Ned slid the engagement ring back on her finger. Ned leaned to Nancy and they kissed. Nancy slid her arms around Ned’s neck as they continued to kiss. Nancy didn’t care about anything but Ned.

Someone cleared their throat. Nancy and Ned pulled apart and looked around. They saw Frank and Joe standing just inside the door. Joe was leaning against the wall smiling. Frank was beside him with the same grin on his face.

Nancy looked at the two of them. She said, “I think we were set up. These two planned this.”

“Us?” Joe asked, trying to sound innocent.

“We’ve been busted,” Frank said, with a laugh. “We knew you two belonged together, so this is what we came up with.”

“We?” Joe asked. “This was my brilliant idea.”

“Thanks, both of you,” Nancy said.

“Yeah, thanks,” Ned said.

“So,” Joe said, “are things really all right?”

Nancy looked at Ned, who was looking at her in return. Nancy said, “Everything is fine. The wedding is back on.”

“That’s great,” Frank said. “Now you just have to tell your dad.”

“Dad!” Nancy exclaimed looking at Ned. “I told my dad the wedding was off. I figured after our fight, he needed to hear it from me. We need to let him know it’s back on.”

“We’ll tell him together.”

Nancy nodded. “We better do it now.”

“Good idea.”

Ned got to his feet as Nancy stood up. Nancy looked at Frank and Joe. She said, “Thanks again, you guys.”

“We were glad to help,” Frank said.

Nancy smiled as she left the hotel room with Ned.

* * * * *

Saturday morning finally arrived. Nancy was in her bedroom getting ready for the wedding. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair had been pulled up off her neck and curled at the ends. She had a small crown her veil was attached to on the top of her head.

As she looked at her reflection, she thought back to the previous evening when they had the wedding rehearsal. Only members of the wedding party were at the rehearsal. They rehearsed only once. Everything went as it was supposed to.

After the rehearsal, they had gone out for a quiet, private dinner. Everyone was anxious for the dinner. Nancy and Ned were the most anxious. They wanted the wedding to be over with already.

Nancy got up and slipped on her wedding dress. A moment later, Bess and George came into the room with Hannah. Hannah moved behind Nancy and helped her zip the back of her dress.

Nancy glanced at Bess and George in the mirror. Both of them were wearing light blue dresses. The dresses had think shoulder straps and went down to their knees. They both had a red rose pinned in their hair.

As Nancy sat down with her back to the mirror, Bess said, “We have a few items that every bride needs for her wedding.”

She wondered what Bess was talking about. Bess opened her hand. There was a gold charm bracelet. Nancy knew this was something Bess cherished. Bess said, “You need something borrowed.” She hooked the bracelet on Nancy’s wrist and looked her in the eye. “Don’t get involved in anything dangerous between now and the wedding. I do want it back.”

“You’ll get it.” Nancy hugged Bess. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Bess stepped back.

George handed Nancy a light blue handkerchief that matched their dresses. Nancy looked at the handkerchief. She saw there two “N’s” stitched in dark blue thread near one of the corners. George said, “This takes care of something blue. The initials are yours and Ned’s.”

“Thank you, George,” Nancy said and gave her a hug.

As George stepped back, Hannah moved forward. Hannah had Nancy’s bouquet in her hand. Nancy realized there were red and white roses mixed together. Hannah said softly, “This is your something new.”

“Hannah, the flowers are beautiful. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Hannah gave Nancy a kiss on the cheek, then hugged her.

As Hannah stepped back, Bess said, “You have something new, something borrowed, something blue. You just need something old.”

“There’s no need,” Nancy said looking at her bouquet. “I don’t need anything old.”

“I think you do,” a voice said from the doorway.

They all turned and saw Carson standing in the doorway. Nancy saw he was holding a velvet box in his hand. Carson asked, “May I have a moment alone with Nancy?”

“Sure,” Bess said and Nancy watched as the three of them left the room.

Carson came into the room. Nancy noticed he already had his tuxedo on. He sat down on the end of the bed. Carson said, “You are so beautiful. I wish your mom could see you now.”

Nancy smiled. Carson continued as he placed a hand on top of the velvet box. “I have something for you. Your mom set these aside for you. She wanted each of our girls, for however many we were to have, to wear them on their wedding day. Your mom wanted to give these to you on your wedding day.”

Carson opened the box. Inside was a pearl necklace with matching earrings. Nancy had never seen anything so bright and beautiful. Carson said, “Your mom wore these on our wedding day. She wanted you to wear them next.”

Nancy couldn’t believe the pearls belonged to her mother. She was shocked, but happy. It felt like her mother was with her right then.

Carson lifted the necklace out of the box as Nancy turned to look in the mirror. Carson reached over and started to hook the necklace. Nancy touched the pearls. Once the necklace was on, Nancy put the earrings on. Carson leaned down with his head beside Nancy’s and said, “The pearls look beautiful on you.”

Nancy smiled even more. She started to fight back the tears that were threatening to come. She was so happy to have something that belonged to her mother. She turned around. Nancy gave Carson a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“Thank you, Dad.”

“You’re welcome,” Carson said. He leaned back and looked at her face. He reached up and wiped the corners of her eyes. She could see the tears in his eyes.

“You better finish getting ready,” Carson said, fighting to keep the emotion out of his voice.

“All right,” Nancy said, against the lump in her voice.

Carson got up and left the room. Nancy turned and looked back in the mirror once again. She realized the pearls were beautiful. She now had something that belonged to her mother and that made her feel like her mother was with her on the most important day of her life.