Safe Harbor (The Lake Trilogy, Book 3) (31 page)

She just keeps yelling. She won’t stop. Luke keeps walking
like he doesn’t see her. He’s almost dragging me up to the altar while I’m trying to defend myself against Gram. I keep turning back and trying to combat her, but she
just won’t stop
.

When we finally reach the front of the church, Luke takes my hand and puts it in Will’s. I can see Gram
better now that I’m facing Will. She’s relentless in her chanting, continuing to give me the disgusted look she frequently did. I want to, but I can’t look away. I run through in my mind all the things I wish I had said to her but was always too afraid to say. Will takes my chin in his hand and turns my face so our eyes meet.

“That’s not your life anymore, Layla. She is your past. I am your future. You can let it all go, once and for all. You did it.
You became everything she said you never would. You’re strong, independent, loved, accepted. You overcame everything she did to you. Every lie. Every manipulation. You threw it to the ground and set it on fire. Stop and listen.” Will is calm and soothing and I do as he says.

I close my eyes and listen. Gram is yelling cruel things
that used to stab my heart. I feel Will squeeze my hands. As I stop and listen to what Gram is saying I begin to hear Will’s voice, too.

“What is the truth, Layla?” he says.

The truth…the truth…the truth is that I had nothing to do with my parents’ death. And…if
that
is the truth, then whatever Gram says about it is a lie. I focus on the truth. I focus on all the things Luke, Claire, and Will have told me over the last three years. The way they’ve made me feel love, accepted, wanted.
Focus on the truth
.

I’m not responsible for my parents’ death.

I deserve love.

I deserve Will.

I deserve Luke and Claire.

I deserve a family.

I chant these things in my head while holding on to Will’s hands for dear life. The more I chant the quieter Gram becomes, until she’s eventually mute. I turn and look at her. She’s still yelling, but there’s no volume. I can’t hear her anymore. That nagging, sometimes loud voice that has been relentlessly pounding my head with lies is
finally
silent.

I look at Will and beam. He looks at me and, mirroring my expression says, “Now, let’s get married.”

“Layla? Layla, honey, are you ok?” I hear Claire’s voice echoing in my head. Suddenly everything disappears and I’m brought back into reality. “Layla?”

“What…what are you doing?” I ask with a groggy voice
that’s a little hoarse just from it being morning. I open my eyes and find Claire angled on the bed next to me.

“Your alarm has been going off for ten minutes. You must have been having some dream to sleep through it like that. You’ve never done that before. What time did you
come to bed last night? I told Will he had to be gone before midnight. Bad luck and all,” she smiles. It is my wedding day and Claire is a sponge, soaking up all the fun, excitement, nervousness, and joy there is to be had today.

“Yeah…I was having a bad dream, but then it turned good,” I tell her. “What time is it?”

“It’s 8:30. I’m glad your dream turned good. I’d hate for you to have had a nightmare the night before your wedding. It wasn’t about the wedding was it?” Claire says getting up and gathering clothes for me to put on until it’s time to get dressed for the wedding.

“Yes, but it’s all great now,” I say. I don’t want to rehash the
nastiness of Gram. Just because I had to endure it in my dream doesn’t mean Claire should have to deal with it in real life. “What’s first on the agenda? I’m the bride. Just tell me where to go and what to do. I’m putty in your hands.”

“I’m so glad to hear you say that
! Gwen and Caroline should be here in about an hour. The photographer will be here shortly after that. The hair stylist and make-up artist will be here at noon. We’re having lunch brought in around one. You
have
to eat before the wedding. The car will be here at 3:30 to take us to the church where the florist will meet us. And then,” she sighs. “And then you’re getting married at 4:00.” Tears well up in Claire’s eyes and begin to flow before she has a chance to stop them.

“Mom…c’mon…please don’t cry. This is going to be the b
est day ever because of you,” I tell her as I wipe her tears with my blanket.

