Strange [h.s.]

Epilogue Two*

One Year Later...

Ella Frazier

"Are you feeling okay?" Mia says into my right ear.

"I'm sure she's feeling fine. Are you feeling fine?" I hear Gemma on my left.

I let out a gasp as I feel a pin stab the back of my head, my hand flying up to hold the area.

"Shit, I'm sorry," Mia winces, as if she can feel the pain she just caused me.

"It's fine and I'm fine, but the more you guys question me the more not fine I get," I say, pulling the pin out from my hair.

"I think it's time you girls step out," Anne says and I watch her appear beside Gemma in the mirror.

"We want to help," Mia fights back.

"You can both help by leaving," my mom smiles, now joining the group behind me, "I say that with love."

Mia lets out a groan, smacking Gemma's arm as they both head toward the door of my room, leaving without another word. Once the door closes, the two of them finally gone, I let out a breath of relief.

"Feel better?" Anne says, resting her hands on my shoulder and leaning closer to me.

I smile into the mirror, "A lot. Thank you, both of you."

Anne steps away and my mom takes her place, reaching around me to grab the box of pins laid out on the vanity in front of me. "Of course," She says, "Now, tell me where you think you need this."

I reach a hand up, tapping at the space on the lower left of my bun and my mom carefully shoves a pin there to hold the hair in place.

"This reminds me of when you used to do my hair for dance class," I laugh, watching her concentrated face through the mirror.

"Don't say that you'll make me cry," She laughs, saying this as if she hasn't already cried about twenty times since she first saw me today.

I see Anne stand up from her chair out of the corner of my eye, "I'm gonna go check on the boys."

I give her a thumbs up, not able to move my head to nod. I hear the door open and close, leaving just me and my mom in the room.

"Now that everyone is gone," My mom speaks up, sticking another pin into my hair, "How are you really feeling?"

"Excited," I say, "I'm so excited."

"Good," She says and I can see her smile in the mirror, "Anywhere else you think you need these?"

I carefully shake my head, seeing if anywhere feels loose. "Nope," I shake my head, "All good."

"Perfect," My mom says, reaching around me to place the box of bobby pins back on the vanity. I spin around in my seat, looking at her.

"My beautiful little girl," She whispers, "I'm so happy for you."

I smile, "Thank you, mom."

"I knew when the day came," She says, "I knew it would be him."

"Did you?" I laugh, watching as she moves away from the chair

"Always have. We all have. When you brought Harry home for the first time, Mia said it to me. Your aunts and uncles called it. Everyone knew."

I feel my smile grow wider, thinking about how everyone called Harry and I getting married before we even did.

"I told you that everything would work out in the end, didn't I?" My mom asks.