"Hon, are you through? Come on, your father's waiting." Her mother's knock on the door shook her out of her reverie. "Do you need help in there?" she asked as an afterthought.
"No, I'm fine. I'll get down as soon as I finish," she replied.
Kriselle faced the mirror. She doesn't recognize the girl staring back at her. The stress of the last three days has finally taken its toll. She picked up the concealer and started applying it under her eyes. Then she applied an ample amount of foundation to cover the dark circles under her eyes and her transformation started from then.
Just when she was about to finish, there was another knock on the door. This time it was her father. "Come on Selle, we're going to be late."
She stood and went to her bed and observed the white dress lying there. She took a deep breath, gathering all the courage she could muster and murmured, "I can do this."
The day has finally come. The day they have all prepared for. But somehow she wasn't. She was scared. Because in the next few hours, her life's about to change. Down the aisle, he will be waiting for her. Her love will be waiting for her and then—
She didn't get the chance to finish her thoughts because a loud banging on the door made her jump. "Selle! What's taking you so long? Stop being such a girl and move!"
It was her brother. He was trying to be annoying but by the way his voice wavered at the end, he wasn't feeling like it. He was just going through the motions to keep the insanity of the day from overpowering his emotions.
Seeing that she cannot put off the inevitable any longer, she started to disrobe and put the dress on, careful not to ruin her hair. She went to the closet and picked out the shoes she borrowed from Mary, Thomas' sister. Her something borrowed. She was supposed to wear it on a different occasion but this is more important now.
Thomas would be happy when he sees that Kriselle and his sister finally made up. They were not on the best terms before but because of him—and because of the past days' events—the two finally got the chance to bond. They do have Thomas in common, after all. And having Mary with her and helping her with the details for today was a huge comfort.
She chanced a final look on the mirror and saw a calmness that she doesn't feel. How can she look so calm when her feelings are strewn all over the place?
Walking to the dresser, she pulled out the ring Thomas had given her. It's their engagement ring. She placed it on her left ring finger and tamped down her urge to cry. This is it. It is finally the day.
Her father was waiting for her at the foot of the stairs. He took her hand in his and placed it on the crook of his elbow. "You okay?"
She gave a timid nod.
From the kitchen, her mother approached her with a bouquet of flowers. "Don't forget this."
Kriselle smiled her thanks. She knows her parents were shocked when they heard the news. Her mother cried for hours and her father went into a daze. They still haven't accepted it yet and only time will tell when they would get over their loss.
The drive was quiet. It seemed like everyone got lost on their thoughts on the way to the church.
Kriselle's thoughts, however, drifted towards Thomas.
***
The day they first met, Kriselle was in a coffee shop, reading a book. She actually finished it in one sitting. When she stood to leave, Thomas blocked her way and graced her with his cocky grin. "Hey," he smiled and greeted her confidently.
