Page 38 of Kiss me Forever

“I love roses, love the ones we have around our home, but I was thinking we’d keep things simple,” I say. Everyone laughs as they shake their heads. Simplicity is out. I glance over at Livie who’s rocking baby Julie in her arms. I would much rather leave these ladies to the planning and go into the living room with my beautiful niece. That sounds a lot more fun than wedding planning.

“Don’t look to me for help, I’m with your mother-in-law. I want to see you come in on a princess carriage,” she tells me.

“Ugh, you aren’t a hippie. We won’t do boring,” Bianca says as she lays on the floor surrounded by swatches of fabric. “This is your wedding, Piper. You’re in love, and it needs to show that love and be grand and as beautiful as you are.”

I shake my head again. “We don’t need to go too far over the top,” I tell them again for the millionth time. Sometimes small and intimate is just as beautiful.”

“We aren’t unreasonable,” Livie says. “We can have beautiful and intimate as well. But you have to give a lot more.” This might be the only compromise I can get, and I’m about to agree when Isabella chimes in.

“We don’t do middle of the road in Italy. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event. We must be grand.”

The room erupts in laughter and more friendly banter. Baby Julie lets out a cry letting her mother know it’s time to feed. I look over and smile. How can I care about anything with my niece in the room.

“It’s no fair that you have Julie here. She’s making me far too compliant,” I say as Livie starts to nurse her. Finally! When she’s done I’ll be able to burp her. That’s good and bad because the second I hold the baby I’m far too agreeable to everything they want.

“Let’s do an entire mix of flowers then. We’ll have roses, carnations, lilies, and wildflowers,” I suggest. If they’re going to be big, then I might as well have a lot of color which always makes me happy.

Isabella claps her hands together. “I love it. Now, we can move on to the cake. I’m thinking we should have a five-tier. We must have chocolate and raspberry filling for one layer.”

“Five tiers? How many people will be at this wedding?” I ask with horror.

Bianca grins, jumping up and showing a book with all sorts of wedding cakes in it. “The bigger the better. We can have a bridge between layers and dripping icing that looks like jewels.”

“Oh, I like that,” Livie says. No one answers how many people will be there. I don’t push it.

We put the cake on hold until we can get actual samples to taste, but I know one thing’s for sure is that it will be big. I decide to just go with it. Our conversation flows from one topic to the next, but I no longer care because Julie is done nursing, and the second I have her sweet baby face resting on my chest, all is right in the world.

I can get through this wedding even if it’s a star-studded event, because in the end, I’ll be married to Magnus, and then maybe, just maybe, by this time next year I’ll be holding Julie on my knee and my own child against my chest. The thought fills me with joy.

The women playfully argue about my gown. This too gets put on hold because in two days we have an appointment at a wedding boutique where I’m sure I’ll try on a hundred dresses. It’s okay, though, because again, all that matters is that moment we say I do.

After six hours of planning we decide on more simple table decorations with lots of colors, while the bouquet I hold will be big and bold. The colors are silver, red, and white which I love. It’s going to be festive and pretty.

The door creaks open and Magnus walks in, moving over to me and leaning down to give me a kiss. He never comes into a room without showing me his love. I sigh with happiness. It’s this man here that makes me able to bear this wedding extravaganza.

“What are you ladies up to?” he asks before he moves over and kisses his mother on the cheek.

“Wedding planning, my darling. Do you want to help?”

He looks at her in horror, thinking he shouldn’t have stepped foot into the room. I want to run away with him. My eyes plead with him to save me. He’ll save me from a shark, from a gunman, from a storm, but he won’t save me from his mother.

“This is bride business so no men allowed,” Bianca tells him.

“Well, I am getting married too,” he points out to his sibling. This makes all of the women laugh.

“Oh, you poor man, don’t you know the groom is simply a guest at the wedding?” Livie tells him with a laugh.

He laughs with her. “I don’t mind one bit being the guest, just as long as this woman walks down the aisle to me and vows to be mine for the rest of our days.”

All of the women sigh in delight at his words. “You are a wonderful man,” Livie tells him.

“I’ll get out of your hair and allow you to continue. I’ll even order takeout so you can go longer,” he says, sending a wink my way. I give him a look that assures him he’ll pay for this later. He laughs as he leaves us.

We continue talking about decorations and I suggest fairy lights and mason jars. They all like the fairy lights. No one but me likes the mason jars. Isabella wants grand chandeliers and satin tablecloths. We might find a balance, but I’m not sure how.

Food arrives and we’re still going, now with our mouths full as we discuss music, seating arrangements, and wedding favors. I love Livie’s suggestion of homemade jams, while Bianca is leaning toward personalized favors, and Isabella wants something with food. The wedding favors might be as elaborate as the wedding itself. I don’t care. I’m so in love that I want to give back as much as I’m getting.

“I think we should do a little goodie bag with jam, maybe spaghetti sauce, and a sparkly gift,” Livie says

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