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play
dress up with us?”
    “I probably need to help the adults prep
dinner downstairs.”
    “Nah. Mommy said it’s all under control but
she needs you to keep us out of the way.” Alex
shrugged her small shoulders as if the very thought that they could
get into trouble was unbelievable.
    “Okay, then. What are we dressing up as?”
    “We’re playing wedding but first we need to
put on makeup.”
    The next hour Anabelle showed them how she
applied makeup and applied a light touch of makeup to their faces
as well, nothing in the realm of ‘Toddlers and Tiaras’ but
enough.
    “I look pretty,” Esme said, smiling into the
mirror.
    “You’re not supposed to say that about
yourself,” Alex said, although she maneuvered for a better spot in
front of the mirror for a look as well.
    “Hey girls, what are you up to?”
    “Aunt Dani! Aunt Anabelle is playing dress up
with us. Like my makeup?” Esme tilted her head and struck a model
pose.
    “Sheesh, where did you learn to pose like
that?”
    Alex shrugged. “Not from me. Must be from
Janie.”
    “Janie did what?” Janie, all long limbs and
preteen attitude, popped her head in the room and stood next to
Dani.
    “Taught Esme how to strike a pose.” Alex
pantomimed the three quarter turn and hollow clavicle slouch
complete with the pouty lips.
    Janie rolled her eyes. “Yep. Totally me.”
    “Give me a second,” Dani said. “I’ve got some
vintage dresses we can try on.”
    Esme and Alex went to their closet and pulled
out beautiful ivory colored dresses.
    “These are your dress up clothes?”
    “Nope. They’re from a photo shoot Mommy had
done of us.”
    “Very pretty.”
    The girls changed into the dresses and took
turns twirling in front of the mirror.
    “Here, I found these dresses at an estate
sale I went to with Derek.”
    “Wow. These are gorgeous.” Anabelle fingered
the fine beading on the bodice.
    “Try it on.”
    It was too beautiful to resist and she didn’t
waste time getting into the magical concoction while Dani tried on
the knee length swing dress.
    “Anabelle…you look like a bride.” Esme
beamed.
    Anabelle looked at her reflection and had to
agree, it was gorgeous. “The dress fits perfectly.”
    “Just what I thought.”
    She started at the sound of her mom’s voice
and turned towards the open door. “What are you doing here?”
    “Girls, a little privacy please.”
    Dani and the girls quickly cleared the room.
Claire closed the door behind them, holding what looked to be a
shoebox.
    Silence ensued as Claire surveyed Anabelle
from head to toe then handed her the box. “You look beautiful.”
    “Thank you but what’s going on? Why are you
here?”
    “I was invited.” She waved toward the box.
“Open it.”
    “Oh.” It was sweet of Derek to invite her
mother to Christmas Eve dinner but why hadn’t he mentioned it?
    “A mother can’t really miss her daughter’s
wedding, can she?” She opened the box and held out her mom’s
beautiful Vera Wang shoes. Anabelle’s inner slut drooled at the
jeweled work of art, she almost missed her mom’s question.
    “I’m sorry? What did you say?”
    “Your young man and his family and friends
have worked hard this past week to put together a Christmas
wedding.”
    “What?”
    With weak knees, Anabelle sat at the kid’s
craft table where makeup from their experimentation was
scattered.
    “I assume he’s in a great hurry to make
things official. Should I expect a grandchild in the near
future.”
    “Not yet, mother. He knows I hated the stress
of wedding planning.” She shuddered.
    “Why you worry is beyond me. I would have
taken care of all the planning and all you’d have done was show up
like the last time.”
    “Yes, but you had a grueling schedule and way
too many people at the wedding. It felt unreal and so unlike me. My
dream wedding is quiet and intimate with a few family and friends.
It would have been too simple for you and you would have hated
planning