I will do it, Rachel. You just take a rest. Victor stopped Rachel from clearing the table after lunch and took it upon himself to clear the warzone’.
In actuality, the dining table was still fine, it was the kitchen that looked like one. It was all thanks to Gloria and her determination to make a crepe cake. Alas, the result was inevitable since the culinary newbie suddenly had a rare interest in whipping up something.
Then again, because she was the bride-to-be, no one berated her. Meanwhile, Rachel and Jolly were helping Gloria into her wedding dress in the guest bedroom on the second floor.
“Gosh, this dress is pretty,” Jolly gushed as she fixed Gloria’s dress. “As expected from a master to hand-sew this dress together. This texture looks even better than what we see in magazines. Imagine all the amazing photos we’ll be seeing on the wedding day.”
However, Gloria was running out of patience. “Alright, are we done yet?”
“What’s the rush?” Jolly slapped Gloria’s busy. hand. ‘Don’t move. What a waste to put such a lovely wedding dress on you.”
“If you want to wear it so badly, why don’t you and Leroy get married? What are you doing ordering me around?”
“Order you around? What do you think you are, a steak or knuckle?”
“You’re the knuckle!”
“Cut it out, you two. How is it that you guys can start arguing after a couple of words?!” Rachel put down Gloria’s bustle after she secured the ribbon on the back. “Turn around and let me see.”
The two finally stopped bickering, and Gloria turned around obediently.
As Gloria toured the country all year round, she commonly wore gowns; though they looked pretty, most of them were rather hefty. Wedding dresses were not too different, so she felt somewhat frustrated as soon as she put hers on, thinking that she was about to go on stage.
“It fits like a glove. Take a look at yourself in the mirror and see if you like it.”
After hearing Rachel’s words, Gloria turned to her side and looked into the mirror. Initially, she hadn’t given it too much thought, nor was she expecting anything. However, as soon as her eyes landed on the woman in the mirror, she was still stunned for a moment.
The beauty of a wedding dress was the sense of ritual love vested in it. Nobody knew when the sacred meaning had been bestowed upon it, but even if humans were the ones who defined it, it was still what made it different.
Gloria was lost in thought for a long time as she looked at herself in the mirror.
The dress was an off-shoulder design, and a layer of soft tulle was bow-tied onto her left shoulder, spanning from her shoulder to the waistline. The skirt was a simple tulle skirt with a bustle. At that moment, Gloria looked like a medieval princess, elegant and noble.
“It’s so pretty,” Jolly couldn’t help exclaiming aside. After returning to her senses, Gloria lowered her head and cleared her throat. “It’s alright.”
“What do you mean it’s alright? You look stunning.” Rachel grabbed Gloria’s shoulders and brought her closer to the full-length mirror for her to scrutinize herself. “Look at how pretty you are. You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.”
Gloria suddenly felt a lump in her throat, and her eyes began turning misty as well.
She lost her parents when she was very little, and there was a time when her childhood was bleak. It only got slightly better when Justin took her away, but there would forever be a hole in her life that was supposed to be filled by family.
Then again, Rachel’s arrival seemed to have filled up some of that gap. She didn’t know how to put the feeling into words; she was just truly touched.
“What about me?” Jolly suddenly popped her head over, breaking the touching atmosphere in an instant. “If she’s the most beautiful bride, what does that make me? I’ll eventually get married too, and I won’t believe you if you say the same thing to me at that point.”
Rachel took a gander at her. “Alright, I won’t say it then.”
Jolly cupped her mouth instantly and pulled a dramatically aggrieved look. “You can’t do this to me, Chris! Does our six-year friendship mean nothing in front of Gloria?! What a biased woman you are!”
“Immature!” Gloria rolled her eyes at Jolly. “Your mental age is not even older than Samuel’s.”
“I dare you to say that again. Don’t think I won’t beat you up just because you’re wearing a wedding dress.”
“Come at me, then!”
Seeing that the two were about to butt heads again, Rachel stepped in. “They’re probably getting impatient. Come on, let’s go down.”
Meanwhile, in the living room downstairs, Samuel yawned and asked, “What’s taking them so long?”
He and Charlotte had long changed into their page boy and flower girl outfits. One wore a dashing suit, and the other was in a white dress fit for a little princess. They looked absolutely cute together.
Samuel furrowed his brows like a little adult when they still hadn’t emerged from the guest room upstairs. Women really are troublesome. Just how long do they need to take to put on a dress?!
Victor and Justin were also done cleaning up the kitchen at this point. “Are they not ready yet?” asked Justin as he wiped his hands dry while coming out.
“No, they aren’t.” Samuel shook his head and yawned. Victor had come out too, and upon seeing Samuel nodding off, he couldn’t help ridiculing the child. “This boy looks like he hadn’t slept a wink in his past life. He’s the same in school as well, always looking to take a nap.”
Samuel was innately sleep deprived, and he always felt drowsy during the afternoon. Likewise, Justin couldn’t help smiling when he saw it.
“Godmother!” Charlotte suddenly cried out while pointing upstairs, so excited that she jumped onto the couch. “Godmother, your dress looks so pretty!”
Her voice successfully pulled Victor and Justin’s attention back.
Upstairs, Rachel walked in front. “Get ready. Don’t blink.”
With that, she turned to her side to make way. Behind her, Gloria, with rare bashfulness, slowly walked down the stairs while lifting her skirt, keeping her attention on her feet in case she tripped.
As the maid of honor, Jolly held Gloria’s train at the back with rare seriousness, not joking with the bride-to-be.
Victor, on the other hand, gawked at Gloria as she walked down the stairs, speechless.
At that, Rachel nudged him. “What are you doing standing there for? Come over and help her out!”
“Mr. Victor’s stupefied!” Charlotte covered her mouth and snickered aside.
Victor’s face flushed crimson from being ridiculed, and he hurriedly went up to Gloria. It seemed that he had forgotten how to walk as he stumbled and nearly fell by Gloria’s dress.
Fortunately, Justin was quick to react and managed to save him.
At that, Jolly teased, “Well, I never heard anyone kneeling to their wives first on the first day of Springfest!”
However, Victor wasn’t upset by Jolly’s teasing. After standing straight, he looked at the woman before his eyes-the woman he had known since he was at the worst point in his life. She was so assertive and overbearing back then that he saw nothing good in her. But now, she was the brightest star on stage, yet she was still willing to stay by his side.
Fate sure worked in strange ways. Those destined to be together would eventually meet again and stay together even after running around in circles.
Everyone’s eyes were on Victor and Gloria. Samuel, who had been yawning moments ago, latched his gaze on the stunning wedding dress as well.
Only Justin looked toward the woman next to Gloria. She smiled while leaning against the stairs, and beneath the locks of errant hair was her gentle and demure side profile. Her smile was ingrained in Justin’s indifferent gaze, slowly expanding into a serene future like it was just in front of him.
Fate might’ve brought others together, but to Justin, his encounter with Rachel was redemption.
