Free Waiting for Dusk by Nancy Pennick

tank and pants pajama set.
    “Mom, do you know who this girl is?” Katie
pointed to the bridesmaid in the picture next to Grandma Rett.
    “Why, yes I do. That’s Kathryn.”
    Katie gasped, then she swallowed hard.
“Kathryn?”
    “Don’t be so dramatic. My Grandma Rett gave
me the box of pictures right before you were born. We knew you were
going to be a girl. When we got to that picture, Grandma Rett told
me the girl’s name was Kathryn. I thought it was a beautiful name.
I said I was going to name you Kathryn. Grandma Rett smiled and
said ‘She is a beautiful girl’. I was a little confused by the word
‘is’ about you but Grandma was getting old by then and did get her
past and present mixed up sometimes. She was probably still talking
about the other Kathryn. I only wished she would have lived a few
more months and then she would have met you.”
    Maybe she already has, Katie thought.
She was getting her past and present mixed up, too. Or should she
say her dream world and reality?
    Studying the picture once more, Kate noticed
the two bridesmaids wore dresses that she guessed would be called
flapper-style. It was hard to tell the color but they were
beautiful. Intricate beading covered the sleeveless dress. It hung
straight, no waistline, stopping at the knee with a handkerchief
hem. The girls also wore headbands that wrapped around their heads.
All three girls wore choker pearl necklaces, but Lucinda’s was more
ornate. It had a large rhinestone in the center, and the pearls
were connected to it. Why did the picture have to be black and
white...well, actually, brown and white? “These are beautiful
dresses.”
    “Yes, they are.”
    Katie yawned, and stretched her arms. “Thanks
for straightening that out. Look at these other photos I found. I’m
going to frame them, and put them in my room.” She grabbed the
wedding party picture and included it with the other two.
    “That’s really nice.” Her mom hugged her.
“Maybe we can go shopping together and pick out some frames for
them.”
    “Yeah, that’d be great,” Katie hugged her
back. “Good night!”
    They turned off the lights, and left the
attic. The house was quiet. Katie entered her bedroom and sat down
on her bed. She was suddenly too tired to change. She slid into
bed, picked up her book and opened to the next chapter. Her eyes
felt so tired she could hardly stay awake.
    “Kathryn! Kathryn! It’s me, Lucinda. Are you
awake?”
    “I am now, Lucinda. Come in,” Katie sat up in
bed.
    “Sorry to disturb you so early but I have so
much to tell you. The dresses are going to be delivered this
afternoon for out fittings. We only have to work the lunch shift
today so we don’t have to go in early or stay late. It works out
perfectly.”
    Lucinda’s cheeks were flushed with
excitement. Katie wondered if she was more excited about the
wedding plans than the actual marriage itself.
    “Sit down, Lucinda. Let’s talk.”
     

Chapter Twelve
     
    Katie patted her bed
and Lucinda obeyed. “First, I really have to talk to you about me
being in the wedding. What about Ruthie? Shouldn’t she be in the
wedding too?”
    Lucinda nodded. “I did ask her. She said no.
She said she would be too nervous in front of everyone. It will be
a huge wedding. After all, Henry’s father owns the largest ranch in
Arizona. He wants his son to have a wedding that measures up to the
family’s wealth and social standing.”
    Lucinda jumped up and started for the door.
Just then a small card fell out of her sleeve and fluttered to the
floor.
    “You dropped something, Lucinda.” Katie slid
off the bed, and picked it up.
    “Give me that!” Lucinda said sharply.
    “Whoa. I’m just picking up a piece of
paper.”
    “I didn’t mean it to sound like that. It’s
just the wedding jitters. That’s a list of things I need to do for
the wedding.” Lucinda held out her hand.
    Katie looked down at the blank side of the
card. She couldn’t resist and turned it over. It