I had no parents or grandmother to joyfully watch such an affair, so, even the idea of having a marriage ceremony made me sad. Wasn’t a wedding ceremony supposed to be more than a celebration of love, but also the joining of families? Timothy was more or less family-less, as was I, so . . .
“You have us here,” Sammy quickly said when I wiped a tear over such thoughts. She threw her arms around me, and Cara also participated our impromptu love fest of hugs.
Simone didn’t join in, nor did Judy. They’d both just walked back into my bedroom for last minute bridal preparations that they felt might be needed. Apparently, they heard my words.
“Shame on you, Penelope,” Judy lectured me. “You are the luckiest girl in the world. You’re marrying Timothy who is absolutely made for you. You have your friends here to cheer you on, and Ed is going to walk you down the aisle. This is a day for celebration, not for sadness.”
“She feels too much,” Simone said, giving her input in the matter. “That’s what Timothy told me once.” She frowned, then shook her head at me. “But I agree with Judy and your two charming roommates. You are starting your future today here, Penelope. Everything will change now — for the better. You must believe that, Penelope. And looking into the future, I see a family, a baby. No two, and maybe more. That part is hazy and unformed. But I can see happiness clearly.”
I gasped. “Really?”
There was something in Simone’s eyes that told me she knew things that couldn’t be shared. She wasn’t making this up. She was serious.
Judy beamed from ear to ear. “Yes, I see it, too,” she said, giggling like a young girl.
My two best friends began to giggle, too, but they let go of me, not wishing to crinkle my dress. I was pretty sure that wedding dress wrinkles wouldn’t be possible. Simone knew how to prevent such things. Perhaps, it was in the material she chose. Or maybe it was like with Chef Stevens — Ben, he’d told me to call him. Ben could touch a cup and heat it up. Maybe Simone could uncrinkle material with her touch? I knew she was magical in some way. Was she Fae . . . or something else?
I didn’t really think that being Fae was her route into the supernatural world. I was leaning toward believing that Simone might be a vampire. That would explain why Timothy suggested our wedding ceremony take place after dark so Simone could attend. But, she had none of the characteristics that I’d read about: no cold hands, no super pale skin, no fangs, I couldn’t be sure. Whatever Simone was, I knew that both she and Judy were super naturals of some kind. That was one thing I was certain about.
Thank goodness that Jack Peterson hadn’t been around lately with his inaccurate knowledge of vampires and with all those dark and ominous predictions. I’d heard that the drug dealers he’d investigated before had finally caught up with him. Jack wasn’t dead, but the mobsters had sent him to the hospital. At least, that’s what Andrew had told me when I’d tapped him for information about Peterson, the plague of San Diego.