Kristy drove like a maniac to the park. She grumbled about the beautiful day and not getting her wish for a thunderstorm. Caroline might have complained had it not been for the nerves bundled in her stomach and fighting back the urge to puke.
They stepped out into the hot sunshine, and a huge gust of wind blew Caroline's veil into her face, swirling it around her head.
"Ugh! Stupid wind! This 'Windy City' crap is for the birds! They can have it! I can't believe I agreed to get married outside, in Chicago, in August. I swear it must be 100 degrees out here. My make-up is melting off, and my hair is falling flat. This is ridiculous."
Kristy laughed and checked her watch again. "Relax, diva, you look gorgeous. Now, stop fighting with your veil and let me fix it before you get lipstick all over it."
"That's the fifth time you've checked your watch in ten minutes! What are you waiting for?"
Kristy untangled the tulle material from Caroline's now-sticky curls. "Nothing. I just don't want to be late." She glanced over Caroline's shoulder and unsuccessfully wrestled back a smile. Caroline tried to turn around to see what Kristy had seen.
"Wait!" Kristy held Caroline's face in place. "Hold still a minute, I need to check your make-up." Kristy pulled a make-up bag from her car and powdered Caroline's nose.
"Okay, okay. I think I've got enough make up on. Now let's go before I'm late to my own wedding!"
"Oh, chill out. We are way too early anyway, and you've got forty-five minutes before you are supposed to let anyone see you. It's just over that hill and it'll take us all of three minutes to get there. You will be fine, trust me." Kristy glanced nervously over Caroline's shoulder again.
"If we're way too early, why do you keep checking the time?" Caroline realized she hadn't looked at a clock all morning with the time Nazi pulling her in one direction or another. She wondered about Kristy's strange behavior and the drive behind it.
"Caroline, as your maid of honor, I need to ask you a very important question. Can you think of any reason, anything at all, why you should not get married today?"
"What are you talking about? Come on, you're supposed to be helping me, not freaking me out."
"Exactly! If you are even the slightest bit confused or hesitant about going through with this today, especially on such short notice, please don't do it. You've only been engaged for five months. Don't give me that crap about it being your decision to do this now. You were pressured to get married this quickly. No, forget that—Trevor manipulated you into getting married this quickly. I know you, and I know this is something you would never willingly do."
"Kristy, don't do this. . .not now."
"Caroline, please. Listen to me. The only reason Trevor pushed you to do this now is because he was afraid if you waited any longer, you would change your mind. Afraid if you spent any more time with. . ." Kristy's focus moved to the space behind Caroline, causing her to turn around. Dressed in a suit and tie, a model of perfection, stood the man everyone knew she should be with.
Caroline sucked in a deep breath and tears instantly welled, threatening to break the dam of lashes. "What are you. . .I didn't think you. . .H-how did you know where. . . Why—"
"Hello, beautiful. Have you missed me as much as I've missed you?" He brushed away a rogue tear that escaped from the pool in her eyes. "Don't cry, sweet girl. I'm here because I would hate myself forever if I missed this opportunity. May I steal a few minutes with the stunning bride before you rush off? I have something important I need to tell you. It may just stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life."
***
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