“I wouldn’t eat any of the cookies, if I were you,” Diana said from behind her. “Mom has a radar attached to her head and will know one’s missing.”
Katie turned around and stared at her sister. “Oh, my goodness. You look amazing.” Diana’s shy smile brought tears to her eyes. “Is that Mom’s wedding dress?” The frilly, over-the-top gown she’d last seen before Barbara chose a wedding dress was gone. In its place was a gorgeous gown fit for any Christmas bride.
The puffy sleeves and fitting bodice were still there, but the pearl beads had been replaced with sparkly jewels. Instead of the heavy satin skirt, the bottom of the dress was almost entirely tulle. It was everything Diana had wanted.
Diana grinned. “I spoke to a friend of Mom’s and she looked at the dress to see what I could do. I showed Mom the design and she was happy for me to go ahead with the changes.”
“Has she seen the dress now that it’s finished?”
“Not yet. I’m going to show everyone now.”
“I found them!” Their mom rushed into the kitchen, holding Diana’s shoes. “They were—” With a stunned expression, she stopped in the middle of the room. “You look so lovely.”
Diana gave a relieved sigh. “I’m glad you like it. I was worried the changes would be too much.”
Mabel hugged her daughter. “Don’t be silly. The dress was gathering dust in a closet. I feel blessed that you wanted to wear it.”
“Mom, do you want me to—” Penny rushed into the kitchen and almost ran into Diana. “Wow. Look at you.”
“It’s Mom’s wedding dress.”
Penny’s eyes widened. “It’s stunning. Wait here while I get Dad and Barbara.”
Penny hurried into the living room. Within seconds, she was back with the rest of their family.
When their dad saw Diana, tears filled his eyes. “You look as pretty as your mom did on our wedding day.”
Diana hugged him tight. “It must be the veil. It’s the same one Mom wore.”
“You look gorgeous,” Barbara said. “I can’t wait to see Ethan’s face when you walk down the aisle.”
Diana’s eyes misted over. “I can’t wait to see him, too. It feels like this is the beginning of the most exciting adventure of our lives.”
Charlie snored from beneath the kitchen table and everyone laughed.
“Well, maybe not the most exciting day for everyone,” Penny added.
While Diana slipped on her shoes, Katie thought about the last eight months. Their grandma’s death was the catalyst for the changes that had turned their lives upside down. At the time, she thought coming home to live in Sapphire Bay was the worst thing she could do. But, looking back at everything that had happened, she was glad she was here.
Penny, Barbara, and Diana had fallen in love with men who adored them. They’d found a letter written by Abraham Lincoln in the drawer of an old dresser, and discovered more about their great-grandparents than they ever thought they’d know.
What was even more special to Katie was getting to know her sisters as adults. They hadn’t lived together since they were in their late teens and, regardless of how much she hadn’t wanted to stay, she was glad she had.
Her dad handed her a glass of orange juice. “You look as though you need this. Is everything okay?”
“I was thinking about this year and everything that’s happened.”
Her dad wrapped his arm around her waist. “I know you weren’t happy about living here, but I’m glad you stayed.”
“I was just thinking the same thing. If it weren’t for Grandma, we’d still be living in different cities and only seeing each other a few times a year.”
“She had a way of drawing people together, even after she died.”
Silently, Katie watched her sisters admire Diana’s dress. The kitchen was filled with endless love, joy, and hope. And maybe, a touch of Christmas magic to make the next year even better than the last.
CHAPTER9
Peter sat on an aisle seat and looked over the heads of the wedding guests at Diana and Ethan’s wedding. When Katie told him her sister’s wedding had a Christmas theme, he thought it was a nice way to include the festive spirit in their celebration.
