Page 41 of An Adventure For Aster

“I know,” she said. “But I’m paying for this, not him. This is money I’ve saved for years.”

“Should we finish it off with a headpiece?” Abigail asked.

“Please,” Jasmine said. “Let’s see it all before we call Mom.”

“I look like a mess. I can’t stop crying. I feel like a ballerina too with all this tulle and it’s got crystals in it. I think I’m sparkling.”

“You are in that dress,” Raine said.

Once Ivy’s hair was up and the veil on, there was nothing that could top it.

“This is it,” Ivy said. “Oh God, how much is it?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Jasmine said. “Dahlia and I are paying for it.”

“What?” Ivy asked. “You can’t do that.”

“Yes, we can,” Dahlia said. “We are. Of the three of us, you’re the one who has dreamed of this day. You’re the one giving Mom and Dad the big wedding and they aresolooking forward to it.We want this for you. Maybe I want to live through you because you know how much I hate being the center of attention.”

Raine knew it was the last words that sold Ivy who rushed her sisters to hug them. “Thank you both so much. I want to argue, but I never win. I meanneverwin. And I don’t want to win with this either, but I feel selfish accepting it.”

“Stop,” Dahlia said. “We are doing this. End of story. Time to show Mom.”

“I don’t want Dad to see. Make sure you tell her that.”

“Dad is sleeping,” Jasmine said. “I’ve been talking to Mom. You know it’s the middle of the night there. She knew we were doing this and didn’t want to miss it.”

Raine sat there and let the sisters and their mother have their moment and then wondered if she’d ever get hers.

It was crazy to think of it now after only a few weeks dating Aster, but boy, her mind was on a drag race too.

When the dress shopping was done, the four girls went to a restaurant, with Ivy announcing it was her treat and no one was to argue with her.

“Now we get to find out about Raine and Aster,” Ivy said. “Talk.”

She laughed. “What is it you want to know?”

“Did you get down and dirty yet?”

“Ivy,” Jasmine asked, laughing.

“I’ve learned there is no stopping her from asking those things,” Dahlia said.

“I know. It’s what I love about her. Yes, we did. Yesterday.”

“Woohoo, Raine got lucky,” Ivy said quietly.

“I did. In more than the bedroom.”

“Aww,” Ivy said. “He seems like a great guy.”

“He’s wonderful,” she said. “He’s not someone that opens up or talks much, but he does with me. He’s got a little sense of humor in there and it’s coming out.” She wanted to say something about his accident but realized that many probably didn’t know since he seemed shocked she wasn’t aware.

“There seems to be this mystery around him,” Ivy said. “Maybe it’s part of the men that serve. Heather said Luke was like that too, but he’s not anymore.”

“I’d like to think Aster won’t be like that much more either,” she said.

“You’re the one sparkling right now,” Jasmine said, grinning.

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