really. he could have gone for hollywood- he'd been scouted a few times- but that kind of life wasn't for him. he wanted something simpler. and this was, supposedly, it.

the official began to speak, his eyes darting around the room as if anticipating an audience from nowhere, richard looking sidelong at his bride, before half-turning to her. "do you want to skip this bit? it's a little pointless. we both know how we got here, ja?"
he shrugged, glancing at the priest who seemed a little put-out. his little speech about how god brought people together was obviously a hit most of the time. "i mean, if you're religious or... we can go ahead, no hard feelings, but it's just a little pointless with no audience."
and besides- if he and charlotte managed to fall in love, become an amazing couple, then they could just renew their vows and have something relevant to them, about their lives together and all that jazz. it'd be far better than this- this just felt like a business transaction. you get a wife, you get a husband, and you get a free house! it was almost like a competition of sorts- he just hoped that he'd win and not end up with a dud prize.

This man seemed oddly casual about the whole thing, and that both made Charlotte confused and wary. Most men in this situation would be conflicted, just like any woman. He was about to marry a strange woman, though he had signed up for it, it should still be at least a little off putting...right? Things like these, they didn't happen every day, at least not in towns other than Evergreen, but maybe he had been through this before, maybe she wasn't his first match - she had heard of that, and it wasn't totally unheard of in any way. He was good looking, though not in the conventional sense, and at least that fact would make this easier - pretending to really care about someone who was unattractive in every way would be much harder than dealing with someone who was attractive, especially when it came to sex, which of course, in a marriage, had to happen at some point.

She noticed everything, including the way that he checked her out, and he seemed to approve, which put her all the more at ease. If he found her attractive, this would be easier on both of them. She stood at the alter, wondering why he was as calm as he was, but not much caring. She had to play her part, and that would work around whatever kind of person he was, good, bad, somewhere in between - it didn't matter. He was nothing more than a target to her, a mark, and nothing was going to get in the way of that. He could be the worst man on the planet, and she would still sleep with him if the con required it. He could be the most charming man in the universe, and she wouldn't feel anything for him, nothing real. That wasn't the way that she operated.

"Oh, no, not religious." She shook her head. She didn't mind skipping to the end at all, in fact, she was glad for it. Getting this over with would be for the best, because the sooner she could get him alone, start to learn about him, the easier he would be to target. Yes, this was going to take a long time, this was no quick run on a mark, but still, she wanted to get the ball rolling. "You can skip to the end, the "I do's" and what not, I don't mind," she said to the pastor. She didn't really want to hear all that religious crap anyways, and she hoped that it was clear from her dress that she didn't really need all of that traditional wedding mumbo jumbo. That wasn't the kind of person that she was, and it wasn't the part that she was playing, either. She would much rather get to know Richard Feynmann than spend hours marrying him.

"good!"
richard smiled, nodding to the priest. "skip it."
he glanced at charlotte again, before turning towards her, adjusting the cuff of his jacket. "i think we're meant to face each other for this bit?"
he glanced at the priest for confirmation, the man nodding before richard looked towards charlotte again, shrugging. "ja. okay. go on then."
the man began, richard's brow furrowing as he repeated the lines in the awkwardly placed gaps the official left for him to speak in. this felt oddly like a production to him- he should be wearing greasepaint and sweating under a spotlight. any moment now there'd be a song and dance number when the priest and the witnesses high-kicked and yodelled about how richard was going to kiss the bride. the kind of play richard'd done in college to get some extra cash. cheesy and predictable.

