Sierra Jensen Collection, Vol 2

by Robin Jones Gunn

Again Sierra and Katie exchanged glances. Then Sierra and Christy looked at each other.

  “I need to finish getting ready for the rehearsal,” Christy said. “I have to leave in less than an hour.”

  “My foot has been kind of sore,” Katie said.

  Sierra felt a tightening in her chest. She didn’t want to go with Marti, someone she didn’t particularly enjoy, on this stressful mission. Sierra knew if Doug and Tracy’s wedding was anything like her brother Cody’s, they couldn’t even open the present until after they came back from their honeymoon. She was certain the salad plates would not be missed.

  “Can’t you ask the store to deliver them?” Sierra asked calmly. “I mean, didn’t they deliver the rest of the china to Tracy’s house? They should be able to deliver the salad plates, too. If not today, then certainly by tomorrow.”

  “That’s right,” Katie said, “And tell them to do a gift wrap.”

  Marti’s worry-creased forehead began to smooth out. “I think you’re right. Why should I have to pick up the salad plates? The store made the mistake, not me. I’m going to call them right back and tell them exactly that.”

  She breezed out of the room, leaving Katie, Christy, and Sierra to exchange glances.

  “Yep,” Katie said, stretching her hands behind her head. “Like I was saying, I hope you and your mother have a delightful time in the Alps with Aunt Marti. You couldn’t pay Sierra or me to endure that nonstop for a week.”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Sierra said. “Maybe if the price was right.”

  There was a tap on the door.

  “Come in,” Christy called out.

  Uncle Bob poked his head around the open door. “Everybody decent?”

  “Yes.”

  “Christy, Todd’s here.”

  “Already? We’re not supposed to leave for almost another hour.”

  “Well, it seems he hasn’t purchased a wedding gift yet, and he thought maybe you could go shopping with him before the rehearsal.”

  Katie started to giggle. “Tell him to get on the phone with Marti right now, and he can chip in for some lovely salad plates. Or maybe the matching gravy boat hasn’t been purchased yet.”

  “Katie, be nice,” Christy said. “Uncle Bob, could you please tell Todd I’ll be ready in about fifteen minutes, but we’ll have to go shopping for a present tomorrow morning.”

  “Got it,” Bob said, bowing like a gracious butler.

  “Oh, wait!” Christy said. “What’s Todd wearing?”

  “Standard apparel for a beach bum.”

  “I was afraid of that. Could you also remind him this is a dressy occasion? He probably should go home to change.”

  “As you wish,” Bob said with a smile, closing the door behind him.

  “He’s been to weddings before,” Christy muttered, bending over and lowering her head so that her damp hair hung almost to the floor. She began to vigorously brush the underside. “I can’t believe he thought he could show up in shorts and flip-flops.”

  “Are you sure it’s formal?” Katie said. “My brother’s wedding rehearsal was very casual.” Before Sierra or Christy could comment, Katie answered herself. “But then my brother got married in a park in Reno, and the rehearsal dinner was at the Blackjack Buffet at the Starlight Motel.”

  Sierra started to laugh. “Are you serious?”

  Katie nodded but didn’t elaborate. Sierra decided it was best not to laugh.

  Bob tapped again on the door and entered. “Mission accomplished,” he said. “Todd will be back in forty-five minutes with bells on.”

  “Bells?” Christy questioned. “I’ll be happy if he manages to find a pair of dress slacks and a clean shirt.” Turning to Sierra and Katie, she said, “Is that too much to ask?”

  Neither of them dared to answer.

  Uncle Bob left, and Christy went to work on her makeup while Katie and Sierra discussed Christy’s outfit options for the evening. They finally agreed on a simple short skirt and a different top than the one Sierra had ironed. It was a nice basic outfit that Katie convinced Christy would work well with either a casual or dressy escort.

  Sierra admired Christy’s calm response to everything that had been thrown at her all afternoon. She looked like the picture of repose and sweetness as she leaned toward the bathroom mirror to run the mascara brush over her eyelashes. Sierra wanted to be like that. Mild-mannered and happy in a deep, settled way.

  “What are you two going to do all night?” Christy asked.

