Here Comes the Rainne Again (Invertary 6)

Her mum looked slightly panicked, which wasn’t reassuring. “Forget I said anything. We have more important things to deal with. Like getting you downstairs for the ceremony.” She sniffed back a sob. “I wish your dad was here.”

“The makeup is waterproof, but if you make me cry, I’ll have to get married with a bright red nose.”

Her mum laughed. “We don’t want that.” She stepped back to look up at Kirsty. “I am so proud of you. You’ve been through a lot and look at you now. My beautiful daughter is getting married. In a sleeveless dress.” That set her off again. “After the accident, I never thought you’d show your skin again. I kept telling you nobody noticed the scars but you. I was right, wasn’t I?”

“Aye, Mum, you were right.” She smiled down at her. “Lake likes my scars.”

“Lake loves you.”

Yes. He did. “Now, want to tell me where I’m getting married? Last I checked, the grand room was a dump.”

“You’ll just have to wait and see.” Her mother stepped back, looking gorgeous in her forest-green two-piece suit. “Ready?”

“More than ready.” Kirsty wanted to run into Lake’s arms. She wanted to say her vows, change her name and let the world know she planned to spend every second of her life loving that man.

Her mother led her down the stairs and through the unusually quiet castle. When they reached the closed door to the kitchen, Margaret Campbell paused.

“Here we go.” She squeezed Kirsty’s hand then pushed open the door.

Kirsty heard the music before anything else. Josh sang “The Way You Look Tonight” as she walked into the kitchen. Her gaze took in the spectacular buffet laid out on the breakfast bar. Behind the bar, staff from Dougal’s pub were quietly busy manning the ovens and waiting to serve people. They smiled widely at her when they saw her.

She turned into the dining room and saw Caroline and Rainne, her beaming bridesmaids. They were wearing the tartan dresses Kirsty had made for them. The purple tartan shifts fit like gloves and made them glow. Caroline stepped forward and handed Kirsty her bouquet of irises and roses. It had been stored safely in the fridge and hadn’t fallen victim to the carnage like the rest of her wedding flowers.

“You are beautiful,” she said.

“So are you.” Kirsty gave her a quick hug.

“There’s no flower girl,” Caroline told her.

“It’s past her bedtime.”

“We’ll manage,” Kirsty said.

“Yes, we will.”

Rainne was next, hugging Kirsty tight.

“I am so pleased my brother found you,” she said. “You make him happy. He smiles around you. You’ve shown him what having a loving family means, and I am really proud to have you as a sister.”

Kirsty blinked back tears as she hugged Rainne again. “It will happen for you,” she whispered. “Don’t give up hope.”

Rainne nodded and stepped back. Kirsty reached out and ran her finger over the flesh coloured dressing at Rainne’s throat. It could have been so much worse.

“I’m proud to have you as a sister too, Rainne,” she said and watched as Rainne blink back tears.

Kirsty took a deep breath. This was it. It was really happening. She was getting married. Her smile was so wide she felt like she would burst.

She held on to her mum and followed her bridesmaids through to the new conservatory. The room was packed. Two blocks of chairs, in rows, were filled with smiling faces. The chairs were draped in white, with purple sashes—just as she’d planned.

“How?” Kirsty said.

“I own a material shop, remember?” her mum whispered. “Just don’t look too closely. Nothing quite matches.”

Kirsty ran her eyes over the decorations and spotted the different shades of purple and different patterns in the white.

“It’s perfect, Mum, really. Thank you.” Even the broken and boarded windows had been covered with white satin and purple bows.

Her mother sniffed again.