“I’m not sad, Layla. I’m so incredibly happy for you…for all of us.
Luke and I woke up today and are going to do something we never thought we would. Not only do we have a daughter again, but by 5:00 tonight we’re going to have a son, too. Life can be hard, but sometimes we don’t give life enough credit. Sometimes…sometimes life treats you
so
good.” Claire squeezes my hand, letting pure joy ooze from her. “Now…let’s get going. Get in the shower. The hair stylist said not to wash your hair though. Just toss it in one of those cute, messy buns you like to do and she’ll take it from there.”

Claire stands up and
begins to leave. “Mom,” I call to her and she turns around as she reaches the door. “Thank you for everything. I meant what I said. Today wouldn’t be as amazing as it’s going to be if it weren’t for you.”

Claire just smiles sweetly at me and leaves me to begin preparing for my wedding.
My wedding. Oh, my gosh.
I’m actually marrying Will today. I grab my phone, turn it on, and brush my teeth while I wait for it to boot up. As soon as it’s up I hear the alert tone that I set for Will. When I check it there is a message from him.

Will Meyer:
Good morning, sweetheart. I have the privilege of becoming your husband today. I am the luckiest guy on the planet. See you at the altar.

My heart pounds and does flips and flutters inside my chest like I’ve never felt before.
I look at the ring on my hand that used to belong to Claire’s grandmother and feel honored that she would allow it to be mine. I hold my right hand out and look at the ring that used to be Nana Grace’s…the first ring Will gave me as a promise that today would become a reality. And as I stare at these rings, I think that
I’m
the lucky one.

Layla Weston: Good morning! Can’t wait to say I do. See you at the altar. Don’t be late!

I try not to take too long in the shower but I can’t help it. I know that as soon as I step foot downstairs the whirlwind of my wedding day is going to begin. I’m not trying to delay it. I’m just trying to enjoy these moments of blissful anticipation of all that is to come. Eventually I let go of the solitude and dress in the outfit Claire has laid out for me. She said to be sure to wear a button-down shirt or they’ll end up cutting me out of my shirt when my hair is done.

My foot touches down at the bottom of the stairs and jus
t as I predicted, the wedding day whirlwind begins.

“Layla! Oh
, my gosh! It’s today! Can you believe it?” Caroline squeals, throwing her arms around me.

“Move over, Caroline!” Gwen demands. “Just wait until you see the jewelry you’re going to wear! My mother got her guy at Tiffany’s to lend it to you…just like a movie star!” Both of their arms are around me at the same time and I couldn’t be happier.

They shuffle me to the dining room where Eliana and Nana Grace are waiting. More arms are thrown around me and more tears are shed before I’ve had a chance to say anything. When things finally calm down, and Claire has us all gathered in the dining room, I take one, very deep, cleansing breath and smile.

“Alright girls, now I want to be sure that everyone eats. I know the excitement can get to all of us, but we have to make sure no one faints up there today,” Claire says as she hands us each a plate. She ha
s set out a beautiful spread of fruit and yogurt, and bagels and about four different kinds of cream cheese from Panera. There’s coffee and tea and orange juice, too. As usual, Claire has thought of everything.

“I have something
I’d like to say,” Eliana begins as we find our seats at the dining room table. “Layla, I want you to know just how happy I am for you and William. I feared he would never find love, but yet here you are. You are a bright and beautiful young woman and I am so excited to watch you two build your life together. And, even though we’ve gotten to know each other quite a bit over these last two years, I’m looking forward to getting to know you as my
daughter-in-law
.”

“Thank you, Eliana,” I say, realizing I’ve got tears welling up in my eyes. “It’s hard to believe this day is finally here. Things between my mother and my grandmother were, well, let’s just say they weren’t good.” Claire raises her eyebrows in as if to say
that’s the understatement of the century
. She would know, too, just how difficult Gram made life for her sons’ wives. “I want you to know that I’m committed to having a wonderful relationship with you. I don’t subscribe to the belief that wives can’t get along with their mothers-in-law. It’s been a long, very rough road to this day. I truly am the luckiest girl ever. I’ve said I have four parents who love me with all their hearts, but today I can change that number to five.”

