Finding Betsy (Betsy Jones Book 2)

Finding Betsy - Chapter 33

"I know you said you wanted to keep today simple." Claire announced as she barrelled through the hotel room door, her hands shaking a plain canvas tote bag in front of her. "But, I wanted you to have a few traditional things."

"Hello to you too." Betsy said, pulling her dressing gown tighter around her body as she stood from her perch on the end of the bed. "Where are the kids?"

"Downstairs with the men folk. It takes them half of the time to get ready so they have plenty of time to fill. The kids are all dressed and ready to go."

Betsy snorted and folded her arms across her chest. "Okay, well if that lasts up until the ceremony, it will be a miracle. I love Tommy and Delilah but they can find trouble sitting down."

Claire chuckled. "You're not wrong."

With a sigh, Betsy waltzed over to the ice bucket set up on the small table and held it up. "Drink? I grabbed the expensive one. Or will my favourite nephew put a dent in those plans."

At just over a month old, the youngest member of the family had captured Betsy's heart. He was a tiny bundle of perfection. The bags under her sister's eyes told her that Claire was swiftly remembering how little sleep she got when there was a baby in the house.

"Top me up. I've expressed already so I'll be pumping and dumping after the ceremony. I figured I could have a night off because I'm all his for the next few months. "

Betsy nodded her head, "You most definitely can." She poured two healthy servings of champagne. There was a satisfying crunching sound as she returned the bottle to the bucket.

"So how is whatever is in that bag going to help?"

She took a sip of her glass of champagne, the bubbles bursting against her tongue. Her nose wrinkled. The price tag attached the bottle was eye watering - and Betsy still couldn't taste the difference between that and the thirty pound bottle she had once bought from the supermarket.

Claire dipped her hand into the bag. "First, something borrowed. Mum wore this on her wedding day. I found it in a box a while back and I think it would be beautiful on you."

She drew out a small box and handed it in across to Betsy.

Placing down her glass down, she carefully peeled back the lid and gasped. Her fingers stroked across the string of pearls. "I thought these had been lost."

"Me too." Claire replied softly. "I was in the storage unit a few months back and found them. I knew they would be perfect for this day. I know she would have wanted you to have them."

Betsy stretched out the hand which wasn't holding precious cargo. Claire's hand slipped into hers. They lapsed into a sad silence united in their grief. United by the memory of what they had had and had lost.

"I wish Mum was here. She would have loved the kids." Betsy replied with a sniffle. "And I wish Dad was here to walk me down the aisle. He would have hated Nick but he would have supported my choices anyway."

"None of that. You'll ruin your make up." Claire chastised, dropping Betsy's hand so she could pull a tissue from the box on the dressing table.

Carefully, she turned back to Betsy and dabbed at the tear which had slipped from the corner of her eye. "You're right. Dad would have hated Nick - at first. I think by the end of it, Dad would have seen the man the I see. A man who loves you more than the world. That's all we can ask for."

"You're not helping with the tears, you know?" Betsy groaned, blinking rapidly to clear the tears from her eyes

"Now, that was only the first gift. To go with it, something new."