Wedding Bell Blues

by Jill Santopolo

  “We do?” Suzy and Aly said at the same time.

  “You do,” Joan affirmed. “I need two people to be in charge of meeting Ralph and his driver and bringing them to the kitchen, where all the leftover food is going to be waiting at the end of the reception. Can you two handle that?”

  Aly was nodding before Joan had finished talking. “Absolutely!”

  “We can handle that,” Suzy said.

  Joan tucked Aly’s hair behind her ear. “I’m so glad you came up with this solution. I wasn’t all that happy about having a wedding without you in it, kiddo.”

  “And Suzy,” Aly added “She came up with the solution too.”

  “You’re right,” Joan said. “That was great thinking, Suzy.”

  “I know. I always have the best ideas,” Suzy said.

  nine

  Inktastic

  We never made our nail polish plan on Saturday. For Joan and Uncle Isaac’s wedding.”

  Without even looking up from her homework, Aly knew who was walking—and, of course, talking—through the Sparkle Spa door. She was expecting customers in the next half hour, but not Suzy this early after school.

  “I know, Suzy, I know.” Aly had realized that herself right when they’d gotten home from the bridal shop, since she was the one who had to roll the heavy suitcase back inside. “Now that we’re junior bridesmaids, are we still stylists?” Aly asked.

  Suzy shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”

  “Me neither,” Brooke said from Sparkly’s corner. She was giving him an after-school snack.

  Brooke walked over to polish wall. “You know, I was thinking we should make up a special occasion manicure for Joan’s wedding.”

  Suzy rolled her eyes. “Special occasion manicures are—”

  “Don’t you dare say ‘dumb,’ Suzy Davis!” Brooke warned.

  Aly knew Suzy was absolutely about to say “dumb,” and she was glad Brooke had stopped her. “What did you have in mind?” Aly asked her sister.

  “Well, I was thinking two colors,” Brooke answered. “Heather and I could wear every other finger Pretty in Pink and Turquoise Delight, and you two could wear every other finger Inktastic and Turquoise Delight, so that it matches both of your dresses.”

  “Sounds pretty,” Aly told Brooke. “What about toes?” All four girls would be wearing sandals for the wedding.

  “What if I wear turquoise on my toes and you wear black?” Suzy said to Aly.

  Aly nodded. “I like it. And Heather can wear pink, and Brooke turquoise.”

  “Perfect,” Brooke said.

  Aly grabbed all the color choices from the polish wall. They looked awesome together—all were sparkly, and the pink and turquoise were super bright.

  “Joan’s going to love this plan,” Aly said.

  “Uncle Isaac, too,” Suzy added.

  Aly wasn’t so sure that Isaac would really care about their polish colors, but she kept that opinion to herself.

  “Okay,” Aly said, “the only thing left is our hair.”

  Suzy pulled a small stack of papers out of her backpack. It looked like she’d printed them off a computer. “I brought some pictures of sparkly headbands and hair clips. I figured we don’t have to match, since Brooke and Heather won’t. Plus, our dresses are different colors anyway.”

  Aly scanned the pages that Suzy spread out on the table in the waiting area. She saw:

  • A headband with sparkles all around

  • One with a big sparkly flower that matched their sashes

  • One with dangly sparkles

  • A clip with three sparkly flowers

  • Another clip with a sparkly heart

  Brooke was peering over Suzy’s shoulder. “Sparkles all around is a good choice. Or the sparkle heart clip.”

  “Not the flowers?” Aly asked.

  Brooke shook her head. “You don’t want too many flowers,” she said. “It’s too much matching if you have flowers on your waist and in your hair.”

  “That makes sense,” Aly agreed.

  Suzy squinted at Brooke. “It actually does.”

  “So, Suzy, are you thinking headband or clip?”

  “Headband,” Suzy said.

  Aly smiled. “I was thinking clip.”

  Suzy circled their choices “I’ll order them. Now we just have to wait three more weeks to wear them.”

  Everything was going so well between Aly and Suzy—like they were almost real friends—that it kind of worried Aly. Did that mean something bad was going to happen at the wedding?

  ten

  I Love Blue, Too

  Three weeks later Brooke bounced onto Aly’s bed. “It’s wedding day!” she sang.

