Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Mercedes and her mother dressed up as fast as they could, Phyllis seemed to be in the mood for partying, nobody could have guessed she was sick. And there were those moments Mercedes forgot, too.

Her maid of honor dress had survived the trip pretty well. It was long, dark blue and kind of glittery, and with her silver stiletto high heels and her silver clutch, the outfit was perfect. She decided on her natural makeup look with nude lip-gloss. Phyllis had decided to keep her look simple as well. Her dark blue dress with sleeves was kneelong, she had decided to wear it with her white blazer so that she didn't feel cold.

"You look great, mom!", Mercedes praised her outfit.

Her mom looked over to her and winked at her. "And that's not all I will wear. Do you really think I will pass on my hat at my daughter's wedding?"

"Of course not!", Mercedes exclaimed with feigned indignation.

"It's in my suitcase. Would you please give it to me?"

"In your suitcase?", Mercedes repeated incredulously. "How the hell is it supposed to survive all the way to Italy?" She hurried over to the suitcase – and pulled out the sad relicts of a former straw hat.

"My only concession of expensive glamour." Phyllis sighed. "That thing costed a fortune. Just look at it now – it looks like a dead pigeon."

"I'm sorry, mom." Mercedes grimaced. "I'm sure it looked perfect – when it still used to be a hat."

"Throw it away", Phyllis said "Let's not think about it anymore."

So the two of them linked arms and entered the spacious living room, all dressed up, and that's where they got introduced to Sergio's relatives. Baby Vittoria – who was indeed pretty cute – beamed at all of them happily.

Sergio's dad , Gastón, started to take care of Phyllis when they learned that she was kind of weak. He led her to a chair and made sure she sat comfortably. He seemed to really care about her wellbeing, just like his wife Alessia, Sergio's petite mother. Alessia looked kind of nervous, but Mercedes understood her. As the mother of the groom, it was relatable she was nervous at the big day of her son.

Sergio's grandmother, who wore only black clothes, didn't say anything. She only sat at her place with her eyes closed and praying in Italian quietly.

"She is happy", Gastón reassured them.

"It would suck if she weren't", Mercedes whispered to her mother, and they both needed to chuckle.

As soon as her mom sat comfortably, Mercedes rushed to the reception area to check on Coralee. Instead, she met Sergio who just looked handsome in his tailored tails. Nervously, he went up and down.

"Awesome!", Mercedes couldn't help but say. "You look…" She was at a loss of words "…so appropriate. Well done, Sergio." She solemnly held out her hand.

Sergio shook it and wiped his forehead. "A compliment of a pro. Now, I can relax."

They exchanged smirks and Mercedes felt happy.

"How is she?", he asked.

"Coralee? Oh, she is fine, trust me."

"Will she come down?" His eyes had widened.

Mercedes felt him. "Oh, yes", she reassured him. "She will. And please excuse me now. I will leave and do my job as the maid in honor."

So Sergio went to the living room and conversed with his parents. Mercedes was about to go up the stairs when Coralee appeared at the stairhead. Mercedes looked up to her and whistled impressedly.

"Not bad", she said. "You look beautiful. The most wholesome being in Verona- and that's coming from someone who has already seen the groom. Just stunning!"

Coralee rolled her eyes. "Thanks."

Mercedes looked her sister up and down and went up the stairs to her. "Everything okay?"

Her sister nodded energetically.

"Cold feet?"

Again, a nod.

Mercedes hugged her sister, careful not to ruin her sister's makeup in the process. "Being nervous is normal", she said reassuringly. "Would be weird if you weren't."

"I have no one to accompany me to the altar", Coralee said.

Dammit, Mercedes totally forgot. "If you want to, I can do it", she suggested.

Coralee smiled at her. "I knew you would say that, but you already have a job. I knew exactly who my maid of honor would be, and I don't want to give up that dream, you know."

"That was the nicest rejection I ever got", Mercedes confessed.

"Besides, you can ruin more things behind me than next to me."

"Oh, that sounds more like the Coralee I grew up with!"

Coralee breathed in and out slowly. "How much time do we have left?"

Mercedes checked her watch. "Half an hour. Oh, I forgot, I have a present for you!"

"Really? What are you waiting for, then?"

With linked arms, the sisters went back to Mercedes' room, chuckling. Her hands were trembling when she gave her big sister the box she had bought at the auction.

When Coralee opened it and spotted the elegant earrings, she started beaming. "Ooohh! They are so pretty!" She hugged her sister. "You are the best! I love them!" The bride went to the mirror. "Let's look whether they suit me." Carefully, she put them on and turned to Mercedes. "And?"

"I would say…", Mercedes began, but Coralee had already turned to the mirror again.

"Perfect!", she shouted and clapped her hands.

"Are you sure? You don't need to wear them today."

"Don't dare talking me out of it. They are ancient, right? Something old, something borrowed, something blue… they will be the old ones." Coralee smiled, Mercedes had never seen her sister so happy before. "Thanks, Mercy. Seriously."

Mercedes looked to the side. There it was again – the pain of loneliness. Yes, today wasn't about her, but it would have been nice to share that moment with someone.

Coralee seemed to know what she was thinking. "Oh…poor thing. That needs to be hard for you now."

"Don't be silly!", Mercedes answered, a little too happy. But there was no way she would rain on her sister's parade. "I'm fine!"

Coralee caressed her cheek. "I'm so sorry your relationship with Anthony didn't work out", she said quietly.

Mercedes looked at her sister surprisedly and considered telling her that Anthony wasn't the one she thought about. "Actually, it…"

Someone knocked on the door. Mercedes and Coralee exchanged glances.

"Mom?'", Coralee said.

"No, she is already downstairs."

Coralee shook her head. "Please tell Sergio he cannot see me yet."

