Page 56 of Wish For Me

FROM THE RANSOM COUSINS GROUP TEXT THREAD

Everly:I’M GETTING MARRIED TODAY!!!

Alex:!!!!!

Rose:!!!!!

Will:So excited for you, Lele. This is going to be an awesome day.

From the Ransom cousins group text thread (minus Everly)

Will:Nobody panic, but there was just a slight fire in the tent.

Will:The sound system shorted out and lit some of the flowers on fire.

Will:We put it out and Levi is working on the sound system.

Will:We’re obviously not telling Everly.

River:Seriously, is this wedding cursed????

ELEVEN

EVERLY

“I can’t do your eye liner until you stop smiling.”

I grin up at my little sister and she laughs. “Lele, come on. It’s making your eyes crinkle up. I can’t get this liner on straight with your eyes like that.”

“I can’t help it!”

“You can smile all you want when I’m done,” Santana says, leaning closer. “Now close your eyes and chill.”

I take a deep breath and try to keep my face still and relaxed. It does help to have my eyes closed. That way I can’t see so many of my favorite people all getting ready for the happiest day of my life. The day I marry Bodhi.

“Everly!” Santana snaps, pulling the eyeliner pencil away.

“Sorry, sorry. I just started thinking about Bodhi.”

She rolls her eyes. “Well if you’d like to see Bodhi waiting for you at the end of the aisle sometime this year, you’re going to need to calm down so I can finish this.”

“Oh my god,” I gasp, bringing my hands to my cheeks. “Now I’m thinking about Bodhi waiting for me at the end of the aisle!”

My sister tosses the eyeliner on the table. “You’re on your own.”

“No, no, I’m sorry.” I grip her wrist. “Come back. I’ll be good.”

I manage to keep my face smooth and smile free long enough for my sister to finish my makeup. She twists my chair so I can see myself in the mirror and I bring my hands to my cheeks again. “Sanny, you made me look so pretty.”

“Don’t cry!” half the women in the room shout in unison. Rose comes over and waves her hands by my eyes, which never really works, but I appreciate the thought.

“I didn’t make you look pretty,” Santana says, planting a kiss on top of my hair. “You’re gorgeous even without make-up.”

“She’s particularly gorgeous today because she’s so happy,” Nisha, my future sister-in-law, agrees.

“Um, excuse me,” I say. “I thought we were trying to keep me from crying! You can’t be nice if you don’t want me to cry about it!”

Aunt Karen appears at my side with a fresh glass of mimosa. “Let’s just take some deep breaths, girl. No need to test the efficacy of your waterproof mascara so early in the day.”