“Okay, now, Gwen, why did you call me?” Angel asked her sister. “What’s up?”
“Oh, nothing much. I just have something important to ask you, Angel. Really important.”
“Oooh,” Angel replied. “This sounds serious.”
“It is,” Gwen replied and took a deep breath. “Angel, will you be the maid of honor at my wedding?”
There was dead silence.
Angel had a stunned expression on her face. “Wait. Like…actually?” she finally asked. “Out of all your super-cool friends, you want me to be your maid of honor?”
“Of course,” Gwen said. “I can’t imagine doing this without my baby sister next to me.”
Angel took a deep breath. “I’m stunned, Gwen. I don’t even know what to say. I’m so honored you want me. But you know I don’t love crowds, or standing in front of a lot of people, or dresses that make me look like a lampshade.”
Gwen smiled. “I know. But you don’t have to love any of that. You just have to stand next to me on the most important day of my life.”
“You really want me to be your maid of honor?” Angel asked in disbelief. “Mom didn’t put you up to this?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Gwen said. “You’re my favorite sister. My only sister. I wouldn’t want anybody else.”
Angel swallowed, and I thought she might cry. I’m not sure I’d ever seen her that emotional before. “Heck yes, Gwen,” she said. “I’ll be standing right there next to you on your big day. That day and every day, because that’s what sisters are for.”
Gwen’s smile was brilliant. “I’m so excited. Thank you, Angel. I’m thrilled to have my perfect wedding party. I’ll talk to you when I get back.”
They said their goodbyes and Gwen clicked off. She set the phone down, her eyes a little shiny. For once, we had a quiet group moment.
No immediate danger.
No existential crisis.
Just watching two sisters choosing each other. It was really sweet. I felt a little choked up myself.
“I can’t believe it,” Gwen said quietly. “Everything is coming together so perfectly. This is the most fun I’ve ever had in my life.”
“I’m so happy for you,” Basia said, beaming. “We’re going to be sisters-in-law. I might cry.”
“Please don’t cry,” I said quickly. “I love you guys, but I may be at the max of my emotional bandwidth. If you make me cry, I’ll use Angel’s video software and create a virtual stand-in for me at the wedding.”
Basia laughed, dabbing at her eyes with a napkin. “I’m not actually crying, Lexi. I’m just so happy…for all of us.”
“Do you guys want to see some ideas that I have in mind for your dresses?” Gwen asked.
“Of course,” Gray said, so Gwen immediately started swiping her phone. She showed us dress photos in pink, blush, rose, and other variations I couldn’t tell apart even if I tried.
Everyone ooohed and aaahed as she went through her favorite dresses. I simply nodded at all of them, accepting that I’d look like a tall stick of cotton candy no matter what she chose.
And honestly? I was okay with it. Really okay, which surprised me. Standing beside Gwen and Elvis on the biggest day of their lives, and being part of their joy and ridiculous happiness, was all that mattered. They showed up for me, and I’d show up for them.
Because that’s what friends did.
Maybe my little black cloud would show up. Maybe it wouldn’t. But looking around the table, at these women, my new sisters, I knew something else, too. It didn’t really matter if my black cloud showed. We’d handle it together.
Just like we’d always handled it before.
Chapter Six
Lexi
