“I love you. You know that, right?” I said to him. I heard a sniff and I turned around to face him. “Carter, don’t cry, please, or I’ll start.”
He wiped his tears and waved his hands away. “Please don’t cry. You’re not pretty when you cry.” I laughed so hard my stomach hurt.
“Shut up, Priscilla. I’m always pretty.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, you are.”
Once my corset was nice and tight, I took hold of my suspenders and rolled them up. I then took my dress and stepped into it. I almost stopped breathing when I realized what was happening.
“I’m getting married,” I whispered. Carter picked up my dress and pulled it over my head and down my body.
“Yeah, you are, to a man that I’m pretty sure was God’s way of apologizing for making ugly people in this world. Have babies, immediately.”
I laughed, dragging my hair to one side so Carter could do me up. “That’s not very nice, Carter. It’s what’s on the inside too, you know?”
He laughed and I could almost sense the major eye roll he was doing. “Bullshit. That’s just a quote some ugly man made up because he wasn’t getting any of the nookie.” I turned around and pushed his chest with a smile.
“Pussy, Carter. It’s pussy.” He laughed and walked out of the closet.
After a few breaths, I walked out and saw everyone looking at me. Vicky, Alaina, Phoebe, and Carter. Yes, Carter insisted on being a bridesmaid, even though Ade said he could be a groomsman.
See, Priscilla—I told you.
“Holy fucking shit,” Vicky whispered.
“Kalie, you look fucking insane,” Phoebe followed.
I turned red and looked to Alaina, who was crying. “Lain! Don’t. Please, no more tears. Shit. How am I going to get through today?”
Phoebe stood from her spot. “Oh! Look what I got.” She pulled out a bottle of Absinthe from her handbag, the same one I had.
“Absinthe? How did you get this?” I asked.
She shrugged. “Oh, you know, the perks.”
I laughed and shook my head. I knew exactly where she got it.
Alaina came up to me and kissed me on the cheek. “I’m so happy Ade found someone as special as you. Never, ever, underestimate your strength Kalie. Now with not only Ade but us,” she gestures around the room, “and all the boys. You can do, and get through anything, girl. We got you.” She pulled me in for another kiss. “Now, I need to go get our little flower girl and ring boy.”
I shooed her out with tears coming down my face. “Great, the seal’s been broken,” I said laughing and wiping my face.
We stayed in the hotel last night only because Vicky insisted. It pissed Ade off like something chronic, but Vicky knew him too well. There was no way he would have been able to stay away from me.
Alaina walked back into the room, holding Pipper’s hand on one side and Landon’s on the other. I bent down to the two.
“Hey princess,” I said to Pipper.
“Aunty Kalie,” she giggled.
She was three going on fifteen. Landon pulled on my dress from below.
“Landon, no baby. Don’t pull on Aunty Kalie’s dress,” Alaina said picking him up.
I wave her off. “Don’t be silly. You can pull on my dress anytime sweetness.”
These kids were seriously adorable. I couldn’t wait to give them some little buddies, but that could wait.
My mom walked in and stopped in her tracks. “Oh my God.” She ran up to me and pulled me into her. “You look so beautiful my girl.” I wiped her tears and kissed her hand. “Thank you, Ma.”
I turned around and looked at everyone in the room. I decided to keep my makeup on the classical side, and my hair was all swept to one side of my face in one big soft curl.
“Are we ready?” I asked.
They all looked back at me in their bridesmaid’s dresses. I’d decided on red. Carter was wearing a red suit—even though I was sure he would rather wear a dress.
We pulled up to my home and there were cars everywhere. We decided to keep it small, with family and close friends, but that was actually a lot of people as it turned out. With everyone’s plus one as well, it all added up.
The sun was going down and it was setting in a perfect light. We got out of the car and my dad greeted me at my front door.
“Come on, baby. Your groom is waiting for you.”
Those words set off a cage of butterflies flying around in my tummy. He’s mine, and I’m his. The thought still ignites me, like something fierce. I took his hand, letting the bridesmaids go ahead of me. When we reached the glass opening of our living room that had been covered in white sheet draping all over it, I heard everyone turn silent as the song we asked Twisted Transistor to do for us—with our lyrics—began playing softly through the speakers, with each bridesmaid disappearing through the white sheet.