Page 15 of The Baxters
“We will.” Brooke must’ve known she’d crossed a line, too. “The past is the past at this point. We’ll all learn to love Tim. In time.”
“Exactly.” Elizabeth couldn’t tell them about her feelings of impending disaster or about the fact that deep in her heart she hoped Brooke was right. She felt the slightest bit of relief come against the storm inside her. “Thank you. Both of you.”
Elizabeth finished Brooke’s eye makeup and then she started on Ashley’s hair. A change of subject. That’s what her daughters needed. Elizabeth caught Ashley’s glance in the mirror. “Landon’s coming today. I told you, right?”
A myriad of conflicting emotions flashed in Ashley’s eyes. “I know.” She turned her head so Elizabeth could work better. “I might leave early.”
“I thought you’d be happy.” Elizabeth couldn’t find solid ground here. No matter what they talked about. “You said it was okay to invite him. He’s been your friend since—”
“Fifth grade. You always say that, Mom. Like I could ever forget.” Ashley sat a little straighter. “I wish he wasn’t coming.” She blew a stray piece of her hair from her forehead. “Seeing him… it’s too hard.”
“You said you two were friends.” Even Brooke looked confused.
“Me and Landon Blake?” Ashley’s smile was tinged with a very deep sorrow. “We could never be just friends. And we could never be more.” She shrugged one shoulder. “We’ve become very different people. Faith. The future. All of it. We’ve moved on.” Her voice fell a notch. “If only I could get my heart to agree.”
Elizabeth picked up on the deeper message in her daughter’s expression. No matter what she told herself or how different she was now, one thing remained. Ashley still loved Landon Blake, just like she’d said earlier.
The proof shone in her eyes.
Again, Elizabeth changed the subject. Better to talk about the dresses and flowers and fancy dinner to be served tonight than to venture down long-ago back roads. They could talk about Landon later. She finished curling Ashley’s hair and touched up her eyeliner. “So beautiful.” Elizabeth stepped back and admired Brooke and Ashley. “You two look stunning.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Brooke stood and grabbed her bag just as Kari walked in.
Ashley was on her feet, too, and she and Brooke embraced their sister.
“It’s here!” Ashley kissed her cheek. “You’re getting married today!”
“I know.” Something in Kari’s eyes made her look more anxious than excited. She looked at her sisters one at a time. “Can you believe it?”
Brooke took hold of her hand. “We’re here for you, Kari.” She hugged her sister again. “If you’re happy, we’re happy.” She hesitated. “We all love Tim. Really.”
Elizabeth held her breath.Thank You, God. This was how she had hoped Brooke and Ashley would act around Kari. Keeping their deepest concerns to themselves.
“I’m glad.” Kari laughed, but it sounded a little forced. “He loves all of you. And that means a lot. Thank you.”
From the distance, they heard Cole start to cry. Ashley gathered her things. “Time to go.” She looked at Elizabeth. “Thanks, Mom.” She glanced in the mirror once more. “I can never get my hair to look like this.”
Brooke thanked her mother again, and the two sisters left.
Now it was just Elizabeth and her second-oldest daughter, the bride. “Come here, sweetheart.” Elizabeth held out her arms as Kari came to her. They hugged for a long moment. “It’s your wedding day, my dear.” Elizabeth pulled back and searched Kari’s eyes. “What are you feeling?”
“So much.” Kari exhaled hard. “Fear. Joy. Doubt. The whole mix.” She set her things down on the table and turned back to Elizabeth. “I’ve never… done this.” Her eyes met Elizabeth’s. “How am I supposed to feel?”
Elizabeth wanted her answer to be easy and lighthearted, wanted to respond to her with the sweet assurance typical for a mother on her daughter’s wedding day. But this felt different, somehow. She chose her words with care. “I think some of that is normal.” Elizabeth hesitated. She would regret it the rest of her life if she didn’t ask the question. She steadied herself. “When you say… doubt… do you mean like, you’re not sure you want to marry Tim?”
Kari’s answer should’ve been fast and sure. Of course she wanted to marry Tim. But instead she took her time. “I don’t think so.” Her eyes looked so young, the way they’d looked when she was a little girl trying to come clean about cheating on her history test. “I mean… it took a minute this morning to remember I was getting married today.” She wrinkled her nose. “That can’t be good.”
Be careful,Elizabeth told herself. “Talk to me, Kari. What’s in your heart?”
Her daughter lifted her chin and gave her reflection a serious look. “I love Tim. I know that.” She nodded, as if she were convincing herself. “I want to marry him. I’ve asked myself a hundred times, and always that’s my answer.”
Elizabeth felt herself relax a bit. “Okay, then.” She smiled at Kari. “I’d say you have your answer.” Quiet fell between them for a minute while Elizabeth ran the curling iron through Kari’s long dark hair. “Every bride feels a little nervous on her wedding day. The important thing is that God has made it clear. Tim is the man you want to spend the rest of your life with. That there’s no question, he’s your first choice.”
Kari didn’t respond. But after a few seconds, Elizabeth watched tears gather in her eyes. “First choice?”
“Yes.” Elizabeth had worded it that way on purpose. No matter how much Kari had loved Ryan Taylor, he was her past. “That’s how you feel, right?”
Kari sniffed and dabbed at the corners of her eyes. “My first choice didn’t want me, Mother.” She managed the saddest smile. “You know that.” She drew a deep breath and her expression took on more life. “But yes… given that, Tim is my top choice.” Her eyes found Elizabeth’s. “I’m sure.”
