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“Happy anniversary, you amazing girl.”
Hanging up the phone, she sighed heavily and sat back in the rocker, before pulling a lap quilt over herself to warm up. Her phone rested in her lap and she knew she should probably get back to her term paper she had been working on… but right now, her mind was mush.
She couldn’t wait to see Michael at the wedding… and now he was talking about her visiting for his graduation from West Point? Then what? Would their lives be a series of moments that they met up or saw each other? What would that mean or even be like?
Life had certainly taken an abrupt turn and she was just along for the ride at this point, letting the current take her along.
CHAPTER7
RUBY
Five months later…
Tyler, Texas
Ruby’s soon-to-be sister-in-law,Rose, was staring in the mirror with this look on her face that could only be described as star-struck. Today Rose was marrying her brother, who had loved her ever since he was a teenager, and somehow, they’d managed to make it all work out.
Rose was wearing her mother’s wedding dress that was a creamy ivory color now due to age, complete with a bright blue garter underneath. The glowing young woman insisted on taking every ‘old wives tale’and was risking nothing on this moment… and Ruby understood.
Rose had a penny in her shoe that her mother had saved from her own wedding to her father, as well as a small, lovingly stitched handkerchief that Ruby’s mother made her. There were a few small flowers in each corner, along with a ‘G’ and an ‘M’ intertwined, embroidered with the year as well.
Ruby had a lucky penny tucked into the seam of her dress, a rabbit’s foot on her keychain, and a laminated four-leaf clover in each of her shoes, hoping that she didn’t smash Michael’s toes.
“The females in my family have always given handkerchiefs to the women of the family and passed them down over the years. Sometimes we stitch flowers on them, or embroider things,” her mother said tearfully, smiling so proudly as she gifted Rose the handkerchief.
“I don’t know that I have enough colors to encapsulate what Ruby’s would look like,” her mother continued tearfully, teasing Ruby, as she kissed Rose on the temple., welcoming her new daughter-in-law to the family.
“Blue,” Ruby said simply. “A blue handkerchief with as many colors as you can, Mama. You probably should get started one of these days.”
“What?”
“Just kidding,” Ruby said immediately, feeling her face getting hot at her mother’s surprised glance – and Rose smothered a knowing smile.
Surely it couldn’t be such a shock to her mother to think that things were actually serious between her and Michael… but then again? They were only talking, and neither had made an effort to visit the other person over the last year and a half.
“We should probably take our places ladies,” Lily interrupted. “I know John is a nervous wreck and so proud at this moment – and I’m sure that sweet Ben is probably on edge.”
“I’m sure,” her mother laughed easily, and Ruby rolled her eyes. If they only knew that Ben was up all night in the bathroom. “Let’s go.”
Ruby gathered her bouquet and filed out of the room as Rose moved to stand right beside her father. She couldn’t help but overhear some of the brief exchange as she walked past, moving to take her place near the altar.
She saw Rose’s father standing there, waiting as Lily touched his cheek. Fascinated, she saw that the man blinked several times, swallowing hard, overcome with emotion, before nodding.
“I love you, John, and always will,” Lily whispered, and Ruby couldn’t help but see a bit of Michael in both of them in that moment.
“God, I hope so woman…” Michael’s father said, holding out his arm to Rose. The trio continued to whisper as Ruby walked past them, exiting the building, into the sunlight.
It was a perfect day.
The blossoms on the trees were fluttering in the breeze that caught her gown slightly as she made her way down the aisle, followed by several women she’d grown up with over the years. Poppy, Amelia, Madison, Olivia, and Aurora. Her brother stood at the front, near the pastor… and her eyes immediately glided past him to rest on Michael’s.
He looked so incredibly handsome as a smile touched his lips. She saw him break his stance, only to see a gloved hand reach up to touch the side of his head, just under his hat… as an eyebrow raised.
She was wearing the glittering stars in her hair.
Smirking slightly, she raised an eyebrow back at him and smoothed her dress as she walked, as if it silently say, ‘See? Blue dress?’… and saw his smile widen even more.
Michael looked incredible.
