THE PLAZA HOTEL

768 5th AVENUE

AUGUST 24th


Amanda was pinching herself.

She was getting married in not too long today. The crazy thing was that today's events almost didn't happen.

Because nothing around her happened quietly. Ever.


A litany of crazy things occurred in quick succession.

The wedding venue flooded. A car hit the fire hydrant just outside. Water was everywhere. In the end, the venue was forced to close for major repairs. No refund was available. But then it just got worse. Amanda's and Carisi's wedding photographer was forced to drop out because of a family emergency. She was very sorry about it. But she offered a full refund.

Still... Amanda couldn't help spinning out.


But then people started to step up.

Maureen Stabler offered her photography services.

The full fee for the previous venue had been refunded in equal shares. Anonymously.

Carisi's parents even took care of arrangements to move the food, flowers, and the DJ to the new venue after the complications arose.

As for the wedding venue…

Amanda's parents pulled very big strings. As a surprise, they arranged for both weddings to happen at The Plaza Hotel on their original dates. Beth Anne and Benoît also managed for both couples, as well as the elder Carisis, Olivia and Alex, both of Casey's parents, and even Abigail to stay at the hotel. All weekend. Every penny was covered.


Yet the main reason Amanda was pinching herself was because this all such a far cry from how she'd grown up in Georgia. Her life was perfect now. She loved it.


Kim stroked her sister's cheek. "Amanda? You with us?"

Amanda came back to reality now.

They were in a changing room adjacent to the ballroom. Kim, Sophia, Harper, and Casey had been helping her get ready. Maureen was quietly taking pictures. Everyone was having fun.

Amanda spoke to her sister. "Yes. I was just thinking that we've come a long way since Georgia."

Kim nodded. "That's for sure."

Casey and Sophia looked happy for them. Both knew all about climbing up the long ladder.

Meanwhile, Harper just looked at her watch. "Hmm..."

Amanda arched an eyebrow. "And what's that supposed to be about?"

"Nothing!" Harper said a little too fast.

"But y—"

KNOCK KNOCK!

"Pardon me…" Harper immediately opened the door while the other's had a snicker at Amanda's perplexity.

Olivia had come by. And she wasn't alone. Alex was in tow. Beth Anne, too. Each of them was carrying one of the triplets. Amanda was immediately in a transport of joy. She had been hoping for a visit from her youngest siblings.

"Hello, everyone!" Amanda said excitedly. "Please come in!"

Beth Anne moved forward. "Your brother and sisters wanted come wish you good luck."

"May I please hold them?"

"Oh, of course. They're actually in that kind of mood." Beth Anne eased the baby she was holding into her firstborn's arms. "Here is Eden."

When the little one registered her sister, she began to giggle. Haven immediately followed suit when Alex handed her over. Benoît Junior simply stared at her in awe. Amanda hugged her siblings. They were part of this wonderful happily ever after that was her life now.

She looked to her mother now. "Thank you for bringing them over."

"You're very welcome. It makes my heart happy to see you with your sisters and brother today."

An idea suddenly popped into Amanda's head. It was a good one.

Sophia and Harper said together, "What are you thinking?"

"A sibling picture." she said.

Sophia perked up. "Yes. That would be fun."

Casey moved away towards the others. Harper tried to follow. But Amanda noticed.

"Just where do you think you're going?" she asked.

Harper was like a deer caught in headlights. "Going to stand by my sister and her wife?"

"After our adventures together now, you've absolutely become my sister. No question. Please come back."

"Wow." Harper was humbled on the spot. "You're so sweet. Thank you."

She moved back into place after that.

It also didn't take much direction from Maureen for her to get the shot she was looking for.

Blue stopped by after this and took the triplets off her sister's hands for awhile. They were removing themselves from the situation on purpose. Minus the photographer, there were only three more guests left.

Her mother. Olivia. Alex.

"We came along to help you finish up." Beth Anne said. "If you'd like."

Amanda grew amused. "So is that why Harper laid out my hair and makeup kit, but didn't touch it? You three asked her to?"

"Guilty." they said together.

Amanda looked around. "Where might Solomia be?"

Olivia responded, "Otherwise occupied, but she told me to tell you that she'll be along soon."

Amanda turned around in her seat to face the vanity table before her. "My fate is in your hands."

After examining a picture Amanda showed them of the hairstyle she wanted, the Cabots got to work.

Beth Anne drew closer to her daughter. "Would it be alright if I did your makeup?"

