Whisper

Chapter Twenty Six:

Kissing the Bride

one of two chapters uploaded 7/31

Morning: Theresa's Wedding Day

The church was beginning to fill up with Harmony residents. More hurried from their cars into the small building, not wanting to linger in the brisk wind.

In the bride's room, Whitney was shivering too, running her hands over her peach lace covered arms. "I can't believe how cold it is. It feels like middle of winter, and it's not even Halloween yet. Plus all the storms we've been having lately..." she peered out the window at the darkening sky. "Bad weather in Harmony always makes me feel nervous. It's never just rain for us-it's a sign from the netherworlds that we're about to have an earthquake, or a tsunami, or both, or at the very least, we're going to be sucked into hell."

"So cynical, Whitney." Theresa chuckled from her position in front of the vanity mirror. "But you're right. It is cold. I heard on the radio coming over here that it's going to snow in the mountains later today."

"Oh, Theresa." Pilar had just entered the room with Paloma and Rina. "You look so beautiful." Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at Theresa' dramatic wedding dress. "Just like Cinderella."

Paloma and Rina agreed, surrounding Theresa and touching her delicate gown and her upswept hair.

"You all look great too." Theresa pulled back and surveyed Whitney, Paloma, and Rina in their matching peach gowns.

"Thank you so much for asking me to be one of your bridesmaids." Rina smiled as she fingered her own dress. "I've never worn anything so beautiful before."

Theresa impulsively gave her a hug. "Well, get used to it, Rina. You're a Harmony girl now, not to mention friends with the only and only Theresa Lopez Fitzgerald, Crane by default, soon to be Sinclair. If I have anything to say about it, there's going to be more beautiful gowns in your future then you can count."

"Aren't we a bridesmaid short?" Whitney looked around the room with a frown.

Theresa groaned. "Don't remind me. I can't believe Gwen said yes. I was just asking her to be polite...I thought for sure she'd turn me down, just like I did when she asked me to be in her wedding. But no...she jumped at the chance. Can you believe she's going to be in all my wedding pictures?"

"Oh, don't be like that, Theresa. Maybe Gwen sincerely wants you to be happy." Whitney said.

Theresa snorted loudly. "Right. Well, she'd better get here soon, or better yet, she can be fashionably late, and the ceremony will go on without her."

At that moment, Gwen, already dressed in her bridemaid's gown, was walking down the back corridor of the church towards the bride's room. She was taking her time, just enjoying the atmosphere for the moment, the excitement in the air. It brought back all the wonderful memories of her recent wedding to Kieran.
The sound of her cell phone ringing broke into her thoughts. Frowning, she dug it out of her purse and put it to her ear.

"Gwen, it's Ethan."

"Ethan! Where are you? I'm at the church already. The ceremony's starting soon-aren't you coming?" Her voice was sympathetic.

"Don't worry about that. Gwen, I need to know something. Are you still willing to help me?"

"Help you?" Gwen's voice was startled. "You still want to try to get Theresa back?" She glanced out the hallway window as guests continued to stream into the church. "Ethan, I think it's a little late for that, don't you?"

"It's never too late, Gwen. That's something I've come to realize these last few days."

Gwen sighed. "Such a romantic. Of course I'll help you, Ethan. But just what are you planning?"

"I don't have time to get into it, but look, I'm running behind. Do me a favor, please? Stall. I don't care how you do it, just do it. Do not let Theresa go down that aisle until I get there. Thanks, Gwen. I'll never forget this." Before Gwen could protest, he disconnected the line.

"Stall? Stall?! Is he crazy? Me, trying to disrupt Theresa's wedding. Oh, that's not going to look suspicious. Thanks, Ethan. I'm going to get thrown out of the church on my ass because of you." Gwen sighed and stuffed the cell phone back into her purse, then squared her shoulders and strode determinably forward to the bride's room.

"That's it." Pilar tucked one more tiny flower into Theresa's hair and stepped back to admire her handiwork. "All that you need is the veil, and then you are ready." Her face was still emotional. "I don't believe it. Finally, one of my children is getting married, and for the right reasons this time." Her smile was warm, but Theresa sensed a small reluctance behind it. She knew her mother would still rather see her marry Ethan, but the woman had resigned herself to the fact it wasn't going to happen.

Stepping back, Pilar gestured to the bridesmaids. "Theresa, you still have a few minutes before the ceremony. We're going to leave you alone for a little while, get a chance to catch your breath and say a prayer for the Lord's blessing on your marriage. It's something every bride should do on her wedding day. We'll be back soon." She ushered the bridesmaids out the door.

