Skye poked her head out from the greenhouse, where the brides and bridesmaids were gathered, and observed the crowd.
It was small, but it included her favorite people in the world. Her dad and Iantha sitting in the front row, with Ben right beside them. Iantha had worked her magic of making everyone adore her and was having a very civil conversation with Mrs. Tifton. Aunt Claire was on the other side of Mrs. Tifton, and she looked a little worn out. Apparently, Mrs. Tifton had remembered how Aunt Claire had talked out some things with her over the phone back when Jeffrey had first reunited with Alec at Point Mouette, and Mrs. Tifton was expecting Claire to once again be her therapist.
Skye had a hunch Mrs. Tifton had a lot of concerns about how Skye was going to redecorate Arundel. As if Skye cared about home decor in the slightest.
Turron was doing his best to cheer Claire up, Skye could tell.
In the next row was Alec. Everyone thought it best to not seat him too close to Mrs. Tifton.
Then there were Skye's roommates from college, a few of Jeffrey's music friends, Rosalind's old friend Anna, and the Gieger clan. Everyone Skye wanted there. And seated at the very front, Skye could see Tommy and Jeffrey. Someone had tried to make Jeffrey's hair stay flat, but it had not worked. Good, Skye thought to herself.
She turned back to her sisters. Jane was fixing one of Rosalind's curls, and Batty was holding hands with Lydia and twirling about.
When Skye announced that she and Jeffrey would be getting married with Rosalind and Tommy, Jane had offered to make Skye another dress. Jane said she knew the blue voile number wouldn't be Skye's top pick, and it was her wedding after all, so she should be able to choose her dress. But Skye had tried the dress on first. She had stood in front of the mirror in Jane's apartment for a long time. She had admired how the bodice hugged her narrow torso and scrutinized how the voile skirt flowed out in an endless river of blue.
Then she had hugged Jane and said the dress was perfect. Jane was confused, but Skye had said that maybe Jane knew Skye better than Skye knew herself. Because Skye wouldn't have selected this dress, but it was the ideal wedding gown for her anyway.
"Well, even before I knew there would be a double wedding, I did think to myself that Jeffrey's heart would stop when he saw you in this," Jane said.
"You never stopped believing in us?" Skye had asked.
"Once a hopeless romantic, always a hopeless romantic," Jane said.
Over near the pavilion, the music started up, slow and gentle.
"Alright, troops," Skye said. "Time to move out."
In a rush of shimmering skirts and bouquets of wildflowers, the Penderwick sisters got in line.
First Lydia pranced out across the lawn and towards the chairs. Then Jane and Batty walked side by side, looking like summer nymphs personified in the green and violet dresses.
Rosalind and Skye stood shoulder to shoulder. Rosalind was wearing shoes with a small heel, and Skye was wearing simple flats, so they were the exact same height.
"Ready?" Skye asked.
"Yes," Rosalind breathed. "Let's get married."