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Before I can push, there's a knock.
Carla immediately calls, "Come in."
The door opens.
Mama enters carrying Charlie, and my heart damn near bursts.
"Oh, sweetie!" I coo.
Charlie grins.
She's almost fifteen months old now and toddling everywhere, usually faster than any of us can keep up with her.
Today, she's wearing an ivory tulle dress with tiny embroidered flowers matching my veil. A deep-green velvet sash wraps around her waist, tied into a bow at the back. Her red curls have been pulled away from her face with a tiny ivory bow, and she's wearing the cowgirl boots Jagger got her.
He claimed she picked them out at the store, but I have my doubts. Still, it was too adorable to not let her wear them.
"Mama!" She reaches for me.
Mama puts her on the floor.
I crouch down, and she wobbles toward me.
"There's my baby girl!"
Charlie crashes into me.
Carla immediately shrieks, "The dress!"
I laugh and scoop my daughter up anyway. "She's more important than the dress."
Charlie pats my cheek and grabs my veil with her other fist.
Carla pries it out of her hand and orders, "Don't eat that."
Mama laughs then starts to cry again.
"Mama."
"I know." She fans her face. "I'm trying."
"You're going to make me cry and ruin my makeup."
"I've been crying since Christmas."
Carla mutters, "This entire family needs electrolytes."
I laugh.
Mama sniffles then announces, "It's time."
My stomach flips. Carla grabs my bouquet, Mama takes Charlie's hand, and I follow them outside the tent. The second I step onto the porch, I stop.
The Cartwright ranch doesn't look real.
Thousands of warm white lights wrap around the trees and fences. Lanterns line the clear bubbled aisle through the pasture, and candles flicker inside glass hurricanes among white flowers and winter greenery. Another huge clear-top tent glows behind the ceremony space, ready for the reception. Beyond it, the Texas sky is turning dark.
And at the end of the aisle stands Jagger, in a black suit, white shirt, and black cowboy boots and hat.
