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Katya covered her face with her hands. “Oh my god, I am freaking out. What’s my problem? I want to marry Drago, I’m excited to marry Drago. Why am I losing it?”
I walked over to her and put my hands on her shoulders. “I think you’re just overstimulated, Katya. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths through your nose and slowly exhale through your mouth.”
This was a technique I learned in therapy, which I had desperately needed after everything that had happened with Orlov and Armstrong.
After everything died down, I realized very quickly that I had trauma and needed help. I found a wonderful therapist, who helped me process my experience. She taught me a lot of grounding and mindfulness strategies to help my beleaguered nervous system when it wanted to launch me into fight or flight at the slightest provocation. I encouraged Ivan to go, but he only shook his head, kissed me, and told me he was happy it was helping me.
Katya took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, her shoulders dropping a bit as her body finally relaxed. She did it a few more times, then opened her eyes and pulled me into a hug. “Thanks, Em. That’s exactly what I needed,” she whispered.
Katya and I had become much closer in the last few months as she and Ivan worked to re-establish their relationship. We often went to her and Drago’s apartment for dinner and she’d been helping me redecorate the apartment I shared with Ivan. It was fascinating to watch Ivan reconnect with Katya, watching him become more at ease with her, tease her and finally allow her to hug him. They’d missed so much time together, seeing them find their lost connection was beautiful to witness.
A knock at the door led to another flurry of activity, Hannah pulling on her shoes and Anya collapsing on the couch.
“Don’t sit on that dress,” Katya screeched, and Anya rolled her eyes, but stood back up.
I answered the door and found Ivan waiting patiently on the other side, his face lighting up when he saw me. Katya had asked him to walk her down the aisle and he’d happily agreed.
I stared up at him, taken aback at the profound wave of love that crashed over me whenever I saw him. When his arm snaked out and pulled me into his arms, I went without hesitation, seeking out his lips with mine.
“Your makeup, Emmy!” Katya called out behind me, halting my lips just before they met his.
He grinned and landed a kiss on my cheek instead. “I’d ask how it’s going in here, but I think I already know,” he murmured only loud enough for me to hear.
I gave him an answering smile. “Yeah, Katya’s a little stressed.”
“You think?”
“I can hear you guys,” Katya bellowed from across the room as she applied the last touches of makeup to her flawless face.
Ivan and I shared another smile and turned to face her. “I’m just saying,” I said, holding up my hands in an appeasing gesture.
She let out a deep sigh. “I know I’m being a crazy person. I’m sorry, you guys,” she said, starting to tear up.
“Oh, god, no, Katya,” Hannah wailed. “Don’t cry, you’ll ruin your makeup! We’re fine. You’re fine. It’s your wedding, you’re allowed to be crazy.”
“You’re not even that crazy. You’re just anxious. I say we get this show on the road,” Anya said, then grabbed her bouquet off the side table.
“Okay, that’s my cue,” I said. “Are you ready?” I turned and asked Katya.
She took another deep breath and smoothed her hands down her dress. She looked stunning in a sleeveless, bateau neck wedding dress that fit her waist perfectly and floated gently away from her body to the floor. It was elegant and timeless, perfectly Katya. She reached for her veil and Hannah jumped to attach it to her bun at the back of her head, adjusting it so it flowed beautifully down to her waist.
I walked up to Katya. “I’m going to go and start playing. You look incredible. Drago is so lucky and I’m so happy for you both.”
I pulled her in for a gentle hug, not wanting to ruin her look, but her arms wrapped around me tightly. “Thank you, Emmy. Thank you for helping out with all of this and thank you for bringing Ivan back to me.”
I froze. “I didn’t do that.”
“You did. It was you that opened his heart again. I have him back because of you. I love you both so much.”
I felt my throat getting tight and needed to get out of here if I didn’t want to be a full wreck while playing the harp. “I love you, too,” I whispered around the lump sitting in my throat.
She pulled back and sniffed. “Okay, now get out of here before we both lose it.”
I gave a watery chuckle. “Okay, I’ll see you all in a bit.”
I turned and Ivan pulled me against him before I got to the door, taking my mouth in a hard kiss. I heard Katya squawk in the background, but it barely registered when Ivan’s lips were on mine.
When he finally pulled back, his thumb swiped at my smeared lipstick. “Why did you do that?” I asked.
