Page 143 of Christmas Kisses

Selene turned from the kitchen range with a steaming mug in her hands and brought it to the table, setting it in front of her sister. “Here, hon. Special blend. Mint for the tummy ache, chamomile and valerian for the nervousness and some honey to make it taste good.”

Kara didn’t for one minute doubt her sister’s tea would help. Selene had a knack for things like this.

She’d no sooner finished her tea than Edie and Maya were bustling through the front door with Edie’s recently remodeled wedding gown in their arms. They’d added a bowlike bustle to the back, with a trailing train that hadn’t been there before. It glittered with hidden sparklies.

“Ready to get ready?” Edie asked.

“Not even close. The ceremony isn’t until ten.”

“That only gives us two and a half hours!” Maya clapped her hands together. “Let’s go, chop-chop!”

“I’ll go run your bath,” Selene said, smiling in that mysterious way she had. “I’ve got special wedding-day bath salts ready to go. You’re gonna smell so good, Jimmy’s eyes will pop.” With that Selene trotted up the stairs.

The morning wore on—slowly, unlike the past two days had. Kara bore up well. Several more cups of Selene’s calming brew helped. Her sisters did her hair, her nails, her face. They fussed over her and sang love songs in perfect harmony as they did.

And finally she slid into the gown. The girls wouldn’t let her near a mirror until they’d declared her finished.

Then Mel marched her up to the mirror.

Kara looked at her reflection. A princess looked back at her. Beautiful, graceful and glowing. Ringlets tumbled from the up-do and fell to frame her face. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the other faces around her—Mel and Maya crowding over one shoulder, Edie and Selene leaning in over the other.

“You’re beautiful.”

“Perfect,”

“Oh, God, I think I’m going to cry already!”

“Someone get the camera.”

A throat cleared and they all turned. Vidalia stood in the doorway. “You girls have kept me at bay long enough. Let’s see how you’ve done.”

The four stepped away, and Kara turned slowly to face her mother. Vidalia took an openmouthed breath, blinking rapidly. “Oh, my,” she whispered. One hand fluttered to her chest, and she repeated herself. “Oh,my.You look like an angel come down from heaven, Kara Brand.”

Kara smiled and tried to keep her eyes dry. “My makeup’s gonna smear, Mom.”

“If these girls didn’t use waterproof makeup, they haven’t learned a thing from the last three Brand weddings.”

“We did, Mom,” Maya told her.

Vidalia wrapped her in a gentle hug and sniffled before she stepped away. “Well, that’s enough of this nonsense. Let’s get ourselves over to the church.” Then she snapped her fingers. “Oh, wait. One more thing.” She stepped out of the room and returned with a box, wrapped in white and silver paper with a red velvet bow.

“Mom, what did you do?” Kara asked.

She smiled. “Open it and find out.”

Kara opened the package, letting the paper and box fall to the floor as she pulled out a fur trimmed white velvet cloak. “Oh, Mom... “

Edie took it and moved behind her to drape it around her. She arranged the loosely fitting hood, and everyone oohed and ahhed.

“Thank you, Mom.”

Vidalia looked pleased and proud. “Now you’re a proper Christmastime bride,” she said.

Kara took one last look in the mirror and met her own eyes. They were still filled with doubts, still lacking conviction. She thought maybe that look would fade later. Once she was married and she saw for herself that everything was all right. Once Jimmy told her how he truly felt about her. He would, she thought. He would say the words she’d been longing to hear. Today, of all days, he would say them.

* * *

Jim stood in front of the mirror, straightening his borrowed black bow tie over and over again. Then he noticed his son standing right beside him, staring at his reflection with the same intense, impatient look on his face, trying to straighten his own.

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