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Taylor sat next to ave what 204 · jenny han

and collecting ribbons She poked holes into a paper plate and wove the ribbons through

“What’s that for?” I asked her

“Your bouquet for the rehearsal, silly,” Lucinda said, bea I could tell because you could see thea rehearsal dinner,” I said

Because as there to rehearse? We were gettingto be simple and uncomplicated, the e both wanted it

Taylor handed the plate to ot up and tied the paper plate around hed as Marcy tookher notebook “Okay, so get ready for what Belly’s going to say on her wedding night”

I covered ame before The maid of honor writes down all the stuff the bride-to-be says while she’s opening presents

“‘Oh, so pretty!’” Taylor exclairab the notebook froonna love this!’”

After the toilet-paper wedding dress competition, after we helped clean up and everyone had left, I walked my mother to her car

I felt shy as I said, “Thank you for co, Mom It means a lot to irl,”

she said simply

I threw my arms around her “I love you so, so ot in my car “We are so on!” I shouted Not that we ever weren’t Still, planning this wedding, being away froht with my mom—it’d had me in knots But with ain

My worries were gone I finally felt coht, I slept at home Steven and my mom and I watched crime TV, one of those shohere they re-create cri, and we ate Fritos and the rest of ood

Chapter 41

Conrad

The day Belly went home, I went to visit Ernie, the old owner of the seafood restaurant I used to bus tables at

Every kid who ever went to Cousins kneho Ernie was, just like Ernie knew every kid He never forgot a face, no ot Ernie had to have been at least seventy years old when I worked there in high school His nephew John was running the place now, and he was a prick At first he de, but Ernie couldn’t keep up, so John had hi hi him into retirement Sure, Ernie was old, but he was a hard worker, and everybody loved him

I used to take s to let hiuy, and who can really say no to an old guy?