The Sweetest Gift - Scarlett Cole Page 0,19

right. Are you ready?”

Petal nodded her head firmly in the knowledge that she had practiced long and hard for this moment. “I am so ready, Auntie Lia.”

The music started and Auntie Harper told everyone to shush. She looked a little bit stressed and Petal didn’t know why because, from what she’d seen, weddings were just really big parties where everyone laughed and sometimes her momma cried, but Daddy had told her it was because her momma was a big softie.

“Go, Petal,” Auntie Harper whispered.

She stood up straight like her daddy had told her. He was seated down near the front with Uncle Jordan. She loved both of them with her whole heart, even more than her favorite squashy horse called Dewdrop. Petal hoped that Santa had got the message that she wanted a real horse, and she was going to call it Dewdrop, too.

Her daddy was bobbing his head at her, reminding her about timing.

Step and throw.

Step and throw.

Uncle Jordan winked at her and she beamed back. Everybody was watching her. There was shuffling behind her, but that must be the grown-ups following her.

Surely, she had the most important job in the whole wedding, to make sure that they all got down the long corridor-thing of the church. She’d told her friend, Dexter, about her important job and he’d just laughed and told her that the most important job was the priest who would marry them. But Petal had punched him and told him that without her, nobody would get to the front of the church to be married. Miss Rutherford, her Senior Kindergarten teacher, had told her off for punching Dexter, but it was only because none of them understood just how important her job was.

Once she got to the front, she was scooped up by strong arms that always made her feel so safe. “You did the best job, precious girl,” her daddy said.

He was smiling so proudly at her.

She watched her momma go by. She was Auntie Lia’s Matron of something-or-other. It was a fancy title, but not as important as being the flower girl.

“You did perfect,” a voice whispered from the bench behind her. Uncle Nik passed her a handful of orange Skittles, her very favorite. He was one of the people who was going to make sure everybody sat in the right place tomorrow. So were her daddy and other uncles.

The priest began speaking about boring grown-up things that would happen tomorrow at the real wedding, his voice so calming and soothing that Petal’s eyes began to flutter close. Uncle Jordan slipped his arm around her and she cuddled up against his side. He was the comfiest pillow and always smelled so nice. The roar of music woke her suddenly.

“It’s alright,” Uncle Jordan said soothingly. “It’s just the music for everyone to walk up the aisle. Go stand next to your mom and hold her hand. You can have a power nap in the cab to the rehearsal dinner.” Sleepily, she made her way to the line-up of people leaving the church.

The power nap worked. Uncle Jordan always had the best ideas, like having ice-cream floats for breakfast and tying a rope to the swing he’d had built in his garden for her so that he could swing her when he was sitting on the deck having a beer.

When they got to the restaurant, Petal was excited to find they had a big room all to themselves. Oh, and there were breadsticks. Momma said she could only have one, but she’d gone to every table and asked for one when Momma wasn’t looking, and was nearly up to seven.

“Uncle Elliott, can Holly or Noah come and dance with me?” Holly didn’t look much like she wanted to dance. Her face was all crumpled and tears were falling down her cheeks. It also sounded like she had hiccups and Petal hated the sound of hiccups.

Uncle Elliott brushed a hand through her curls. “Sorry, baby girl,” he said. “Holly’s in a bit of a grumpy mood. And Noah’s asleep.” He nodded in the direction of the stroller where Noah’s little eyes were closed.

“Will you dance with me?” she asked. Children would be better, but she could also make a dance troupe with adults.

Uncle Elliott took a sip of his beer as he bounced his knee. “I gotta stay with Holly. Why don’t you try Daniel?”

Petal scanned the room. Daniel was chatting with Uncle Cujo. She hurried to them. “Will you two come and dance with me?”

“I’m saving