Page 60 of Dead to Me

One of the other bridesmaids began to cry. Soon, everyone was in tears except for me. I stood by the window, holding China’s veil.

“Milan?”

I gave her a smile.

“You look beautiful.”

Her mouth trembled.

“Come here.”

I walked over and China turned slowly and took my hands.

“You really mean that?”

“I do.”

She squeezed my hands.

“I know today has been weird.”

Weird. I caught myself thinking about whether Warren’s blood had dried by now, or how long Malcolm’s body would stay in that shower before anyone found him.

I wondered if China would still call the day weird once she found out her groom was dead.

“I just want today to be a good day.”

“It will be a memorable one.”

China laughed softly.

“That’s not the same thing.”

“I think you will remember it forever.”

She looked at me for a moment. Then Sierra called her name because the photographer wanted pictures. I let go of China’s hands. She turned back to the mirror, and I lifted the veil.

“Ready?”

China nodded.

I placed it gently under her bun. My hands stayed steady.

Six years ago, those hands trembled when the judge gave me my sentence. Now, I was pinning a veil on the woman who helped send me there.

Life could be strange. China watched me in the mirror.

“We used to talk about doing this.”

I knew exactly what she meant.

When we were girls, we planned everything together. From our weddings, how many children. Once, we even planned funerals, not realizing how unsettling that was at twelve.

China wanted red roses at her wedding. I wanted lilies. She dreamed of a huge church, but I preferred something small. China wanted five bridesmaids. I wanted only her. My maid of honor. My sister. The one person I thought would always stand by me.

I fastened the last pin.

"All done."