One Big Sweet Mistake

Chapter 27

Two months later...

“Kelsey, turn around!” Hailie exclaims, and she pushes the camera button before I am aware of what she is doing.

“Hey, stop it! I’m not ready yet...” I protest at her, fixing the ribbon around my waist. Hailie chuckles and stares at my gown in amazement.

“You look adorable in it. Vera Wang wedding dress is totally made for you,” she compliments me. I give her a big grin and thank her.

“Anyway, why don’t you prepare yourself instead of fooling around with your camera? You’re going to get married in an hour, for God’s sake,” I warn her.

“Well, how about you? You’re going to get married too and now you’re busy reading a novel? That’s worse, you know.” Hailie put the camera on the dressing table and sat next to me. She seizes the book in my grip and throws it into the sofa. I know she is right so I do not yell at her.

“Look at us, two beautiful brides...” she whispers softly.

I almost cannot believe of what I am seeing. It feels like a dream. I never thought that I will ever experience this. But our reflections on the mirror assure me that everything that happens right now is real.

“Yeah...double wedding is a fantastic idea, right? Joey is not that idiot after all,” I say. Hailie looks offended of what I say about her fiancée and frowns.

“Don’t call my sweetheart like that!”

She punches my arm lightly with her fist, and then we both laugh. Hailie stands up when suddenly Elsa appears on the door.

“Can I come in?” she asks politely.

“Of course, hun. Come here; give Auntie Hailie a kiss first.”

Elsa giggles and kisses Hailie on the cheek, then she turns to me.

“Well, I’ll leave you two. See you at the aisle.”

Hailie winks her eye and walks off.

As soon as Hailie disappears behind the door, Elsa approaches me and sits on my lap.

“Elsa, are you happy?”

“Of course. I’m going to have a new daddy, a brother, and an aunt! We’re a big family. Nothing can make me happier than this.”

She grins widely and hugs me tightly.

“Thank you, honey. Anyway, where did you get this headband? It’s pretty,” I ask her as I notice that I never bought her that hair accessory.

“This? Uncle Alex gave it to me. He’s nice,” she says cheerfully. Ah, so he comes. I am wondering whether he brings Madison along.

“Mom, what book is that? Elsa asks, pointing at the novel which is lying on the sofa. I take it and give it to her.

“Pride and...prejudice.” she mutters, reading the title. “Not interesting,” she snorts.

Elsa gives me a kiss and runs outside as other little bridesmaids call her for the rehearsal. Alone in the room, I open the novel and smile. 

In chapter 34, page 166, when Fitzwilliam Darcy proposed Elizabeth Bennet for the first attempt, she rejected his offer by saying that he was the last man in the world whom she could ever be prevailed upon to marry. The funny thing is, the two people ended up together.

I am about to get married with a man that was once on the top of my black list, and it is going to be a double wedding too because at the exact same time and place, Joey and Hailie is exchanging vows too. It feels like a dream come true that some events in my life have similarities with my all time favorite story.

 Well, he is absolutely not Mr. Darcy. Not even close to Colin Firth or Matthew McFadyen. He is not my first love. But he is someone than can accept me the way I am, wants to be with me for better for worse. He is someone that I have turned down so many times in our high school times. He is  Gregory Van Kilmer.

Today is  the beginning of another chapter in my life.