So how was it possible that she was still nervous? Her hands clenched the sides of her dress, then she remembered that would make it wrinkle, so she let go and began to pace in front of the mirror.
“Nervous, dear?” a soft feminine voice said.
Kacey looked up. Petunia was standing in the doorway, wringing her hands.
“Uh, a bit.” Kacey admitted.
Petunia nodded. “I can understand. After all, it’s only natural to worry about what goes on in the marriage bed.”
“Oh.” Kacey swallowed. “It’s not—”
“Oh, I know. It’s terribly fragile talk, bedroom talk. And I’m not the one to have such a discussion with. I’d probably bring a bat or some sort of other object just in case he got too frisky. Give him a good beating; that’ll teach him.”
“A bat?” Kacey pressed her lips together. “I don’t think that will be necessary and it’s not that I’m nervous about the marriage bed.”
“Oh.” Petunia waved at Kacey and laughed. “It’s okay to be nervous, my dear. Tell you what. You just give your Aunt Petunia a call if that nephew of mine gets too…” Petunia blushed and looked away. “Oh, you know what I mean. If he, if he…” Petunia pressed her hands together. “If he hurts you, you just tell him no.”
“I don’t think Travis would hurt me.” Kacey said in a calm voice, though she was trying desperately not to burst out laughing. “After all, he’s a gentle… man.”
“Ah, a gentle lover.” Petunia nodded. “I see, and you know this, how?”
Kacey hoped her face didn’t look guilty.
Petunia’s eyes widened.
And then Grandma burst through the door. “Petunia! You aren’t supposed to be in here.”
“I was giving much needed advice.”
“About staying a virgin, no doubt.” Grandma snorted. “Now go change into your wedding attire.”
“I refuse.” Petunia lifted her chin. “You know how I feel about bright colors.”
Grandma closed her eyes for a brief moment and pinched the bridge of her nose. When she opened her eyes again, even Kacey took a step back. “You will wear the damn dress and you’ll smile. Now go put it on, or so help me God, I’ll drug every last one of your cats!”
Petunia gasped. “You wouldn’t dare!”
“Tell me, how is Garfield? My, my, he is getting up there in age. Pity to see him take a tumble down the stairs, or accidently eat something he shouldn’t.”
With a huff and stomp, Petunia quit the room.
Grandma shut the door behind her and dusted her hands off into the air. Straightening her gold jacket, her eyes fell to Kacey. “Sweet pea, what’s wrong?”
The tears Kacey had been holding in streamed down her face. She collapsed into Grandma’s arms in soft sobs.
“Oh dear, oh dearie, don’t cry. Grandma’s here, she’s here. Now, if you’re scared that’s perfectly normal. Well, men can be absolute beasts! They make noises no human should make in public. They find themselves funnier than hell, and don’t understand the concept of doing dishes—”
Kacey hiccupped.
“Oh, but honey dear, they are wonderful. They were created for us you know, specifically made to be strong where we are weak, to be able where we are not able, and to share such a magical union that you won’t ever want to remember what it was like before that ring was put on your finger. Honey.” Grandma pulled back and offered Kacey a handkerchief. “Love is magic. And you, my dear, are so in love; why, it shows in your every action, in your every breath.”
Kacey dabbed at her eyes and gained control of her breathing. “It’s not him.” Kacey shook her head. “Travis is a godsend. He’s incredible. It’s not him. It’s me.”
Grandma was silent as she patted Kacey’s hand.
“I love him so much, I just wish—”
“What?” Grandma said.