Epilogue

Almost Two Years Later

The sun beamed through my window, announcing my big day had finally come. I rolled over and grinned. I rang the bell by my bed and leapt from the mattress to the carpeted floor.

The door cracked open, and Eunice stepped inside. “You rang?”

“Good morning, my friend,” I said. “Are you ready?”

“The real question is, are you?” She handed me a mug of coffee.

“Oh, you’re the best.” I sipped from the brim and let the warm of liquid caffeine fill my soul. “Did your dress make it back from the seamstress?”

“Yes, and it’s gorgeous. I can’t wait to wear it.”

I patted the mattress and had her join me. “I’m glad you agreed to do this for me. You know I don’t have a lot of friends.”

“But you have me and—”

And as if on cue, Gabby and Charlotte rushed into the room and pounced on my bed.

Laughing, I tried not to spill my drink and slid it onto my end table.

Gabby grabbed me in a hug.

Charlotte came around her.

Eunice slid down and almost landed on the floor but caught herself in time.

“Do you know what today is?” Gabby squealed.

“No idea.” I laughed. “Please enlighten me.”

“Only the most important day of your life, silly. Come on, let’s get you pampered and pretty.” Gabby jumped to the floor and tugged on my arm.

Charlotte mirrored the action and yanked on my other arm.

I laughed and let them drag me to a Victorian cream chair that had been placed in front of a full-length mirror the night before.

Eunice ran out of the room and returned with the makeup and hair people.

The stylist curled my long blonde hair into ringlets. She sprayed in small daisies periodically by the curls.

The makeup artist took over next, adorning my face in soft burgundy hues and dewberry lipstick. I don’t know if I ever looked prettier. Well, I hoped that to be true.

Eunice and Gabby helped me slide into the princess-cut white dress with satin and beads at the top and tulle and diamonds on the bottom.

In my mind’s eye, I saw Mom standing in my reflection. I resembled her in every way. I wished so much that she could be here, looking over my shoulder and telling me how beautiful I looked. I tilted my hips side to side, listening to the swish, and smiled. I fingered the necklace she gave me, resting at the base of my neck. Most people don’t wear black on their wedding days, but this was important. I was sure my aunt will say otherwise, but too bad.

The sisters and Eunice left for a little while, then returned clothed in plum, tee-length dresses. The deep purple ended up being a great color for the two redheads. The three of them could not stop giggling.

I found myself following suit.

The door opened, and Meredith entered dressed in a flowy violet dress. She carried in her arms a bouquet of purple and white Gerber daisies. “You look so beautiful,” she said, with tears in her eyes.

I smiled, trying to hold back my own tears.

Meredith and I had finally become great friends. I saw her more of a big sister than a mother, but I cared about her deeply.

She placed the flowers on my bed and then pulled me into a hug.

“I’m glad you’re here,” I said.

She dabbed her eyes. “Me, too. Now, don’t go messing up our makeup.”

“Yes, good idea.” I sniffed and dabbed at the corner of my lids.

A photographer entered and snapped various shots around the room: several of me in the mirror, one with Meredith putting on my garter, and one with me and my sisters acting silly, sticking out our tongues. Of course, there were a bunch of serious ones, too, with us posing with flowers.

My baby brother, Luke, ran in full throttle straight at me. “Indy!”

Charlotte scooped him up before he reached me and swung him around in the air. “You can’t go jumping on Cindy’s dress with your shoes. She has to be pretty.”

I squatted down and put my arms out. “It’s okay. Come here, my boy.”

Charlotte let him down, and he tottered forward with chubby arms extended.

I grinned and embraced him in a bear hug.

He kissed my cheek, then leaned his up for our usual butterfly kiss.

I obliged with the fluttering of my eyelashes to his face.

He giggled and squirmed away.

The wedding coordinator entered. “It’s time.”

My heart leapt almost through my chest. I couldn’t believe I would soon be married to Henry—my soul mate, my hero, my prince. I patted Luke’s head and stood ready for my dream to come true.

“We’ll see you down there.” Meredith made a kissy sound at my cheek, then scooped Luke into her arms and left.

Charlotte and Gabby each blew me a kiss, and then rushed Eunice out the door.

Dad appeared in the doorway in a black tux.

His bowtie was, of course, crooked. I stepped forward to fix it. Any hope of salvaging my makeup about went out the window. We hugged and cried.

“I’m just so proud of you,” he said.

“Thanks, Dad.” I sniveled. How long I had ached to hear those words? For as long as I could remember. Over the last year, I had done plenty to secure his pride. Thanks to Charlotte and Gabby, I started my own party planning company. Also, I had stopped being a brat, making friends with the staff and helping in the community. But most of all, I had aspired to be a kind person like my mother. It didn’t happen overnight. It took time for people to trust me. Other than Henry, no one remembered the maid me. They only knew the spoiled, rude me. Every day, I walked into the kitchen and sat at the counter with Rosa. I helped her peel potatoes, snapped peas, made coffee, and cleaned dishes.

I confided in Eunice and helped her plan her own wedding. I insisted on paying for it and having it in our backyard. She soon became my best friend.

Charlotte and Gabby were now my sisters in every way. We did something together almost daily for two years.

I apologized to them for my actions. Surprisingly, they accepted.

They said they could have easily become like me had they chosen differently. They promised to help me choose joy.

I love those two like birth-siblings and could not be more grateful for who they are—quirkiness and all.

“You okay?” Dad asked.

His question broke me out of my reverie. “Yeah, just reflecting on the past two years.” I folded my hand under his arm and strode with him down the stairs to the backyard. I couldn’t see him yet, but I knew my future husband waited under a white, handcrafted archway covered in ivy and flowers.

Dad and I rounded the corner.

“If you all could stand for the entrance of the bride.” The preacher’s voice cut through the open air.

The sounds of chairs shifted on the wooden floor placed in our yard, just as the wedding march started to play.

I had butterflies in my stomach. We walked to the edge of the aisle, and there he waited—my prince charming. The man who saved me from a life without love and forgiveness. He was handsome in a white tux with a black lapel. His smile gleamed in the sun against his dark skin.

White and purple petals lined the path. Each chair on the end held a satin bow and Gerbera daisies, my favorite flower. I stepped forward down the white runner, and the audience “oohed” and “aahed,” smiling and snapping pictures. But I only had eyes for the man at the end.

His eyes glistened, and his grin could not grow any wider.

“Who gives this woman in matrimony to this man?” the preacher asked.

“I do,” Dad said, then kissed my cheek and joined Meredith.

I glided my palms into Henry’s waiting hands.

You looked beautiful, he mouthed.

“You, too,” I whispered and winked.

The preacher led us through vows and rings. Finally, I heard the words I’d waited to hear. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

And he did.