Grace Lavoie has it all: a comfortable life in luxury, a huge penthouse in the middle of Toronto, a rich, attractive fiancé, and in just a few days a dream wedding that young girls can only imagine in their wildest dreams. In the middle of sunny, su...
Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.
- Norman Cousins
Grace looked critically at her reflection in the mirror through her large, hazel eyes. Her long, auburn hair was elegantly pinned up and adorned with a sparkling tiara. Nervously her fingers stroked the elaborate lace of the sinfully expensive designer dress in mermaid style. Not her first choice. But Patrick's mother, Karen, insisted.
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She sighed deeply. She looked ridiculous. With the feather decorations on her shoulders, the semi-transparent fabric that exposed far too much of her body and everything she wore underneath. It was hard to move around in, and the unnecessarily high shoes didn't make it any easier. A very peculiar feeling of nausea spread through her stomach. She felt uncomfortable.
"You can do it. You have cold feet, that's quite normal", she encouraged herself. She was sure it was just those strange people she had seen on the trip. Even more of those crazy junkies swaying through the streets as if they had more than one too many. It looked scary.
It was only when the door behind her fell loudly into the lock that she tore herself from her thoughts.
"Oh, please, sweetheart, is that how you want to go out? Where are the jewels? No, no, there's really no way you are going out there and face the guests like this. We have a reputation to lose after all!", Karen immediately ranted and placed a black velvet board with very pompous diamond jewelry in front of her on the mirrored dresser. Grace's eyebrows rose - if her future mother-in-law had her way, she would face the wedding party decorated like a Christmas tree. Showing wealth at any price.
"Here, this will make you look more presentable. We can't afford anyone thinking my sweet Patrick is marrying one of the local yokels. And sweetheart, keep yourself straight, watch your posture, heaven you're no monkey.", she yelped and rolled her eyes unnerved.
"And hurry up, we haven't got all day. I can't wait to get out of this seedy hick town. Why didn't anyone tell us how hot and humid it is here? And the mosquitoes! Great God, we're being eaten alive!", she continued ranting as her long pink acrylic nails tapped on her Rolex ladies' watch.
Grace didn't even get a chance to answer when Karen turned away again and was about to leave - but was held up by Bill Lavoie's figure in the doorway.
"Ah. The father of the bride.", she commented cynically and put on an artificial smile before she pushed briskly past him.
Bill raised his eyebrows and shook his head.
"A very charming person, no really!" he joked with a charming grin and took off his cowboy hat as he entered. She knew he wore it only to annoy Patrick and to openly display the cliché of the hillbilly population of northern Georgia. Grace didn't hold it against him.
