An Echo in the Mafia (Echo Reid, Reid Family Book #1)

Part 52

"Echo, has your dress been delivered yet?" Alice asked, bringing her back to the present. Echo opened her mouth to respond but it was Luke who spoke. 

"Yesterday, I had it put in her room." He said without looking at her. her room.  Echo felt her heart tighten in her chest, her anxiety whispering to her the words over and over. Most of her things were brought over during the week and all of it had been placed in that same room she'd seen and used on multiple occasions. It was a beautiful room but it was not the room she wanted. She'd assumed she'd share his. 

"You should see the veil..." Echo said to her mother, "that Luke's aunt had made for me. So much lace..."

Echo's words resonated in Luke's ears. so much lace... Just like the note. He frowned, trying to shake the thought. He was no further today than he was then at solving the mystery. 

Echo watched Luke's face. She didn't miss the frown, even if it hadn't last long. She reached out, placing her hand over his, practically begging for something... a sign or anything... 

"I'm sure you'll look beautiful." Alice gleamed with a soft smile. 

"Echo's going to make a beautiful bride." Luke said, turning to Echo's hand as he sat over his. He picked it up, his eyes meeting hers quickly and offering her a smile, before slipping his own hand away.

Then he proceeded to ignore her the rest of the night.

---

"Why do you look so depressed?" Maru said, throwing herself onto Echo's bed. "If I were you... I'd be bouncing off the walls. You're getting married tomorrow!"

"She's nervous... it's natural." Vera said as she braided back Lena's hair. Echo looked around. Her sisters were camped out around her room, Vera on the floor with Lena as she applied nail polish to her toes, Romy laying lazily on a chaise as she flipped through a magazine, and now Maru on her bed.  Their rooms were just down the hall but less than 15 minutes after she'd tried tucking herself into bed, they'd starting clamoring in. 

"I'm not depressed." Echo volunteered, moving her head side to side and rolling her shoulders back. 

"but you sure are tense." Maru said, noticing as she moved. "Lay down."

Echo raised a brow suspiciously.

"I'm not going to hurt you..." Maru said with a chuckle, patting the bed next to her. "Come on... on your belly."

"Do it, dear. You need it." Romy said without looking up. "Although, we were thoughtless not to book her a massage before today."

"I doubt Echo would like some stranger touching her in any way." Lena volunteered.

"She's right." Echo added as she lay down flat, allowing Maru to climb over her. 

"Be gentle, Maru. We need her in one piece tomorrow." Vera said with a smile. 

"It's crazy. I can't believe you're getting married." Maru said with a sigh. "We'll never get to have a night like this again."

"We've never had a night like this before." Lena said. 

"Sure we have. Remember our birthday?" Maru insisted, making them all look at her. 

"Maru... we were 8." Lena responded and everyone giggled. 

"And Romy was already acting like she was too old for us." Maru added. 

"I was 13." Romy said with a smile. 

"And too sophisticated for us with her training bra." Vera said, biting her lip. This time, everyone laughed brightly, even Romy wiped her eyes. 

"We should have done this more." Romy volunteered suddenly, making them all smile softly. They were quiet, each one letting the thought soak in.