I woke up alone in my big double bed.
I rolled over and stretched.
My eyes sprang open.
"I'm getting married today."
Clarisse
I was walking Maurice.
"She's getting married today, Maurice."
He barked.
Joe
I watched Clarisse from a stone terrace.
Mia
Brigitte knocked on my Bathroom door.
I opened the door.
"Your Highness, we're running very late."
"Grandma says the Queen is never late. Everybody else is simply early."
"Your Highness, a strange woman came in and said that she wanted to hide in your closet, so I let her." Brigitta informed.
"Well, dear, that probably wasn't the wisest decision in the..."
I headed over to the closet.
"Now, this is what I call a closet."
"Mom!"
"Oh, my darling."
We hugged.
"Oh, careful. We're squashing Trevor."
"Hi, Trevor."
I took Trevor from Mom.
"He's sleeping. Shh."
"Oh. He is the most beautiful baby brother."
He fussed.
"We were joking. We knew it was your mother." Brigitta informed.
"Your step-father's here too." Brigitte informed.
We walked out of the closet.
"Now, I'm your mother, it's your Wedding day, I have to say something."
I looked up at her.
"Being married is about being yourself. Only with someone else."
Mom had her hand on my cheek.
She moved it.
"Thanks, Mom."
There was a knock on my suite door.
"How are you feeling?" Mom questioned.
"You look beautiful." She pointed out.
"Paolo is back to turn a caterpillar into a butterfly."
We stopped talking.
I handed Trevor back to Mom.
"Oh."
"There she go, butterfly."
He laughed.
"Paolo."
"Coat off. I say "Butterfly," the coat comes off."
Helga pulled the coat off.
"Principessa."
"Paolo."
Paolo kissed my hands.
"You remember my mother, Helen."
"Yes. Yes."
He took her hand.
"And the new baby."
Paolo let go of Mom's hand.
"All Italian men love a baby except Paolo."
My face fell.
"You gotta get out now because we have to go to work."
Mom walked out.
Photos of me were in front of me.
"Five years ago, Paolo take you from that to that. Today, he give you this."
"A Wedding look for the Bride."
I checked my hair in the mirror.
It's been pleated and gathered into sticky up-knots.
"I look like a moose."
"Yes. But a very cute Moose. Make all the boy Moose go "Whaah!"
Paolo laughed.
"I have antlers."
"Whaah."
He laughed again.
Pictures of Maurice and Fat Louie were in front of my face.
"Go!"
They moved the pictures.
Paolo had put my hair up into tight curls.
He laughed.
"I look like a poodle."
"That's just the way I feel." Paolo replied.
"Here we go again." He pointed out.
"Sit up." Paolo ordered.
I sat up.
He grabbed a water bottle.
"She kinda does look like a poodle." Helga commented.
Paolo sprayed some water at her.
"I like it." Stephanie commented.
He gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"This time I'm so sure, I use my own pictures. So, un, deux, trois."
The pictures were moved.
Nicholas
"Gretchen, I can't find my gloves." Uncle Mabrey complained.
"You go on. I think it would be better if I didn't go to the Wedding."
"My boy."
Uncle Mabrey sat on the Coffee table.
"Don't give up so easily. Come to Church. Sweep her off her feet. In a week or two, she'll be yours."
"The game is over, Uncle. She's going to marry Andrew."
"Ah. You're so right."
He stood up.
"Ah, well. This is a disaster in the making. Wouldn't miss a moment of it."
Uncle Mabrey took his white gloves from Gretchen.
He opened the door.
"I'll try to catch the garter." Uncle Mabrey told me.
He laughed, walking out.