“Alright, y’all, let’s get all the crying done now because we’ve got to have time to get all the puffiness down before we have our make-up done,” Caroline says, dabbing her eyes with a napkin. “I can’t be lookin’ like a raccoon now!”

We all laugh and take that as our cue to let the joy flow, but not the tears. It’s going to be an unbelievable day and I’m now so anxious to get it all started.

“So,
Mrs. Meyer
,” Gwen says to me, drawing out the Mrs. part. “I hear you’re a little nervous about tonight.” The girls have both already had their hair done and now Caroline is sitting between Gwen and me as she gets her make-up done and the hairstylist works her magic on me.

“I…uh…Caroline!” I say completely flustered.

“What? We were just talking and…we’re girls, what do you want!” she says in her defense.

“C’mon, Layla. It’s just the make-up
and hair girls and us. You won’t say anything, will you girls?” Gwen says in her sweetly sardonic way.

“Honey, please! You wouldn’t believe some of the things I hear. A young bride’s nervousness about her wedding night is G-rated compared to the other things I’ve got locked away up here,”
Alexa, the hairstylist, says tapping on the side of her head.

“My lips are sealed. No worries, darlin’”
Gina the make-up girl echoes.

“See…it’s all good,” Gwen says reaching over and patting my leg.

“You two,” I say with a heavy sigh. “Yeah, I guess I’m a bit nervous, but Will and I had a little talk and I feel better about it. He’s nervous, too, so we decided that we’d just be nervous together.”

“
So…do you have something totally hot to wear tonight?” Gwen asks.

“I am
not
discussing the details of my wedding night with you two or anyone for that matter! Now can we please just move on to another topic?” If I we keep talking about this I’m going to have to think about it and thinking about it is what makes me really nervous.

“Leave the poor girl alone, Gwen! Yes, let’s talk about something else. What did you decide on for Will’s wedding gift?” Caroline asks
saving me from the sexy Spanish Inquisition Gwen was about to unleash on me.

“Oh, it’s going to be so great! I’m having part of the pool house remodeled. Do
not
tell Will! You can ask Luke all about it when we’re gone because he’s going to oversee the project. All I can tell you is that Will is going to love it!” Yes, this is much better conversation to get me in a better, less frazzled state of mind before my wedding.

“Ok…you’re all done,”
Alexa says. “You ready to see it?”

I take a deep breath. I have no idea what she has done, except that my hair is pulled back. Claire showed Alexa my dress and the two of them decided on a style they thought would work best. I had one trial run, but didn’t want to see it. I wanted to be surprised today. “Yes, I’m ready.”

I stand up and Alexa and Caroline turn my chair around to the three-way mirror Alexa brought with her. She and Gina have turned the living room into a full on salon. I close my eyes and Caroline helps me sit again.

“Don’t look yet,” Caroline says. “Claire! Eliana! Her hair is done! Keep your eyes closed,” she says to me.
I hear Claire and Eliana come into the room and the breathless
oh my goodness
of both of them. “Ok…ready?”

“Ready.”

“Open your eyes, darlin’,” Alexa instructs.             

My eyes are down when I open them. I lift them slowly, taking myself in from the chest up. I reach my neck and see it is bare.
I’m in awe when I finally allow myself to take in the whole picture. I turn my head to see the magic that Alexa has worked. My bangs are softly swept to my right. She’s braided my hair loosely along the back of my head from my left ear to my right, and woven an intricate braided bun just behind my right ear. There’s a large braid at the center, with smaller, tiny braids winding around it, and there are sparkling silver and gemmed pieces scattered across the bun.