“So, first is from me: your something old.”
My mom walks in front of me and hands me a long velvet box. I open it and my hand rushes to my mouth. In front of me is an infinity loop with a diamond in the center. “Mom, it’s gorgeous.”
She takes it out of the box and reaches for the clasp. “This was given to me on my wedding day by my mother, and she was given it by hers.” She leans over to hook the clasp behind my neck. “One day, you will give this to your daughter on her wedding day.”
I look down and run my thumb over the diamond and feel a rush of emotion hit me.
“Mom, I don’t know what to say.” I swallow hard.
She cups my cheeks with her soft hands. “Sweetheart, you don’t have to say anything.”
She leans over and kisses my cheek before rising to her feet and stepping to the side. My future mother-in-law, Liz, takes her place in front of me.
“Today, I get to add a new daughter to my family officially. You make my son so happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for Kyler—for him to be happy. I knew from the moment I met you that you had captured my son’s heart. I also knew that he had done the same for you.”
I have to wipe away a stray tear. Haylee puts a reassuring hand on my knee.
“I have spent a lifetime raising him to be the amazing man he is today. While I will always be his mom, it’s now your turn to be the leading lady in his life.”
The tears are fully flowing now.
“I hope that you love each other, support each other, and choose each other every day of your lives. I hope you embrace him for who he is, the good, the bad, and everything in between. This is your something new that is from Lauren, Kate, and me.” Liz hands me a small box with the lid open.
The sparkle of the diamond earrings catches my eyes.
“This is just too much.” I look over at Kate and Lauren, and their smiles match their mom’s.
“It’s not, Dani. You’re the most important person in my brother’s life, and this is nothing in comparison to the love you two have for each other,” Kate says through teary eyes.
Lauren clears her throat, clearly already a blubbering mess. “The diamonds are to shine bright just like the light you have brought into Kyler’s life.”
“Thank you so much,” I manage to choke out. I rise to my feet and wrap my arms around Liz.
“I love you,” she whispers.
“I love you too,” I respond.
“All right, ladies, we are never going to get through this without losing it. Oh hell, who are we kidding, mine is definitely going to bring on the waterworks.” Natalie moves from where she is sitting to close to me.
She wastes no time in handing me a small bag. I feel like a little kid on Christmas, but I pause for a moment to see if she has more to say.
“Go on, sweetheart, and open it.”
“Don’t have to tell me twice,” I laugh. I reach into the bag and pull out a small hairpin with a heart on the end.
“So, this might not seem like much, but this is the same ‘something borrowed’ that I lent your mom on her wedding day.”
My eyes widen, and I turn to my mom, who is nodding her head. My heart feels whole right now, knowing that two of these items are the same things my mother wore when she married my dad.
“Just like you and Haylee, your mom and I have been best friends all our lives. Having that one person always by your side through the good times and the bad is so important.” Natalie looks over at the wall where the collage of frames currently hangs, the same group of photos that had my attention the day I first arrived.
I don’t need to look to know exactly what holds her attention.
“Danielle, you deserve all the happiness and love in the world, and I am thankful to be a part of this day and watch the love grow between you and Kyler.”
My mind travels back to the talk we had the weekend of my mom’s birthday when Ky and my relationship went public. She sat on the swing with me, helping me work through my feelings.
“Em only ever wanted you to be happy, and I’ve watched you with Kyler, and I think he makes you happy… Does he?”