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“Auntie!” I rushed over to her, throwing my arms around the courtly Fae, who stood taller than even Delilah, with the same jet hair as Father and Camille, and crisp blue eyes. She wrapped her arms around me and held me tight.
“Menolly—my sweet little niece. Let me look at you.” I stood back, obediently, as Aunt Rythwar made me turn for her. “Your beautiful hair, it is…most interesting. But you are, as you always were, my lovely niece. Daughter of my brother, so today you wed?”
I was having a hard time choking back my tears. It was as if Mother had come back to be with us—I’d never expected to see Aunt Rythwar again, yet here she stood, in a sparkling silver dress.
“We have so much to catch up on, but…” I glanced at Camille. “What time…?”
“You need to dress. Aunt Rythwar will be here after the wedding, and tomorrow night, as well, so hurry and let us dress you.”
“Camille’s right. Shed your clothes.” Iris was standing next to Camille, waiting for me. She gazed up at my aunt and I had an odd feeling that the surprises weren’t over with.
Camille handed me the box containing my wedding dress, as eye catchers floated everywhere to produce soft, illuminating light.
“We have another surprise for you,” Camille said. “Nerissa was in on this one. In fact, it was her idea, once she knew that I had…well…you’ll see.”
“I’m not sure how many more surprises I’m up to.”
“Just open the box, will you?”
I slowly untied the ribbon and lifted off the lid. There, in the box, I found, not the wedding dress Nerissa had bought for me, but instead, a vision in white. As I held up the dress, I let out a choked cry.
“You didn’t…I didn’t know you had this!” I held up the flowing ball gown. It was a princess’s dress, with long sleeves and a sweetheart neckline with beaded bodice, and the skirt was chiffon covered with tulle and lace. Every movement made it shimmer.
“Mo’denasey…” Aunt Rythwar clapped her hand to her mouth. “Your mother’s wedding dress. You still have it?”
Camille was crying now. She nodded. “I saved it when war broke out. I kept it with me all this time, in the back of my closet. I knew I could never fit into it, and I thought maybe for Delilah, but she’s too tall. Then I talked to Nerissa and she loved it so much…so we took it to the alterations woman and she shortened for you. It should fit, though. Mother was petite, like you.”
A wave of sorrow and joy and amazement washed over me and I burst into bloody tears. Iris handed me a red handkerchief, which made me cry even more—it was the one Sassy Branson’s ghost had left for me when she faded into the afterlife with her daughter and beloved Janet.
“I can’t believe I actually get to wear Mother’s wedding dress. It never occurred to me to even think that would be a possibility.” I gazed at the gown, my heart warming like it hadn’t in a long time. “Thank you…oh, thank you.”
After I’d dried my eyes and made sure my hands and face were clean, I let them help me try it on. The seamstress had been spot on. It fit like a glove, though it was still a little long, but I didn’t care.
Iris went to unbind my hair and I stopped her.
“My braids are part of who I am, but you can put them up into some pretty design, can’t you?” I was resisting the urge to cry again. I didn’t want to bloody up my dress, so I kept the handkerchief ready.
She did, while Camille fixed my makeup. “I wish I could take a picture of you. I wish we could take wedding pictures of you and Nerissa, but…we’ve got the best thing.” Iris grinned. “Are you ready for another surprise?”
“Another? I seriously don’t know if I can take it.” I hated to admit it, but it did bother me, the fact that we could never have a wedding photo. Nerissa insisted it was okay, but I knew she was disappointed.
“Just a minute.” Camille opened the flaps of the tent and motioned. A moment later, Father came through.
He stared at me, letting out a little sound, and tears sprang to his eyes.
“Please, don’t mind that I’m wearing Mother’s dress…” It would just kill me if he yelled at me about it.
But he merely choked out, “You are so incredibly beautiful, my daughter. Your mother would be proud. This makes it like…she’s almost here with us.”
I ducked my head. “I wish she could be.”
After a pause, Camille said, “Well, the rest of us are. And we’ll have to do. Father, why don’t you tell her your surprise? I almost spilled the beans.”
He shook his head. “Your vernacular never ceases to amaze me.” Then he turned to me. “I told you I had a gift for you. When I found out you were engaged, I began to search for someone with talent. As a wedding gift, please allow me…I hired an artist to paint the two of you. He’s brilliant, and does quick work, and tomorrow night, you and Nerissa will sit for him here, by the lake. He can work all night long and then be able to finish up over the next few days on his own. So you’ll have a wedding portrait.”
I stared at him, uncertain what to say. Finally, because I was almost out of words for my feelings, I just said, “Thank you…so much.”
“I just wanted you and your wife to be happy.” He glanced around. “I’d best be getting to my post. I’ll see you at the altar, my daughter.”
