Greater Than Rubies, a Novella inspired by the Jewel Trilogy (30 page)

But on the morning of her fifteenth birthday, Robin and Maxine sat at the kitchen table at her parents’ house, not knowing she didn’t know them. Robin had been fighting in the court system for visitation rights, and finally won the right to visit Sarah for an hour each week. Sarah fell in love with her sisters, though they intimidated her. They were hard, with hard eyes and air of desperation about them that Sarah thought needed to be avoided. But she waited all week for the time to arrive when she could see them again, and gradually got to know them.

When her high school graduation loomed in front of her, her parents broke the news - they would not be able to afford college on any level. Because they did not believe in borrowing money, and because Sarah had been taught at a very young age not to borrow money, the idea of a student loan repelled her. Struggling to find a way to afford to go to college, Robin’s suggestion that she pay for it was a welcome option. The only condition was that Sarah live with her and Maxine while she went to school. Sarah was thrilled. Not only would she get to actually go to school, but she would get to know these beautiful and brilliant sisters of hers.

Her parents had objected, but they relented knowing that it was the only way Sarah could go.

She didn’t fit in with the two of them. She ate differently - from her earliest memory, the smell and taste of meat made her physically ill, so she ate a completely vegan diet - no meat and no meat products. And, she had dedicated her life to Christ. Robin and Maxine, though they intellectually knew that about her, didn’t understand it so therefore didn’t bring it up. Growing up in a Christian home with a loving family left her with absolutely nothing in common with her sisters.

For two years, she watched Robin work herself into the ground. The first year was the hardest, because Sarah and Maxine were both in school at the same time. At just 24 years of age, Robin worked two jobs six-days-a-week to pay for tuition and books for both sisters. Maxine constantly tried to get a job to help out, and Sarah offered as well, but Robin adamantly insisted that she be the one to do this for them.

After Tony came into her life, Sarah saw her sister gradually relax. The desperation on her face slid away and became peace. She watched Robin give her life to Christ, and sat in Tony’s big downtown church to see her oldest sister baptized.

As soon as Robin became saved, Sarah felt like they had something in common, and suddenly, they started talking – full blown conversations that Sarah actually enjoyed. It was such a relief to actually feel a part of Robin’s life instead of another burden on her shoulders, and a part of her that she constantly held back softened and she grew to love both of her sisters like she didn’t even know was possible.

And now, Tony was giving Robin a royal wedding. Sarah knew, because she knew Tony, that a desire to show Robin how much he valued her motivated him – which was why he never gave in to Robin wanting to elope. He wanted this pomp and circumstance so that he could show Robin off to the watching world. Sarah believed, with all of her heart, that there wasn’t another person on earth who deserved this kind of pampering more than Robin.

She put her hands to her mouth and blinked back tears of joy at the beauty and style that the day would bring. Excited, honored to be a part of it, she said a quick prayer of thanksgiving to God for giving Robin the steadfastness to battle her parents for visitation, or Sarah might have gone her whole life never meeting her two wonderful sisters.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, breaking her reverie. She pulled it out and scanned the text from Maxine, asking her location. “BALLROOM” she wrote back, and slipped the phone back into her pocket.

By the time she crossed the room, Maxine entered wearing dark sunglasses, black yoga pants, and a tight-fitting fleece. “Holy cow, it’s like a zoo out there. Did you see the news vans?”

“I did. It’s hysterical. How do you look so fashionable dressed like that?” Sarah asked. “I don’t think I’ll look that good in our dresses tonight.”

Maxine slipped off her glasses and hugged her sister. “Don’t be silly. You are gorgeous.” She spun in a circle. “Look at this place! Amazing!”

“I know. You and Stephanie really helped Robin. I am stunned.”

“We actually just guided her in the beginning. Once she got her feet wet, I was able to pull back a bit. She just didn’t know she could do it until she did it.” Maxine put her hand into the pocket of her fleece and pulled out a keycard. “Suite 1914. It has a couple of bedrooms, a full living room and dining room, and a fully stocked kitchen. Should be perfect for our little hair and makeup party today.”

Sarah looked at her watch. “What time will everyone be here?”

