Dark Secrets (Dark Secrets #1)(206)
Author: A.M. Hudson

Emily let out a soft breath, half smiling. “Come on. It’s nearly time. Let’s put this veil on.”

I lifted the blanket-heavy skirt and sat down on the stool near the mirror. It felt good to sit. I’d been standing for too long.

“No looking until I get this in, okay?”

“Em—my back’s to the mirror. How can I see, anyway?”

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll find a way, if you want to.”

“You know me too well.” I smirked. “So, where’s Alana?”

“Finishing her hair. And still trying to practice walking in those heels.”

“I hope she doesn’t trip over.”

“No one will notice,” she muttered with a few bobby pins between her lips, “they won’t be able to see past you.”

With the veil in my hair, Emily took a step back and adoration flooded her eyes like a little girl getting her first kitten.

“Does it look nice?” I asked, touching my fingertips to the meshy fabric.

“Oh, my God!” Alana squealed.

“Don’t cry,” Emily warned. “I’m not re-doing your makeup.”

“I’m not. I’m not. Oh, Ara,” Alana said, waving her hands near her moistening eyes. “You’re so pretty.”

“Thanks. You look nice too.”

“I know.” She curtsied. “Ryan said his heart stopped beating when he saw me.”

“Aw.” Emily and I said.

“I know.” Alana walked over. “He’s really sweet. So, you’re all ready then?”

“Yep.”

“And you have something old?” She touched my veil.

“Uh-huh, and something new.” I nodded down at my dress.

“Okay, here’s something borrowed.” Emily clasped her silver bracelet over my wrist—over the scar David left.

“Well, that just leaves something blue.” I searched the room, half expecting to see the bookshelf behind my bedroom door where I used to keep a bluebird pin my mother gave me when I was little.

“Um, Ara?” Vicki stood nervously behind Emily. “I—I have something blue.”

When Em stepped aside, Vicki reached across the pale beam of sunlight and placed something cold and kind of heavy in my hand, cupping hers there for a second. “My mother gave this to me on my wedding day—when I married your father.”

I hesitated to look down at it, keeping my gaze on her teary eyes for longer than needed. But when I finally unfolded my fingers, I gasped, seeing the blue perfection there. “Vicki! This is beautiful.”

“It’s a brooch,” she said, turning the delicate glass blossom in my open palm.

“But—” I stole my gaze away from it to look at her, “—this should be passed down to Sam, shouldn’t it?”

Vicki shook her head and closed my fingers around the flower. “It‘s been passed down in my family from daughter to daughter; it belongs to you now.”

“Vicki, I—how can I ever thank you for all you’ve done for me?” I jumped off the stool and hugged her tight, gripping the sapphire blossom in my hand. “I love you, Mom.”

“And I love you, Ara.” She smiled and bit her quivering lips together. “Now, enough cliché fussing. Where shall we pin this?”

We placed the brooch, after much deliberation, to the largest cherry blossom on the bodice, right where the skirt met my hips, and as everyone stepped back to take a look at me, I drew a deep breath and squared my shoulders. “So, that’s everything?”

The chatter of four girls suddenly burst into the roar of twenty screaming fans at a boy-band concert. I calmed myself to a picture of composure while they gathered their bouquets, then hurried into the corridor.

“You coming, Ara?” Alana turned back to look at me.

“Um, yeah.” A sigh forced my shoulders to relax. “I’ll just be a sec.”

She smiled knowingly, then walked away.

The silence seemed to be filled with all the thoughts I’d been afraid of, all the truths I couldn’t own today. So, before it could destroy resolution, I wandered out quickly, looking back for only a moment before shutting the door on the warm yellow light of the past.

Dad came out of his room at the same time; I waited in anticipation for him to turn around. “Dad?”

His face moved from the thoughts of the day ahead to a round-mouthed, wide-eyed smile. “Oh, honey,” he said, raising my hand above my head to spin me around. “Look at you.”

“It’s not too overdone, do you think?” I looked down at the marshmallow skirt.

“No, you look perfect.” He kissed my cheek. “You’re so grown up, so before your time.” He stopped then with a slight sigh. “I’m proud of you, Ara-Rose—and your mother—” Dad touched my inherited veil, “—I know she’d be proud of you too.”

I nodded, looking down at Dad’s hand holding mine.

“You know you’re supposed to take your engagement ring off when you get married. It goes on in front of your wedding ring after the ceremony.”

“Really? Well, here, hold on to it for me.”

He placed my ruby ring in his top pocket with a little pat. “Are you ready?” he asked softly.

Ready? I wasn’t sure if that was the right word. I inhaled a deep, shaky-yet-excited breath, and let it out in a gust. “No! Wait. I forgot my bouquet.” I spun on my heel, hitched my dress up at the front, feeling it swish around the tops of my feet as I bolted back to my room. The warmth of my yellow walls greeted me with the sun’s smile as I burst through the door and grabbed the lone bouquet sitting on the table.

But, as I turned to walk away, a wave of nostalgia hit me. I took two slow steps back to where my bed used to be, and let my arms fall to my sides.

It was so empty in here now. The crystals that once cast rainbows from the sun were all gone, so too were the photos on the walls, and the innocence of childhood. They were all just a memory now, and it felt strange to be saying goodbye to a place that’d been such a big part of my life, for such a short time. Despite the pain I suffered here, what I was leaving behind today were mostly fond memories.

Then, as I turned to walk away again, a splash of a forbidden colour caught my eye—resting in the hinge of the old mirror.

One single red rose.

Breathless, bonded to the spot, I could no longer feel my arms or lips—my thumping heart was all that existed. No one would have put that there. I was very clear. There were to be no red roses around today.