Page 56 of Seeds of Sorrow

Peyton snuggled closer but elbowed Hadina playfully. “It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever tasted, so you win this time. But I thinkyou’llhave to be the one to make it.”

Barking out a laugh, Hadina conceded, “I think I can manage that.”

For the next hour, the duo walked around the outdoor stalls, stopping for Peyton to try foods or look at the jewelry. She’d bought a woven bag, a bracelet, and two scarves before they’d even reached the edge of one row. Every time Hadina spoke in Spanish to the sellers, she caught Peyton watching her with awe. She wanted to kiss every inch of the girl’s face when she looked at her like that.

“Let’s go inside,” Hadina said. “There’s a store I want you to see.”

Stopping outside the dress shop, Hadina stood behind Peyton, slipping her arms around her waist. Peyton held on, leaning her head back as Hadina pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

“These dresses are breathtaking,” Peyton whispered, nodding towards the ballgowns on display.

“They’requinceañeradresses. When we turn fifteen, we have a huge party to celebrate the passage of girlhood to womanhood. It’s one of the most important events of our lives.”

Peyton spun around in Hadina’s arms, looking up at the other woman with those tender blue eyes. “What was yours like? What color of dress did you wear? I can’t imagine you wearing a dress like that, looking like a princess.”

“Sweetheart, I’ve always looked like a queen,” Hadina replied, but her smile faltered. “I didn’t end up having myquinceañera. My mom died a few months before my fifteenth birthday.”

“Oh, Hadi,” Peyton said, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. “I’m so sorry. I can’t even imagine how heartbreaking and difficult that must have been.”

Hadina tried to smile as she brushed a piece of Peyton’s hair behind her ear. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced in my life.Mamawas my soul and it felt like losing part of myself.”

Peyton nodded. “That’s how I felt when Melina died too.”

“Anyway,” Hadina continued, trying to blink away tears, “I wanted to show you this.”

In the next window display, front and center, was the most spectacular dress that Hadina had ever laid eyes on. Layer upon layer of champagne tulle made up the skirt, a layer of lace over the top to create an intricate pattern. The bodice was covered in red lace in a floral design; it looked like red petals were cascading down the rear and onto the skirt.

Peyton stared, her mouth agape. “Oh my. That is…Wow.”

“This was supposed to be my dress.Mamaand I came browsing so many times but I never found anything I liked. Turns out, she had been speaking with the owner and had this dress specially designed for me.”

A few tears sprang free from Hadina’s eyes and she huffed in annoyance. Peyton reached up, wiping them away softly with her thumbs. “What a special thing to do for you. She sounds like an angel of a person.”

Hadina nodded. “She really was.”

They walked inside the store and Hadina waved to the old lady behind the counter. “Hola, Guadalupe.”

The gray-haired woman smiled, raising a wrinkled hand in a half wave. Hadina wrapped an arm around Peyton’s waist, walking them over to the dress inside the shop. From the back, you could clearly see all the extra embellishments that had been added to create the falling petal effect.

“I can’t believe how stunning this is. Did you ever get photos taken in it?”

Hadina shook her head. “No. It was supposed to be a surprise at myquinceañeraso we didn’t want to ruin it by letting anyone see it beforehand.”

Peyton pouted and it made Hadina chuckle. “I wish I could have seen you in it.”

“Me too.”

“So, did the owner like the design so much that she added it to her line?” Peyton asked, leaning in to see more of the details. “Oh my God! Is that pomegranate made out of lace?”

Hadina reached out, running her fingertips over the embroidered fruit. “It is. And, no, the designer didn’t add it to her line. This dress ismydress.”

Peyton’s brows shot up as she stood straight. “How is that possible?”

“It was one of the last things I got to do with my mom. I couldn’t bear the idea of someone else wearing the dress that my mom had poured so much love into. After speaking with Guadalupe, she agreed that I could pay her to keep it up on display. A standing reminder of the beautiful mind that mymamahad.”

Peyton wiped at her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks. It tugged at Hadina’s heartstrings to see her emotional over something that meant so much to someone else. Not just someone. But to Hadina.

“That’s the most thoughtful, incredible thing I’ve ever heard,” she sniffled, cupping Hadina’s face in her soft hands. “You have a beautiful heart, Hadi. I’m glad I’m the person who gets to see that.”

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