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“I remember. And because I’m such a great big sister, I made you your own prom.”
“Right, you did!” Lily grinned. “We both dressed up and danced in the living room, and then you gave me punch.”
“It was just apple juice with cinnamon.”
“I loved it.” Lily flopped onto the pillow next to Maisy, her smile fading to something more serious. “Everything’s changing. You’re going to be married. You’re going to live in Aenicea instead of Boston. I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”
Maisy knew she should have said something reassuring about how Lily could visit her anytime and they would always be sisters, but her heart felt heavy. Instead, she just put her arm around her little sister and pulled her close.
“It does feel like a lot of things are changing, huh?”
“But it’s exciting too, right?” Lily twisted to look at Maisy. “Are you excited?”
“Of course. But we’d better get moving. There’s lots to do.”
“I know.” Lily sat up and ticked things off on her fingers. “There’s the visit to the traditional baths. Then we have brunch with your friends. And then the wedding. I heard they’re going to release a thousand doves!”
“I don’t know where you heard that, but I don’t think any doves are involved. We do have other things to do, though. Let’s go.” Maisy gently shoved Lily off the bed. She wasn’t in the mood to dissect her feelings about the day ahead, even with her beloved sister. It was better to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Thirty minutes later, the sisters were reclining in a hot tub that smelled faintly like lemons and mint. The bath attendants had allowed them to wear swimsuits to cater to their “American sensibilities,” so Maisy was in her favorite green one-piece and Lily was in a yellow bikini. Everywhere Maisy looked, there were beautiful things to be seen. The floor tiles were gorgeous blue-and-white swirl, the walls were filled with windows looking out over the sea, and the tub they were in was tiled with geometric patterns in blues and greens.
“Now, this is the life,” Lily said. She dipped her head beneath the water then emerged, her golden hair plastered to her neck and shoulders. She grinned the grin Maisy remembered from endless childhood afternoons and, for a moment, everything was as it should be. They were just two sisters together, enjoying a morning at the spa.
Then Maisy remembered the wedding and felt nerves twist her stomach. In just a few short hours, she’d be wearing a lacy white dress (picked out after hours of research by Maisy, Lily, their mother, the queen, and about eighty stylists and publicists) and walking down the aisle on her father’s arm. And when she reached the end of the aisle, that would be that. A whole new life would start, whether Maisy was ready for it or not.
“Maise?” Lily nudged Maisy with her shoulder. “You look all worried again. The spa morning is supposed to be relaxing.”
“I know, I know. And it’s lovely.” Maisy smiled at her sister. “Just hanging out with you is the best pre-wedding morning I could have.”
“Aw.” Lily grinned. “Thanks. You know, all this pomp and circumstance is making me think about my own wedding.”
“Are you dating someone?” Maisy asked, sitting up straighter.
Lily laughed and shook her head. “No. Not yet, anyway. After seeing all this fairy-tale magic, I think I’m a little ruined on normal guys. Maybe I need my own prince.”
“Sure.” Maisy reclined against the edge of the tub again and splayed her hands across the top of the water. “Got anyone in mind?”
“I don’t know. Xander’s handsome. But it would be weird to marry a guy who looks just like my brother-in-law.”
Maisy snorted, but her heart gave a strange twist at even a casual joke about her sister marrying Xander. “Is that the only thing holding you back from marrying Xander?”
“Mostly.” Lily flipped a strand of wet hair over her shoulder.
“Honey.” Maisy glanced at her sister. “I know this all seems very glamorous, but you might want to choose a life out of the spotlight, with a man you pick for yourself.”
Lily’s blue eyes furrowed with worry. “Do you regret agreeing to marry Niko?”
“Of course not.” Maisy put her arm around her sister. “Niko is a wonderful man. I just want you to be aware of everything that comes with marrying a prince, beyond the fancy clothes and balls and dinners.”
“Okay.” Lily still looked a little concerned, but one of the bath attendants came to fetch them for manicures before she could ask any more questions.
Over the next few hours, Lily and Maisy went from manicures to massages to another spa soak before making their way to the staging room. The other bridesmaids were already waiting for them, and at the sight of Maisy, they squealed and pulled her into a group hug. Maisy smiled at her friends. It was nice to see everyone, from her childhood best friend to a beloved cousin, to women she went to college with, all in the same room.
“Come on!” Jenna, Maisy’s former college roommate, took her by the hand and pulled her to the makeup chair. “We need to get started!”
“No time to waste!” Lily agreed enthusiastically.
Soon, another friend had started a playlist of pop songs that had been popular when Maisy was in college, and they were all dancing around the room, singing into hairbrushes and exchanging lipsticks. It was almost exactly how Maisy had always imagined her wedding day (she’d been inspired by a lot of eighties movies growing up). Yet she struggled to join in. Instead, she sat in her makeup chair as stylists came and went, helping her apply makeup to make her look fresh and lovely, and twisting her hair into an elaborate updo complete with silver pins. One of them added a modest silver tiara, and Maisy realized with a jolt that today was her first appearance as a princess of Aenicea.
