A/N: I plan a short Ten in One (Alice and the gang present of course). What’s that? Well, read the next chapter and you’ll find out! ;)
*****
Alice’s POV
“You are going to be the most beautiful bridesmaid,” Beth chirped, as she tied the green ribbons behind my back. I smoothed the silky fabric of the dress with my fingers and smiled.
“I disagree; you looked better at your cousin’s wedding, Beth.”
“Let’s not argue about this now,” she insisted with a roll of her eyes.
“Let’s just hope Sky and I won’t have to hide from a loony clergyman at this wedding.”
“Doubt it! Besides, with your pedantic mother and aunt Azalea overlooking the proceedings, what could possibly go wr…”
“No!” I covered her mouth with my palms. “Don’t say that.”
“Don’t say what? ‘What could possibly go wrong’?” She asked after slapping my hands away.
“Beth!”
“What?”
“Whenever someone asks that, something always goes wrong,” I explained, feeling tension building up in my body.
“The only thing that’s wrong here is that you are not wearing a necklace,” she murmured reprovingly.
“Caden told me not to put one on,” I explained.
“Caden? What does he know of fashion?”
A knock on the door accompanied with “Are you two dressed?” put a stop to our conversation.
“Speak of the devil,” Beth grinned and I went to open the door while she moved in front of the full-length mirror to rearrange her bun.
“Wow,” I exclaimed, seeing my boyfriend in a suit and tie.
“I promised Elanor I’d dress accordingly,” he explained with a shrug. “Beth, could you give us a minute?”
“Sure. Gotta go find my own elegantly dressed significant other anyway.” She grabbed her cream-colored bolero off one of the chairs and left the improvised dressing room.
“I’ve got something for you,” Cade said as he reached into his pocket. “Stand in front of the mirror with your face to it.”
I did as I was told and he moved behind me. I gasped as a beautiful necklace was placed around my neck. The wire jewel was shaped like a tree with several shades of green beads serving as leaves.
“Caden, it’s gorgeous.” I turned around and kissed him. “Where did you get it from?”
“From a crafts shop on my way back from work.” A shadow passed over his face. “I was going to give it to you sooner but it was around the time Marc showed up in town so…”
“Oh, I see.” I eagerly mused over a way to change the topic. It was Aunt Flora’s wedding day and I didn’t want anything to ruin our mood. “Is Will ready yet?”
Caden laughed.
“We lost him,” he replied.
“What?” I shouted, running towards the door. “What do you mean you lost the groom?”
“Alice,” he grabbed me by the hand before I could reach the door. “’We didn’t lose lose him. He said he was nervous and that he was going to take a walk around the grounds; he’ll be back.”
“Caden, the wedding is held on a nature reserve,” I tried to explain. “It’s a vast place; he could get lost.”
“What could possibly…”
“Don’t ask the ‘what could possibly’ question, please! I already told Beth how it tends to jinx things. Now come on; we need to find William.”
He sighed but nevertheless followed me into the hallway of the large cottage. Aunt Rose, having done her own research for her books, had made a friend in the face of an owner of a private reserve for rare plants. Once Flora and Will had set the day, Rose had asked her friend if we could use the grounds for the wedding. She’d had no problem getting his permission so now the ceremony was going to be held next to a field of rare lavender and the reception at the cottage where the reserve staff resided.
“But what if we get lost?” Keegan’s voice reached my ears and I saw him and Sky leaning on a wall next to one of the windows; his hands were on the male twin’s hips.
“I don’t mind getting lost with you,” Sky grinned, leaning forward to kiss him.
“Make out session later, guys; we have an emergency,” I announced, startling the happy couple.
“It’s not really an emergency…” Cade began to explain, but shut up once I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Where are Beth and Ash?” I asked.
“In the room we used to change,” Sky replies with a pout than murmured: “Probably doing what Kee and I wanted to.”
“Come on,” I grasped him by the hand and led him towards the room he’d mentioned. Just as expected, when we entered, we saw my best friend and her boyfriend kissing.
“Will has gone missing,” I said, before Bethany could reproach me for interrupting them.
“He’s what?” She got off Ash’s lap.
“He’s not gone missing,” Cade intervened, crossing his hands over his chest. “Alice is nervous so she’s exaggerating.”
“The ceremony is starting in half an hour and he’s still not back from his walk,” I protested. “He must be lost.”
“Maybe he got cold feet,” Kee suggested and his boyfriend slapped his shoulder.
“Will wouldn’t do that to Flora,” Sky protested. “He loves her.”
