Traveling Soldier

Chapter Four

"So, Kates, what was that last night?" Anna asks as I'm helping her into her wedding dress.

"I don't know what you mean," I say, refusing to meet her eyes.

"Oh really? From what I saw, a very handsome man was whispering sweet nothings in your ear and couldn't take his eyes off you throughout dinner," she teases.

Finally meeting her dark brown gaze, "Michael and I have met twice, last night was nothing."

"I don't believe you. I think you're hiding something. What else happened that night?"

"Nothing, I drove him home..."

"And...?" she prompts.

"And he invited me inside for a cup of coffee and gave me a pair of dry clothes and put mine in the dryer. We started watching a movie and never finished because my clothes were dry so I changed and...and he walked me to my car," I finally blurt out, leaving out the fact that he kissed me.

"You're still not telling me something. Something big," my cheeks heat up. I hate my sister so much, she knows far too much about me. "Spill."

"We kissed."

"What?!" she exclaims in disbelief. "You just met him and you're already making out? I'm impressed, Katie. You're finally learning to live a little."

"We did not make out!" I tell her. "It was one kiss and that was that. It was nice," I tell her, straightening her skirt, a small smile unconsciously gracing my lips.

"You are smitten," Anna tells me.

"I am not, I don't know him. How can I be smitten? And who says smitten anymore?" I laugh, standing upright and looking at my sister in the full length mirror, "you look beautiful."

"Thank you, so do you," she hugs me just as her four bridesmaids come in.

Laura, Jenny, Miranda, Victoria, and I are all in light purple bridesmaid dresses that fit in the bust and waist before flowing to the floor in soft waves of lavender chiffon. Anna's dress is breathtaking. It's a strapless sweetheart neckline that fits down to her waist before puffing out in a mountain of tulle like a cinderella ballgown. The satin bodice is covered in lace and has buttons up the back.

"Oh, Anna," Jenny squeals, "you look stunning! James is going to swallow his tongue!"

"I hope not," Anna laughs. "I kind of like his tongue," she winks at us, causing us all to erupt in fits of laughter.

"So do you have everything? Old, new, borrowed, and blue?" Laura asks, looking at both Anna and myself.

"No, I have something new and borrowed, but not old or blue. But, hey, two out of four ain't bad," she teases."

"Well, it's not!" Victoria tells her, gesturing to me.

"Well, Anna, you have your new earrings and you've borrowed my shoes, which I want back by the way," I joke. "And here is your somethings old and blue," I tell her, handing her a wrapped box. Inside was a vintage silver ring studded with white diamonds and blue sapphires and a matching silver hair comb to go above her veil.

"Oh my god, Katie, it's gorgeous. Where did you find this?" Anna asks, hands over her mouth, slipping the ring on her right middle finger and handing the comb to Jenny to put in her hair.

"Remember about a year ago when James proposed? Well, we went to a bunch of jewelry stores in Richmond, trying to find the perfect one, and I got bored and wandered into an antique store and here this was. I just had to buy it for you," I tell her, wiping a few tears that are falling from her eyes.