  The day before, Aly had polished Brooke’s and Suzy’s nails. Brooke had polished Aly’s and ­Heather’s. All four girls had even taken pictures of their sparkly fingers and toes.

  After Aly woke up and Brooke stopped bouncing, the girls headed downstairs for breakfast. In the kitchen Joan, Mom, and Joan’s three bridesmaids were sitting at the kitchen table. Michelle was Joan’s roommate from college, Julia was her cousin, and Rachel was Isaac’s sister, which also made her Suzy Davis’s aunt. Mom was giving them each a manicure.

  “Want some help?” Aly asked.

  “Oh, could you?” Joan answered.

  “Of course. Anything for the bride!” Aly said, sticking two pieces of bread in the toaster—one for her and one for Brooke. “What do you need?”

  “My toes,” Joan said. “Your mom polished them in white yesterday, but then I remembered I needed something blue for good luck. Would you switch it to I Love Blue, Too? Your mom ran to the salon this morning to pick it up for me.”

  “It’s in my purse, Aly,” Mom said as she applied a coat of clear polish to Michelle’s fingernails.

  After eating her toast and putting on latex gloves so the polish remover wouldn’t ruin her own manicure, Aly took off Joan’s old polish and repainted her toenails in blue.

  “How’s that?” Aly asked when she finished.

  “I couldn’t have done it better myself, kiddo,” Joan said.

  Aly screwed the cap back on the top coat bottle, then took off her gloves. “I love that I got to do this for you on your wedding day,” she told Joan. “And that I get to be in your wedding.”

  “Me too, Aly,” Joan said, giving her a hug. “And I love how those alternating-color manicures came out on all you girls.”

  Aly waved her fingers in the air and smiled. “Thank you,” she said.

  “You’re welcome,” Joan answered. “Now go get dressed for my wedding!”

  A few hours later the Tanners were on their way to Francie’s, one of the nicest restaurants in town that also hosted special events. On the drive over Aly and Brooke didn’t move a muscle, not wanting to mess up their nails, hairdos, or new dresses. Dad couldn’t believe how beautiful Mom looked and that Brooke was silent for the entire car ride.

  When Brooke and Aly walked through the front doors of Francie’s, Suzy Davis was there to greet them. “Hurry up, you two. We have to be ready before the other guests arrive.” Suzy was going to do their makeup there, and there wasn’t a minute to waste.

  “You both look fantastic!” Brooke said to Heather and Suzy. “I love the silver eye shadow, Heather.”

  The girls rushed into the ladies’ room, and Suzy quickly worked her makeup magic on the sisters. Aly kept staring at herself in the mirror, hardly recognizing how grown up she looked. Suzy was talented—there was no denying it.

  “Thanks, groomsgirl,” Aly said with a wink at Suzy.

  Fifteen minutes later the bridal party was lined up, waiting to walk down the aisle. Isaac would be first, followed by Aly and Suzy. The bridesmaids and groomsmen were next in line, with Aly’s mom, as matron of honor, and Suzy’s dad, as best man, walking together. Jonah, the three-year-old son of one of Isaac’s friends, would bring the wedding rings. Next were Brooke and Heather, and then finally, it would be the bride’s turn: Joan wal
king down the aisle with her parents on each side of her.

  Aly couldn’t believe how nervous she was. “I think I have to pee,” she whispered to Suzy.

  “You do not have to pee,” Suzy whispered back. “You just peed ninety seconds ago.”

  It was true; Aly had just gotten back from the bathroom.

  “You’re just nervous,” Suzy continued. “It’s going to be fine. Stop worrying.”

  Aly tried to stop worrying, but there were so many people there and her dress was so long. What if she tripped? Aly took a deep breath.

  “Seriously,” Suzy said, “whatever it is you’re worried about probably won’t happen.”

  “I’m worried I’ll trip,” Aly told her.

  “Want to know a trick my mom taught me about that?” Suzy said.

  Aly nodded. Why didn’t her mom teach her a trick?

