Thirty-Six Wedding Lanterns All For My Younger Sister Chapter 07
My brother came in and looked around the room himself.
Then he waved the whole thing off.
“She didn’t take anything. What does that tell you?”
Chloe frowned.
“What?”
“It tells you she’s going straight to the hotel tomorrow. What else would it mean? You people must have nothing better to do in the middle of the night. I’m going back to bed.”
He took Chloe by the arm.
“And you. Weren’t you the one who said you wanted to be the most beautiful bride tomorrow? If you don’t get some sleep, you’re going to have bags under your eyes in every wedding photo.”
Mom went back to bed too. Before leaving, she glanced at Dad stretched out on the couch.
“You’re not coming?”
Dad waved her away.
“I’ll sleep here. Just in case she comes back in the morning.”
By early morning, everyone was dressed and ready.
The wedding party’s cars lined the curb outside the house, and the thirty-six mason-jar wedding lanterns wrapped in ivory ribbon were arranged along the driveway. Neighbors came out to watch the
—
festivities.
The street filled with cheers and celebratory car horns.
Mom and Dad were busy handing out wedding favors and wrapped chocolates when someone suddenly asked, “Wait, isn’t Maya getting married today too? Where’s her wedding party?”
Another neighbor craned her neck toward the house.
“Where is Maya? Why hasn’t she come out?”
Mom glanced at my empty room and answered awkwardly, “They’re doing everything at the venue, so they skipped the send-off from the house. Maya’s already at the hotel.”
Everyone set off for the hotel together.
A digital wedding directory in the lobby cycled through the couples’ names.
[Evan Brooks & Chloe Bennett]
[Miles Donovan & Rachel Monroe]
Mom didn’t follow the others into Ballroom A, where Chloe’s wedding was being held. Instead, she went straight to the front desk.
“Is there a mistake on your wedding directory?”
The young woman behind the desk looked confused and quickly checked the event list.
“No, ma’am. Everything here is correct.”
Mom slapped her palm against the counter.
—
“It can’t be. Chloe Bennett is the bride in Ballroom A, and Maya Bennett is supposed to be in Ballroom B. So who is Rachel Monroe?”
The front desk clerk finally understood.
“Oh, you mean Ballroom B. Maya Bennett’s wedding was canceled a week ago.”
“Rachel Monroe’s wedding was added at the last minute.”
“What?”
Mom staggered backward, and Dad, who had come looking for her, caught her.
“What happened?”
My brother walked over as well, his expression dark.
“Mom, Dad, don’t you think Maya’s taking this too far? We still can’t even reach her.”
Mom opened her mouth but couldn’t find anything to say.
Chloe appeared in her white wedding gown and twirled in front of them.
“Well? How do I look?”
Mom grabbed her wrist.
“Stop spinning. You’re making me dizzy.”
Trying to be helpful, the front desk clerk repeated what she’d just explained.
—
“Maya Bennett’s wedding in Ballroom B was canceled a week ago, and Rachel Monroe’s was added at the last minute. May I ask who you are?”
Chloe froze.
“Maya… canceled her wedding?”
When she saw the grim expressions on everyone’s faces, irritation crept into her own.
“If she canceled it, that’s her problem. I’m the one getting married today. Can everyone please try to be happy for me?”
“Can you please not let all this with her affect my wedding?”
Dad looked at her quietly.
“You’re not worried about your sister at all?”
Chloe sighed.
“She made her own choice. What does that have to do with me?”
“I don’t care. The wedding’s about to start. Come inside.”
My brother was silent for a moment before helping Mom and Dad toward Ballroom A.
“All our friends and relatives are here. Chloe’s wedding comes first.”
“We’ll talk about Maya after the wedding.”