I smiled as that familiar feeling moved over my body like a blanket. “It’s a date.”
My mother fussed with my hair as I looked at my reflection in the mirror. My hair was pulled up with a few curls hanging down. I had put on a simple white skirt and a light blue collared shirt along with my favorite blue pumps that my mother had bought me.
“You look beautiful, Emma Rose. Are you nervous?”
I smiled and turned to my mother. “A little. I’ve waited so long to become Garrett’s wife, and well…” My voice trailed off, and an overwhelming sense of sadness washed over me.
“What is it, darling?”
I tried to smile, but it was forced. “I just wish none of this had happened, and we were having our dream wedding next month, and—” I tried to hold in the sob, but it slipped through my lips.
My mother grabbed me and pulled me closer to her. “Shh…don’t cry. It’s okay, darling.”
“I’m so mad at Margie, Mother, that I can’t even see straight. What was she thinking? Look at what she did!” I began crying harder.
My mother pushed me away and looked into my eyes. “Emma Rose, Margie did not cause Garrett to end up in that hospital bed.”
“But—”
She held up her hand and tilted her head. “Margie made a mistake. We all make them, Emma Rose. She is riddled with guilt, and the fact that you are treating her so poorly is not making her feel any better.”
I swallowed and
whispered, “Good.”
“Emma Rose Birk, I am shocked at you. Where is this coming from? Now, I know you are upset that Garrett is hurt and that the wedding is being put off, but you should not carry around such hate in your heart. It does no one any good. Do you hear me? You need to forgive, Margie. You’re best friends and cousins. Would you want someone to hold a mistake against you like that?”
I thought about the biggest mistake of my life—pushing Garrett away. What if Garrett held it against me when I’d gone out with Michael that one time?
I slowly shook my head. “No, Mother, I wouldn’t. I’ll work at forgiving Margie.”
She smiled. “Now, let’s fix your makeup. You have a wedding to get to.”
I grinned as my mother fixed me up, and we made our way to Garrett’s hospital room. When I pushed open the door, my father and David were standing in the corner, talking to the justice of the peace. Julia was standing next to a sleeping Garrett. My heart broke in two. He was on so many pain medicines that he could hardly stay awake. As I made my way closer to him, he opened his eyes and looked at me. The smile that spread across his face caused me to suck in a breath.
“Em, you look beautiful,” he whispered.
I smiled and took his hand in mine as I leaned down. “I thought you were asleep,” I whispered against his lips. I gently kissed him.
“He hasn’t taken any pain medicine this morning,” Julia said with a sad face.
I snapped my head at Julia and then back at Garrett. “What?”
He gave me that crooked smile of his. “I didn’t want to fall asleep at my own wedding.”
I felt the tear slide down my face, and I quickly wiped it away. “Oh, Garrett, please take something for the pain. The ceremony is going to be quick.” I turned and looked at my father with pleading eyes. “Daddy.”
He nodded his head, and he was out the door faster than I’d ever seen him move.
When I turned back and looked at Julia, she mouthed, Thank you.
I nodded my head and peeked back down at Garrett.
“Em, I don’t—”
I leaned down and kissed him again. I pulled my lips back and said, “Shh…I love you, Garrett Mathews.”
My father walked back in and gave Garrett some pain medicine as my mother introduced me to the justice of the peace.