  “Oh, we thought we would go Rollerblading,” Katie joked. “Then maybe do a little jogging along the beach. Maybe join the neighborhood kids for some street hockey. You know, the usual.”

  Christy laughed. “Well, whatever you do, have fun.” She swished out the door, leaving a faint scent of green-apple hair spray behind her.

  “So what do you want to do?” Sierra asked Katie.

  “I don’t know. What do you want to do?”

  Sierra laughed. “You know, we’re pathetic.”

  “No we’re not. Let’s talk Bob into taking us somewhere.”

  “Okay. Where?”

  “I don’t care. Any place that doesn’t discriminate against one-legged redheads.”

  Sierra laughed. “Come on. Let’s go coax him together. I have a feeling you have more experience at this than I do.”

  “You know it,” Katie said, reaching for her crutches. “Come with me, Sierra, and I shall teach you the fine art of persuasion. Our target is the shy and unsuspecting Uncle Bob.”

  SIERRA TURNED OVER and pulled the covers up to her chin. She wiggled her feet and tried to get comfortable. The dark guest room was quiet except for the gentle ruffle of Katie’s breathing.

  It was after midnight, but Christy wasn’t back yet. Sierra felt like a mother hen, worrying about her. Was she with Todd? Where they discussing her choice about school in Switzerland? Or was the wedding party playing some more practical jokes on Doug and Tracy?

  Sierra and Katie had spent an uneventful evening going out to dinner with Bob and Marti and coming back to their house to watch TV. Apparently, Katie’s art of persuasion was still in the training stages when it came to Uncle Bob. Of course, he was affected by Marti, who was still anxious about the wedding. She had spent most of dinner thinking of things they should worry about just in case no one else had thought of them yet. Marti had gone so far as to worry whether the air-conditioning would be turned on inside the reception hall so the cake wouldn’t get mushy and tumble over.

  Katie and Sierra had headed upstairs to bed at eleven o’clock, but since they had slept in so late that morning, Sierra couldn’t sleep now. She thought about Amy and wondered what was happening with Nathan. Sierra hoped that Amy had listened to her message and would understand what she was trying to say.

  What concerned Sierra most was that Amy’s parents were having marriage difficulties, which seemed to make Amy eager for attention and love. Sierra hoped Amy wouldn’t compromise her standards with a guy like Nathan in order to get the affection she craved.

  Sierra heard soft footsteps coming up the stairs. The door opened slowly, and Christy tiptoed into the room.

  “It’s okay,” Sierra whispered. “I’m still awake. Katie’s asleep, but I don’t think you could wake her if you tried. How did everything go?”

  Christy followed the dim glow of the night-light and sat on the edge of Sierra’s bed.

  “It went well,” she whispered. “I think everything will go smoothly tomorrow. It was so sweet when we were practicing and the pastor reached the part ‘you may kiss the bride.’ Doug took Tracy in his arms, and I thought he was going to kiss her! But he just looked into her eyes about an inch away from her face. I mean to tell you, Sierra, it was about the most romantic, totally make-you-melt scene in the world. Then I heard him whisper to her, ‘Tomorrow, my love. Tomorrow’”.

  Sierra smiled in the darkness. “This first-kiss pledge is really a huge thing for Doug, isn’t it?”

  “I think it
’s become a huge thing for all of us. Doug is sort of our group’s symbol of purity. If he had kissed her tonight, I think I would have been mad at him. They would have come so close to their goal and then missed it by a few hours.”

  “Christy,” Sierra said slowly, “is it strange for you to see Doug and Tracy getting married since you used to date Doug?”

  “No.” Christy paused before she continued. “In some ways, it doesn’t seem like I ever dated Doug. I mean, he was more my friend, my buddy. We did a lot of things together, and I know he enjoyed being with me, but there wasn’t any twinkle dust between us.”

  “Twinkle dust?”

  Christy quietly giggled. “I don’t know what else to call it. Sometimes when I look at Todd, it’s as if God sprinkled a handful of golden glitter in the air that hangs between us. Nobody can see it but us. It connects us—strongly. I know there is twinkle dust between Doug and Tracy. They are going to be very happy together.”

  “Does that mean Tracy got over being mad at Doug about what happened last night?”