“We must find him,” Beth put a stray strand of her blond hair behind her ear. “Alice, you go to your Aunt and act cool; make sure she doesn’t hear about this. Keegan, Skyler , you two check the kitchen and, Sky, don’t eat the cake.” Her brother gasped in indignation.
“I wasn’t going to…”
“Don’t, Sky,” she interrupted. “Caden, Ash, you check the restrooms. I’ll check the main hall. Split up gang.”
“Did you just quote Scooby Doo?” Ash questioned.
“Actually, that was Freddy…” Skyler explained but his sister cut him off again:
“Enough already! No rhyme intended. Now go!”
“Go where?” A jolly voice asked and we all turned to the door to see… Will, fully dressed and munching on a sandwich.
“Where did you get that from?” Sky stepped towards the newcomer. “I’m starving and…”
“Where were you?” I pushed the male twin to stand in front of the groom. “We thought you got lost.”
“Or ran away,” Kee put in but I hushed him.
William used his sandwich-free hand to rub the back of his neck.
“I felt all antsy so I took a walk. I didn’t get far though; I found that amazing patch of herbs we’ll get married next to and I just couldn’t walk away from it,” he commented. “They were so beautiful and smelled so good. I got to tell Flora to plant a few of those in our garden.”
“Ooh, you two are going to be so good together,” Beth cooed, placing a hand over her chest and I nodded in agreement.
“I’ll go see if my Aunt is ready,” I said and kissed my soon to be uncle on the cheek on my way out.
*****
Will was right – the scent coming from the rare sort of lavender mixed with the aromas of the herbs planted further away from us was truly intoxicating. A recording of the Mendelson march played and Aunt Flora slowly walked on the path next to the herb field with the biggest grin I’d seen on her face. The only one who could rival her joy was the groom. For my relief, the priest was nothing like the one Sky and I’d met at the cemetery last year so the two of us could fully enjoy the ceremony and the reception which followed it.
I looked around me and all my worries melted away. I could even have every guest ask me “What’s the worst that could happen?” and I still wouldn’t stress over it. How could I? Everyone was so happy. The bride and groom were dancing and so were Beth and Ash; Keegan was feeding Skyler cake, the second boy having his third piece of the pastry; Rose and Azalea were laughing over something – I couldn’t tell what as they were far away – and next to them mom and Caden were chatting without looking as if they were plotting each other’s murders.
“Alice not-from-Wonderland,” someone addressed me and I turned towards two other familiar faces - those of Cillian and Gavin. We had invited the later during one of his regular visits to our apartment in Aberville. Neither Will, nor Flora had anything against that.
“Look at what I got you,” the pub owner smiled as he presented me with my favorite type of lollypops – the ones with creamy filling at the center.
“Oh, thank you, Cill!” I took the treat from his hand and eagerly unwrapped it.
“Cheers,” he raised his whiskey glass in a toast and Gavin – with his glass of water – did the same.
“That’s a sight I never thought I’d see,” my boyfriend’s dad nodded towards Caden and my mom. They were no longer alone as Logan and Morgan – as stunning as ever – had joined in their conversation. “From what I’ve heard, they are not the best of friends.”
“They are getting there,” I stated, smiling.
“Shall we join them?” Cillian suggested.
“That is gorgeous,” my mother’s words of approval surprised me as she complimented my necklace. I wasn’t the only one who gapped at her comment.
“Thank you,” I muttered once I found my voice. “Mom, Cade got it for me.”
“Then he’s got good taste,” she replied taking a sip of her champagne.
“I think that was obvious the moment he started dating your daughter, Elanor,” Gavin put in. “It might not matter to you, boys, but I’m really proud of you. Despite all my mistakes you two turned out well in the end. And you picked the perfect girls for yourselves.”
“Of course it matters, dad,” Logan protested, hugging his father. Caden patted both of them on their backs before his hand found its way around my waist.
I leaned my head on his shoulder, musing over all that had happened lately.
I’d moved in with my aunts and I’d learned new things about them and our family history; Aunt Flora got out of her shell and was now a married woman and my mother – not only had she ended her engagement for my sake, but was making amends and trying to catch up on all those years we’d been estranged.
I’d met new people, made new friends and fallen in love. Best of all? It was mutual.
I’d gotten shot and lived; I’d battled depression and jealousy and came out victorious.
I’ve survived some of the worst events in my life and I’ve enjoyed some of the best and all that in the space of less than two years. A lot of things have changed but in the end I thought they’ve changed for the better. And I really believed only good things were to come.