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it.”
    “Hmph. Do you plan to stay in this room all
night or are you going downstairs to attend your own wedding?”
    Anabelle slipped on the stunning shoes then
followed her mom out of the room. “Thanks for coming.”
    Claire gave a curt nod. “Your young man is
pleasant enough and he’s very talented.”
    Anabelle raised an eyebrow. Claire wasn’t
normally generous with praise. “Yes, he is.”
    No one was downstairs so she followed her
mother out the back door but didn’t see anyone outside either.
    “Where is everyone?”
    “Hush and follow me.”
    They followed a mulch trail to the barn where
warm lights glowed from within. Anabelle caught a whisper of an
acoustical guitar rendition of ‘Greensleeves’.
    “The barn?”
    “It’s not any old barn you’ll soon see.”
Claire knocked on the door and turned to Anabelle. She tucked a
stray hair back behind Anabelle’s ear. Claire pulled off her blue
topaz earrings and handed them to Anabelle. “Here. Something blue.
The dress is your old item and the shoes are on loan, but we need
something new.”
    One of her mom’s floral friends, Mikael
opened the door. “Congratulations, Anabelle. These are for
you.”
    He handed her a bouquet of creamy white
roses, red berries and Christmas greenery.
    “Thank you.” She beamed at him then turned to
her mother. “My underwear is new.” She’d bought the set as a
Christmas present for Derek to unwrap later. The look her mother
sent her made her blush.
    “Then you’re set. Ready?”
    Anabelle nodded and Mikael swung the door
open. Anabelle gasped at the transformation. Lanterns and candle
filled mason jars at different levels. Evergreen boughs, red
berries and pinecones had been strung in garlands and hung from
beams. On an elevated podium in front of the small gathering, Joe
played Christmas music on his acoustical guitar. The smell of
Christmas filled the air.
    “It’s beautiful…and so romantic.”
    “Glad you like it because I designed it.” She
flicked her hair and gave Anabelle a challenging look.
    “You?”
    “Don’t act so surprised, missy. I can do
simple. I can do rustic.”
    “Yes, she can.” Charlie said, joining them.
She held Esme by the hand and whispered to Anabelle. “You
ready.”
    She nodded and they turned to the makeshift
aisle lined with candle lit mason jars. On cue, Joe segued into
Pachelbel’s Canon in D minor. Charlie walked down the aisle with
Esme following behind at a slower pace as she dropped rose petals
in her wake.
    Ethan stood at the end of the aisle with a
book, looking more serious than she’d ever seen him. “What’s he
doing up there?”
    “Didn’t you know? Dear Ethan is an ordained
minister?”
    “Of course he is.” Ethan was her mom’s
favorite child except for the fact he wasn’t Claire’s biological
child. The two of them had adopted one another. Fitting considered
Claire was in the midst of a special “friendship” with Ethan’s
father, Tomas.
    Anabelle forgot all about Ethan because in
that moment, Derek stepped forward and claimed her full attention.
He stood tall and strong, his dark hair gleamed in the dim lights,
his dimpled smile beckoned and simply put, he looked too handsome
for words. Emotion hit her hard, made her eyes well with tears. She
shuddered, on the verge of bawling with happiness.
    “None of that now.” Claire scolded although
her eyes had a glassy appearance as well.
    Anabelle took a deep breath and released it.
Arm in arm with the mother with whom she’d finally found a
connection, she walked towards the man who taught her unconditional
love existed.
    He beamed at her, his eyes did that twinkling
thing it did, the one that made her feel like she was the most
beautiful, the most fascinating woman in the world…and she
melted.
     
     

Chapter 7

    Christmas morning comes early in a house
filled with young kids.
    “Uncle Derek. Aunt Anabelle. Time to wake
up!” The door slammed open and two bodies hurtled through