Laura: "That's okay. What happened?"
Emily: "Well, there was traffic."
Laura: "I see. Just don't let it happen tomorrow for the real deal."
Emily: "Of course not. We'll be here early."

Laura: "Good. And don't forget to bring a sewing kit. Nothing fancy, just a couple needles and some thread. Silk thread would be best, since that's what my dress is made of."
Mary: "We're going to be sewing your dress? I wasn't told there would be sewing!"
Emily: "It's okay, that's on my list, Mary. It's in case a button falls off her dress, so we can sew it back on. Or if the zipper jams up, and we have to sew her right into her dress."
Mary: "Oh, right."

Laura: "And don't forget to bring pink thread, too, in case something happens to your dresses."
Mary: "Like if they spontaneously combust?"

Emily elbowed Mary in the ribs, but Laura had already been too distracted by a smartly dressed woman to hear her.

Maurine: "Miss Wayne, Dear, we're ready to start."
Laura: "But where's Father Donnelly?"
Maurine: "He never attends the rehearsal. This is just so everyone knows when to walk and where to sit. He doesn't need to be here."
Laura: "Yes he does! I can't believe he's not here!"
Maurine: "It's okay, Dear, I'll stand in for him if it will make you feel better."
Laura: "Fine, whatever, I guess it's too late to do anything about it now."

Laura turned back to Mary and Emily, a pained expression on her face. She took a deep breath, looked up to the ceiling, and began counting to ten. Mary and Emily glanced at each other worriedly until Laura's gaze turned back to them, a pleasant smile on her face.

Laura: "Let me introduce you both to everyone. That was Maurine, she's the wedding coordinator for the church."

Laura grabbed the wrist of a small, blonde, very bored looking girl who looked to be about thirteen or fourteen.

Laura: "This is my cousin Summer, she's my junior bridesmaid."
Mary: "Oh? Does that mean her dress matches ours?"
Summer: "Yeah. Wanna help me break the photographer's camera?"
Laura: "Summer! Your dress is beautiful, when you're older you'll appreciate it more."

Mary and Emily grinned at the littlest bridesmaid, who gave them a tight-lipped smile in return. Mary mouthed 'No you won't' to her, causing her lips to spread into a full smile.

Laura: "And you already know Brian, of course. There at the altar is his best man, Anthony. They're brothers. Half-brothers, anyway. Anthony's father died when he was only six years old. The other two groomsmen are Brian's friends from college, Phil is the tall one and the other one is Jeff."

Laura began hurrying both of them to the back of the Church before they could absorb any of the half-hearted, long-distance introductions.

Laura: "We'll be walking in from here, of course, and the boys will wait up front. After the ceremony, they'll escort you back down the aisle. Emily, you can be in charge of fluffing the train of my dress, okay?"
Emily: "Sure, why not?"
Laura: "Great. I'll be right back. I'm going to have Summer's father stand in for the priest. Maurine really needs to be back here helping us."

Mary: "How long do you think this will take?"
Emily: "I'm sure it will depend on how much everyone screws up. Just try to do whatever she says as perfectly as you can."
Mary: "Got it. There's a free meal after this, right?"
Emily: "Yes."

Laura returned with Maurine, who began directing them as though the wedding processional was a carefully choreographed Broadway show on which the fate of the universe rested.

The processional began with Summer, followed by Mary and then Emily. When Mary was halfway up the aisle, she surveyed the waiting groomsmen who stood next to Brian looking bored and uncomfortable. The groom's brother was cleaning his glasses.

Mary: "Hey! Dr. Sutherland!"

He looked up at her in surprise and put his glasses back on.

Anthony: "Mary?"
Laura: "Hey! What the hell is going on! Mary, Summer, get back here. We'll have to start over. Let's get through this, people! There will be time for socializing later!"
Summer: "Oh good, socializing. I bet she has scripts for us."
Laura: "I heard that, Summer!"