Page 12 of Wish For Me

Okay, now I know something is up. “Poppy. What did you do?” A weird sense of foreboding fills my chest as she refuses to meet my eye.

“I wanted to make it pretty,” she says softly, looking down at the ground. “Lele likes pink and purple and pretty!”

The worry in my chest hardens into dread. “What did you want to make pretty?”

She casts another look down at Everly’s room. With my heart climbing into my chest, I walk down the hallway to the open door.

“Oh holy Jesus,” I mutter, my hands coming up to cover my mouth. “Poppy, what did you do?”

She immediately bursts into tears. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

I know I should comfort her—she’s not even four and she definitely didn’t mean to do anything so horrible. But oh mygod. Everly is going to have a heart attack.

“Did you find her?” River calls from down the hallway, and Poppy’s tears turn to sobs.

“I in big trouble?”

“What’s going on?” Jasmine asks, coming up behind River. I’m tempted to block the door and keep them from seeing the carnage, but I know there’s no hiding this. It’s a disaster.

Poppy switches tack, apparently deciding to throw her baby brother under the bus. “I didn’t do it! It was Harrison!”

“Didn’t do wha—oh shit,” River breathes.

Jas smacks his arm. “Don’t swear in front of—fuck!”

Poppy’s cries get louder.

“Okay, let’s take a deep breath,” I urge.And quiet the fuck down before Everly comes up here.Because I have no idea what she’s going to do when she sees what Poppy did to her wedding dress.

FROM THE RANSOM COUSINS GROUP TEXT THREAD (MINUS EVERLY)

Bodhi:We have a serious problem.

Fox:Did Everly decide to dump your ass?

Lyric:Please don’t tell me the wedding is cancelled. I have the prettiest dress. And I’ve always wanted to go to Napa.

Vega:Yeah, since we weren’t invited when you went to scout venues.

Fox:That was ages ago. Are you ever going to get over it?

Bodhi:Focus, people! This is a literal emergency. I need all of you to meet me at Alex and Wyatt’s tonight.

Will:Everything okay?

Bodhi:It will be easier to explain in person.

River:For the record, I am so, so, so sorry.

THREE

BODHI

“Okay, I’m officially calling this meeting to order,” I shout.

Predictably, the Ransome cousins ignore me.

“You guys,” I call over the noise of them talking and laughing. “We have so much to do.” Still nothing. “Don’t make me call Everly.”