Page 54 of Indirect Attack
“I should have just gone with Mom and Ashley,” Tri grumbled and walked off toward the gathering in the field.
“You know we were in the fun car.” Herman winked at me and gave a small wave before he hurried after the oldest Rusev. “See you soon, you two.”
Sam flashed me a smile and followed at a more sedate, relaxed pace.
“I think the wrestling’s been good for him,” Ben observed. “Kind of what he’s always been meant to do.”
“And I think we’d better hurry and do what we’ve always been meant to do,” I said, waving in the direction of the guestswaiting for the ceremony to start. “We don’t want to keep everyone waiting. But I’m not exactly dressed for a wedding.”
I was wearing a short, black, form-fitting dress with a wide neck, long sleeves, and heels to match. It was perfect for dinner out but not for a wedding.
“Good thing your mom is waiting for you in that bedroom I didn’t let you go in. She has your dress.”
“What?” I laughed, incredulous again, but for all the right reasons.
Ben kissed me, then turned me around and gave me a little push toward the house. “Go get ready, and I’ll see you when you come down the aisle.”
I ran to the bedroom to find my mother and cousin there.
“What are you guys doing here?” I asked, giving each one an enormous hug. “How did you both know about all this?”
“Ben’s been planning this for months. I was one of the first ones he contacted after Auntie and Uncle,” my cousin Sara said, going to the small closet and pulling a white garment bag out. She was getting married in a few months, and her dress fitting was the first thing I’d gone to when I returned to the States.
My mother was beaming with happiness as she unzipped the bag Sara held and parted the cloth sides. Inside was a beautiful wash of creamy fabric, gauze, and crystal and pearl embellishments.
I recognized the dress immediately—after everyone had left my cousin’s dress fitting, my mother and I had stayed just to browse for fun. My mother had insisted I try this one on, and I’d fallen madly in love with it, lamenting I didn’t have a reason to wear it.
“Mom, you didn’t.” I looked at her, realizing the entire thing had been a plot to get me to choose a wedding dress while keeping me entirely in the dark.
“It was Sara’s idea,” Mom admitted with a slight shrug, but her smile was brightly pleased. “I’m just glad it worked.
Sara and Mom helped me put on the dress, which fit perfectly. I looked at my reflection in the mirror Sara had dragged along just for this purpose.
“You look amazing,” she gushed as Mom made minor adjustments.
I had to agree with my cousin—the dress fit perfectly, skimming my slim curves before flaring out in a cascade of silk and softly draping tulle. As Mom pinned the veil on my hair, I couldn’t believe this was all happening. My mind hadn’t caught up to the reality yet.
With a last touch-up of my makeup and a quick hug, Sara scurried out to her place as my maid-of-honor, a position she had appointed herself to during the planning. I laughed, completely agreeing with her. Then Mom led me out, and we met my dad at the back porch door.
Tears shone in his eyes as he looked me over then silently offered me his arm. Mom took the other, and the three of us walked down to the field. I walked down the aisle to the song Ben and I hadn’t stopped playing in high school, the one I’d always secretly wanted to slow-dance to.
My parents left me at the end of the rows of chairs to walk to my soon-to-be husband, whose eyes had widened and then begun to glimmer as he saw me walking toward him. His brothers stood beside him, each one grinning like the little boys they had always been to me.
The wedding passed like a dream, beautiful, emotional, and everything I’d ever wanted. And we spent the evening and well into the night with friends and family who were there to celebrate with us as we started on our new journey in life.
Together.
Epilogue
Ben
Two years later
THE WHIRRING BUZZ BEGANas a low keening that became a frenetic, high-pitched whine. Beside me, Jasmine covered her ears, exchanging a glance with me that said volumes as the pinwheel firework spun out of control, throwing off sparks into the dark of the night. The kids running screaming after it didn’t seem to mind, however.
“Mom’s in her element.”
I looked up to see Tri standing beside my chair, a beer in one hand, his gaze on our mom, who was gleefully chasing the pack of young children.