  “You hold your skirt a little off the floor, like this.” Suzy demonstrated by pinching just a little part of her skirt, right where her hand fell against her leg, and lifting it a tiny bit. “Now you won’t trip.”

  Aly tried it, and it made her feel much calmer. Then the music started.

  Suzy tugged Aly’s arm, and they were walking down the aisle. Every guest was taking pictures. Aly was smiling her biggest smile and admiring all of the flowers strung along the sides of the chairs. She felt herself wobble a little, but she held tightly to Suzy.

  “Nice job not falling,” Suzy hissed through her smile.

  After what seemed like the longest walk of Aly’s life, the girls finally got to the front of the aisle. Aly forked to the left, Suzy to the right, and each stood on opposite sides of the judge, where they watched the rest of the wedding party come down the aisle.

  Everyone laughed when Brooke started waving as she and Heather walked together. My sister doesn’t have a nervous bone in her body, Aly thought.

  An old Beatles song started playing. Joan appeared. Aly knew it was Joan, but she didn’t look anything like the manicurist and baker Aly saw every day. She looked completely transformed. Her dress was a princess-style ball gown covered in beads and lace. A long veil flowed behind her as she walked. Or floated, it seemed.

  “Oooh,” everyone said, including Aly.

  Joan and Isaac looked at each other like they were the only two people in the room. Brooke sent Aly a Secret Sister Message: Isn’t this amazing? Aly started to send one back, but she couldn’t . . . she had started crying. She gazed out at the guests and realized she wasn’t alone: It looked like everyone was crying happy tears.

  Aly glanced over at Suzy. Even she had tears on her cheeks, and Aly wasn’t surprised one little bit.

  eleven

  Good Knight

  After the ceremony there was a cocktail hour, followed by dinner and dancing. Brooke and Aly made sure to dance to every single song they possibly could, including the last one—another old Beatles tune during which they danced with their mom and dad, all as a group, sort of like a big, swaying hug.

  Halfway through, Dad turned and kissed Mom.

  “Ew,” Brooke said.

  But Aly thought it was nice that her parents liked to kiss each other.

  At the end of the song the best man started tapping a water glass with a spoon. Other guests joined in, and then Isaac leaned over and kissed Joan.

  “Double ew,” Brooke said.

  Mom put her arm around Brooke’s shoulders. “One day soon I bet you won’t think it’s quite so gross. Right, Al?”

  Aly smiled. She liked being counted as a grown-up.

  A grown-up! That made Aly remember that she and Suzy were in charge of helping Ralph with the food donation.

  “I’ve got to go prep for Rock & Wrap It Up,” she said hurriedly. “See you later.” Then she took off to find Suzy.

  The two girls waited outside Francie’s until the truck arrived. They led Ralph and his driver, Ari, back to the kitchen.

  “Do you need some help carrying the food?” Aly asked when she saw all the trays, boxes, and bags lining the counter.

  “Actually,” Ralph said, “that would be great.”

  “Aly,” Suzy hissed. “We’ll ruin our dresses.”

  But Aly ignored her. She picked up a box full of crackers and a bag full of rolls. “Come on, Suzy,” she said.

  Suzy huffed, but then she hoisted a crate of broccoli and followed Ralph to the truck. “I can’t believe I’m spending my uncle’s wedding carrying broccoli to a truck,” she grumbled.

  “Stop it,” Aly said. “The wedding is basically over, and this will only take five minutes. Besides, I think it’s pretty awesome that Isaac and Joan are doing this. So many people who might not have enough food to eat are going to get a lot now.”

  “I guess you’re right,” Suzy said. “That is pretty cool.”

  “And it’s cool that we got to be junior bridesmaids,” Aly added. “And groomsgirls.”

  Suzy slid the crate she was carrying onto the truck. “And that we got to do this together.”

  Aly looked at Suzy, narrowing her eyes. “Have we become friends?” she asked.

  At the beginning of the school year—or even two months ago—Aly never would have believed that she could be friends with mean Suzy Davis. But now, even though Suzy was still kind of prickly and spoke her mind all the time, Aly had grown to appreciate her. She appreciated her ideas and the way she kept at something until she was happy with the way it turned out. And it also turned out that she and Suzy weren’t a bad team.

