Last Time She Died
Page 26
“What have you done to yourself?” She started fussing over Cali, pinning a few flyaway strands of hair down. It had taken a long time to grow back, but finally, she was comfortable with it again. Stacy helped clasp Cali’s shoes and buttoned the dress up the back. After a quick glance, Stacy reapplied lipstick to Cali’s lips which had smudged off. Cali looked at the plume-like scar that spread across her chest and down her arm. It had healed, but it haunted her. It hadn’t been the worst of her burns, but still it rushed up her arm like a red wind sweeping across her pink flesh, looping over her shoulder and blossoming out like a cloud across her chest.
Soft music rose to her from outside the door and drew her attention was from her scars. Stacy stood next to her with a broad smile and hugged Cali.
“You look beautiful,” she said.
There was no hint of anything but honesty in her voice and Cali felt herself relax.
It was time. Stacy opened the door to the stairs and Cali stepped out onto the landing, taking a deep breath. It was a happy day.
Once Stacy was a couple steps ahead of her, Cali stepped out into the sun. In the bright light, all the details of the lacy edges and the shimmery beading of her wedding dress stood out. Cali walked down the stairs toward the grass trying hard to walk slowly enough because all she wanted to run down those stairs and jump into Dustin’s arms.
It felt like an eternity before she reached him.
Cali looked over at the small group gathered on the grass in front of her and smiled widely before turning toward Dustin. It was a beautiful day and she had every reason to be happy. Cali stood facing the man she loved. The sun shone down on the couple and couldn’t have wished for a more perfect moment.
The time came for the kiss and Cali wrapped her arms around Dustin. As she pulled away, she felt drops of rain graze her nose. She didn’t believe the myth about rain at a wedding being a bad omen. Rain made her think of Lexi, though she couldn’t explain why. Cali smiled up at the clouds and let out a laugh. When she looked down, she saw her, in the darkness of the shadow. Lexi leaned against a tree and wiped her eyes. As soon as Cali saw her, she was gone.
Cali told herself she’d only been seeing things. Lexi had been dead for almost a decade. She hadn’t really shown up at Cali’s wedding.
As Cali and Dustin walked back down the aisle, she made a detour and stopped by the tree she’d seen Lexi at. The sun glinted off something on the ground and Cali bent to retrieve it. She wiped the dirt off and the other half of her ‘best friends forever necklace’ gleamed up from her hand. A breeze lifted Cali’s hair from her shoulders.
Cali let the charm dangle between her fingers.
The wind swirled warm around her. “Congratulations, Cali.” Lexi’s voice whispered through the wind so softly, Cali couldn’t be sure she hadn’t imagined it.
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