A hot lump filled Zeta’s throat. “No no. No talking sad stuff. Not on your wedding day.”
Sad stuff. Like the fact both Bria and Elisa now lived in Australia with their respective partners, Owen and Angus, and had done for a few months now. Not sad for her sisters, but sad for Zeta. She missed them.
More than she could comprehend.
They were triplets after all.
The fact she hadn’t seen either of them until midnight last night made it doubly important not to get sad now. Three months was a long time between hugs.
Thank God she and Elisa were identical in every physical way. It made sizing and fitting her bridesmaid dress hassle-free despite her not being in Australia. Well, identical in every physical way until Elisa’s pregnancy started to show, that was.
“You could always get a job at Taronga Zoo,” Elisa said, sliding her arm around Zeta’s waist, her smile warm in the mirror as she looked at Zeta. “The one on Sydney Harbor.”
Zeta rested her cheek on Elisa’s shoulder and smiled back. “I can’t leave my boys. I love them too much.”
Her boys: Kagiso and Mandla, born to the park’s dominant female cheetah, Noxolo, only six weeks ago. With cheetah numbers critical in the wild, the cubs were a precious gift for the park and the world, although the world didn’t know it yet. Their birth was still a secret, given they were still in the dangerous period. Their little sister, Thadie, had died only a week old, breaking the hearts of everyone at the park, let alone the close-knit cheetah keepers. Kagiso and Mandla were strong and healthy and entirely full of feisty spirit though. Zeta had a good feeling.
But still, a nervous good feeling. Only Bria’s wedding here in Australia could tear her away from being at work since their birth. As it was, she’d given Dani—the other cheetah keeper—strict instructions to send her regular updates on their progress. Very regular.
Four times a day regular.
Except for today.
Today was a phone-free day.
Besides, everyone she wanted to be with, to talk to, was already here: Bria, Elisa, her mom and dad, Owen, Angus.
But then three days after the wedding, you head back to San Diego, and leave Bria and Elisa, and Owen and Angus here.
She would. And not only that, her mom and dad were making the most of being in Australia and had decided to have a second honeymoon in the country. They were hiring a car and doing a six-week self-drive tour to as many places and sights and locations here as they could.
She’d be alone back in San Diego.
Maybe she should just move into the cheetah enclosure’s staff annex?
No sad stuff, remember. This is a huge day for Bri. Stop being selfish.
Good point.
“Hey!” she burst out, looking at Bria and Elisa in the mirror, eyes wide. Serious. Stern.
“What?” Bria asked.
“What?” Elisa echoed.
She stuck her tongue out at them.
They all laughed. Sisters to the end, no matter where any of them lived. Or how far apart.
A soft knock sounded on the door and Tilly, Owen’s sister, popped her head into the room. “It’s showtime.” A smile spread across her face and she let out a happy sigh. “You all look gorgeous, by the way.”
“Absolutely we do,” Zeta agreed. “Even with a decided lack of tulle.”
Tilly laughed.
Zeta found Bria’s gaze in the mirror and she lifted an eyebrow. “Ready?”
Bria closed her eyes, drew in a deep, slow breath and then nodded. “Hell yeah,” she said, looking at Zeta and Elisa in the mirror. “Let’s go get hitched.”