richard's entire attitude was almost one of entitlement. he was meant to be here, although, like charlotte, he was just playing a role. being as charismatic as possible was something richard didn't do often. it wasn't that it was tough- more that he just didn't care. in all honesty, had richard been told about charlotte's real plan, he'd have probably gone ahead with the marriage anyway. there was nothing like having something someone wanted to make them... flexible. and richard likes flexibility. he idly found himself wondering how bendy charlotte was. it wasn't like he needed his mind to recite the words- he felt a little like a parrot, his heavily-accented words forming a perfect rendition of the wedding vows as he ran over various possibilities in his head. judging by her body, she worked out in some way, and most of these women did things like yoga or whatever. they tended to make a body both toned and supple, and richard liked that. and hey, if she didn't, he could always suggest she did. although he'd have to sample the goods before he could pass judgement. even the nicest-looking packages could have a dead fish inside.

he held the ring out, for her to slide her finger into. richard found parts of marriage interesting- this was one of them. it might just have been richard's mind, but wasn't it almost an explicitly sexual metaphor? put your finger in this hole, it symbolises your love and commitment. more like it symbolises that you have someone to fuck for eternity. but hey, he didn't care. in fact, he was more than pleased with having someone to fuck for 'as long as they both shall live'. and she was hot. and younger than him- judging by her face and physique. women richard's age never had it all together. there was always some clue as to the years that had passed, and richard was great at spotting them. charlotte had none of those little warning signs, and that suited him down to the ground. he just hoped she wasn't a virgin. the concept of waiting until marriage just made richard feel awkward.

it was her turn now, and he waited patiently, his mind still ticking away quietly. the ring was slightly too big, which was a little annoying, but no big deal. another spiel from the priest, some other words to which he was supposed to respond. he smiled again, still a little lopsidedly. "i do."
now it was her turn, and he could kiss the bride and all would be well, he'd be married, and then they'd go off and, if richard had his way, he'd see what was under that pretty grey dress.

Charlotte's thoughts were clustered in a completely different place than Richard's. Maybe he was thinking about the sexual aspect of it all, but she was thinking about everything. Sure, that was one of the details, but to her, that was a minor one. If he wanted sex, she would give it to him...and if he didn't, she wouldn't be any worse for the wear. She wasn't going to be the perfect, flawless wife, because that would be suspicious, but it was important to make him happy, or the plan wouldn't work at all. This whole thing hinged around them staying married long enough for her to get her hands on his money, and if she didn't make him happy, well there was no way that was going to happen, it simply wasn't an option. She had to be the good woman, the good wife, but not too good, not so good that she aroused suspicion in him, or anyone else. It was going to be challenge, but she was confident that she could do it...after all, she had to be. She was a confidence woman.

She said her vows, or more the vows that had been offered up for her. What was the point in writing vows yourself if you didn't know the person that you were going to marry? She was glad that her husband to be, or now her husband, she supposed, had wanted to do that. She could be poetic and sentimental if she needed to be, but really, what was the point in that when you didn't know the other person yet? It was less genuine, and would there for seem sketchy and, her least favorite thing, suspicious. Charlotte was all about avoiding suspicion, and so far, she had done a good job of it, though she hadn't really been in Evergreen all that long, so there was still plenty of time for her to mess up...not that she intended to.

She slipped the ring on his finger and breathed a carefully planned out sigh of relief that it was over. She gave him a quick peck on the lips when the pastor said that he could kiss the bride, because she wanted to avoid spending more time here than she had to. It was a weird place to be, she felt, and she didn't think that she had to worry about Richard wanted to stick around...at least not from the way that he had been checking her out. "Let's get out of here," she stated. "We could go to dinner, or we could go straight to our new house, but I don't really want to stay here longer than need be - this is a little weird, I mean, I know that I signed up for it, but still..." She bit her lip in what she intended to be a coy, faux-shy manner, and looked up at him. "Whatever you want, really, so long as it's not here."

