Reconnected

by Bethany Daniel

  Chapter 24

  Later as we're all lounging around in the living room when there's a knock on the door.

  "Are we expecting anyone today?” I ask, frowning.

  "You girls stay here....I'll get it.” Liam tells us and disentangles himself from me as him and Scott walk towards the front door.

  When Liam looks through the peep hole he laughs and opens the door, "You're all a day early!"

  Krista and I step into the foyer area and are quickly surrounded by mine and Krista's families.

  "Oh sweetheart, I'm so excited! Look at you.” Krista's mom grins and spins her daughter around, "Ok, let me see the ring. I'm sure pictures don't do it justice."

  Krista holds her left hand up to her mother and they both squeal. Krista is really her mother's clone. Both have the curly blonde bouncy hair and happy go lucky attitude.

  "And Kate...I have to see yours too.” She gives me a smug look and takes my hand and does the squealing jumping thing again. "You girls,” she shakes her head and pulls us together so she can hug us. "I'm so happy and proud of you. You've gone through a lot together...and now look.” She glances back where the guys are standing, "You both have your prince charming."

  I smile and squeeze her hand, "Thank you, Mrs. Quinn."

  "Sarah...you know that.” She hugged me again and pulled Krista into the other room to continue ogling at her ring.

  "Katelyn...,” my mom smiles at me and hugs me, "This is so exciting! A real wedding this time,” She grins, "And a little birdy tells me that tomorrow we're going dress shopping?"

  I suppress my eye roll and nod, "Yep! I tried some on the other day but nothing really felt right."

  "Well, I for one am glad...a mother should be with her daughter when she finds her wedding dress.” She squeezes my arm affectionately and walks over to hug Liam.

  "So little sister, you're really going to do this whole thing?” My older brother Derek asks me.

  "I am...things are better this time.” I playfully punch his arm, "When are you going to be settling down big brother?

  He shrugs as he shoves his hands into his pockets, "Haven't met the right girl yet, you know that. Hey, there's going to be some of those celebrity chicks at the wedding right?"

  I narrow my eyes at him, "Don't get any ideas."

  He just smirks at me as he walks away in search of his room.

  "Is he already causing trouble?” Liam asks as he comes up behind me and wraps his arms around me.

  I sigh, "Something like that...he's already got visions of trying to get one of your fellow celebrities."

  He snorts at that, "Good luck to him."

  "My thoughts exactly!"

  "Katelyn! Do you think there's any way we could look at dresses today? I'm just itching to go!” I hear my mom ask me.

  I glance over at Krista and her mom, "What do you think?"

  She gets a sly grin, "I'll make a phone call."

  I look back over at my mom, "That means yes in Krista speak."

  My mom claps her hands and walks over to Liam's mom, "Do you want to come too, Fiona? I just know it’s going to be so exciting!"

  "Of course! Katy's practically my daughter too...and besides, I only have the boys, I don't get to have much fun with dresses."

  I shake my head and laugh, "Ok, sounds like we're going to be having a dress-trying-on party! Better start making your phone calls, Kris."

  She shows me her phone as she moves to another room, "Already on it!"

  An hour later, all of us girls are sitting in a big Bridal Salon. I can already see about twenty racks of dresses just beyond the mirrors. This should be fun.

  "Is there any specific design you ladies have in mind?” The consultant asks and before Krista and I can respond the mom's start in with their ideas of what we should wear and how long the veils should be and how high the heels should be.

  "Whoa!” I yell above the noise. "We know you guys mean well...but this is our choice, not ya'lls."

  "Of course, sweetheart,” Krista's mom smiles, "I know little girls dream of their wedding day...but secretly, their Mama's do too."

  I smile over at her, “Well, you do get to help…Kris, what did you have in mind?”

  "Something flirty..."

  "Krista!” Sarah starts to chastise her but Krista puts her hand up to stop her.

  "But still elegant looking, I don't want my kids to look at pictures someday and think I'm a skank or something."

