Vicious (Pretty Little Liars 16)
Page 52Then Ramona popped her head in again. “They’re ready for you, Hanna.”
Hanna felt a spike of nerves. She turned back to the mirror and smoothed down her hair, her heart suddenly going wild. She was doing this. Really marrying Mike. A huge smile stretched across her face. It was going to rock.
Her father had the good sense to slip out of the dressing room and into the crowd of guests. Hanna held tightly to her mom’s hand as Ramona led her there, her head spinning. All sorts of scenarios suddenly plagued her. What if she tripped on the grass? What if Mike wasn’t under the chuppah? Were they expected to say anything in Hebrew? Of all the Jewish weddings she’d attended, she couldn’t remember for the life of her.
“Hanna? Oh my God!”
At first, Hanna thought that the two girls at the end of the hallway were a mirage. Spencer, dressed in a goddess-style beige dress, rushed forward, arms outstretched. Aria followed behind her looking gorgeous in a long emerald-green sheath. “Wow,” Spencer gushed shyly. It looked like she wanted to touch Hanna but wasn’t sure that was acceptable.
Hanna stared at her. “You came,” she finally mustered.
Spencer squeezed her tight. “Of course I did, Hanna. I wouldn’t miss this.”
“I’m so sorry,” Hanna blurted.
“No, I’m sorry,” Spencer said.
Hanna turned to her. Aria looked tired, but otherwise fine. “Are you okay?” she asked.
Aria shrugged. “You know. Not perfect, but whatever.”
“Did Noel really go with you?” Hanna asked. “How did that happen? And how did they catch you?”
Aria put a finger to her lips. “I’ll explain it all later. This is your time, Hanna.”
Then Spencer cleared her throat. “It’s been awful not talking to you, Han. I feel like such a jerk.”
“It’s okay,” Hanna said, realizing that she should have said this days ago. “I’ve been a jerk, too. It’s been so messed up, you know? The trial, Ali, Emily . . .”
Aria’s face became pinched. “I miss her so much.”
“I do, too,” Spencer blubbered, erupting into fresh sobs.
“Yes, it was!” Spencer pressed her hands over her eyes. “You were right, Han. I shouldn’t have suggested we stay in Cape May. It’s why I went into the water after her. I felt responsible.”
“None of us is responsible,” Aria urged. “We all loved her. We all wanted to protect her. And we thought we would keep her safe, all together in one hotel room. It just didn’t work out that way.”
Hanna pulled them in again. It felt so good to hug them. It was what they should have done at Emily’s funeral. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. They’d all loved Emily. They’d all wanted the best for her.
Suddenly, Ramona appeared on the scene and let out a screech. “What the hell, girls?” she bellowed, inspecting Hanna’s smeared makeup. She pressed the mouthpiece of her headset closer to her ear. “Is Janie still here? Get her over to the back vestibule so she can fix the bride.”
The makeup artist arrived promptly and began dabbing a foundation-filled sponge on Hanna’s cheeks. Everyone moved down the corridor to where Ms. Marin was waiting to walk Hanna down the aisle. Hanna’s flower girl, Morgan, waited there, too, looking like a little fairy in her white tulle dress. A cornflower-blue sash accentuated her eyes, and her long, light-brown hair had been pinned in a ballerina bun. When she saw Hanna, Morgan let out a squeal and gave her a hug. “You look so pretty!” she cried.
Hanna grinned happily at Morgan, and then turned to take her mom’s arm. Spencer peeked out the door at the ceremony area on the lawn. The doors were open halfway, bringing in the bright, late-day sunshine, and Hanna could just make out the swells of the harpist Ramona had hired.
“There are tons of people here,” Spencer whispered. “Including Hailey Blake and that cute guy from that new cop show.”
“And Mike’s already up there,” Aria reported. “He looks so nervous. Although I don’t know if it’s because he’s marrying you or because he’s going to soon be surrounded by a ton of Hooters girls.”
Hanna giggled. “Long story.” Then she looked at her friends, suddenly realizing something. “Listen,” she said. “I want you guys to be part of the wedding procession. As my bridesmaids.”
Spencer and Aria exchanged an excited look. “Are you sure?” Aria asked.
“Of course I’m sure.” Hanna thought about the headbands she’d bought for them, back at home. She wished she could retrieve them, but there wasn’t enough time—and maybe that was okay. Instead, she grabbed two bouquets of flowers from the terra-cotta pots lining the mansion’s doors, plucked a few stems from each, and wove them into the girls’ hair. She placed the rest of the bouquets in their hands. “Here.”
Aria looked like she was going to cry again. “This means so much, Hanna.”
“I’m so glad you’re doing this,” Spencer whispered. “It’s what Emily would have wanted.”
“I think so, too,” Hanna said.
The harpist broke into the opening strains of Pachelbel’s Canon in D. Ramona frowned into her headset, then looked at the bridal party. “We’re ready.”