SUNDAY 8AM
DAY OF THE WEDDING
The sun peeked through the white curtains, painting soft streaks of light across the room. Collette squinted against the brightness, stretching her arms overhead, the faint scent of lavender from the body lotion she'd applied last night still lingering in the air. Her heart raced as she pushed herself upright, a wave of nerves sweeping over her. Today was the day.
Her wedding day.
She let out a shaky breath, looking at the clock. It was 8:00 a.m. She had been up for the past two hours, watching the sun rise, unable to sleep, too anxious to even close her eyes. A soft knock on the door broke her out of her trance.
"Collette? It's Gia. You awake?"
Collette pulled the blankets off her and walked toward the door. She opened it to find Giada standing in the hallway with a coffee cup in hand, her smile wide and contagious.
"Good morning, bride-to-be!" Gia chirped, her tone filled with excitement and anticipation.
Collette smiled but couldn't shake the flutter of nerves in her stomach. "I can't believe this is really happening," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Giada walked inside, handing Collette the coffee. "Trust me, I feel the same way. But girl, you've been waiting for this moment for so long, now it's finally here! You deserve every bit of this. You're gonna look amazing."
Collette took the cup, savoring the warmth as she inhaled the rich aroma of the coffee. Her fingers trembled slightly as she held it. "I don't even know if I'm ready for this. What if I trip, or say the wrong thing? What if he changes his mind?"
Gia placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Listen to me, you won't mess up plus Tony is completely obsessed with you. You're the woman he's been dreaming of for years. You're perfect for one another. Nothing else matters."
Collette nodded, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill over. She took a deep breath and put the coffee on the nightstand, then turned to face Giada.
"I know, I know... I just feel like there's so much pressure today," she confessed. "Everything has to be perfect."
Gia rolled her eyes playfully. "Bitch, no one cares if you mess up your vows or trip when you walk down the aisle. We're here for you — and Tony. We're here to witness your love. That's what matters."
Before Collette could respond, Melody burst into the room, looking as though she had just stepped out of a mosh pit. "Can we get this show on the road already?" she yawned putting on eye patches. "You've been up since 6 a.m. and it's almost time to get dressed. Let's go!"
The next few hours were a blur of laughter, chatter, and frenzied activity. Collette's bridesmaids, Gia, Melody, and Monica, worked together to make sure everything was perfect. The wedding dress — a soft ivory gown with intricate lace detailing and a flowing train — lay on the bed, waiting for Collette to slip into it. Her makeup artist and hairstylist arrived, quickly transforming her and the rest of the girls into a glowing version of themselves. Her nerves eased slightly as the process unfolded, and soon, she stood in front of the full-length mirror, taking in the sight of herself. She walked out to do the big reveal for the girls, her eyes watering seeing tears well up in their eyes.
"Wow," Gia said, her eyes filled with awe. "Antonio's going to die when he sees you."
Collette laughed nervously. "I can't even imagine it. I just want to walk down that aisle and see him at the end of it, I swear if he doesn't cry I'm walking back."