Amanda nodded. "I would really love that."

Beth Anne got to work, as well.

Amanda basked in the attention. Everything was perfect.

Maureen continued taking pictures quietly.

"Oh, wow." Amanda breathed when she looked upon the final product in the mirror. "Wow…"

Beth Anne's handiwork was perfect: neither too much nor too little. Just right. She knew what Amanda liked.

The Cabots' handiwork was also lovely. Alex had styled it into rather a sweeping retro bun and had even secured internally. No chance of it coming loose. Olivia also added in an array of decorative diamond hair pins upon her wife's direction. In her opinion, Amanda looked like a shining nighttime star.

Beth Anne lifted a small felt box from a nearby table and presented it to Amanda. Inside where the same earrings she had lent to Olivia for her own wedding.

"I always told you that you could wear these on your big day." Beth Anne said to her daughter. "Here we are."

"Thank you, mama."

Olivia's heart fluttered as she watched Beth Anne fix the earrings into place for Amanda. Those items were her 'something borrowed.' A tiara also sat on the table. Her 'something old' had been gifted by Kim, Sophia, Harper, and Casey. Up now happened to be an item that doubled as two things.

Alex broke Olivia's thoughts as she held out a jewelry pouch to Amanda, also from the table. "Here is your something blue and something new."

An oval-shaped polished locket fell from the bag into Amanda's palm. Her initials were even engraved on the front. The whole piece itself was blue, like a robin's egg and was threaded on a silver chain. Inside the locket were very splendid pictures. Of Jesse, Trip, and Billie. Her heart was immediately full.

Amanda was in a daze of gratitude. "Thank you again."

Alex gave Amanda's shoulder a squeeze and fastened the necklace around her neck for her.

Olivia said, "Alex's aunt and uncle had wedding lockets made for us. We decided to do the same for you. Sophia and Casey will be getting theirs tomorrow."

"Knowing everything you've been through with Olivia over the years, we felt we had to do something extra special for you today."

Alex told these words to Amanda as she finished fastening the necklace chain.

But she then directed her next thoughts to Beth Anne, speaking pointedly.

"Why don't you I see where those babies of yours have gotten to?"

Beth Anne read the room and left out with Alex. Maureen followed suit. So did Kim. It became quiet.

Olivia and Amanda were alone.

The silence was loud. But understandable.

Amanda spoke after a beat. "I did it."

Olivia knew exactly what she meant. "You did. Amanda, you've grown up since you first moved to New York. I am proud of who you've become."

"Thank you." Amanda chirped. "We also don't have the words to say how pleased we are about what you agreed to do for us now, Olivia."

"I would do anything for you. Or him. I mean it." Olivia said with complete seriousness. "We've always been family. Even before you left Atlanta."

She pulled out a long thin black box from one pocket of her outfit.

"Dominick is next on my list of stops, but this has travelled to me. It's from him."

Amanda opened the box to reveal a new bracelet. Set into a thin silver wristband were a trio of birthstones. For each of her children. On the other side, under the date, there stood an engraved phrase.

it was always you

This was a private something between herself and Carisi. Another story altogether.

"Your bracelet is beautiful." Olivia complimented when she saw it. "May I…?"

Amanda bobbed her head. "You may."

Olivia fastened it on for her. "Now you have all your babies close."

"I really love that." Amanda passed Olivia her own box from her vanity table. "Would you give these to Dominick? I got him engraved cufflinks."

"Amanda, it will be my pleasure." Olivia pocketed it and pressed a final token into her friend's hand. "Abigail Novak hunted me down all on her own. She wanted to make sure you got this."

Olivia had given Amanda a small pewter dog figurine. It looked just like her dog.

Amanda looked back to Olivia. "This was incredibly nice of Abigail to do."

"She heard that your dress has pockets, and she decided you needed something to go in one of them. Abigail also made sure for me to tell you one more thing."

"Oh?"

"Abigail said the figurine is a good luck charm from her, and all the rest of the kids in the family."

Amanda tucked the token away. "Wow. Tell her thank you if you see her soon."

"Of course." Olivia hugged Amanda. "I'll see you in awhile."

The detective wasn't alone for more than five minutes after Olivia's departure when a new person came calling.

She lit up at the sight of the woman shortly set to be her mother-in-law. "Hi, Solomia! You're here!"

Solomia closed the distance between them and hugged her. "Beth Anne called me shortly after your wedding dress expedition."

