It was finally Sunshine and Nickolas� wedding day and almost noon. Nickolas sat at his house in his room on his bed and looked at a picture of Sunshine. He got up off the bed and walked out to the balcony. He walked over to the banister and looked down at all the people getting everything arranged. He looked next door to the house that was at least a hundred yards away and wondered what Sunshine was doing. He began to think about how happy he was going to be when the people down below started yelling.
�No, those roses don�t go there!� an old man yelled. �They want them in the center of the tables then at the sides of the main table and cake table. I explained this to you all week.�
�Oh man,� Nickolas said shaking his head.
�Everything all right, Nick?� someone asked putting their arm around his shoulder.
�Hey, Dad. I�m fine. This wedding stuff is actually really frustrating.�
�Yeah, but after it�s all done and over it�ll be worth it, because you married the one you love.�
�And I definitely love Sunnie. Did ya see her yet?�
�I just came from there. She�s really excited.�
�So am I. I�m really nervous. I can�t believe it�s actually happening in a couple hours. When I met Sunnie all I could think about is marrying her and what it would be like. Now it�s actually happening and today�s the day. I was nervous for my first performance, asking out my first girlfriend and hell I was nervous all through puberty.� Robert just looked at him. �I�ve been the most nervous with everything that involved Sunnie. From our fist kiss to making love for the first time. From asking her out to telling her I loved her to proposing marriage.�
�It proves you�re in love, Nick. You�ll never be able to love anyone ever again the way you love Sunshine.�
�At times I wonder why she loves me. I asked her once, but she only smiled and said she loves me. Maybe she�s not sure either.�
�Why do you love her?�
Nickolas smiled. �She�s an amazing girl, so sweet, gorgeous, but that�s just a bonus, Dad. There are so many reasons why I love her. When I met her I knew she was the missing piece in my life.�
�You fell hard.�
�Yeah I did.� He walked back inside. �Where�s mom? I thought she�d be over here crying her eyes out.�
�She�s next door fussing over Sunn.�
�Poor Sunnie.�
�Your sisters are over there too�along with Aaron.�
�He said he was objecting, because I�m marrying his crush.�
�He�s happy for ya.�
�Perfect!� they heard the florist yell. �That�s it!�
�He must�ve got it right,� Nickolas said.
�That�s a lot of roses, Nick,� Robert said.
�No it ain�t. I could�ve gone with twenty instead of ten.�
�Nick, you got 10,000 roses down there. I can�t even see the sand.�
�Damn, Nick, how many roses did you get?� Brian asked stepping into the room.
�10,000,� Nickolas replied.
�Well, I almost lost my eyes coming into this house,� Brian exaggerated. �I couldn�t even find the door.�
�Whatever.�
�Why so many?�
�Sunnie loves roses.� He smiled. �They�re for her.� Brian and Robert shook their heads. �What?�
�Nothing, Frack, you love struck fool,� Brian said mussing his hair.
�She loves me,� Aaron interrupted. �She kissed me.� He fell back on the bed. �I always knew she loved me.�
�What are you rambling on about?� Nickolas asked.
�Sunn�loves�moi,� Aaron replied. �Me. Yours truly, AC, Aaron.�
�Did we drink something hard this morning? I told you to stay away from Alex.�
�Nick,� Robert said.
�She kissed me,� Aaron smirked. �You�re out of the picture and the cutest Carter bro, me Aaron, is in.� Nickolas rolled his eyes. �Just wait, Nicky, she�ll be calling and telling you she wants to marry me instead of you.�
�Get over it, Bro,� Nickolas said.
�I�m going over to see Sunn,� Brian said. �Do ya have a message for her?�
�Just that I love her,� Aaron said picking up a picture of Sunshine.
�I meant Nick,� Brian said.
�Yeah,� Nickolas said picking up three roses and an envelope off the desk. �Give her these and tell her I love her and can�t wait.�
�Alright,� Brian said taking the stuff and walking to the door.
�Kiss her for me,� Aaron said.
�Yeah, yeah,� Brian said walking out.
�On second thought I�ll go kiss her myself,� Aaron said getting up. �After all she does love me.� He ran out of the room while Nickolas shook his head.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Sunshine what are you doing?� Jane asked stepping into the bedroom an hour before the wedding. Sunshine was getting ready to go out on the balcony when Jane walked in stopping her.
�I need to get some air,� Sunshine replied.
�You can�t go out there. You know how Nickolas is with the beach, he might be down there.�
�He�s not; I already checked.� Jane just looked at her. �I feel like vomiting right now.�
�You�re just nervous, because you�re getting married to my little boy today.�
�I�m being serious, Jane; I really feel like throwing up.�
�Then put your head between your knees and take a deep breath.�
�I need air, Jane.� Sunshine walked away and opened the balcony doors. She stepped out and just stopped. �Jane.�
�Yeah, Honey.� Jane stood beside her. �What is it?�
�Did Nick mention to you how many roses he was getting?�
�Nope, why?�
�Because that�s more than the thousand we agreed on.�
�Uh�yeah.�
�Hey, Sunn,� Bobbie Jean called for her. �Where are ya?�
�Out here!� Sunshine yelled and turning around.
�The florist left this,� Bobbie Jean replied handing Sunshine a piece of paper. �I think you�d want to look at it.�
�Why?� Sunshine asked and Bobbie Jean just grinned. Sunshine unfolded the paper and just looked at it with wide eyes. �Te�Te�Te�Ten thousand roses. I need to sit.� She found a chair and sat down. She looked at the paper again. �That�s $1.65 per rose times that by 10,000. That�s what?� They just looked at her. �That�s, like, $16, 500.�
�Holy shit!� Bobbie Jean yelled.
