Waiting for Dusk by Nancy Pennick Page A

was a garment
bag lying on her bed. She opened the flap, and saw the most
beautiful dress. It was a dark sapphire blue. It had a striking
pattern of matching color beads on it. It looked as if Tinker Bell
had sprinkled pixie dust over the dress. She slipped it on and ran
out into the hallway.
    Ruthie was standing there. “Kathryn, you are
stunning! Come in Lucinda’s room. They have a large mirror set up
in there.”
    Loretta was already in the room and trying on
shoes. “Here is your headband, Kathryn.” She handed a matching blue
velvet band to Katie. It had a cluster of orange blossoms attached
to it. She went to the mirror and put it on. Loretta came over,
took it off and pulled Katie’s hair back. She pulled a few wisps of
hair forward. “We can curl these into ringlets around your face.
I’ll take these two front pieces and tie them back here.” She
touched the back of Katie’s head. “The rest of your hair will just
hang down your back in curls. Is that alright?”
    Katie could only nod because she felt like
she was staring at the girl in the wedding photo she found in the
attic.
    Lucinda turned to look at the girls. “What do
you think?”
    Katie thought that Lucinda was beautiful in
her gorgeous wedding dress. It was an off the shoulder satin dress
that went all the way to the floor. She wore a veil with yards of
dreamy silk tulle, sprinkled with wax orange blossoms and velvet
leaves.
    “You are absolutely beautiful, Lucinda!”
Loretta covered her mouth.
    “And you all look beautiful, too!” Lucinda
exclaimed. “The dresses are just right. My wedding is going to be
all blue and white just like the Arizona sky. You know I ordered
bright blue sky and those huge puffy white clouds for my wedding
day.”
    Katie tried to picture it all. It would be
quite a wedding. It might be the social event of the year, just
like Lucinda wanted. Where does it go from there? Has Lucinda
thought that far ahead?
    Lucinda’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
    “There are going to be white flowers
everywhere, orange blossoms and white roses. Father Hasting is
having them shipped in. He’s also putting up a huge tent on the
property. Henry and I will be married outside in a white gazebo
just at the edge of the garden. There will be white covered chairs
for the guests inside a huge tent. Isn’t it dreamy?”
    Yeah, it’s dreamy alright, Katie
thought. I don’t even know what a dream is anymore and what
isn’t.
    The picture she recently saw explained a
lot–the dresses, the veil– but she hadn’t known the details of the
wedding. She put her hand to her head.
    Loretta ran over to Katie. “Are you
alright?”
    “I think it’s just a headache. Too much
excitement for one day,” Katie lied.
    “Then you should go rest,” Lucinda chimed in.
“But before you do, I have something for you. Kathryn... Loretta.”
She placed pearl chokers in their hands. “Please accept this gift
from me and wear these on my wedding day.”
    “Thank you, Lucinda. They’re lovely,” Katie
managed to say.
    “Here’s my gift from Henry.” She took out
another pearl choker from the box. It had a large blue sapphire in
the center and the pearls were attached to it. It was just like in
the picture.
    Ruthie and Molly looked at each other, eyes
opened wide. Kathryn realized that all this jewelry was the real
thing. These Hastings didn’t mess around. She left the room and
headed for her own.
    Anna was in the kitchen as Katie walked by.
“You need any help?”
    “Yes,” was all Katie could say.
    Anna came into Katie’s room. “Now what’s
going on with you and Mr. Andrew? Is this serious? I really do like
him. He would be a good catch.”
    A good catch? “Anna, what are you talking
about?”
    “Hasn’t he told you?” Anna replied.
    “Told me what?”
    “His family owns a large men’s clothing store
in New York City. Haven’t you heard of Martin’s Menswear? Andrew’s
father, Nicolas, is a famous men’s designer. His