“Auntie Lia,” Petal said, as she came to a stop in front of her. “Do I get to keep this robe?” She ran her hand down the miniature red silk robe Lia had gotten for the little girl she considered her niece.
“Yes, you do. And the dress I got you for last night, and tonight.”
Petal smiled brightly, and then almost as quickly frowned. “I’m so sorry I made a mess of my shoes last night.”
Lia placed her hand to her heart. The thirty minutes she’d been missing had been the most agonizing of her life. “I know you are, Sweetie. But you learned a really important lesson though, right?”
“I can’t run off without telling a grown-up where I am going.”
“That’s right. Now, it’s probably time to get our dresses on. What do you think? Do you think you could go and get dressed?”
“YES!” Petal threw down her scooter and ran toward the bedroom that used to be Pixie’s room before she moved out. All the dresses, with the exception of Lia’s, were in there.
Lia wandered into the bedroom and released her dress from its many layers of wrapping.
“Are you ready to put it on?” Pixie said, following Lia into the room. “Petal wants Harper to help her put her dress on, so I’m redundant.”
Lia grinned. “You are doing good with her, Pix. So very good.”
Pixie smiled. “I honestly didn’t know whether I’d make a good mom or not. It’s not like I had a great role model.”
“But you’ve always cared. You’ve cared for us, making us those magic potions you always do when we are sick. You care for Trent and Cujo and have been loyal as hell to them and the studio. Why on earth would you think you wouldn’t be able to bring those natural talents you have to children?”
Pixie ran her fingers over the deep-red wedding dress she’d spent hundreds of hours sewing. “When you put it that way…”
“I miss you,” Lia said, letting honesty bleed through. “I know we chat all the time, but this, you and me in the same space, it’s everything. It’s not the same to see you over a video.”
“Dred and I talked about the same thing last night. Being back here for this made me realize all the small moments I’m missing. I’m going to miss Trent taking Travis to his first softball game. I miss barbecues in Cujo’s yard. I miss time with you sipping whiskey and just talking. Your friendships are all continuing on, and I’m missing out. I’m homesick.”
Lia pulled her best friend into a hug. “I know. But I also understand why you need to be there.”
Pixie squeezed her friend in return before stepping back. “Me, too. But I also need to be here. We agreed that in the New Year, we’ll try and plan longer trips than quick long weekend visits. Make more use of our apartment downstairs. Perhaps sometimes I’ll fly down on my own when Dred is away. I kinda got used to staying put in Toronto because it seemed easier than traveling with two kids and all the shit I need for work, but I can make and design clothing anywhere and I’ll hire a full-time manager for the factory so production doesn’t stop while I’m away.”
“Well, that makes me happy, too. Will Jordan be okay with that?” She knew about Jordan’s need for order, of knowing where everybody is.
“I think so. He does so much better now. And I also think he’ll be distracted because Lexi is pregnant. Anyway, I need to give it a shot for me.”
“Good,” Lia said, relieved she’d get to see more of her friend. “Because I think I am going to be a terrible wife. Honestly, I don’t know why Reid picked me for the job.”
Pixie eyed her carefully. “Are you messing with me? You’re going to be an awesome wife.”
Lia slipped her robe off. “No. I have zero wife skills. No, wait. I’m great in bed and Reid can’t get enough of this, but I’m a terrible cook.”
Pixie began to open the buttons down the back of the dress. The beaded bodice with cap sleeves had sixty-eight buttons down the back. It was a good job she’d just had indestructible nails put on. “Do you still keep your off-season sweaters in the oven?”
Lia shook her head. “No, god forbid. Reid cooks roast dinners and things. I think he gets his skills from Harper.”
“Okay, so Reid cooks. What else?”
“I hate cleaning. I have a cleaner. I won’t touch his work overalls beyond stripping him out of them when he comes home from work.”
Pixie laughed. “I’m sure Reid doesn’t have a problem with that.”
Lia laughed. “Yeah, definitely not. I can’t count the number of times we’ve had sex up against the front door because that’s as far as he’s made it before I attack him.”
Pixie looked at the sexy underpinnings Lia wore. “He’s going to freak out when he sees you in that. You know he fell for your old-school glamour.” She took the layered underskirt with its thick layers of net and tulle off the bed and held it open while Lia stepped into it.
“This is true. But I don’t know if I’ll have your patience if we have kids. And I can’t cook for shit like Harper. And I don’t have a community backing me up like Drea. I’m just—”
“You, Lia. You’re just you. You are a loyal friend. You listen. You support. You gave me a home. You gave Reid a garage. You know what people need and you unselfishly give that to people. Who gives a shit if you can make a pot roast? Reid can. Who gives a shit if you outsource your cleaning and laundry? You can afford it. But being there for the person you love… being able to listen to them and share their dreams and burdens and the trivial parts of the day… supporting them in what they want to do and where they need to live,” Pixie took a deep breath, “that’s what will make you a good wife, Lia. Nothing else.”
A shimmer of tears flittered in Lia’s eyes.
“Oh, god. No, nope. No,” Pixie shouted. “You can’t cry. Don’t even think about it or I’ll be forced to remind you of the time Cujo let you wax his chest for a dare.”
The tension burst in the room as if she’d stuck a pin in a balloon. They both dissolved into laughter.
“Thank you,” Lia said, reaching for her hand. Pixie’s words had bulldozed through the worries she had, through the faint whisper of insecurities left over from her childhood that she wasn’t enough. That she wasn’t smart enough, that her career wasn’t enough, that who she was as an adult wasn’t enough.
“You’re welcome. It’s not like you to be uncertain. You had me worried.”
“I know. It’s not like me. For a moment, I had a brief understanding of what normal mortals felt every day.” Lia shivered. “Lacking confidence on a daily basis must be exhausting. And I’m pretty sure Reid would stay with me for the rest of our lives for the sex and my lingerie collection alone.”
“Well, speaking of lingerie, seeing we are due at the church in an hour, I think it’s time to put this on,” Pixie said, holding up her dress.
Exactly one hour later, Lia pulled up outside the church. She’d chosen to travel alone and be on time. Most brides were given away by their father, but seeing hers was in prison, that wasn’t going to happen. She hadn’t spoken to him in years. Her brother was on active duty overseas. And the idea of being given away as if she was someone else’s property rankled her. So, she’d traveled to the wedding alone and would walk herself down the aisle so she could join Reid at the altar. And joining him felt like a much better way of describing it than being given to him.