the peck on the lips was... as richard expected. from what he could read of this woman, she wasn't exactly normal, but she was close to it. there was something off, though. it might have just been richard's experience with directing plays and such, but her timing was too perfect. as if she'd rehearsed this in her mind over and over. but of course she had- she was getting married to a stranger! who wouldn't think it over repeatedly? well, not richard, but most people would. he'd personally spent his time on things he deemed more important. like the amateur drama society. that was a shambles- half the people had no clue about how to put on a performance, and despite his strong urge to let it be, he just had to interfere. after all, how could he let it go? his old teaching impulses were still strong. maybe the troupe hadn't taken well to a man appearing and yelling at them in german, but once they'd worked out what he was saying, they'd seemed to appreciate it. at least, he was directing their 're imagining' of snow white. it'd probably bomb horribly, but that was because it was written by one of them who had no idea how theatrical performances worked. but he had to be nice at first. then he'd find a proper play for them to perform. maybe a minor shakespeare- he could easily bring it up to date for them if they couldn't handle the old english.

'Let's get out of here. we could go to dinner, or we could go straight to our new house, but I don't really want to stay here longer than need be - this is a little weird, I mean, I know that I signed up for it, but still... Whatever you want, really, so long as it's not here.'
he glanced around, before nodding. the church was creepy- empty as it was. richard had a theory that any large building with fewer than ten people in was creepy by default. no matter the time and no matter what building it was. even toy stores. especially toy stores. he hadn't exactly noticed before charlotte pointed it out, though, probably because it was still daylight and he hadn't exactly been paying much attention to the surroundings. and besides, richard wasn't one for churches. he'd spent his teen years telling his sisters that he would burst into flame if he went into one, and he thought ells may still believe him on that front. but she always was a little more gullible than the others.

"dinner sounds good. may as well do something we can talk over. we don't exactly know much about each other, right?"
there weren't many places to eat in evergreen, but the italian restaurant wasn't bad for a small town. and they could talk far more easily in a public place than in private. something about restaurants and coffee shops tended to set people at ease, and that made discussing... whatever much easier. "should we head there seperately or together? if you brought a car, then it might be better if you take yours and i take mine. just for convienience."

Getting out of here and getting to know Richard was Charlotte's number one priority, and thank god that that wasn't weird. She was certain that, really, most people in this situation had that as their number one concern; they wanted to get out of the weird chapel where they had just married a stranger and go somewhere that would allow them to get to know said stranger a little bit better. Most marriages started after years of trust had already been built, but here the marriages came before the trust, before the real knowledge of each other, and she was curious to see what he was like, to see what kind of person she had just gotten herself married to. Of course, whatever kind of person he was, she could, and would, adapt to fit his needs, and she was glad that she had so much practice in so many different arenas.

"Dinner sounds great." She was still new to Evergreen, but she knew most of the places around town already, by name, if nothing else. Still, she decided that it was best to let him choose what kind of place they went to; she could find something that she liked on the menu anywhere, and if she didn't, well like everything else in her life, she could damn well pretend to. She could really pretend to be anything, anyone that she needed to be, and years of practice had made her great at pretending to like things that she hated...like most people. Charlotte didn't trust anyone, because she knew herself, and if she could exist, then so could others like her, other that were just playing a part for everyone, meaning that no one could truly be known as trustworthy, at least not in her book. "We can go wherever you want, really, I'm not at all picky." She shrugged it off, sure that that wouldn't seem weird. Most nervous new wives would let their husbands pick, she was sure.

As much as Charlotte wanted to ride with him, to start learning about him and what made him tick right away, she knew that he was right, that since she had her car her, and so did he, it would both more practical and convenient for them to ride separately. "I do have my car here, yes, so I can meet you there." She nodded, knowing that Evergreen was a small place, so really not too much time was going to be lost before they got to talking. "Just let me know where you want to go and I can meet you there!" Again, she was glad that she had chosen this dress, because it was nice, but still casual enough to wear to dinner, she wouldn't have to waste time changing like most other new brides. She was ready to rock and roll, to go to a restaurant and really get to know the target. This was the part that was exhilarating to her, the part that was almost fun; figuring out who you really had to be to pull in the target.