"I will" Mercedes crossed the room and laid her head onto the door. "Get lost!", she shouted with feigned rigor.

No answer.

Coralee laughed. "He always does that whenever he wants something.", she whispered.

"Uhm, sorry, Sergio", Mercedes went on. "But you cannot come in. There are rules concerning that."

Again, no reaction. Mercedes looked to Coralee, who had put her hands on her hips.

Mercedes tried again. "I know you are still there, Sergio. But you know, it's kind of…"

"Mercedes?"

That voice was definitely not Sergio's.

Mercedes stepped back.

Sam.

"Everything okay, Mercy?", Coralee asked. "You look so pale all of a sudden."

That was impossible.

Astonished, Mercedes went to the door, opened it, and peeked around the corner. And then, she closed it again, leaned against the door, and looked at her sister.

Sam.

"Mercedes?" Coralee looked at her sister with a frown. "You are driving me crazy!" She stormed to the door and opened it herself. "Who's there?"

Coralee stepped aside, and Mercedes was too surprised to say anything. Sam. Good-looking, kind, nice Sam. She thought she would never see him again. But there he was, standing in front of the hotelroom of her sister, with his green eyes and his blond hair, just as attractive as in the airplane.

"H…Hey, Sam", she stammered.

"Hello, Mercedes."

He wore a suit. And he looked so great. Not that she had enough time to look at him properly because he pulled her closer and kissed her softly.

Gosh, he was such a great kisser! Finally, she could caress the neck she had admired for hours in that old rusty car – longingly, as she noticed. She pulled him closer to herself, relishing the closeness and the warmth of his body.

"Do you want me to leave the room?", someone next to them asked amusedly.

Mercedes and Sam pulled away from each other and looked over to Coralee. Only now, Mercedes remembered that her sister was in the room as well, still looking beautiful in her wedding dress, the hands on her hips. She amusedly looked back and forth between the two of them. "Cause if you plan on doing that for longer than tne minutes, I need you to step aside. There is that important appointment of mine today, you know."

"Sam", was the only thing Mercedes could utter while she pointed at the man in her arms.

"Good to know."

"I'm so sorry", Sam said "I haven't seen you."

Coralee had opened her mouth and pretended she was hurt.

Sam facepalmed. "That was the dumbest thing I have ever said, especially to a bride at her wedding day." He stuck his hand out. "I am so sorry, Miss. I'm Sam. Congratulations! You look so pretty!"

"I forgive you, it's your lucky day", Coralee answered before she leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Nice to meet you. As I can see, the two of you know each other very well. If so, shouldn't we let the formalities be, Sam? What do you think?"

"With pleasure", Sam answered.

"Coralee…", Mercedes said, but her sister interrupted her with her award-worthy-big-sister-glance.

"You! Still waters run deep; if I had known about Sam, he would have been invited to the wedding, of course. But wait, what about Anth…" She went silent, grimaced helplessly, and threw Mercedes a shocked glance.

"That's complicated", Mercedes muttered without thinking. "Or no, it is not, actually." She looked at Sam. "Anthony and I have been in a relationship for a long time, but we broke up in Paris, the evening before I met you. The spark was long gone. And we have never been engaged."

Sam needed a few seconds to digest the new information. Then, he nodded. "Okay.", he just said.

"And then, I met you, and…"

"As I just said, it's okay. I don't care about the past. I just want to be with you."

And Mercedes was so relieved to hear that. She went over to him and kissed him on his mouth softly. Now, he knew everything. And he still was here.

"Where did you even meet?", Coralee asked, but Mercedes nodded to the clock and lifted her hands resignedly.

"Another time, maybe?", she suggested. "Down there, an obscure event is awaiting us."

"Good argument." Coralee went to the mirror to check her makeup for the last time.

"I'm going to leave you alone", Sam said.

"How did you even find me?", Mercedes asked, ignoring his comment.

"Kurt", Sam answered.

That guy!, Mercedes thought happily, making a mental note to thank him afterwards.

That's when Coralee went over to Sam and laid her hand on his arm. "Would you please go down the altar with me, Sam?"

Shocked, Sam looked at Mercedes, who beamed proudly and happily.

"It's not that far, and I won't be annoying, I promise", Coralee assured him. "And in a couple of seconds, I will return you to Mercedes."

"It would be an honor", Sam said, straightened up and fiddled with his tie.

Mercedes took Coralee's flower bouquet and gave it to the bride. Solemonly, Sam offered Coralee his arm, and Coralee linked arms with him. Mercedes opened the door for them, took a small flower bouquet herself, and followed them.

"Ready?", she whispered.

Coralee nodded shortly. Sam smiled at Mercedes, and she was happier than ever in her life before.

Just calm down! Today was Coralee's day, and even though Mercedes' world had changed now – of that, she was sure – she was determined to only focus on her sister today, at least until she was married safely to Sergio, who nervously waited downstairs.

Coralee halted in her tracks.

"Everything okay?", Mercedes asked worriedly.

Coralee nodded.

"So?" Mercedes threw Sam a worried glance. What was wrong with her?

"I love you, little sister", Coralee said. "That's all I wanted to say."

"Don't make me cry now", Mercedes whispered. "It took me a long time to make my makeup perfect. But I love you too."

They started walking down the stairs – when something came to Mercedes' mind. "Wait!", she hissed.

Coralee flinched, she and Sam turned around.

"What happened?"

"Something old, new, borrowed…you don't have anything blue!"

Coralee smiled naughtily and whispered to her sister: "Mercy, haven't you seen the ribbon on my garter?"

"Phew!" Mercedes smirked and looked at Sam.

"I can only guess where that blue thing is", he said with a blush, and nodded to the stairs. "Shall we?"

"Oh, yes", Mercedes answered eagerly.