Page 97 of Free to Dream
After dabbing my eyes, I ask him, “How do I look?”
He runs his eyes over me over me from head to toe, giving me a huge smile. “Perfect.”
Holding out an arm, I loop mine through his. As we walk down the stairs, I hear the quiet click of Holly’s camera shutter behind us.
* * *
It’stwo minutes to the farm from the carriage house. Normally, I would have walked it.
Everyone balked at that idea last night, especially my sisters. They said even if I didn’t want to be treated like a princess on my wedding day, my shoes sure as hell would be. Checking out my Christian Louboutin lace pumps, a lovely gift from my husband to be, I have to agree. Instead, we’re taking the half mile ride in Caleb’s Porsche.
He’s already at the farm, waiting.
Phil’s driving like a granny so he doesn’t mess up my hair and so that he doesn’t lose Holly, who is perched precariously on the back of the car, getting photos around the lake. We’re making jokes, but I’m almost too tranquil to participate in our usual banter.
As we pull up to the front door of the farm, Phil helps Holly off the car and gives me a stern look. “Stay right where you are.”
Serenely, I wait for him to come around. He opens my door and offers me his hand. Holly is clicking away. During the ceremony, her interns will take up the slack, but I know her camera won’t be far away for the rest of the night. The three of us walk in and hush comes over the room.
“Oh, Cassy,” Em says in awe. She’s in a light blue, curve-hugging dress. Ali steps up next to her in a Navy-blue, silk wrap dress. Her killer smile is on display, as are her tears. She’s about to wipe at them when Em yells, “Dammit, I said dab! Don’t fuck up your makeup yet!”
I start laughing. There’s no help for it.
Holly hands her camera to Corinna, who starts taking pictures as Holly quickly undoes her French braid. Strand after strand of sunset colored waves comes down around her shoulders. She too is in a blue dress, though hers is a sweetheart neckline with spaghetti straps in a royal blue that goes to the floor. Quickly flipping her hair upside down, Em spritzes it before she flips back up.
“How does it look? I was hoping that putting it in a braid wouldn’t do too much damage. Oh, good,” she says as she makes her way to the mirror.
I just shake my head. Phil’s arm wraps around my waist. He’s shaking with suppressed laughter. Four down, one to go.
“What about me?” Corinna’s sultry voice demands. Her cold-shoulder dress skims her lush figure tightly under the breasts before flaring out in a soft baby blue. As my flower girl, she demanded her heavy locks have an appropriate flower girl crown.
Typical Corinna.
I look at my brother and my sisters, and my eyes well up. “You’re all so beautiful. So beautiful. I can’t believe you did this in two months.”
“Well, hon, it’s not like you wanted anything complicated. You wanted Caleb and family. Everything else was negotiable,” Em points out realistically.
“But this is everything I ever wanted,” I argue.
Ali comes up and wraps her arm on the other side of me. She tips her head to rest on mine. “No, sweetheart. He is. The rest of it is just stuff.”
I squeeze her waist at that very true comment.
“Are you ready?” Holly asks. She’s over by the door wiping at her eyes. She shoots a guilty look at Em, who is giving her a fulminating glare at not dabbing. She’s just tossed a single amaryllis out the door at Jared. The agreed upon high sign.
Am I ready?
The words that come out of my mouth have never been truer.
“I was born ready.”
* * *
I watchfrom behind the sheer screens we erected so Caleb can’t peek into the farm’s main room.
Corinna begins the processional to Sara Bareilles’ “I Choose You.” Fortunately, she doesn’t have to throw any flowers as Phil already scattered so many red, white, and blue blooms, we’d be lucky if we all didn’t take a header in our heels. Instead, she holds a stained-glass box I had in my room with an amaryllis on it.
Next went Holly, carrying a single amaryllis, her face serene and slightly tipped as if she knew where her photography interns were hiding. I bet the photos of her would be gorgeous.