"And what did Beth Anne say?" Amanda said with some nervousness.

Solomia met her with calm. "She told me about your dilemma. I have a solution."

Amanda had found her wedding dress while out shopping with her mother, but no veil. More crying had been had.

"Wait a second." Amanda made a 'timeout' signal. "Is this why my mother told me not to worry about the veil?"

"Yes, my dear." Solomia set the box she was carrying on to Amanda's vanity table and removed the lid. "I would be honored if you wore mine today."

Amanda's first impression was that Solomia's wedding veil was very long. It just kept going. But she fell in love it once it was all the way out. The piece itself was old and made of silken tulle and outlined with more silk. But Amanda's heart jumped when she spotted with the tulle material had been embroidered with.

"Stars." Amanda said blankly to Solomia. "Those are stars in there."

"Mhm. Those were my mother's favorite shape. Look here."

She showed Amanda the underside of the veil. Names had been embroidered there.

Isabella. Solomia. Amanda.

"My mother was called Isabella. This veil was hers first. She had her name embroidered on to it when she married my father. I am their only daughter, so my name was embroidered on when I married Senior."

"And your parents passed the veil to you on your wedding day?" Amanda deduced.

"Correct. Now it's a tradition. The rest of my daughters will have their names embroidered on when it's their turn, but today is your time."

Solomia held Amanda's face in her hands as she looked at her with a warm gaze.

"I know that Senior is already thinking of an heirloom for Trip to have in his own wedding one day, but it's my hope that Jesse's and Billie's names will grace the veil in the future, too."

"I'll make sure it happens because I would also love that." Amanda told Solomia. "Thank you. It's an honor to wear your veil today."

Solomia set it in to the Amanda's hands. "You are very welcome. Benoît wants to see you now. He's waiting in the hallway. Shall I go get him?"

Amanda nodded. "Yes, please."

Solomia hugged Amanda again. "You look stunning."

Basking in the compliment, Amanda watched Solomia leave.

Benoît replaced her in moments.

The man looked very sharp but all his attention was on Amanda. She was his eldest. Even before marrying Beth Anne, he'd had no other children. Today was a day he had always dreamed of.

"How are you, treasure?" Benoît asked his stepdaughter.

Amanda let out a breath she hadn't realized she was even holding. "I'm floating on air. Have you seen my kids recently?"

"I have. They're being looked after."

"Good…"

Benoît could see that Amanda's mind was all over the place yet and took the initiative by indicating the newest item.

"Your mother told me about Solomia's veil. The tradition, too. What do you think?"

Amanda smiled at her stepfather. "I think it's amazing and so special."

"May I help you put it on?"

"Yes, but…" Amanda's eyes fell to her tiara.

Benoît realized what she wanted. "Okay, treasure. We can do this first."

Deftly, Benoît set the tiara in Amanda's hair and secured it.

But then came yet another knock at the door. Maureen opened it to reveal Beth Anne again.

"May I come in?" she called to Amanda.

"Yes." Amanda beckoned to her. "Please do."

Benoît said to his wife as she joined them, "You're just in time. The tiara is on. You can help me with her veil now."

Beth Anne happily helped secure it in place. And drape the veil over her daughter. Amanda's impression about the veil being long was accurate. It covered her head, but also stopped just past her elbows.

The veil really was lovely.

Beth Anne was in awe. "You are glowing. Truly. Ben and I have always dreamed of this day for you."

Her husband gave a nod. "It's true."

Noticing Maureen's presence, Beth Anne beckoned to her. She had been getting more shots for the wedding album on her own. Maureen also preferred not to take attention away from the bride, so she was very quiet. But available if someone had an in-the moment request.

"Yes, Missus Rollins?" she asked politely.

"Would you please get a shot of the three of us?" Beth Anne asked Maureen kindly.

"Sure thing. I can do that."

Per one last request of Amanda, Maureen also took individual shots of the bride with each parent. They thanked her when she was done.

"Do either of you know who has my flowers?" Amanda asked her parents when the Maureen had left.

"That would be Sophia." provided Benoît. "Everything is under control."

"Alright." Amanda gave another shaky exhale. "Then will you and mama stay here with me until the others come back?"

Benoît nodded and helped Amanda to sit back at her vanity table.

Beth Anne straightened a wrinkle on her daughter's dress. "Yes, Amanda. Anything for you."

So… They waited. It was almost time for the main event.