“Oh, Bethy,” she breathed, laying her head on Beth’s arm. “That cake is stunning. It looks like it belongs in a gallery.”
Beth leaned into Kim’s embrace eyes still locked on the cake. “Lynn’s artistic abilities never cease to amaze me.”
Sue moved to the counter and began dishing up breakfast—plates piled high with eggs, bacon, toast, and pastries. She handed one to each of them and set a third beside her sleeping daughter.
“She said she was up until four this morning working on it,” Sue whispered. She grabbed the coffee pot with one hand and waved the girls gently toward the door with the other. “Let’s eat in the den and let your sister sleep.”
“I don’t think I can wear the new heels I bought for the wedding.” Beth said rubbing her foot where there was already a blister forming.
“You should go barefoot. That’s what I would do.” Lynn said, reaching for her glitter eyeliner and moving to apply it.
“You are not putting that on me.” Beth stopped her sister by covering her face with her hands until the younger Stoner backed away. “And I can’t go barefoot. I guess I’ll just wear my old heels. That’ll be okay right?”
“Of course, your dress is going to cover it anyway,” Kim assured her while taking all of the glitter products away from Lynn, then tossing them out the bedroom door.
Lynn flopped backward onto the bed with a dramatic groan. “Okay, so what I’m hearing is... no glitter at all. Tragic.”
“Correct,” Kim said, pinning another curl into Beth’s updo. “You’ll survive. Probably.”
“I’m just saying,” Lynn said, pointing a toe in Beth’s direction, “if it were my wedding, we’d be done rhinestoning Aunt Helen’s veil by now.”
“You tried to rhinestone my prom dress, remember?” Beth said. “I had to physically remove the bedazzler from your hand.”
They giggled at the memory.
“Lynn, you did an unbelievable job with our cake,. Thank you.”
“Yep,” Lynn said, hopping up and moving to the closet, “you need to get into that dress before Pastor Steve walks in to check on us and combusts.”
Kim helped steady Beth as she stepped into the gown. The room quieted the moment the fabric settled into place.
Sue stepped into the room, smile soft, eyes already misting.
“Turn around, sweetheart.”
Beth did.
Her mom’s hands were gentle as she zipped the dress slowly, smoothing the fabric once it was in place.
“I still remember the day your Aunt Helen wore this veil,” Sue said softly, holding the delicate piece in her hand. “She cried the whole way down the aisle... and your Uncle Roy never took his eyes off her.”
She slid the comb into Beth’s hair, just above the bun. The veil draped down softly, resting just below her shoulders.
Beth blinked hard. “You think she’d like it on me?”
“She’d love it. She’d be so proud of you.” Sue smiled.
Beth turned back to the mirror. The veil shimmered in thesoft light, her sister beaming behind her, her mom right beside her.
“Okay,” Lynn whispered dramatically, “we’re definitely rhinestoning the veil if I ever get married.”
Laughter broke out around the room—just in time to keep their eye makeup from streaking down their faces.
“Your Aunt Helen would’ve laughed at that too. She would’ve loved your loud, crazy personality.” Sue kissed her younger daughter on the cheek.
Donald’s arm was warm beneath her hand. Steady. Beth pressed her fingers gently into the fabric of his jacket as they waited on the porch steps. The sun was sinking behind the mountains, streaking the sky in violet and gold.
Her veil caught a breeze that tugged gently at the jeweled comb tucked into her bun.
