Between Earth and Sky | ✓

Part 1: A Fairy Tale Wedding

Luckily, the rituals come to an end and it's time for the final blessing. As the mother of the bride, Grandma Dawson gets this honor. She waddles from her chair at the edge of the surrounding circle of onlookers. Because of her age, she's the only one who got a seat, and now I see she was smart enough to have an umbrella for shade. By now, mom is crying, but she really does look beautiful. She's dressed in an animal skin dress, but it's totally elegant and not at all gross or skanky. It's decorated with beads and shells, which are also woven into the braids of her raven black hair. The blessing involves more feathers and incense, and when grandma hugs the newly joined couple, the crowd erupts in cheers.

It's just in time because now I really feel like I'm about to faint, so instead of joining in offering congratulations, I disappear into the lodge. The Great Hall has been decorated with flowers and balloons, and about a dozen circular tables have been setup for the reception, but I head straight for the bar.

"Beer me," I instruct with an authoritative voice.

"Mira Sighansen, I know you didn't just say what I think I heard," the guy working the counter replies.

I pout. "Come on Billy, I'm parched! Hurry up before they start coming in."

"You know your mother wouldn't bat an eye at throwing you in jail for underage drinking." He swings a dishrag over his shoulder and crosses his arms.

It's times like these when I hate living in a town with a population of just over a thousand. You have to really try not to know everyone, including Billy who I think went to school with my brother Bryce. Or was it Roland? It really doesn't matter, and my thirst takes precedence.

"Fine. Give me a lemonade. Actually, make it two," I relent, seeing my best friend Poppy running in.

She's breathless as she interrupts without as much as a hello. "Guess who was standing next to River during the ceremony?"

"I didn't get a chance to look." I tuck the bra strap back under her tank sleeve. "Who?"

"Lulu Smith." She grimaces while drawing out the name.

"Shut the front door!" Lulu is now my cousin through Johnny, and the fact that she was trying to cozy up to the guy my best friend has been eyeing for months irritates me as much as it does Poppy. But my dad has always been against swearing, so I've learned to improvise.

Poppy's wringing her hands and pacing. "How do they know each other?"

"Beats me. I sure as heck didn't introduce them. Here, I ordered you this." I hand over the lemonade to try to calm her.

"Well, I'm going to find out." She downs the drink. "Thanks. I'll be back," she mutters and before I can stop her, heads into the growing crowd.

I've known this girl since preschool, but for years I thought she was the biggest snob. Everyone always wanted to be friends with her and for the same reason, I didn't. While I busted my butt on the basketball court, she was cheering on the sidelines effortlessly charming the crowd. Even in school, she'd get anything she wanted without seemingly doing any work. She was voted freshman class president after a short inspirational speech about how everyone should just get along, and she came in first place in the regional spelling bee with the word inconsequential. I mean, really. Who doesn't know how to spell inconsequential?

Well, it turns out I didn't because I came in second. That was the word I got, and I was so jittery having to be in the final two with Poppy that I totally fumbled. But that's how we actually became friends. She was so nice to me afterwards - giving me a sincere apology for taking away a victory she felt I deserved - we ended up talking. And it turns out she's a really awesome person.