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Mabel looks over her shoulder. “Oh, I’ll go and get your mo—”
I shake my head. “I want you, Aunt Mabel.”
Honestly, I was surprised when Mom agreed to even come to the wedding in the first place. In the past six years, she’s been here only a handful of times, and I refused to travel to California to see her. So we’ve mostly settled for a tense phone call here and there, and I was fine with that.
Mabel enters the room almost tentatively, closing the door behind her. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.” I take her hand and pull her inside. “You’ve been more of a mother to Penny and me in the last few years than Mom ever was.”
“Don’t you dare make me cry, young lady,” Mabel sniffs, patting at the underside of her eye.
“I’m just telling the truth. We wouldn’t have made it without your help.”
“Oh, please. You’d have found your way.”
“But not to this place. This life. Our life.”
There is no way my and Emmett’s paths would have ever crossed. Hell, if it weren’t for the fact that I knew Penny had Mabel, I most likely would have never gone to college. All I had was thanks to her opening her door to us when we needed it the most.
Mabel cups my cheeks gently so she doesn’t mess up my makeup. “It’s going to be a good life, Katherine. I just know it.”
I don’t doubt it for a second.
“It’s going to be a good life.”
There is a soft rustling behind us, and Becky appears with the bag holding my wedding dress. “You ready?”
I nod and let out a shaky breath. “I’m ready.”
Between the two of them, they get the dress out of the bag and help me put it on. I can hear the familiar click of the shutter as Jade takes the photos, giving us instructions here and there to stop or move a certain way but otherwise stays out of our way as Becky and Mabel help me into the dress while I watch my reflection in the mirror.
Out of all the dresses, this was the one that stole my heart. It wasn’t plain white, more like a champagne color. The bodice has a sweetheart neckline with thin, spaghetti straps and a row of delicate buttons down my back. The skirt falls to the ground in a straight line. The satin material of the bodice and the upper part of the skirt are covered in a delicate lace overlay and tulle. It was simple yet beautiful, exactly what I wanted for today.
Soft footsteps move closer, so I turn around to see Penny standing beside Mabel. I take my sister’s hand in mine, pulling her closer.
“You look beautiful, Penny.”
“Well, you’re the one who needs to look beautiful today, not me,” she lets out a soft chuckle as I place her hands on my waist, letting her feel the delicate design of the lace.
“Oh, she looks stunning. All eyes will be on her today,” Becky chimes in, giving me a knowing smile.
“The dress is beautiful, just like I wanted it to be. And the hairdresser and makeup artist did an amazing job. They put my hair in a low bun and added that hairpiece you found in the store in my hair,” I explain, wanting Penelope to feel included as much as possible.
“Do you like it?”
“I love it.”
“Emmett is going to flip one way or the other. I think you could come out in a potato sack, and that man would marry you.”
“Penelope Adams!” Aunt Mabel chastises.
“What?” my sister shrugs, not in the least bit fazed. “It’s true, and you know it. He would still think that she’s the most beautiful woman in the world.”
She was right, though.
There were a lot of things I loved about Emmett Santiago, one of them was how loved he made me feel and how much he cherished my little sister. Even though he was an only child, Emmett has the biggest heart known to man, and he isn’t afraid to open it up to people.
I lean my head against Penny’s shoulder, letting out a soft sigh. “He’s the best.”
