Shivika tugged and pulled at her hair, finally crowning it with the tiara.
“All right, time to get you in your dress,” Anouk said, helping Steph rise and allowing her mother to escort her to her room. Then they pulled her blue and white wedding gown from her suitcase and opened it up, laying it on the bed.
“This is so similar to what I wore,” her mother said, staring at the garment.
Steph couldn’t think of anything to say. The dress you wore when you were unhappy? The dress you wore when you were the most scared and miserable in your entire life, just like I feel now?
Best not to say anything, she decided.
Her mother helped her step into her gown, buttoning it up from the back as it cascaded down her lean body. Steph thought about Vermont in that moment and her humdrum little life there. She was about to start a whole new adventure, and there was a tiny part of her that felt excited about that even as her insides roiled with trepidation.
Her mother grasped her by the shoulders and walked her over to a floor-length mirror, finally letting her get a glimpse of herself.
She looked beautiful. Steph felt a sense of relief upon seeing that her hair was not big and poufy but rather tightly coiled into perfect curls that were pinned along the back of her head. The tiara glittered in the sunlight that sprinkled in through the window, and her gown shimmered as the blue twirls melted perfectly into the white of the dress. Her train was very short, and she reached back for it, holding it as she gave a small twirl to see herself from all angles.
Her mother smiled. “See,” she said. “Everything is going to be just fine.”
Steph took one last look at her reflection in the mirror as her mother headed toward the door.
“It’s time to get going, Stephanie. The limo will be outside in a few minutes.”
“Just a moment, please,” she said, her eyes entreating.
Her mother nodded understandingly and closed the door behind her, giving her daughter some time to come to terms with what was about to happen. That wasn’t why Steph had asked for privacy, though. Turning, she reached into her purse and pulled out a small sewing kit, threading a needle with silky white thread. On the side of her dress, she stitched up a portion of it to create a small bustle that swept the fabric up in a more flattering way.
Bending down, she bit the thread off and finished the stitch before taking one more look at herself.
“That’s better,” she said, taking a deep breath as she met her own gaze in the mirror.
She could do this. She had to find the strength to get through the ceremony. There could be something wonderful on the other side, right?
Steph pulled open her door. In the living room, her cousins, mother, and father were all standing there, watching her with a combination of pride, sadness, and joy. Her father looked a little gray, she noticed, but when she approached he lifted her hand and kissed it.
“You make a beautiful bride, Steph. We look forward to celebrating with you after the ceremony. I’m sorry I won’t be able to walk you down the aisle though.”
He cast a sideways glance at his wife, who ignored his comment and pressed a hand to Steph’s back to usher her from the room. They rode the elevator down in heavy silence, the ding when they hit the lobby floor the only sound they heard. Steph glanced around her, noticing the stares she elicited as they walked as a unit to the front of the hotel. A few people congratulated her, and she offered them a weak smile.
When they stepped out into the desert air, which had precipitously heated up from the night before, Steph saw a long black limo at the curb. The driver was standing in front of the car, but when he saw her, he stood at attention and opened the door for her.
Steph turned back to her parents, gripping each of their hands.
“You’re sure this is the right thing to do?” she asked.
Her father looked a little doubtful, but her mother chimed in immediately.
“Of course it is. It may seem scary now, but you’ll be grateful when you’re living a comfortable life later. Try to enjoy yourself a little, Stephanie. I regret that I did not at least try.” She didn’t look at Jerry as she said this, though he looked at her in surprise.