The Dream Is Not Over

I'm Leaving

Chris offers her beautiful house as a venue, since apparently it had completely slipped my mind. I hired the catering, and purchased flowers all without a destination. Lindsey and River hide away in one of the guest rooms of the house getting ready while Olivia and I are in another. I help her curly her hair as she applies her makeup, careful not to get any on her white outfit. It's even more beautiful than I had envisioned. It's a two piece from the sixties, a boxy eyelet crop with short ruffled cap sleeves and a long flowing skirt. When I finish her hair, she runs her fingers through the curls, breaking them up into softer waves. She places her flower crown of small yellow and white flowers atop her golden mane and turns around in the bench in front of the vanity.

"What do you think?" she asks.

"You look gorgeous!" I praise, retwisting one of her curls around my finger.

"Thank you for all your help!" Olivia gets up and hugs me. "I think you're going to outshine me though." My dress is on, my makeup is done and I feel better about myself than I have in a while. I fluff my hair as Olivia adjusts my new shawl around my shoulders. I sit down, changing out of my fluffy slippers and into the cream suede boots I had chosen. It all pairs just how I imagined it and my daughter in law wolf whistles at me. I blush, smiling shyly.

"Ready to see everyone?" I turn to face her and she nods vigorously.

"I'm really excited."

"Me too."

"But you're also nervous, I can feel it." She looks at my necklace, fixing the chain around my neck.

"Lindsey's here and we haven't been around each other this long in a while."

"Hopefully the two of you can come together to celebrate today. I know I'm so insanely happy to marry your son."

"I'm insanely happy for you to marry my son" I tell her and she chuckles.

"I just hope things go okay for you today. You don't need anymore stress, heartache, or worry in your life."

"Don't I know it."

"Especially with the little one around." I smile, thinking about the baby.

"I'm going to tell him tonight."

"Like, actually tell him or try to then run away?" Olivia's dark eyes gaze deeply into mine. "Why do I feel like this is going to end badly?"

"Oh no, don't say that! I'm nervous enough."

"Regardless of how it plays out, you know you're happy."

"That's true."

"You told me and I'm stoked."

"But you didn't move out to avoid me."

"Okay, fine. I realize that I'm not really helping. I'm better with like, emotional or spiritual support rather than real solutions to problems. River says I'm a cheerleader." She chuckles, taking my hand in hers. "But what I do know is that no matter what, you're a great mom, Stevie and this baby is lucky to have you. You're sweet, you're generous, loving and selfless. That's beyond all the cool stuff you've done, all that you know and your many, many talents."

"Thank you, Liv."

"My pleasure. Let's go check on the boys. I hope they're dressed."

"We can only hope." We leave the room and head down the hall to find River and Lindsey's room. I knock on the door and there is no answer. Olivia knocks this time, still no answer. I huff, trying the door knob and both of them jump up from the bed, wide eyed.