“Caroline is bringing Angel Dove with her at ten. The stylist and her assistants will be here at nine, but we need to get Robin’s hair rolled before they do anything else. I have makeup coming at one.”

“What about Robin?”

They left the ballroom. “Tony texted me twenty minutes ago and said she’d be here by nine.”

“We have time to grab breakfast then,” Sarah said, putting an arm around Maxine’s waist.

“Already ordered, sister of mine. Hopefully, room service will beat us to our room.”

OBIN
sat back in the chair, eyes closed while a woman coated color on her eyelid and another pinned yet even more babies breath into the intricate structure of curls and twists of her hair. She could hear Caroline’s lyrical voice as she read a book to Angel Dove and smiled at the sound.

“Open,” the makeup artist said. Robin opened her eyes and the woman took her chin, tilting her head this way and that before nodding and stepping back. “All done. I know it feels like a lot, but when you see pictures, you’ll be pleased.”

“Thank you,” Robin said.

The hair stylist stepped away as well. “Ready for the veil,” she said.

“Go on into the bedroom and get your dress on,” Caroline said. “Maxine? Go help her.”

Robin’s head felt heavy with the weight of the pins and flowers. She wanted to put her hand up and feel and fuss, but as many hours as she sat while they worked it into place, she was afraid to mess it up.

Maxine followed her into the bedroom. She already had on her dress - a strapless red gown that shimmered when she moved. It fell just below her knees in the front and dropped nearly to the floor in the back. She wore red heels the color of the dress. It looked stunning on all three of the bridesmaids, which was a feat considering the differences in age and body style. Maxine’s hair was twisted into an intricate knot on the base of her skull, with tendrils of hair left flowing down along her temples.

Robin unbuttoned her blouse and slipped out of it, then slipped off her sweat pants. She already had on her white silk stockings.

Maxine carefully pulled her dress off of the hanger and unsnapped, unzipped, and unhooked it to allow Robin to step into it, then she slid it up and zipped, snapped, and hooked it into place.

“Wow,” Maxine said, stepping back. “That looks even a million times more fabulous than it did when you tried it on without the makeup and the hair.

A wide full-length mirror had been installed in the room for her and she walked to it. When she saw her reflection, she was speechless. She wore heart-shaped ruby earrings that Caroline had loaned her. “A Valentine’s Day gift from last year,” she’d said. “A treasure of mine.” On her wrist, she wore the antique gold bracelets that Maxine and Sarah had given her as a wedding present. On her neck, she wore the new ruby and diamond necklace Tony gave her, and one her finger, she wore the blue sapphire engagement ring.

Maxine held up a mirror so she could see the back of her hair. A wide, flat braid started at the crown of her head and snaked around and formed into a bun. The stylist had pulled the strands of the braid and pinned them back so that the bun looked like an open rose. Baby’s breath was dotted all through the braid.

“Wow,” Robin said. As much as the makeup artist had worked on her face, Robin had felt certain she’d end up looking like a clown. Instead, the makeup, while heavy, looked so subtle and exceptionally worked with Robin’s face. “I look like a princess,” she whispered.

Sarah came in and stopped short. “Robin,” she said on a breath, “wow.”

Maxine laughed. “I know! It’s here. It’s finally here.”

Sarah clapped her hands. “I can’t believe it’s finally time. Are you nervous?”

Robin shook her head. “Strangely, no. I think what we did yesterday took away all the nerves. I’m just ready for cake.”

Sarah laughed. “Now shoes!” She went to the bed and grabbed the small shoebox. It contained a pair of simple white heels with a sparkling red ribbon woven through the top of them to a bow on the back. Robin lifted the skirt of her dress and slipped them on.

“Gerald!” Maxine said. The door immediately opened and Gerald came in with two cameras with different lenses hanging by straps around his neck. “We’re ready for the veil.”

Robin carefully perched on a sitting stool while Maxine and Sarah pinned the veil onto her head and Gerald took a dozen pictures. When they were finished, all three women were crying and hugged each other tightly in a group hug.

OBIN
followed the security guard through the hotel lobby. She wanted to duck and hide from the whirring sounds of cameras, but she didn’t. She held her shoulders back and walked next to her sisters through the crowd and into the waiting limo.