Free The Marriage Pact by Dinah McLeod Page A

sugar bowl?” She stood up and began to pace the kitchen, looking through cabinet after cabinet, opening every drawer as I watched. My mouth had dropped open and I watched in a state of shock, unable to stop her, unable to tell her that the sugar bowl had been sitting only two inches in front of her.
     
    * * *
     
    Even as I was driving to meet up with Becky’s bridal party for the first time, I still couldn’t get Mom out of my thoughts. Her frantic search had escalated to the point of screaming hysteria, which only worsened when I pointed out where the sugar bowl was sitting. By that point, it didn’t seem like she could even remember what she’d been looking for—all she knew was that she’d forgotten something and it seemed to terrify her. I couldn’t get her wide-eyed, crazed look of hysteria out of my mind, hard as I tried. Now I knew exactly what Jonas had meant; it changed her face completely.
    “Hey!” A chorus of loud squeals greeted me when I entered the bridal boutique.
    “Hi.” I waved warily, eyes searching for Becky. Her bridal party had staged chairs in a circle in front of two large full-length mirrors and Becky had planted herself right in the middle.
    She leapt to her feet the instant our eyes met, beaming as she raced toward me. “You’re home!” she squealed, grabbing me in a hug and twirling me around. “Shana,” she leaned forward to whisper in my ear excitedly, “I’m getting married !”
    I grinned at her wild enthusiasm, something I’d never thought to see from the most cynical, anti-romantic I knew. “I know!” I squeezed her hand.
    “Thank you for coming. I—”
    “Don’t be ridiculous!” I scoffed. “Like you could get married without me. Who else is going to be able to hold it together when you get cold feet?” My smile dimmed a bit as I felt the eyes of her bridal party observing us with rapt attention. I leaned forward, miming kissing her cheek as I whispered, “So, who’s the entourage?”
    “Oh, God,” she groaned back. “My mother made me ask everyone, even crazy Cindy Lou. Jesus, this is going to be a nightmare. I told her I just wanted you, but she’s paying and I have to do what she wants. I thought I was a grown woman, for Christ’s sake!”
    “Shh!” I admonished with a giggle. “Keep it down!”
    “Oh, like I care?” she fired back, but she lowered her voice just the same. We turned back toward the wedding party and walked toward the other girls, arm in arm.
    “Sit with me,” she begged.
    I noticed Cousin Emily looked affronted and quickly guessed that she’d hoped for the coveted maid of honor title.
    “OK, girls!” Becky clapped her hands and every eye turned to her. Being engaged suited her; standing there, she looked like a queen about to address her subjects, confident and radiant all at once. “It’s time for you to hit the racks! Remember, the color is pastel green.”
    “Becky, did you think about—”
    “No, Patrice,” she snapped, cutting her eyes at the youngest cousin. “I am not changing my color to something that you feel would better suit your coloring. Get your own engagement ring and then you can call the shots.” That pronouncement, along with the steely-eyed glare she turned on her bridesmaids, quickly shut down any further debate and everyone scrambled to their feet.
    I watched in awe at the mad scramble to hit the racks—I wasn’t sure they were so much interested in finding a dress as getting away from Becky’s bad mood. “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you’d morphed into a bridezilla,” I teased fondly. “But I know getting married has only enhanced your naturally loving personality.”
    “Bite me.”
    I couldn’t help but giggle; we fought like sisters and loved each other like the best of friends. “Remind me why you’re picking dresses now when your wedding is in three weeks?”
    “Mom insisted everyone had to be here to offer input.” She screwed up her face, making me laugh. “Do