  “I think so. She was pretty mad, though. I heard him say again tonight to his mom that his days of boyish pranks are over.”

  “Katie will be glad to hear that,” Sierra said.

  “I think you’re right.” A yawn escaped from Christy. “I’d better let you get some sleep,” she said. “Sweet dreams.”

  She rose and headed into the bathroom, quietly closing the door. Sierra drew back the cover because now she was too warm.

  Twinkle dust, she thought. I like that

  A contented smile rested on her lips as she drifted off to sleep. It seemed she couldn’t stop smiling the next morning either. It didn’t matter that Aunt Marti was in a high-strung tizzy over her worries. When Christy left to go shopping with Todd, it didn’t bother Sierra to stay behind with Katie. Nor did it seem irritating that Katie, who was more uncomfortable today, kept asking Sierra to do little things for her. Sierra felt happy—happy deep down. She thought about Tracy all morning and wondered if she was feeling immensely joyful or if she was being driven crazy by everyone and everything.

  Sierra thought nothing could rob her of all this happiness. After taking a long shower, she stepped into the room with a towel wrapped around her, ready to put on the one nice outfit she had brought along for the wedding.

  Katie, who was standing by the bed where Sierra had laid out her outfit, immediately said, “I’m sorry, Sierra. It was an accident.”

  “What was an accident?”

  “Your skirt. It got caught on the bottom of my crutch, and when I pulled it away, it ripped in three different directions. I’m so sorry. I don’t think it can be fixed. Do you have anything else to wear?”

  Sierra rushed over and examined the thin gauze skirt. She felt an angry frustration surging inside. First Amy had ripped her blue skirt and now this.

  “No,” she said sharply, “this is all I brought.”

  She had thrown in plenty of casual clothes when she had packed in her flurry, but she hadn’t thought through her need for dressy outfits. Her thoughts had been fixed on her visit here at Easter when all she needed were shorts and sweatshirts.

  “I feel awful,” Katie said.

  “Maybe I can sew it,” Sierra suggested. Whenever she had thought about Doug and Tracy’s wedding during the past few weeks, this was the outfit she had pictured herself wearing. It truly reflected her personality.

  “I don’t think there’s time. Christy left with Todd while you were in the shower, and Marti said she wanted to leave early. I told her you weren’t ready, so she went with Todd and Christy. Bob is downstairs waiting for us.”

  “What time is it?” Sierra asked.

  “It’s almost six o’clock.”

  “The wedding isn’t until seven,” Sierra said, examining the huge rip more closely. She knew gauze wasn’t the sturdiest fabric, but still, why did all her clothes have to get ruined? She had only so many favorites.

  “I know, but I’m supposed to be there early to stand by the guest book. Are you sure you don’t have anything else you could wear?”

  “I’m sure,” Sierra said. It was depressing to realize how important her style had become to her and how devastated she felt when that foundation was rocked.

  “This is all I brought,” Katie said, looking down at her simple, forest-green dress. “Maybe Christy has something. Check her suitcase.”

  “I couldn’t borrow her clothes,” Sierra said.

  “Don’t worry. She’ll understand.”

  She may understand, but I won’t be me if I’m dressed like Christy. You’re the one who doesn’t understand, Katie, Sierra fumed silently.

  Katie hobbled over to Christy’s suitcase and bent down to open it. “Look, here’s a dress right on top. Try this on. It might be a little big on you, but it’s better than a pair of shorts, which is all I have to offer you.”

  Sierra took one look at the dress and tried not to grimace. It was fine for Christy, but definitely not something Sierra would ever choose to wear in public.

  “I don’t know,” Sierra said, stalling.

  “We don’t have any other options,” Katie said, rifling through Christy’s clothes.

  Sierra looked at her skirt again and wondered if she could turn the tear to the back or to the side. Then it wouldn’t be so obvious.

  Why am I being so stubborn about this? I’m not usually obsessed with clothes. Am I?

  It occurred to Sierra that her trademark had been her distinctive outfits. In England, it had been her dad’s old cowboy boots. Even Paul had commented on them. No one referred to her as “the young one” but as “the girl with the creative clothes.” When she had met Amy the first day of school, they were drawn together by their similar outfits and their love of shopping at thrift stores and vintage shops. Sierra’s clothes had become her identity.

