Hot 4 (Multiple Love)

Brett is still sleeping in his crib when I'm getting ready to leave. I have a note for the boys, but Harris cracks an eye open as I'm placing it on the nightstand.

"Wow," he looks me up and down, his blue eyes wide with appreciation.

"You've forgotten how I look when I dress up, haven't you," I whisper, chuckling.

"You look beautiful every day," he says.

"I'll see you later, okay?"

Glancing over at the crib and seeing little Brett sleeping soundly, he nods. "We'll be at the church bang on time. I'll make sure."

"Thanks!"

It feels strange to be in the car by myself. I've gotten so used to having Brett with me wherever I go. He's become a firm favorite at Roasted coffee shop. My team has loved seeing him, and it's been great that they were okay with me extending my maternity leave for an unpaid sabbatical. I just want to have at least six months at home with our baby before I have to get back to work.

The drive to Carmella's house is pleasant this early on a weekend morning. When I arrive, everything seems calm from the outside, but who knows what's going on behind closed doors.

When I ring the bell, my heart skitters with anxious nerves. This could be another awful day, and I'll just have to swallow everything down because I'm not going to make a scene on Carmella's special day.

My sister's best friend, Sandy, opens the door. I still haven't worked out why I'm the maid of honor, and Sandy's the bridesmaid. She looks stunning in her powder blue, strapless gown and more flushed than I've ever seen her.

"Connie, there you are." Sandy closes the door behind me and grabs the tops of my arms, her serious eyes boring into mine. "Carmella is really emotional. I just don't know what's going on with her. You have to do something. We've only got two hours until we need to be at the church, and the makeup girl can't get a thing to stick to her face."

Letting me go, she steps back, shaking her head. "I knew this was going to happen. Your dad has been worse than usual. The whole buildup to today has been so stressful."

"What?" I ask, confused.

"You know what he's like. He puts so much pressure on Carmella to be perfect, and she tries so hard, but nothing has been right. The venue she wanted wasn't good enough. He's not even paying for the thing, and Carmella has had to take a loan to cover the extra that the Country Club is costing. Even the dress isn't the one she liked because your dad wanted her to wear your mom's dress. It's just too much for her."

"Shit." I shake my head, struggling to comprehend that Carmella has been feeling the same pressure as me all of this time, and I never even knew. She's just managed to deal with it better than me. Or has she? It sounds as though everything in her life is controlled by Dad to such an extent that she can't breathe. At least I've managed to break away and live the life that makes me happy.

"What was the dress she wanted?" I ask.

"It wasn't anything expensive. It's from the wedding store in Clerkenwell Mall. She tried it on in there, and it fit perfectly."

"How much?" I ask.

Six hundred dollars," Sandy says.

I pull my credit card out of my purse. "Can you go to the mall and get it? We're going to help Carmella take back this day in the only way we can."

Sandy's eyes light up, her face breaking into a huge smile. "Yes. Of course."

Upstairs, Carmella is sitting on the edge of her bed, hunched over. Her pretty lace-edge wedding robe is clutched tightly around her. Her hair is done, but the makeup artist is sitting on the small stool in front of the mirror, waiting patiently. Carmella's chest hitches, and she wipes her face. Turning, she seems surprised to see me.

"Shit, Carmella." I kneel next to her on the floor, the fabric from my full-length gown spilling around me. "What's going on?"

"I can't do this." She shakes her head. "I just...this whole thing is too much for me."

Squeezing her hand, I shuffle a little closer. "Do you love Derek?"

"Of course," she says.

It's a relief to hear, because she met Derek through our father, and for a moment, I thought maybe she was marrying him just to please Dad too.

"So it's just the wedding?"

She glances over at the dress hanging from the closet door. "It doesn't feel like my day. I'm only going to do this once, and I want to be me, not a replica of Mom."

"I totally get that. Mom's dress is pretty, but it was her choice."

"What am I going to do? Where's Sandy?"

"She's gone to the mall with my credit card to pick up the dress you want. Is that okay?"