“Each table will have three clear vases in different heights. We’ll drop in marbles—pink, of course—and then add a silk magnolia blossom. On the day of the bridal shower, we’ll fill each vase with water and place a floating candle on top. Simple, right?”
“Simple but beautiful.” My cousin jabbed her fork into her salad. “Best idea ever.”
“Cheaper than those centerpieces I’m having to rent for the wedding reception.” My father’s voice rang out from the living room. “Those suckers are twenty-five dollars apiece, and we don’t even get to keep them.”
“Well, don’t tell anyone, Dad, but we got all the supplies for these centerpieces at the dollar store. I’ve done my calculations, and it’s going to cost less than six dollars per table.”
Was that a happy grunt we heard?
As I shared some other ideas, the girls chimed in, and before long ideas flowed like water. I hadn’t had this much fun since . . . wow, I couldn’t remember when.
By seven fifteen we’d finished our meal and prepped the table to work on the centerpieces. I gave each girl a specific task, then put them to work.
Cassie seemed a little preoccupied. “Okay, I just have to say I can’t get over the fact that Sienna’s not here yet.” She looked around the room, as if expecting the maid of honor to magically appear. “I mean, we knew she couldn’t be here for dinner, but she promised she’d come by seven. She’s really supposed to be in charge of the shower, you know?”
I knew, all right.
“She’d better get here quick.” Brianna dumped a handful of marbles into one of the vases. “I’ve got to write a paper for my psych class.”
“Write it about Sienna.” Cassie rolled her eyes. “You won’t have to go far to find your information.”
That got a laugh out of everyone. Well, all but me. “We should probably stop taking aim at Sienna.”
Cassie sighed. “She’s just such an easy target.”
“Maybe too easy. But she has her good points too. She’s helping with the flowers. Did you know that? She even got Crystal a great discount through her aunt Catherine.”
Cassie reached for some marbles and rolled them around in her palm. “Did you have to go and say that? I was enjoying being mad at her.”
“I know. We all were.” I glanced at the clock. Seven thirty. Hmm.
“The groomsmen are coming by at eight for dessert,” Cassie told the other girls. “All except Tyler because of some school event. Anyway, we thought it would be fun to hang out with them.”
The moment she said the word groomsmen I thought of Derrick. I couldn’t help but smile. Of course, he wasn’t a groomsman. He was the best man. And what a great man he was turning out to be. My face heated up as I thought about his nickname for me: Southpaw. I glanced down at the silk flower in my left hand and giggled.
“What’s so funny, Mari?” Brianna looked my way.
I snapped back to attention. “Oh, nothing. I think we’d better get busy. We’ve got to settle on our final plans for the bridal shower before everyone else gets here. That’s the point of our little meeting tonight—besides making these centerpieces.”
My cousin kept looking at the clock on the dining room wall. I knew she was still fretting over Sienna’s absence. By the time seven forty-five rolled around, we could deny reality no longer.
“Maybe I’d better check my messages.” I dug around inside my purse and came up with my phone. A quick glance down, and I groaned. I’d missed a text from her, all right.
“Let me guess.” Gillian rolled her eyes. “She’s not coming.”
I shook my head. “She has a headache.”
“She is a headache.” Cassie laughed, but I still didn’t join in. Not just because I was trying to set a good example, but because I realized just how painful her disinterest had become for Crystal.
I typed a response and then tossed the phone back into my purse. “Oh well. Her loss. She had no idea Derrick was coming tonight.”
“She doesn’t know?” Gillian asked.
“She does now. I just told her.” I wanted to add that Sienna would no doubt have a miraculous recovery, but I had just advised we stop shooting arrows at her, hadn’t I?
An awkward silence filled the room. I cleared my throat. “Let’s go ahead and talk through our final plans for the shower. You all seemed to like the idea Cassie and I came up with for the tea party theme the best.”
Gillian clasped her hands together. “Yes, we loved it!” All the girls nodded.
“In addition to the centerpieces we just made, each table would have its own teapot and teacups and finger sandwiches cut out like teacups. We could also have a variety of teas and even some ornate cookies shaped like teapots. How does that sound? I even saw the cutest mini cupcakes online with chocolate-covered pretzels on the side that looked like handles. Get it? They look like teacups.”
Gillian gave me a hopeful look. “Sounds great, but who’s going to make all that stuff?”