  Sarah shakes her head and covers her face at her daughter’s tirade and I can't help but laugh.

  "I want something classic.” I shrug, "Floor length, strapless or spaghetti strap, a little bit of detail on it, nothing to over the top."

  She nods, "I'll go pull a few things and bring them to the dressing rooms for you to decide."

  As she wanders off and starts plucking dresses off racks, I feel nervous. This is all so much more than our first wedding. And that wasn't even a real wedding, we just found a chapel in Vegas that would marry a couple 18 year olds and got it done. Our parents were so mad too. I didn't think I would ever hear the end of it. And here I sit, finding a wedding dress and accessories to give my mother that Mommy moment she missed out on before.

  "Kate, Krista...if you'll follow me,” The consultant says and motions for us to walk down the hall.

  Krista steps into one room and I step into the adjoining room.

  I hear Krista squeal when she is handed a variety of dresses and can't hold back my laughter.

  "Oh my God, Kate! These are amazing....like there's diamonds on these things!"

  "You better be very very careful then, Kris.” I say through the door, "We know how you are in pretty dresses."

  "Ha ha,” She says dryly, "Time to play dress up!"

  “Sometimes I swear you’re a little girl trapped in a grown body.” I shake my head and take a breath when my own dresses are brought into the room.

  "Here are a few choices. This one is a strapless sweetheart neckline and has beading all on the bodice and is A-Line. This one is more form fitting and rouched with spaghetti straps, and this is more a princess gown. You know, just because of every girl should have a princess dress on at some point in their lives."

  I smile and run my hands over each dress, "Thank you...I'll try them each on and see what everyone has to say."

  I decide to try the "princess" dress first. It's not really me, but I know everyone else will probably ooh and ahh over it. Stripping out of my jeans and t-shirt I delicately step into the dress and take a look in the mirror. Princess is right.

  I step out of the room, "Mind zipping me up?"

  "Oh of course!” The consultant rushes over and zips me in and pulls the hem up so it flares out right.

  We walk down the hallway towards where everyone is sitting by the mirrors and hear a collective gasp.

  "Oh Katelyn, that is beautiful!” My mom gushes and I smile softly as I step up on a raised platform.

  "It is....but it doesn't feel like me” I frown spinning around, "I've never been much of a princess type.” I shrug looking around, "Has Krista come out yet?"

  "I'm right here!” she steps out and I smile at her choice of dress, calf length, strapless with an open back with crisscrossed ribbons tying it together.

  "That is perfect, Kris."

  "I know! I love it!” She spins and looks at her mom, "Do you like it Mom?"

  She wipes a tear from her eye as she walks over and hugs her, "I do. It suits you, sweetheart. It's perfect!"

  Krista beams and hugs her tight, "Thank you...do you think Scott will like it?"

  "I think he'll love it,” I tell her, "He'd be crazy not to.”

  “You’re right…Susan, I’ll take it!” She tells the consultant with a grin, “Ahhh, I can’t believe I really just found my wedding dress!”

  Sarah runs her hand over the skirt of Krista’s dress and grins, “I can’t wait for your dad to see you in this.”

  Krista bites her lip nervously, “Do you think he�
��ll like it?”

  “You’re his princess, Krista…he’ll love it no matter what.”

  I notice tears in her eyes as she nods and turns to walk back to change into her regular clothes.

  "Ok...I have another dress back there that I really like...maybe that's the one.” I tell everyone and go to my own room.

  A few minutes later, I've changed into the strapless beaded dress and make my way back hearing everyone talking amongst each other until they see me. Then everything's silent.

  “Oh, Kate,” Krista says softly, "THAT is it. It just is no need to try anymore."

  "You think so?” I step up onto the platform and my smile gets bigger the more I look at my reflection.

  I look towards mine and Liam's mom who have crumbled into a crying mess and can’t help but let a giddy laugh come out of me and cover my face just starting into the mirror.

  Krista crosses the room and sniffles as she pulls me into her arms and squeezes me tight, "Oh my God Kate…We're really getting married!"