  A friendly tap sounded on the bedroom door, “How’s it going in there, ladies?” Bob asked through the closed door. “We should be heading over there now.”

  Sierra looked at Katie and then at the dress.

  “We’re coming,” she called to Bob.

  She scooped up the dress and returned to the bathroom. Two minutes later, humbled and still a little frustrated, Sierra emerged wearing Christy’s dress.

  “You look adorable,” Katie said with a congenial grin.

  “My worst nightmare is that I would grow up to look adorable,” Sierra said, shaking her wet locks. “Let me grab some jewelry and my shoes.”

  “What about your hair?” Katie asked.

  “What about it?”

  “You don’t need to dry it or anything?”

  “Nope. This is as good as it gets. I gave up on it long ago.”

  “I love your hair,” Katie said. “It’s like the symbol of a free-spirited woman.”

  Sierra had to laugh. Here she had thought her trademark was her clothes. “I’m a free-spirited woman who happens to be wearing a frilly little dress. Is there something wrong with this picture?”

  Katie kept assuring Sierra she looked fine. All the way to the church, Katie talked about how if there was one thing she had learned in life, it was that your true friends love you no matter what. And the only people who qualify for true, true friends are those who pay attention to what a person is like on the inside.

  “I think you’re right, Katie,” Bob agreed. He pulled out an index card from the black leather daily planner on the seat next to him. “Sounds a little like my quote for the week. Do you want to hear it? This is by Augustine: ’O soul, He only who created thee can satisfy thee. If thou ask for anything else, it is thy misfortune, for He alone who made thee in His image can satisfy thee.’ That’s rich, isn’t it?”

  “Read it again,” Katie said.

  Bob glanced from the road to the card and back to the road.

  “Wait,” Katie said. “Maybe you’d better read it, Sierra.”

  She was sitting next to Bob in the front seat. He handed her the card, and she read
the quote.

  “It’s true, you know,” Bob said when she finished. “It was my misfortune to spend nearly half a century looking for anything and everything that might satisfy me. I know now that only God can fill an empty soul.”

  For a quiet moment, Sierra and Katie absorbed his wisdom.

  “Here we are,” Bob said, breaking the serious moment as he pulled into the church parking lot. “This is the first wedding I’ve gone to as a believer.”

  They got out of the car, and, still smiling, Bob added, “I think I’m more excited about this wedding than anyone else is.”

  “Oh, don’t count on it,” Katie said, motioning to the steady stream of cars pouring into the parking lot. “This is going to be a wedding worth remembering.”

  I’ll remember it, all right, Sierra thought ruefully. I’ll always remember this as the wedding I went to in a borrowed dress.

  AS SOON AS SIERRA, Bob, and Katie reached the front of the church, it became obvious Katie was late for her job as guest-book attendant. People were lined up to sign the book, and Marti was accommodating them by standing next to the podium and handing them the white-feathered pen.

  “Katie, I’m so glad you’re here,” Marti’s voice was like syrup: sweet and sticky. “Thank you,” she said to a guest handing back the long plume.

  Katie and Sierra slipped past the guests and went to Marti’s side. “You sure you want me to take over? You look like you’re having fun,” Katie said.

  “This is your job.” Marti handed the pen to the next guest with a smile and a nod. “However, if you think you might have difficulty managing it…”

  “Maybe I’ll just stand here and greet everyone with you,” Katie suggested. As soon as she spoke, though, she recognized someone in line and squealed, “Stephanie, I didn’t know you were coming!”

  Marti cringed visibly at Katie’s loud voice, shaking her head in disapproval as Katie left her post and made her way over to give the girl in line a hug.

  Sierra wasn’t sure if she should get in line to sign the guest book or find Bob, who had disappeared. She carried her gift over to the gift table, where one of Tracy’s aunts who had been at the shower greeted Sierra warmly and took the gift from her. Sierra hoped Tracy and Doug would like the teapot. It seemed like a simple gift compared with Marti’s china place settings and the silver tea service from Tracy’s grandma that they had used at the shower.