Missed Me, Missed Me, Now You Gotta Kiss Me

Epilogue

   I slipped my dress on with shaky fingers.

  “I don’t know why everyone makes such a fuss about weddings,” I muttered, hoping they didn’t hear the waver in my voice.

  Adrianna got Gladis to do my makeup again, though they had refused to let me see the results. I had gotten my hair done earlier; it was pinned up in a very Holly Glolightly updo with a few curly strands framing my face, pretty jeweled clips holding my bangs in place.

  “How do you mean?” Lulu asked.

  “Do you need help in there?” my mother asked worriedly. She was making me a nervous wreck. I’d already had to stop her from crying several times.

  Ignoring my mom, I answered Lulu’s question. “Well, you know, all the tears and stuff. I just don’t get it.”

  “You mean you’re not at all scared?” Lulu asked.

  I stepped out from the bathroom, staring at the room full of girls in pastelle yellow dresses. “Shitless.” I could have burst out in tears at any moment.

  The room fell in a hushed silence.

  I ruined the moment by saying, “Oh, God, I think I’m gonna throw up.”

  Then suddenly, falling out of their temporary daze, everyone sprung into motion.

  “Not on the dress!” Lulu chided.

  “Sit down, honey,” my mom ordered softly.

  I sat, barely breathing. “Now I know how Julia Roberts felt. I’m surprised she even made it to the aisle.” I looked up at my mother in a panic. “What if I throw up? What if I’m the next runaway bride?”

  Placing a hand on each of my cheeks, my mom asked calmly, “Honey. Do you love Liam?”

  Just hearing his name sent a fresh wave of nerves rolling around in my stomach. “With all my heart.”

  “Then you’re not going to be a runaway bride.”

  “Are we doing the right thing? I mean, we’re awfully young.” I felt so silly; eighteen and in a wedding dress.

  “You tell me.”

  I thought of the night of my birthday, telling Liam I never wanted to live life without him at my side, and I thought of how he flew all the way to Arizona to propose to me when he could have just waited until I got back. I thought back to how relieved I was when he pulled out that ring and asked me to be his forever and how right it seemed to instantly say yes. We had waited so patiently these past few months, waiting until the craziness of the twins’ births to pass. But we were itching to get married; desperate to start our lives together.

  I took a deep breath and sighed slowly.

  My mom smiled, straightening. “You might want to look at yourself now.”

  I nodded slowly, my legs still shaky as I stood up on them. I walked over to the mirror and gasped at the girl staring back at me. Were those my green eyes? They looked much too bright and smoky; like a movie star. And was that shiny mane really my dull brown hair? And that face. That absolutely glowing and pure face…..that couldn’t be me.

  But this girl was wearing my wedding dress. It was a beautiful gown; strapless, not very poofy, and with a beautiful sash of jewels stitched across the bust, going down in an angle to my hip. It was simple and yet just topped everything off.

  “Oh my God…” I whispered, and the girl’s mouth in the mirror moved with mine.

  Lulu came up beside me, looking radiant in her maid of honor dress. She looped her arm through mine and rested her head on my shoulder. “You are gorgeous.”