Page 240 of Sing with Me

“Did he even have to sell the car, though?” Avery asked.

“Actually, no,” Brinley said. “However, it was a gesture on his part. He never does things half-heartedly. He wanted to show Skye that he meant it.”

Yeah, when Skye had found out that the diamond set Diehl back thirty-one million dollars, she almost passed out until Diehl told her that the most expensive blue diamond ever sold went for forty-eight million at auction.

He still had nine million dollars leftover from the sale of the Ferrari, and in honor of their nuptials, Diehl suggested that they tithe it to Seaside Chapel toward the new gymnasium they were planning to build for teenagers, a safe place for them to hang out after school. That had been in addition to the thirty thousand dollars that Diehl had given Seaside Chapel in June of the year before from the reward money that Skye earned helping to lead the police to the safe recovery of his daughter.

“Time to let me hold your engagement ring for you,” Brinley said, palm out. “After the ring ceremony, I will give it to Diehl to put it back on your finger so that you don’t have to fix the ring order.”

Skye nodded. She knew that the wedding band was supposed to be at the base of her ring finger.

“Closer to your heart.” Avery wiped her nose with a wad of tissue paper.

“I had no idea you’re a romantic, Avery,” Skye said.

“I’m just weeping and gnashing my teeth because y’all won’t let me play my trumpet at the processional.” Avery laughed through her tears.

“I gave the music program to Emmeline so that she and her brother, Claude, could arrange the processional medley for us,” Skye reminded her.

Her sister-in-law was now three months pregnant with her first child, but she was more than happy to help. Claude even composed new music in the arrangement so that he and Emmeline could play double harp, accompanied by a small string ensemble from Sea Islands Symphony Orchestra that Emmeline used to be a part of.

The ensemble did not include Ivan, assigned to babysitting his son so that Brinley could be in the wedding party. Just as well because lately, Ivan had spent more time running the Yun McMillan Music Studio, named after his grandmother, than teaching violin lessons, so he had no time to rehearse for the wedding on top of everything else.

“Is Claude single?” Avery asked out of the blue.

“Focus, girl.” Brinley took the engagement ring from Skye and put it on one of her fingers with the diamond turned under so that she could hold it in a fist.

“Thank you, dear friends.” Skye smiled to Brinley and Avery. She tried not to cry on such a happy day. “You’ve been with me through life’s trials, prayed with me, advised me, listened to my complaints.”

“Complaints?” Avery asked. “You rarely complained. You’re the one who thinks things through before doing them.”

“I agree,” Brinley said. “You’re perfect for my brother. Diehl is like that too. He overthinks things sometimes.”

“Let’s pray before Sebastian gets here,” Avery said.

Suddenly they were Treble Trio again, holding hands to pray as they did before every performance. One by one, they took turns to pray away Skye’s nervousness and wedding jitters, as though they knew she would have them—and yes, she did.

They went around a second time as each prayed a sentence or two.

“Lord, help Skye not to trip on the way to the altar,” Avery prayed.

“Help me not to lose this ring,” Brinley pleaded. “But seriously, Lord, I pray that You will bless Diehl and Skye with only Your best. They love You and want Your perfect will to be done in their lives and the lives of their children, both now and in the future.”

“Lord, I also pray for a forward-looking marriage for this new husband and wife in which they will let go of their past and walk forth together in the light of Christ and on the path that You will lead them,” Avery concluded.

“Thank You, Jesus,” Skye prayed. “Father God, may Your Name be glorified not only in our marriage but also in the lives of everyone present at our wedding today, from family to friends, from church staff to the caterers, and everyone else present. May You be honored, Your Name be well spoken of, and may Jesus be lifted up so that He might draw all people to Himself. In His holy and precious Name, I pray. Amen.”

“Amen,” a male voice said.

Skye opened her eyes. Sebastian was at the door.

“Ready?” he asked.

Skye nodded as her palm pressed against her stomach. She drew a deep breath.

“I’ve done this before,” her matron of honor said. “Just focus on where you’re going, one step at a time. At least you don’t have to walk outside on gravel and on the boardwalk all the way to the pavilion. This is a very short walk between this room and the wedding chapel. Just down the hallway. You can do it.”

Skye thanked Brinley for that piece of advice.

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