The Sweetest of Hearts.1| T.S

•A Gypsy wedding.

XI. A Gypsy wedding.

On the day of John's wedding, Maude got up early to get ready. By the time she had gotten dressed in a beige long-sleeved silk dress and her matching heels, her brothers already left. And by the time her makeup was nearly finished and her hair was done, Tommy came knocking on her door as she scurried to put on all her jewelry.

She opened the door, eyes slightly widening at the sight of him standing in front of her. "Tommy." She muttered, stepping aside to let him into her house as her eyes shot towards the clock standing next to the fireplace. "Are you early or am I late?" She asked as her gaze turned towards him.

"I'm early." He assured her, watching as she turned to the mirror in the living room and clipped in her pearl earnings.

"My brothers have already left." She informed him as she glanced over at him through the mirror before turning her attention on herself again, grabbing her lipstick from her purse and puckering up her lips before applying the soft pink color.

"They went to get John ready," Tommy replied with a nod of his head as he shoved his hands into his coat pockets, leaning against the back of one of the couches in the living room.

"Does he still not know?" She asked as she glanced at Tommy over her shoulder with raised eyebrows.

"No." He confirmed with a shake of his head, his gaze continuing to follow her as she turned back to the mirror and finished applying her lipstick. "He'll only find out once he's standing in front of the altar." He muttered.

Maude's eyes widened as her gaze met Tommy's through the mirror again."Do all Gypsy weddings go this way?" She asked curiously as she slowly put her lipstick away, her gaze remaining on Tommy.

"A few." He muttered as he nodded his head, eyes following Maude as she turned around to face him. Before he could stop himself, his hand reached out to tuck a strand of curled hair behind her ear. "You look beautiful, sweetheart." He complimented her softly as a smile tugged at her lips. "It's bad to outshine the bride at her own wedding." He teased.

Maude's eyes widened again as she looked down at her dress, running a hand over the silk. "Should I go change?" She asked as she glanced up at Tommy, not wanting at all to be too overdressed for the occasion.

"No," Tommy replied as he shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips as he rested his hands on her arms. "You'll outshine everyone even if you went dressed in a brown paper bag." He insisted as his smile grew when she scoffed with a roll of her eyes.

"Right." She muttered with a shake of her head, chuckling softly as she patted his chest before grabbing the last piece of her jewelry that she had brought down with her. A simple silver necklace with a heart-shaped pendant. "Mind helping me put this on?" She asked as she held it out to Tommy.

Tommy carefully took the necklace from her, silently studying it. "It's pretty." He said as his gaze flicked towards her as she turned around, pushing her hair out of the way.

"It was my mothers." She said softly as Tommy gently put the necklace on for her, his fingers brushing over the soft skin of her neck, raising goosebumps in his trail. His hands lingered for a second after clipping the necklace in, before he took her hair from her hands and laid her curls back in their place.

She turned around to face him, smiling softly up at him. He reached his hand out again, tugging a strand of hair behind her ear. "Now you look even more beautiful." He complimented her.

"You're all charms today, Mr. Shelby." She teased him as the smile on her face grew.

"It's a wedding," Tommy replied as he returned her smile, spreading his arms out by his side. "A Gypsy wedding nonetheless." He added.