I reached around Kacie’s waist and pulled her toward me, closing the space between us and tilting her face up. She lifted onto her tippy toes and pressed her lips against mine. She tasted sweet, like strawberries. I eased her lips apart gently with mine and swiped my tongue against hers. Her hands fisted the cotton of my T-shirt and she dragged me tighter against her.
Lucy and Piper came flying down the stairs, causing us to break our kiss and settle for a hug. “Mom, you have to come look at this! There are beds up here.”
“And a bathroom!”
Kacie narrowed her eyes at me and cocked her hip to the side, crossing her arms over her chest. “A bathroom?”
“What if they have to pee?” I grinned, grabbing Kacie’s hand and pulling her upstairs.
I’d learned that every bride worries about the little things that could potentially go wrong during their wedding. Maybe the flower girl pouts and refuses to walk down the aisle, maybe someone has a coughing fit during the vows, maybe a groomsman drinks too much and passes out in a corner. Those were the types of horror stories I’d been hearing about from every person I came across over the last couple months, all the way down to the cashier at the grocery store telling me that her now husband cried during his vows and it pissed her off. It pissed me off too, frankly. Not that he cried during his vows, but that she was mad about it. When did the world become so worried with the wedding and less excited about the reason for that wedding?
That’s what I was excited for, to spend the rest of my life with Brody. Our wedding was just a party to celebrate that first day, in my eyes. I didn’t care if the cake tipped over or if my dress ripped, as long as I was Mrs. Brody Murphy at the end of it all.
“Mama?” Piper’s little voice pulled me off my wedding soapbox and back to reality.
“I’m awake, baby. Come on in.” I sat up in bed and glanced at the clock on my nightstand.
7:45
Piper’s crazy bed head shot out in ten different directions as she slowly made her way across my bedroom. I pulled the covers back as she climbed up next to me, tucking us back in tight. I hooked my right arm around her and laid my head on hers. “What’s going on?”
“I’m nervous.”
“Nervous? How come?”
“What if I don’t do good today?” Her voice trailed off.
“What do you mean?” I shifted to the side so that I could look her in the eye.
She shrugged. “Lucy told me yesterday that I walk too fast and throw too many flowers. I tried telling her it was just practice and I’d do better during the real wedding, but I’m scared. What if I mess up again?”
“Oh, honey.” I hooked my arms around her and pulled her into my lap. “First of all, there’s no rule as to how many flowers you can drop at once, nor is there a rule about walking slow. You just do whatever feels right for you, and Lucy will have to deal with it. I know you’re gonna do an amazing job, and I can’t wait to walk down the aisle and see you.”
Her shoulders relaxed as she leaned into me. “Okay.”
We didn’t say anything else. We just sat snuggled up in my bed, rocking back and forth as she thought about conserving her flowers and walking slow. All I could think about was how lucky I was to be her mom.
If you would’ve told me a year ago that I’d be getting my hair done for my wedding while sitting in Brody’s mom’s kitchen, I would’ve told you you were crazy. Yet there I sat on a wooden kitchen chair with my stylist, Sammie, putting huge, heavy curlers in my hair.
“Are you nervous?” Alexa asked.
I shrugged. “Not really. I’m just ready to see him and get this started.”
Lauren and my mom sat in two other chairs with two of Sammie’s assistants standing behind them.
“You have the most beautiful hair.” One of them gawked at Lauren’s long blonde layers.
“Ugh,” groaned Alexa, dropping her cereal bowl into the sink. “Would you believe she wakes up like that? It’s disgusting.”
“She does.” I laughed. “Luckiest girl in the world.”
“Honey, I’m gonna take your dress up to Brody’s room, okay?” JoAnn appeared in the doorway carrying my wedding dress bag.
“Sure, thanks.” I smiled.
“Wait, Brody built this house for his parents, right?” Alexa rubbed her chin, staring off into space as she tried to remember.
“Yep.”
“Then why does he have a bedroom here?”
“It’s not like a childhood bedroom. You’ll see when we go up there. It’s actually pretty cool.”
An hour or so later, we all looked absolutely stunning from the neck up. From the neck down, we all had on baggy button-down plaid shirts. Lucy’s and Piper’s went all the way to their ankles, which they thought was hilarious.
“Okay.” I took a deep breath. “Dress time.”
We all walked slowly upstairs, careful not to lose a bobby pin or uncurl a curl. I opened the door to Brody’s room and everyone filed inside.
“Holy crap.” Alexa spun slowly with her mouth open. “It’s like a Brody shrine.”
She was right. The room did have a big bed and a large couch in it, in case Brody ever wanted to spend the night, but it was so much more than that. A large dark walnut shelf sat prominently in the middle of the largest wall, and it was overflowing with Brody’s hockey memorabilia, both from the Wild and from college. His college goalie helmet sat on the top shelf with a tiny spotlight on it. Dozens of glossy action shots and newspaper articles were framed and stuck in between hockey pucks and sets of gloves, each with their own significance. I stared at the big shelf, feeling a little sad that I didn’t know him then. I know if I had, things between us might not be the same, but I wish I could’ve seen him get his first NHL save.
“Awww!” Lauren’s coos pulled me from my trance. I turned toward the door as Lucy and Piper walked into the room in their ice blue dresses, with my mom following along behind. My hands flew up to my mouth and tears stung my eyes when I saw them. They looked so grown-up with their blonde hair pulled up in loose buns and a few soft pieces curling around their faces.
I walked over to them and squatted when I got close. “You guys look so beautiful. No one’s gonna notice me today because they’re going to be too busy looking at you.” I sniffed.
Neither responded, but they both smiled shyly, not used to all the attention.
“Is that mascara?” I squinted and got closer to Lucy.
“Uh huh. Gigi put it on us.” She beamed.
Mom winked at me. “Just a tad.”
“You two are just the sweetest little things,” JoAnn said, shaking her head slowly. “Kacie, I’m gonna leave you girls to get dressed. I have to get ready myself.”
“I’m gonna take them and head downstairs too.” My mom followed. “You three need to get moving and you don’t need us gawking at ya. We’ll see you downstairs in a bit.”
I bent down and planted soft kisses on Lucy’s and Piper’s cheeks. “See you soon, loves.”
“Kacie, what’s this?” Lauren picked up a small blue box on the desk. “It has your name on it.”
“It does?” I took a couple steps across the room and she handed it to me.