| Chapter Two Claire stood slightly behind and to the side of her daughter as she placed the delicate pearl tiara atop Kat's piled curls. Tears stung her eyes as she beheld her child's loveliness. The gown had been made especially made for Kat and it showed off her figure to perfection. The snow-white garment was covered in delicate lace and hand-sewn seed pearls. The off-the-shoulder design showed just a hint of cleavage and her skin looked dewy in the natural light spilling in from the room’s two large windows. "Just one more minute and we'll have you fixed up," Paula said as she knelt behind Kat and attached the five-foot train. Claire’s eyes followed Paula's hands as she straightened the material, taking in the intricate cutouts of Rose of Sharon that ran along the border and surrounded an ornate cross in the middle. With a final flip of the veil attached to the tiara Kat was pronounced ready. Overwhelming emotion flooded through her as she looked around the room at her family. Tears welled and threatened to spill over as her gaze went from person to person. "None of that now," Kelly said as she stepped forward and dabbed a Kleenex to the corners of Kat's eyes. "You start, and we'll all start and then we'll be in one big mascara mess." Kat smiled and forced back the tears. Kelly was right; they'd all end up looking like raccoons if they started bawling. A soft knock sounded on the room's door and Polly stepped forward to open it. "It's time to go ladies. The cars are waiting," Tim announced. "We'll be right down," Polly assured him before gently closing the door. Panic, unlike any she'd ever known raced through Kat. "Do I have everything? Something old, new, borrowed and blue?" she asked, as she twisted around checking to make sure. "Don't worry. You have everything Kat. You're wearing mom's cross as your something borrowed, you're garter's blue, the earrings Howie gave you are in your ears and they're new," Polly said as she laid a comforting hand on Kat's arm. "But that still leaves something old," Kat nearly wailed. "The family talked it over and we wanted you to have this," Paula said as she stepped forward holding a long piece of white satin ribbon in her hands. "It belonged to Howie's sister Caroline. It was part of her wedding bouquet," she said as she picked up Kat's own bouquet and tied the ribbon to the small handle. “She would have loved you, you know," Paula said as she discreetly wiped a tear away before pressing a kiss to Kat's cheek. "And I would have loved her," Kat said as she hugged her mother-in-law to be. "Katherine, we're going to be late if you don't hurry," her dad yelled from the bottom of the stairs. "I guess that's our final cue," Kat said with a smile. There was a quick dash for bouquets and then one by one they headed down to the waiting cars. "See you at the church," Kat called to her in-laws. FTM Index Chapter Three Main Page |