  “I think we have,” Suzy answered, helping Aly stuff her load into the truck.

  “Hmm,” Aly said. “I think I like that.”

  “I think I do too,” Suzy said. She gave Aly a high five.

  Just then Isaac called out, “Don’t move!” He pulled a small digital camera from his pocket and snapped their picture. “That’s a great image to include in our wedding album.” He showed them the photo of their nail polish shimmering against the Good Knight–colored sky.

  “You know what I realized, Aly?” he said. “This day never would have happened if it weren’t for the Sparkle Spa. It wasn’t until I came in to take pictures for Paws for Love’s Adoption Day that I realized how special Joan was. So, really, I have you and the ­Sparkle Spa to thank for this wedding.”

  Aly smiled. It turned out the Sparkle Spa was even more awesome than she and Brooke had ever imagined it could be.

  How to Give Yourself (or a Friend!) a Wedding Bells Pedicure

  By Aly (and Brooke!)

  What you need:

  Paper towels

  Polish remover

  Cotton balls

  (Or you can just use more paper towels.)

  Clear polish

  Two colorful polishes

  (Any two colors will work fine, but we like it best when the colors are very different, like pink and turquoise or purple and yellow.)

  What you do:

  1. Place some paper towels on the floor—or wherever you’re going to put your feet—so you don’t have to worry if the nail polish doesn’t do a good job of going where you mean for it to go. (The only exception to this rule is if you’re polishing your toes outside on the grass. But even then someone might get mad if the grass turns colors.)

  2. Take a cotton ball or a folded-up paper towel and put some polish remover on it. If you have polish on your toes already, use enough to get it off. If you don’t, just rub the remover over your nails once to get off any dirt that might be on there. (Because dirt is . . . dirty!) Also, the nail polish stays better when you do this before polishing. (We have no idea why.)

  3. Rip off two more paper towels. Roll the first one into a tube and twist it so it stays that way. Then weave it back and forth between your toes to separate them a little bit more. After that, do the same thing with the second paper towel for your other foot. You might need to tuck it in around your pinkie toe if it pops up and gets in your way while you polish—you can also cut the paper towel to make it shorter if you want. (Aly doesn’t like ripp
ing it, because sometimes too much gets ripped, but I think it’s fine to do that.)

  4. Open up your clear polish and paint a coat on each nail. Then close the bottle up tight. (You can do any order, but Aly usually starts with my big toes and works her way to my pinkies.)

  5. Open up the first colored polish. Use it to polish the big toe, middle toe, and pinkie toe on your left foot. Then use it to polish the second and fourth toes on your right foot. Put the cap back on tight. (Tight is important, just in case your polish tips over.)

  6. Open up the second colored polish. Use it to polish the big toe, middle toe, and pinkie toe on your right foot. Then use it to polish the second and fourth toes on your left foot. (Basically, just polish the toes with no polish on them! Aly makes it so complicated.) Put the cap back on tight.

  7. Repeat step five.

  8. Repeat step six.

  9. Blow on your toes or just let them dry for, like, a minute. Then open up your clear polish. Do a top coat of clear polish on all your toes. Close the bottle up tight. (Remember: tight!)

  10. Your toes have to dry. You can fan them for a long time, or sit and make a bracelet or read a book or watch TV or talk to your friend (or sister!) until you’re all dry. Usually it takes about twenty minutes, but it could take longer. (Which is why we try to find fun things to do while our nails dry. Otherwise, sitting in one place for twenty minutes is bor-ing.)

  Now you should have a beautiful wedding bells pedicure! Even after the polish is dry, you probably shouldn’t wear socks and sneaker-type shoes for a while. Bare feet or sandals are better so all your hard work doesn’t get smooshed. (And so you can show off your two-toned toes!)

  Happy polishing!

  JILL SANTOPOLO is a big fan of sparkles. She’s also a big fan of sisters. And spas. And writing. In addition to the Sparkle Spa books, she’s the author of the Alec Flint Mysteries. You can find her online at www.jillsantopolo.com. Or you can find her in person in New York City, where she likes getting her nails painted with Good as Gold nail polish.