Max looked into the full-length mirror and couldn’t believe the vision staring back at her. After Ryker had dropped his latest surprise, they had been overrun with congratulations, hugs, and kisses. Apparently, while Max had been crying her eyes out and questioning her relationship with her baby-daddy, Ryker had been arranging a flippin’ wedding. Eventually, her mother had managed to whisk her away and they had spent the better part of an hour in Max’s bedroom. Cali, Diana, and Celeste had gone to work on her hair and makeup, while Ivy and Jasminka had stood and offered commentary. They had both steadfastly denied any skill over such things and left the other three women to play. Max, being still somewhat stunned, had allowed them to do what they willed until her mother had returned from a quick jaunt to Otherworld. Dana had promised she would only be a few minutes – able to keep such promises now that she was no longer tied to the Triumvirate. When she had popped back in carrying what looked like a set of robes, Max had adamantly shaken her head. “Nope. No way.”
“Hush. Trust me,” her mother had responded.
Max had closed her eyes, pretending there weren’t six other women in the room when her mother magically stripped her naked, before tugging the voluminous folds of fabric over her head. Max had pointedly kept her eyes shut as six pairs of hands tugged and rearranged the robes, tying something around her ribcage, until they were all seemingly satisfied. Now, standing in front of the mirror, the only thing holding back her tears, was all the mascara her friends had put on her lashes. Max didn’t want to mess up the great job they did. But, oh, she looked like a bride. And it was the one thing she had never, not in her entire existence, ever thought she would be.
The white robe was an all-in-one piece with holes for her head and arms. That should have made it look like a muumuu, but the gold braided rope high around her ribs, and under her breasts gave the robe shape. It also allowed room for her pregnant belly, highlighting the perfectly round bump beautifully. The robe itself was not a simple white, but was threaded through with extremely fine threads of colour. Blues, pinks, greens, reds, purples, greys, and golds. Every colour of her Order was represented in the shimmery threads. They could only be seen when the light hit them just right, and they were subtle. But the overall effect was magical. And beautiful. “I look like a bride,” she finally voiced.
“You do!” Cali exclaimed.
“A very beautiful bride,” her mother said, coming to stand beside her. “I am so happy for you, my daughter.”
Max hugged her mother hard, thanking her for all her sacrifices so Max could be exactly where she was now. Now that she was pregnant with her own child, she fully understood the depth of agony her mother must have felt when she had been locked away from her all those years. Max remembered her wilful arguments when she had been barely more than a child herself. She had been so sure of herself and her path. But she had been selfish, not caring about what would happen to her mother once she was gone. “I’m sorry.”
Dana frowned, cupping Max’s cheek. “Why are you sorry?”
Max couldn’t speak, instead she opened up her mind for her mother to see, only to receive a sharp tug on her expertly curled hair. “Ouch,” she yelped, reaching up to make sure everything was still in place.
“That was for being silly. Max, you were right to leave when you did. Yes, it was hard – torturous even. But when I stop and think about how even one small deviation from your path would have changed this present, right here and right now … Well, it was worth it,” Dana ended with a small smile.
Max looked at herself in the mirror one last time before smiling at her friends and family. “Definitely worth it.” They all stared, a little misty-eyed for a few more minutes before Max finally laughed, “Well, am I going to get married or what?”
She was then rushed from the room amid lots of giggles, only to come to a shy stop when she found her father at the bottom of