I flinched at that and glared at her. “Why would you even speak that into existence? No, I’m not sick. I’m just stressed and not eating much while planning this wedding.”

“And swimming like you’re training for the Olympics,” my sister added.

I rolled my eyes. “Y’all talk about my swimming like it’s a meth addiction or something. “

All three women gave me a suspicious look.

“Is it?” Cora asked hesitantly. “The granddaughter of one of the ladies I know at church got hooked on that meth last year. She wasted away to nothing, ruined her complexion, lost her teeth and everything.”

“Jesus Christ, Cora. I have all of my teeth. I’m not smoking meth. I’m just stressed, working a lot, and swimming a lot.” These conversations about my weight were getting annoying, especially since no one asked me outright how I was really feeling. The swimming was helping me manage my stress and depression. I would tell them this if anybody bothered to ask.

“Well, in a few days, the wedding will be over, and life can get back to normal,” Cora said as she began to pin the loose fabric, cinching the dress around a waistline that I had to admit had vanished more than I realized. “How is Jared doing? Is he nervous?”

“He doesn’t seem so.” I smiled at my reflection as I thought of how my son made a special trip home to tell me about the girl that he was sure was the one after knowing her for three weeks. I managed to convince him that he should wait at least six months. Six months to the day, he flew home again to tell me he was definitely going to propose and asked me to go ring shopping with him. In the end, we decided to re-purpose the diamond his father had given me. The setting he chose was his own design and beautiful.

“No, my nephew isn’t the type to get cold feet,” James said with a smile. “He’s always been very decisive about what he wants, and this girl is no different.”

I nodded and smiled. My son was a lot like me in that respect. Loyal and faithful. Thankfully, he was better at choosing the right people to be loyal and faithful to.

“Is he staying at the house?”

“Yeah, in his old room, and his friend Tommy from college is staying in the garçonnière.”

James rolled her eyes. “Why are you like this? It’s an apartment over the garage.”

“Garçonnière sounds more romantic,” I answered with a sheepish shrug.

“Romantic…” James scoffed. “I would’ve thought you gave up on all romantic notions when Shannon died.”

“Hey! You can’t talk about infidelity on the eve of the wedding! Keep that bad energy away from me and mine.”