My sister deserved this, and I was so pleased that she was getting everything. The wedding, the man, the baby, and the life she never knew she wanted.
Lifting my delicate lavender skirt, I hurried back toward the house, knowing they were probably about ready for pictures of the bridal party.
Just inside the door I stopped, then my eyes not only filled with tears, but a few spilled over.
“Mom,” Chris whispered, rolling his eyes.
“You look so grown up,” I breathed, trying my damndest to pull myself together.
I reached out to touch his lavender bow tie, running my finger along the satin material as I looked up into the face of my boy, who had one foot in the door to becoming a man.
Chris sighed, but rather than jerk away like he often did now when I embarrassed him, he leaned in to give me a quick hug and pat on the back and muttered, “I love you.”
I was still standing there, feeling that hug, that pat, and the sentiment behind it all, when he shuffled around me and walked away. With my hand clutched to my heart, I made my way upstairs to where the ladies were stationed for hair and makeup.
I heard the laughter before I turned into the room.
“Then there was the time Gabe was at the diner with a bunch of his football friends, trying to look all cool while the girls fawned over him…” Serena was saying through her laughter.
“And, we pantsed him,” Jasmine finished with a loud guffaw.
“You did not,” Zoey replied, her face barely above a whisper as she looked at the other women with a mixture of awe and censure.
“They totally did,” Serena replied, and I couldn’t help but smile at the sight before me.
Three amazing women, smiling and laughing, one of them seconds away from one of the happiest moments in her life.
Zoey, her long, dark hair down and flowing, contrasting beautifully with the
gorgeous wedding dress she’d chosen, her very round belly barely noticeable underneath the yards of fabric.
Serena, looking fresh as the spring, with her rich chestnut hair up in a sophisticated knot, the lavender of her dress bringing out the soft tones of her sun-kissed skin.
And Jasmine, a funny, sexy siren whether in a bikini on the beach, or a fitted dress that hit her mid-thigh and showed off an impressive amount of cleavage, her red hair framing her face with thick curls.
They were quite a sight, and I took a minute to enjoy the picture they made before breaking up the fun and saying, “Time for pictures.”
Zoey’s bright, happy eyes found mine, and the smile that hadn’t dimmed in the last twenty-four hours was infectious.
“Gah, you look amazing,” she gushed for the third time since the last curl had been secured at the nape of my neck. “I want a dozen pictures of you in that dress.”
“This day is about you, not me … You and Gabe,” I argued, still worried that the dress was too much.
“Oh, bah,” Zoey said with a wave of her hand. “It’s about all of us. Family and friends, coming together to celebrate the fact that I found the most amazing man on the planet, and I’m keeping him. The rest of it’s just icing.”
God, I love my sister.
“Well, the icing looks amazing, just like you’d pictured. You’re going to love it, Zo.”
“Really? You went out and saw it?” she squealed. “I can’t wait.”
“You’re almost there,” I assured her. “The guys already took their shots, so after ours it’s go time.”
“Then let’s get those pictures out of the way so I can go claim my man and get this barn dance started.”
We followed the photographer outside, letting her move us, stage us, and keep us smiling until our faces were ready to crack, and then it was time.
Our parents had come up for the wedding, but were only staying two days, which wasn’t surprising. They had to rush back for a backgammon tournament, or some such nonsense, but at least they’d showed. Even though she hadn’t said anything to me, I knew that having our father walk her down the aisle was important to Zoey, so at least he was giving her that.