beside him. And very soon, he’d have that, too.
“Breathe,” Bailey said from beside Shelley. “It will help you feel better.”
Shelley took a deep breath, but it didn’t do anything to calm her nerves or fix the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. “It’s not working.”
From the moment she’d stepped into the car that had brought them to The Fairy Forest, Shelley had been a ball of nerves.
Sam grabbed hold of her hands and looked Shelley in the eyes. “Everything will be okay. You love John and he loves you. This will be an incredible day.”
“You sound like you’re trying to hypnotize me,” Shelley said with a sigh. “Why am I so worried? I was perfectly okay this morning.”
“It could have been the excitement of getting ready,” Bailey suggested. “We all look amazing.”
For the first time since they’d arrived at The Fairy Forest, Shelley smiled. Bailey’s dress was stunning. With its sweetheart neckline and sheer, capped sleeves, it looked perfect with the long, sparkly veil her sister had chosen.
Shelley’s dress was even simpler. The soft crepe fabric complemented the satin of Bailey’s. With its softly draping neckline and long, flowing skirt, it was lightweight, classic, and one of the most elegant dresses Shelley had ever worn.
Sam touched the pearls stitched along the edge of Shelley’s veil. “You both look lovely. I’m looking forward to the day when I can wear my pre-pregnancy clothes again.”
“You look gorgeous,” Bailey said as she hugged her sister. “I’d wear your dress whether I was pregnant or not.”
Shelley agreed. “You couldn’t have chosen a more beautiful gown.” The pale pink chiffon dress skimmed Sam’s baby bump, falling gently to the floor in softly gathered pleats.
Tears filled Sam’s eyes. “I thought I would have to wear one of the dresses I borrowed from a friend.”
Shelley didn’t want her sister to be upset. “It wouldn’t have mattered. You still would have looked fabulous.” Their mom had helped Shelley, Bailey, and Sam get dressed this morning. There were a few tears, a few nail-biting moments when they didn’t think Sam would fit into her dress, and many moments of pure joy when everything seemed so right.
As she took another deep breath, Shelley held on to those memories.
Mila spun in a circle, sending the white satin skirt of her flower girl dress billowing around her legs. “Grandma said I look like a princess.”
Bailey found her cell phone and took a photo. “Grandma’s right. You are beautiful.”
Shelley’s dad carefully stepped around Mila as he carried three glasses of water into the room. “Elena said not to drink too much water.”
Sam rubbed her pregnant tummy. “I’m not drinking anything until after everyone’s married. Otherwise, I’ll be rushing to the bathroom every ten minutes.”
“Is Mom okay?” Bailey asked.
“She’s fine,” Ted replied. “She just had a little heartburn. Aunt Rosa, Aunt Maria, and Uncle Jackson are looking after her.” He handed each of them a glass. “I saw Zac on the way here. He’ll text me when the boys arrive in the main reception room.”
Shelley nodded and glanced at her watch.
Bailey smiled. “Don’t worry about the time. We’re all here and that’s all that matters.”
Mila opened the backpack she’d brought to The Fairy Forest. “Grandma gave me some candy in case we need to eat something sweet. Do we need that now?”
Bailey sat beside Mila. “That’s a great idea. It might take Aunt Shelley’s mind off her schedule.”
Shelley wasn’t mentioning that it would take more than a bag of fudge to distract her from her daily timetable. Her eyes widened when she saw the enormous jar of candy Mila pulled out of her bag.
Ted chuckled. “Your grandma must have known how everyone would be feeling.”
Shelley bit into a creamy piece of chocolate fudge and sighed. “This is delicious, Mila. Thank you.”
“I’ve got something else, too.” Mila handed the container to Shelley and reached into her backpack. “I made something special for you and Bailey.” Cradled in her hands were two carefully sewn hearts made from bright red fabric. “Grandma helped me make them yesterday. They could be your lucky charms.”
“They’re beautiful,” Shelley said softly.
Mila bit her bottom lip. “You and Bailey could carry them in your pockets while you get married.”
Bailey gave Mila a hug. “That’s so sweet. Thank you.”
Shelley kissed Mila’s cheek. “I feel better already.”
Ted looked at his cell phone. “The boys are standing in front of the balloon arch. It’s time for my two girls to get married.”
And just like that, Shelley’s nerves came roaring back.
Mila touched Shelley’s hand.