�He's getting his ass kicked.�
�Now, Sunn, calm down.�
�I am calm.�
�Your mom and sister are downstairs also,� Bobbie Jean stated.
�I was wondering if they were going to come. I saw Nick earlier.�
�Your nephews so cute.�
�He�s three and terrible.� She got up and went inside. �Where�s my dress?�
�Down on the sofa,� Jane said. �Where you left it last night.�
�That�s right. I�m going to go down for it. I should start getting dressed.� She walked to the door. �I�m really nervous.�
�You�ll be fine,� Bobbie Jean said, as the three girls walked out. They went downstairs and saw Richard, Bradley and Devin. �Ooh, there�s Rich. Excuse me.� Bobbie Jean walked away as Bradley walked to Sunshine.
�Hey,� Bradley said hugging her.
�Hey,� Sunshine said spying her nephew, Dominic, by her dress.
�Nervous?�
�Very much. I�m actually sick in my stomach.�
�You�ll be fine.�
�Where�s my sister?�
�I think she went into the kitchen.�
�Oh.� She looked at Dominic. �DJ, come give Aunt Sunnie a kiss.� Dominic ran over to her and Sunshine picked him up. �You�re getting so big.�
�Where�s Nicky?� Dominic asked.
�He�s next door. Do I get a kiss?� Dominic gave her a kiss then started to get squirmy. She put him down and he ran off.
�He�s cute,� Bradley said.
�Yeah.�
�Sunshine!� Madeline yelled from behind and Sunshine turned around. �Why did you ask Nick to sing at the reception?�
�Can we not get into this right now? I have to get dressed.�
�But I want an answer.�
�Not now.�
�Somebody get DJ away from that dress!� Destiny yelled as she stepped out of the kitchen and Sunshine turned around just as Dominic opened his sippy cup and spilled grape juice on the dress.
�No!� Sunshine yelled running over to the sofa. She picked up the dress, as Venus picked up Dominic and looked at the purple spots on her wedding dress. �This can�t be happening.� Tears filled her eyes.
�Sunn, we can get the stains out,� Danielle said.
�No you can�t.� She turned and looked at Madeline. �This is all your fault!�
�Why is it my fault?� Madeline asked. �You�re the one that had the dress sitting on the sofa.�
�In the garment bag! You�re supposed to be watching your son and not yelling at me on my wedding day. I hate you and whoever got my dress out I hate you also!� She took the dress and ran upstairs crying. When she got upstairs, she ran into the room she was in earlier and slammed the door shut. She threw herself on the bed and just cried. She cried for at least five minutes straight then sat up and looked at her dress. �Are you punishing me for what I�ve done in the past? I thought all that was cleared up. I�m sorry for whatever it is I�ve done so wrong this time. Is this your way of saying Nick and I aren�t meant to be after all? But I love Nickolas you have to understand that. Please you have to let this wedding happen. I�ll do anything you want me to.� She continued crying and the door opened.
�Sunn, Nick�s on the phone,� Angel said.
�Huh,� Sunshine said and Angel handed her the phone. �Thanks.� Angel sat on the bed and looked at the dress. �Hello.�
�Hey, Sweets.�
�What are you doing calling?�
�Don�t worry I checked; it ain�t bad luck to call. I got this feeling something was wrong. Is everything all right?�
�Uh�well�� She sniffled.
�What is it?�
�Dominic spilled grape juice on my dress.�
�Oh man.�
�There are purple spots on my dress, Nick.� She began crying again.
�Hey, it�s all good.�
�No it�s not.�
�Yes is it. Us Carter�s always have a plan.�
�How are you going to fix this? My dress is purple.�
�Sunnie, calm down.�
�What if it�s a sign?�
�Nothing�s stopping me from marrying you. We�re getting married even if we have to dress in jeans and a t-shirt.� She chuckled a little.
�I got it!� Angel yelled.
�Told ya we always have a plan,� Nickolas said. �Don�t worry about anything, because it�s all going to be fine.�
�There�s no way I�m getting married today with grape juice on my dress. If we have to we�ll just postpone it.�
�Ya don�t need to if my solution works,� Angel stated. �I�ll be right back.� Sunshine watched her run out.
�Angel�s plans always work, Sweets,� Nickolas said. �How about you call me back then with good news.�
�Alright,� Sunshine said.
�Everything will be fine. I love you.�
�I love you too.� She put a kiss into the phone then turned it off, as Angel, Bobbie Jean, and Leslie walked in. �What�s your solution, Ang?�
�This,� Angel said holding up a container. �It�s like those shout wipes, but only for silk. I used them on my prom dress, which was white, and it worked. I had the same problem with grape juice. The stain was on my dress for a week before I discovered these. They really work.�
�Everything�s going to be fine,� Leslie stated.
�Well there�s a wedding in, like, 15 minutes so it better work,� Sunshine said.
�It will,� Bobbie Jean said. �Go tell Venus and Destiny to get dressed and we�ll take care of this.� She pushed Sunshine out of the room and walked back over to her sisters. The three of them started work on the dress right away. It took them about ten minutes and when they were done they looked over it and found no more stains.
�It worked!� Angel yelled, as Sunshine, Destiny, and Venus walked in and the girls looked. �Come on, Sunn, get dressed. There�s a wedding in five minutes.� She picked up the dress, gave it to Sunshine, and pushed her into the bathroom.
�I have to call Nick,� Sunshine said.
�One of us will call him,� Angel replied. �Just get dressed.� She pushed Sunshine completely in and closed the door. �So who�s calling Nickolas?� The five girls just looked at each other, smiled, and ran for the phone at the same time.
CHAPTER 21 CHAPTER 23
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