Page 20 of Mine To Honor (Southern Wedding)

“I’m looking at a woman and a man who look like they need to get married,” Clarabella states.

“Sorry, want to get married.”

“Look, I need to do this,” I inform them all, “if not for me, then for Cici. So I need to get married.” I shake my head. “We need to get married and we would like you guys to work your magic and make it happen.”

“Or we can go to Vegas,” Levi throws in, and the minute he says the V-word the gasps fill the room again. This time it’s not a sad, shocked gasp, it’s ahow dare you say thatkind of gasp.

“Did you just use the V-word?” Presley accuses him, putting her hand to her mouth as if he said a bad word.

“And she is not talking about the—” Clarabella says, pointing down at her vagina.

“Everyone needs to just….” Addison picks up her hands. “Just, we are going to do this.” She looks at us, and for the first time since all of this started, I feel a sense of relief. As if it’s all going to be better.

“So we can be married,” Levi asks her, “today?”

“But—” Shelby steps forward, holding up her hand to stop us all from talking. “There are a couple of things you need in order to make this happen, and number one besides obviously having a groom—” She points at Levi.

“Also, can we say you get top props for that?” Clarabella winks at her.

“Not that.” Presley slaps her. “You need a dress.” She points at me and I shake my head.

“I don’t need a dress,” I inform her and feel Levi’s hand move away from my shoulder.

“Yes, she does.” I hear from beside me and I look over at him. “You need a dress,” he assures me and all I can do is stare at him.

“I’m wearing white and something old.” I point at the shirt. “Something sort of blue.” I hold up my arm at the bracelet he gave me for my last birthday. “And someone is going to lend me something.” I look around at the women, waiting for them to offer me something.

“You’re right,” Shelby declares, nodding at me. “We can lend you a dress.”

“Well,” Clarabella adds, “because we are just awesome, we have a selection of dresses that we actually carry from one of the stores in town as samples. It’s good for her and for us, apparently.”

“Why don’t you go with them?” Levi looks at me. “See if there is anything you might like.” I immediately start to shake my head. I am not going to be buying a wedding dress that I don’t need. It’s another expense I can’t take at this time. I’m already dreading the lawyer bill and I don’t even know how much it’s going to cost me in order to draw up the adoption papers. “You do that and I’m going to go and check out where we are going to exchange our vows.”

“Exchange vows?” I repeat his words, suddenly confused by what is going on.

“Well, yeah, this might be my only wedding,” he jokes with me, giving me a sly smile. I shake my head, not sure what to say.

“Okay, then it’s settled,” Clarabella says, clapping her hands happily. “Let’s take her to the bridal suite.”

“You are going to love it,” Addison reassures me, “it’s not as pretty as your place. But it’ll do. I’m going to get some information from Levi and join you guys in there in a little bit.” The girls usher me away from Levi and I look over my shoulder at him, mouthing the words, “Help me.”

He just smiles at me and I look over at Stefano and glare at him. “Don’t hurt my groom before I marry him,” I threaten, right before I’m dragged to the back of the house.

We walk down the back steps. “I can’t believe you are going to be getting married,” Presley says from beside me. “I mean, I would one thousand million percent do the same thing.”

“Without a question, I would marry someone for my niece or nephew,” Shelby agrees.

“It’s not someone,” Presley reminds her, “it’s her best friend.”

“I married my best friend,” Shelby says. “Best decision I ever made.”

“Okay, I think we are all getting ahead of ourselves,” I say. “You married him because you love him. I’m marrying him to get my niece.”

We walk down the path toward the venue, and even when I walk in now seeing that it’s really bare, with no decoration, I just love it. If I ever get married, this is where I’m having the ceremony, I tell myself as we walk to the rear of the venue, heading out to the bridal suite.

The little white cottage is sitting there with a sign that says bridal suite. Presley opens the door and I walk in. I don’t know what I’m expecting but what is there is even better than I had imagined.

Against the side wall are four stations set up with gold vanities and matching gold plush chairs in front of them. Mirrors with big chunky gold frames hang down in front of each chair. White vasesof roses fill the room. A rack of dresses is on one side and wedding dresses on the other side of the room. It’s so glamorous and I make notes for back home. “I’m not going to lie,” I say, spinning in the room, “I’m so going to steal this for my place back home.” Thinking maybe we should put in a bridal suite. Where they get ready and head to the ceremony.

---