Epilogue
Three Years Later
“I can’t believethis day is finally here.”
“I know, right?” Amber says, adding another curl to my hair. She’s a natural at hair. She always has been. “You look beautiful.”
“Thanks to you. If I had to do my hair all fancy like this, it’d end up looking like a bird’s nest.
“Well, lucky for you, I’m here.”
“Are you bitches about ready to do this thing?” Carley says, strolling into the room with a champagne bottle in one hand and two glasses in the other. Handing a glass to Amber, she fills the glass, then adds the bubbly to the other one. Lifting it, the two click them together. “To getting this shit over with and on to the party.”
“Hear, hear,” Amber says, tipping her glass back.
I frown at the sight.
“Sorry, Mama-to-be. No booze for you.”
“You could have brought me apple juice,” I grumble. “Or better yet, chocolate. Ooh, or a steak.”
“Jesus.” Carley laughs. “I can’t wait for you to pop that kid out. You’re gonna be as big as a house by the time she’s born.”
“Only two more weeks.” Eli can’t wait. He’s more excited about this baby than I am, which is saying something because I’m so thrilled. Heck, I tried to talk the doctor into an early c-section. They said no.
Speaking of Eli and me. We made it.
Yay!
After I graduated, we moved from Wisconsin to Chicago so he could work on his master’s degree in computer programming with the hope of applying to work for the FBI afterwards. In the meantime, I work for a not-for-profit clean energy company that is working to develop renewable energy resources to protect natural areas and wildlife habitat in communitiesacross Illinois. I love the job, but the closer I get to having our baby girl, the more I wish I could spend more time with her.
I know how terrible that sounds. I should relish my opportunity to be a career woman. I guess we’ll have to see.
Eli’s father really wants Eli to join his commercial real-estate company but Eli’s adamant that he steers clear of doing anything that would give his father control over him. He feels like they need to stick to golfing and doing other father-son things. And soon, grandfather-son-and-granddaughter things. As for Helene, well, she’s amazing. She and my mom have formed a bond that I love. Couple that with the fact that my sister… well, she’s finally got her shit together.
“Drink up. Let’s get this party started.”
When did Carley get so bossy?
Oh, right. She’s always been that bossy.
With the toast done, the three of us step out into the hallway. Carley wraps her arms around us and says, “We look fabulous. Don’t we, girls?”
“We do,” Amber adds with a smile.
Making our way down a long hallway, we take a right at the end and stop. Music is playing a song I recognize because I chose it. When the doors open, I take in a deep breath for courage. “I don’t think I can do this.”
“Do I need to double-dog dare you again?” Carley snickers.
“Um. No.” I shake my head. “That’s not what I mean.”
“You know what, sis. This isn’t about you. Now, scoot on down there and stand next to your man.”
“I can’t.”
“The hell you can’t,” Amber says angrily. “If you screw this up now, after all this time.”
“Come on. Seriously.” Carley’s getting testy with me too. Taking my arm, she starts to tug me down the aisle. Because she’s right and I don’t want to make a scene, I go. At the end of the aisle I see Eli and do my best to smile.
