Chapter 44
Chapter Forty-Four
Sienna
The morning of Aria’s wedding is beautifully chaotic.
The bridal suite has become a full-blown command center. Hair stylists and makeup artists are set up in every available corner, with brushes, palettes, curling irons, and spray bottles covering every surface. The air smells of hairspray, perfume, and pure happiness.
Bridesmaids lounge in baby-blue silk robes and slippers, laughing, gossiping, and occasionally panicking over a lost earring or smudged eyeliner. An upbeat playlist of love songs fills the room, and every few minutes another burst of giggles erupts over something silly.
I’m sitting in one of the vanity chairs while the stylist finishes twisting my hair into a half-up, half-down style. The baby-blue silk dress with thin straps hangs on the door in front of me, its chiffon flowing to the ground. It’s beautiful and breezy enough for the island heat.
Aria stands at the center of the room on a small platform, adjusting her veil.
She looks absolutely breathtaking. Her ivory gown is simple and elegant, with delicate lace details, and her hair falls in soft waves, pinned back with fresh flowers.
But her hands tremble as she smooths them down the front of the dress, and her face is pale beneath flawless makeup.
“I think I’m going to throw up,” she whispers, eyes wide. “Sienna, what if—”
I stand up immediately, ignoring the hair stylist’s protest, and cross the room to take her hands. Her fingers are ice-cold. “Hey. Breathe. Everything is going to be fine.”
Aria’s eyes fill with tears. “I love him so much that it scares me.”
“That’s how you know it’s real. Love that big is supposed to scare you a little,” I say, squeezing her hands and feeling their slight tremble.
“But you’re not doing it alone. You’ve got me.
You’ve got Mom. You’ve got all of us. Most importantly, you’ve got Ethan waiting for you at the end of that aisle, ready to spend the rest of his life with you. ”
She lets out a shaky laugh, then pulls me into a tight hug. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Sienna.”
“You’ll never have to find out,” I whisper, hugging her back just as tightly.
Her heartbeat thuds against mine, fast and nervous.
“Because I’m always going to be here, especially now that you’re moving to New York next year.
We’re going to be so close again. I can already picture us having chaotic Sunday brunches and complaining about the subway together. ”
Aria pulls back just enough to look at me, her eyes shining with happy tears. “You’re really planning to stay in New York longer than you originally planned, then?”
The question settles warmly in my chest. I nod, my throat suddenly tight. “Yeah… I am.”
Her smile is so wide it almost outshines her dress. “Is it because of Milo?”
I try to press my lips together to suppress my smile, but it breaks free anyway. “Today is about you. We’re not making this about him and me right now.”
“But—”
“No ‘buts.’”
Before she can push, Mom comes over, her eyes already misty, and wraps her arms around both of us.
“My girls,” she whispers, her voice thick with emotion. “Look at you two. So grown up. So beautiful,” she sniffles, pulling us closer. “Aria, you look like the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen. I can’t believe one of my baby girls is getting married today.”
“I can’t believe it either,” Aria says, smiling softly through her tears. “It feels like yesterday I met him in that coffee shop… and now I’m going to be surrounded by my family and closest friends, about to marry the man I fell in love with, all because he spilled coffee on me.”
Mom presses a kiss to each of our foreheads. “I’m so proud of you both. Aria, for chasing your dreams and building this beautiful life. And Sienna…” She looks at me with that knowing, motherly gaze. “For finally letting yourself stop running long enough to see what’s right in front of you.”
I don’t have words. My heart feels too full, so I just smile and hold them both a little tighter.
The rest of the morning passes in a whirlwind of laughter, last-minute fixes, and champagne toasts.
We finish getting ready and take what feels like a million photos—some silly, some sweet, and some where we’re all crying happy tears together.
Aria twirls in her dress, the fabric catching the light, and my chest swells with so much pride and love that it almost hurts.
This is everything she’s dreamed of since we were younger and used to play pretend. The dress, the flowers, and the man who has loved her through every version of herself.
And somewhere deep down, a quiet warmth spreads through me. Because shortly, I’ll be walking down that aisle on Milo’s arm, and the thought sends butterflies exploding through my whole body—nerves and excitement tangled so tightly I can barely tell them apart anymore.
We line up for one final group photo, arms wrapped around each other, laughing hysterically when Lillian trips on her way over. Aria’s hand finds mine and squeezes tight. I squeeze back, anchoring myself in the moment.
This is her day.
And somehow, it feels like the beginning of something for me as well.