Rachel felt embarrassed when she heard what Julie said. Her face was flushed and she was a little red behind the ears. She quickly turned her eyes to the floor and hurried upstairs to change clothes.
Rachel headed downstairs as soon as she got changed. Standing beside the stairs, Tracy tugged lightly on Rachel's dress. "You bought this dress a long time ago, haven't you?" she asked.
"Well, I just got this a week ago," Rachel answered in a quiet voice.
She bought the dress when she went shopping with Lea last time. Her belly grew larger recently, and so the clothes she bought some time ago didn't fit anymore. She bought this dress a size larger than usual to make sure it would fit. Even still, it already felt a little tight just a week after buying it. The last thing she'd want was another dress left to gather dust in the wardrobe.
"Just a week ago? Why do I think you bought it a long time ago? How about this? It's the weekend tomorrow. Go shopping with me, and we'll get more clothes for you." Tracy frowned.
Sitting on the sofa, Jonathan overheard the two talking. He took a sip of his tea and urged Rachel to agree. "That's a good idea. Go with her and buy whatever you like. I'll pay for it."
"See, he's never been that generous with me before!" Tracy grumbled, pretending to be displeased. "Now we can buy all the things we want."
"What are you talking about?" Bewildered, Jonathan pointed at Tracy. "Didn't I give you
a long time for Jack and Rachel to prepare and finally get out of the house. The traffic in the viaduct on the way to the venue delayed them even more. When they arrived, the wedding ceremony had already begun.
Pastel-colored flowers adorned the backdrop and sides of the white wooden stage. The simple yet elegant flower arrangements gave the venue a rustic feel. The couple was standing on the stage while the emcee narrated how the two fell in love.
Guests sat on neat rows of white chairs in front of the stage. The seats were already almost full with guests.
A waiter came over to Jack and pointed to the front. "Sir, there are available seats on the second row in front of the stage," he suggested.
"Okay." Jack walked behind Rachel and carefully protected her.
They felt a little weird sitting in the second row because it was mostly family and relatives of the bride and groom there.
Anna stood at the center of the stage beside her father. She looked beautiful holding a bouquet of flowers. Tears of joy welled in her eyes as she savored the moment.
In a gentle voice, the emcee asked, "Groom, do you promise to take care of your bride for the rest of your life? No matter how expensive her bag and clothes are, will you follow her and pay for her? Do you promise to be her sidekick?"
In a usual wedding, these questions would be asked in a solemn manner. But the emcee's way of asking them helped lighten the atmosphere.