“Each husband is to love his own wife the same as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.”
A breath slipped out of her—long and full of truth.
“I’m his wife, Lord,” she whispered. “From the beginning, that’s what I wanted. But I’ve felt guilty for being happy… like if I enjoyed it, if I let myself feel joy in this marriage, I was somehow agreeing with the way it started. And that’s not it at all.”
Her eyes stung, but not from shame. Just peace.
“I don’t want to spend our life together holding back joy. Today is the day we do it Your way. I want to lean into the excitement, the beauty, the peace—and let go of the guilt. I want to honor You in every part of it.”
She sat in that prayer for a moment, breathing it in. Letting it settle.
The front door creaked.
Beth glanced up just as Kim stepped outside—yawning, sleep still in her eyes, holding two mugs of coffee like a cherished gift.
“How are you holding up, my sister-friend?” Kim asked, settling beside her on the swing.
The warmth of the mug hit Beth’s fingers as she took it, grounding her. She smiled, wrapping both hands around it. Kim was her best friend—but more than that, she was her spiritual sister, and that bond? It ran deeper than anything Beth had ever known with her own sister.
Beth took a slow sip and tucked her face behind her mug, her heart fluttering.
“I’m so excited…” she whispered, grinning wide.
Kim’s hands flew up almost spilling her coffee. “Well, it’s about time!”
“What’s about time?” Lynn croaked from the doorway, curls wild, coffee in hand, robe barely tied. She sipped her coffee like it was the only thing keeping her upright.
“She’s excited,” Kim said, mock-whispering.
“Yeah, she is…” Lynn tossed a wink. “…excited for tonight.”
Beth groaned and dropped her face into her hands. Kim let out a snort.
Sue stepped onto the porch, pausing to hug Lynn as she headed back inside. Then Sue crossed over to the swing, pressing a kiss to the top of both girls’ heads.
“What’s going on out here?” she asked, though her smile said she already knew.
“NOTHING!” Beth said, muffled behind her hands.
“Lynn was being hysterically inappropriate,” Kim said through laughter.
Sue laughed, soft and knowing. She didn’t need the details—she could only imagine what her colorful daughter might’ve said to her older sister on her real wedding day.
Beth smiled behind her mug, her heart full. The morning light filtered through the porch slats and kissed the edge of her bare feet.
Let the fun begin!
Excited, she jumped up and headed inside, following her mom to the kitchen where she found her sister perched on a stool—one elbow on the table, chin resting in her hand, the other hand still curled around a half-empty mug... fast asleep.
Beth’s eyes flicked to the counter—and she gasped.
Sue looked up at the sound and immediately pressed a finger to her lips, nodding toward Lynn.
“She outdid herself, didn’t she?” Sue whispered, following Beth’s gaze.
“How did she make something so breathtaking in such a short amount of time?”
Kim stepped in the kitchen and wrapped Beth up in a hug from behind.
