Page 48 of Meet Me at the Altar

“Yes. He said that he saw you looking at something like these on your phone, and he just had to get them for you,” she explained, handing me the bag.

I sat down on my oversized beanbag chair and carefully removed the box from within the bag. There were two small cards inside, one from the company and one from Andrès. I glanced at theirs and then I read his.

Mrs. Forever and a Day,

You deserve the world, and I vow to spend the rest of my days trying to give it to you. Whatever lights your eyes up, it’s yours, baby. You don’t even have to ask. But as you wear these fancy ass shoes, I pray that they bring you to me that much quicker. May all your days as my wife be as fancy, as exquisite, and as beautiful as these pair of shoes.

I look forward to hearing you say, “I do.”

Always,

Your rock, your tower, your protector.

Drè

“Don’tyou dare cry and ruin your makeup,” Mommy hissed.

“He’s so sweet.”

“He is. He’s a great kid, and I have no doubt he’ll be a wonderful husband and father,” Mommy proclaimed.

I opened the shoe box, peeled back the tissue paper, and removed one high heel from the cotton dust bag. They were pearl white with diamonds on the back of the heel.

“They are the perfect shoes for your dress,” Emma declared with a bright smile. “Put them on so I can see what you look like in your complete wedding attire since I won’t be here to see you.”

“I don’t want to ruin them. I have to have my stockings on, and?—”

“Already got you, Sis,” Khatya declared, handing me the silk stockings I purchased.

“What are you doing with these?”

Shrugging, Khatya replied, “I know what a perfectionist Emma is, and Drè showed us the shoes before I came up to get you. Emma told me to bring the stockings too.”

“Oh. Okay.” I slid my feet into the shoes and modeled for my mother, my sister, and my seamstress.

My wedding gown’s sleek fit conformed to my body and flared below the knees. The pearl white of my dress was the perfect match to my shoes of the same color. It sported a deep V-neckline and an inset waistband that gave my bodice a sculpted look. It was both elegant and timeless.

“Oh, I forgot. I also bought this for you because I knew you hadn’t purchased it yet. Here’s your garter,” Mommy stated, handing me a tiny box. When I opened it and pulled it out, she stated, “That’s your something blue.”

“Thank you, Mommy. By the time my wedding day comes, I’ll be ready. I have something borrowed, blue, and new. All I need is something old,” I declared.

Mommy turned to look at Emma, and they both smiled as Mommy nodded.

“Your mother had me stitch a piece of her wedding gown into the pocket of yours,” Emma stated, gathering my chapel-length train in her hands. “This row of covered buttons on your gown is from your mother’s dress when she married your father.”

Everything before this moment had been touching, but this put it over the top for me, and tears sprouted out like a sprinkler being turned on to water the yard.

“Mooommmmy.” I sobbed.

She opened her arms and pulled me into them. “I love you, baby girl. You’re my last, my youngest, and you’re the one who is fulfilling another dream of mine. Thank you, sweetness.”

“If you two don’t stop all this crying and messing up those beautiful faces,” Khatya hissed, dabbing at our faces with tissues.

I pulled back and swatted at her to make her stop.

“Listen, I’ve got to go out here and check on Daddy and Drè to make sure they’re not coming in. No more crying you two,” Khatya warned, giving us a double-finger point.

“When the two of you finally get married, you’re going to make your dad and me so proud.”