Jewel

Chapter 7

*8 years old*

Today is the awful, horrible, no good, really bad day that daddy gets remarried to Ursula… er I mean, Isla.  He thinks it’s a good idea.  He likes her, I think.  But she doesn’t like him.  When they first told me they were getting married and daddy left the room, I was visibly upset and she said she was gonna marry daddy whether I liked it or not, so I need to get over myself.  When I told daddy this, he said that it could never be true and so here we are two months later in my white puffy flower girl dress, but an anything but happy heart.

I have a big flower crown that always falls down in front of my eyes, so I can’t see much when I’m walking down the isle to throw out the petals.  Isla’s daughter, Savanna, does most of the work.  Savanna is Isla’s pride and joy and she can never do anything wrong.  I was  sorta excited to have a sister my age, thinking that we would play together like Jackson and I never did, but I don’t really think she likes me.  The first time we tried playing together, she got me in trouble for something I didn’t even do.  

I don’t like Savanna… or her mom.

Daddy looks happy when I peek up from under my flower crown and he gives me a little wave that only I can see.  I smile and give him a thumbs up because I know that’s what mommy would want me to do.  I think about her all the time and I don’t get as sad anymore.  When I come home from school, I go into my room and talk to her for about 20 minutes every day.  She doesn’t respond, but I know she hears me. 

Now the fancy wedding music starts for the bride and everybody stands to face the back… well we’re outside, so there really isn’t a back, but they just face the back of the chairs.  I hate to admit it, but her dress is a little bit pretty.  But just a little bit.  Mommy’s was much prettier.  

While we stand during the ceremony, Savanna keeps stepping on the bottom of my dress “on accident.”  She only said sorry once and it wasn’t very nice.  By the end, there seems to almost be a ring of dirt around the bottom of my dress.  Gosh, I really don’t like her.  

Now it’s time for the kiss and I make an audible gaging noise without realizing it and Savanna steps on me again.  “Hey!  That’s my mom!” she whisper yells angrily to me.

“And that’s my dad!” I retort.  She just huffs and turns back around.  I make a face behind her back and cross my arms over my chest.  Jackson doesn’t look too happy either.  He doesn’t even talk to Savanna although when we first met her, she would follow him around like a little puppy.  

Everyone claps, except for me and Jackson, and daddy and Ursula make their way back to the back of the chairs.  

Now it’s time for pictures.  In one of the only whole group shots, somehow my flower crown gets knocked off my head and I bend to pick it down and the photographer takes the picture.  I try to tell him to take it again, that I wasn’t ready, but he says we don’t have time and dad says I probably looked fine.  

I wasn’t even in the picture.

After pictures, I stomp off into the barn to find Blake.  He looks very nice in his little tux if I might say so myself.  His aquamarine blue tie even matches the sash on my dress.  He attacks me in a hug the second he sees me, “You did great, Mere!  But I was hoping you would’ve got some of those petals lodged in Isla and Savanna’s dress.”  

“I tried!  Seriously!”  We both erupt into a fit of giggles until our tummies hurt just thinking about having bright blue petals glued to both of their dresses.  It would be so funny.  When we catch our breath again, I hold up the skirt of my dress to show Blake the stains on the bottom from my lovely new step monster of a sister.