Theresa watched them leave and close the door behind them. She sat back down in front of the mirror and adjusted a stray curl, then got up, taking a cushion from the loveseat and dropping it on the floor for her to kneel on. Just as she had folded her hands and closed her eyes, a knock sounded at the door. Sighing, she got up, shaking out her skirts.

"Come in."

The door opened and Gwen appeared. "I'm here! Where is everyone, anyway?"

Theresa rolled her eyes. "You're late, Gwen. Mama and the other bridesmaids stepped out to give me some privacy." She gave Gwen a look. "I was just about to say my prayers, asking the Lord for His blessing. So do you mind?" She looked at the door.

"Oh, of course. I'll get out of your way. Um...it's just that I wanted to just go over everything real quick. You know, I haven't been a bridesmaid often...just oh, six or seven times for friends from school. How exactly does this work again?"

Theresa looked at her in disbelief. "The aisle, Gwen in the church. You walk down it. One step after another, left foot, right foot, left foot. Think you can handle that?"

"Of course." Gwen smiled brightly. She scratched her head, trying to think of another way to stall. "You know, it is a bridesmaid's duty to make sure the bride has everything she needs before she heads down the aisle. Can I get you anything? Water? Tea? Breath mint? Oh look at this-only one cushion for you to kneel on. You need more than that...can't get your beautiful dress dirty. Here we go." She attacked the couch, throwing colorful cushions all over the floor. "Oops, what a mess. Let me just organize this."

"Gwen!" Theresa's voice was exasperated. "Whatever is wrong with you, I am sure there is medication for it. Now, could you please leave me alone? Why don't you go chat up the guests-I'm almost positive we have at least one good psychiatrist in the crowd."

"Fine, fine. My, you are cranky for someone who's about to marry the man she loves. Hey, is there anything you need to talk about? I mean, bridal nerves can be very stressful. We have time for a girl to girl chat-tell me all about it." Gwen plastered the biggest, fakest smile she could muster on her face, batting her eyes sweetly. 'You so owe me for this, Ethan.' she thought to herself grimly.

Theresa shook her head in amazement. "That's it. Out you go." She gave Gwen a shove. "Take yourself and your second personality down the hall to the bathroom and splash some water on your face, because you are clearly teetering on the edge, and I really need sane bridesmaids today."

"But-" Gwen started to say but Theresa shut the door firmly in her face. Sighing, she turned to walk back down the corridor. 'I tried, Ethan.' She thought to herself. 'But if you're not here in the next few minutes, it's all over. Theresa is going to walk down that aisle and say her vows, and once she does, I can't help you anymore. I want you and Theresa to be together, but I won't try to break up their marriage. I know firsthand how much that hurts.' Morosely, she stopped in front of the window looking out at the parking lot. 'Ethan, where are you?'

Theresa sighed as there was another knock on her door. She got to her feet once more and impatiently opened the door. "Gwen, what the hell is wrong with you?" She stopped in amazement as her eyes fell on the figure in front of her. "Ethan! What...why are you here?"

Smiling, Ethan gently pushed past her into the small room. "I thought I was an invited guest, Theresa."

Theresa closed the door and turned to him. "Of course you are, Ethan, but why are you here, in my dressing room, instead of sitting with the other guests?" She looked at him, surprised at his calm expression. He wasn't exactly the angry, emotional man she'd expected to see today. He almost looked-happy. A tiny pinch of annoyance pierced her, and it irritated her even more to know what a hypocrite she was, feeling disappointed that he wasn't more upset.

"I just wanted to congratulate you in person." Ethan said softly. "I know I've been somewhat of a killjoy, but I just wanted you to know that I want you to be happy, and I wanted to say it in person."

"Oh." Theresa couldn't control the surprise in her tone. "Well, thank you, Ethan. I appreciate that."

"You're welcome." Ethan's eyes swept over her. "You look beautiful, Theresa. Jared's a lucky man." He smiled. "May I kiss the bride?"

"What?" Theresa started to protest, but stopped when Ethan's lips gently brushed her cheek, and then he pulled away. "Oh, um...I thought...never mind." She was thrown completely off kilter. What was up with him? Had he finally decided that she was right-that it was over between them?

Ethan stepped away from her. "I guess that's it, Theresa. I'd better go." He moved towards the door and opened it. Theresa watched him, feeling a completely unfair lump in her throat as she watched him go. Then suddenly, he stopped, turning back to her.

"Did you forget something?" Theresa managed to ask.

"Yes, I did." He grinned. "You."

"What? Ethan...what the hell are you doing? Ethan!"

To Be Continued...