“Okay, smarty-pants, that did have something to do with it,” Dana Sue admitted. It had been a revelation when she’d found the box with the dress in the attic in January as she was putting away Christmas decorations. The even bigger surprise had been that the dress still fit. All those sessions with Elliott Cruz had paid off. Well, that and having her family and friends watching every bite of food she put in her mouth. Now she understood how Annie felt when they hovered over her. Still, it had been worth it. Dana Sue’s blood-sugar readings had been normal for weeks now, and she hadn’t had to start insulin.
She glanced at Annie, who had climbed onto a chair to rearrange her veil. Looking at her now, it was hard to believe that just a few months ago she’d nearly died from anorexia complications. Her skin was glowing with health, her hair hung down her back in a wave of natural, shimmering golden highlights. She was still below optimum weight for her age and height, and some days were more of a struggle than others, but she was trying, and that was all Dana Sue and Ronnie could ask. If Annie ever had a relapse, which Dr. McDaniels had warned them was a possibility, Dana Sue knew she and Ronnie would be on top of it.
When the veil was arranged to Annie’s satisfaction, she jumped down from the chair and stood behind Dana Sue in front of the mirror. “You look beautiful, Mom.”
“We look beautiful,” Dana Sue corrected. “The bridesmaid dress Maddie wore the last time I married your dad fits you perfectly.”
Annie grinned. “I know. It freaked her out. She says since she had the baby she’s the size of a cruise ship. She said she’s nowhere close to achieving those goals you guys set. What’s really cool, though, is I don’t think that’s how Cal sees her at all.”
“Nope,” Dana Sue agreed. “In his eyes, she’s the most beautiful woman on earth. That doesn’t mean Helen and I aren’t about to get tough with her for ignoring those goals.”
Annie regarded Dana Sue intently. “Do you think you and Dad will have another baby, the way Maddie did when she married Cal?”
To her dismay, Dana Sue’s eyes welled up with tears. “I wish we could. I would give anything to have another child, especially if he or she was even half as wonderful as you. But it’s not possible, sweetie.”
“Because of the diabetes risk,” the teen said, her expression sympathetic.
“That and my age,” Dana Sue said.
“But you’re no older than Maddie,” Annie argued. “So it’s the diabetes that’s the real danger.”
She sighed. “Yes, I suppose it is.”
Annie hugged her. “I’m sorry, Mom.”
“Me, too.”
“What about Helen? Do you think she’ll ever have a baby?”
It was all Helen talked about lately, but Dana Sue didn’t think that was something she should discuss with her daughter. If and when Helen weighed all the pros and cons and made a decision, it would be her news to share.
“You never know,” Dana Sue said evasively.
“She’d be a great mom,” Annie said. “Ty, Kyle and Katie think so, too. She’s, like, the best surrogate aunt in the world.”
“Why don’t you tell her that?” Dana Sue suggested. It might help Helen to know there were four kids who considered her excellent mother material. To Dana Sue’s surprise, the ever-confident Helen seemed to be filled with self-doubts on that score.
Annie grinned. “Maybe I will. My last project turned out okay.”
“Project?” Dana Sue said.
“You and Dad,” Annie told her, that smug expression back on her face. “You didn’t think you two came up with this idea all on your own, did you?”
She laughed. “Of course not. Just because we somehow managed to come up with the same idea over twenty years ago doesn’t mean we could have been that ingenious again.”
“Exactly,” Annie said. “I’d better go check on Dad. You know how bad he is at tying his tie.”
“You do that,” Dana Sue encouraged. “I’ll see you in a few minutes at the back of the church.”
“Don’t be late—Dad’s enough of a wreck without that.”
“I won’t be,” Dana Sue promised. She’d waited too long for this moment as it was.
* * *
To Ronnie’s relief, the ceremony went off without a hitch. Dana Sue looked every bit as breathtaking as she had on their first wedding day. The reception at Sullivan’s was packed with well-wishers, including his folks, who’d driven over from Columbia. He’d seen the fleeting sadness in Dana Sue’s eyes at not having her own parents with them anymore, but she’d recovered quickly. Annie had flitted around, taking charge of any detail that Maddie and Helen didn’t get to first. Erik had prepared enough food for everyone in Serenity and then some. The entire menu had been conscientiously scanned to be sure there was nothing on it that Dana Sue shouldn’t have. Even the amazing, towering wedding cake was sugar-free.
Ronnie had insisted on hiring a band, something they hadn’t been able to afford at their first wedding. He drew Dana Sue onto the dance floor for one last spin before they left on their two-week honeymoon to Italy, where Ronnie had scheduled them both to take cooking classes in Tuscany. It was a surprise, sort of a busman’s holiday for Dana Sue, but one he knew she would love. It was a dream she’d had for years, but claimed she no longer had time for. He intended to make sure they always took the time to do the important things.
“You could take the tie off now,” Dana Sue said, regarding him with an amused expression as he ran his finger around the too-tight collar of his shirt.
“I can stand it for five more minutes,” he replied. “You know there are going to be pictures when we take off from here. I don’t want you complaining years from now that I looked like I was at some barbecue.”
She touched his cheek, an impish gleam
