gher”shoutedDornaasshedancedbywithAmalia.“Toomanyplimentswillsoundhypocritical.Everyonehereisbeautiful.Iamalsobeautiful.Wewillsoonallbebeautifulbrides.Everyoneherewillsoonbeeabride.TherearesomanybridesherethatweestablishaNewBridesClub,whatdoyouthink?Weallhaveadualidentity.WearemembersofKingDimitri’sKingdomofDreamsaswelsmembersoftheNewBridesClub.Whatdoyouthinkofmysuggestion?It’slikekillingtwobirdswithoone.”Everyoneburstintoughteratherwords.LotusweoSheiandYokosaying,

    “Amaliaisinagoodmoodnow.CouldyoutwotrytocoaxherintontheeseManadebyhandespeciallyforher?Everyonewillbeinwhite,butherdressisred.Thatwillstandoutinaseaofwhite.Don’youthinkso?”Novelagreedandsuggested,

    “Ithinkweshouldalltryonourweddinggownsforthefinaltimeteron,tomakesurethateverythingfitsperfectly.Thereisstilltimeforst-mierationsnow.Aftertodayitmaybetoote.”Allthebeautiesthoughtitwasagoodsuggestionandagreedtodoafinaltry-on.NovelsuddenlythoughtofsomethingandaskedCharina,

    “Yourweddinggownisperhapsnotfi.Didyouknowthateachofushasaspecialflowerthatrepresentsus?Ithasbeenembroideredontotheveindtothehemofourweddinggown.Whenyouseethefloweryouwilutomaticallyknowwhomthegownbelongstoandtherewillbenofusion.Takemeforinstance,myfloweristhecliviaandithasbeenembroideredontothehemofmyweddinggownandveil.Whatisyours?”

    “Rhododendrons.Ilovethem,soIchoseittorepresentme.”

    “Ah,rhododendrons…!That’sgreat!Ilovethemtoo.Theyarebeautiful,elegantandcssy-asuitablerepresentativeforafamousauthoress.”

    “I’vebeenthinkingthatsomeoneismissinghere,”excimedElina.“buthavebeenwwhothatwas.NowIsuddenlyremembereditwasel.Wherecouldshehavegooallone?”

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    “Ifsheisnothere,shemustbesomewhereinthegarden”answeredNovel.“Don’tworry.Shewolost.She’llturnupsometime.”SamanthawalkedoverfromtheotherendofthelivingroomandsaidtoNovel,

    “ThismAishasaidthatweshouldgiveawelingpartyforCharina.Since,mostofusarealreadyherewithonlyAishaandMegginnmissing,whydon’twegivethepartytoday?”

    “Why,that’sjustwhatIwasthinkingabouttoo.There’snodayliketoday.Let’sdoit…”ThenturningtoCharinashesaid,“Wewilllbegoingupstairstotryonourweddinggowns,leavingyoualoneheredownstairs.Ihopeyoudon’tmindandwon’tfindusginhospitality!”

    “HowcouldI?”repliedCharina.“NowweareallmembersoftheKingdomofDreamsandascloseassisters.Don’tbeoversensitive.OfcourseIdon’tmind.”Thenlookingtowardsherhandbagonthesofa,sheadded“Ibroughtmycameraalongtodaywiththeiionofbeingyourphotographer.Iwanttotakepicturesofeadeveryoneofyou.Ifyoudon’tmind,mayIalsotakesomeofthisluxuriousandcssiclivingroom?“

    “Ofcourse”repliedNovel.“Pleasedoasyouplease.”Thecha-chadanded.Amaliaantingalittle,herforeheadcoveredwithslightperspiratioiredbutstilletedandispirits.Everyoheredaroundherandapaniedhertothesedfloor,wheretheytoowenttotheirownroomstotryontheirweddinggowns.AllofasuddenCharinawastheonlyointhergelivingroom.

    Thisluxuriouslivingroomwasofcssicdesignandrgeenoughtoeasilyaodateahundredguestswithoutanyonefeelingcramped.Itwasbrightlyilluminatedaedanimpressionofserenehappine

gher”shoutedDornaasshedancedbywithAmalia.“Toomanyplimentswillsoundhypocritical.Everyonehereisbeautiful.Iamalsobeautiful.Wewillsoonallbebeautifulbrides.Everyoneherewillsoonbeeabride.TherearesomanybridesherethatweestablishaNewBridesClub,whatdoyouthink?Weallhaveadualidentity.WearemembersofKingDimitri’sKingdomofDreamsaswelsmembersoftheNewBridesClub.Whatdoyouthinkofmysuggestion?It’slikekillingtwobirdswithoone.”Everyoneburstintoughteratherwords.LotusweoSheiandYokosaying,

    “Amaliaisinagoodmoodnow.CouldyoutwotrytocoaxherintontheeseManadebyhandespeciallyforher?Everyonewillbeinwhite,butherdressisred.Thatwillstandoutinaseaofwhite.Don’youthinkso?”Novelagreedandsuggested,

    “Ithinkweshouldalltryonourweddinggownsforthefinaltimeteron,tomakesurethateverythingfitsperfectly.Thereisstilltimeforst-mierationsnow.Aftertodayitmaybetoote.”Allthebeautiesthoughtitwasagoodsuggestionandagreedtodoafinaltry-on.NovelsuddenlythoughtofsomethingandaskedCharina,

    “Yourweddinggownisperhapsnotfi.Didyouknowthateachofushasaspecialflowerthatrepresentsus?Ithasbeenembroideredontotheveindtothehemofourweddinggown.Whenyouseethefloweryouwilutomaticallyknowwhomthegownbelongstoandtherewillbenofusion.Takemeforinstance,myfloweristhecliviaandithasbeenembroideredontothehemofmyweddinggownandveil.Whatisyours?”

    “Rhododendrons.Ilovethem,soIchoseittorepresentme.”

    “Ah,rhododendrons…!That’sgreat!Ilovethemtoo.Theyarebeautiful,elegantandcssy-asuitablerepresentativeforafamousauthoress.”

    “I’vebeenthinkingthatsomeoneismissinghere,”excimedElina.“buthavebeenwwhothatwas.NowIsuddenlyremembereditwasel.Wherecouldshehavegooallone?”

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    “Ifsheisnothere,shemustbesomewhereinthegarden”answeredNovel.“Don’tworry.Shewolost.She’llturnupsometime.”SamanthawalkedoverfromtheotherendofthelivingroomandsaidtoNovel,

    “ThismAishasaidthatweshouldgiveawelingpartyforCharina.Since,mostofusarealreadyherewithonlyAishaandMegginnmissing,whydon’twegivethepartytoday?”

    “Why,that’sjustwhatIwasthinkingabouttoo.There’snodayliketoday.Let’sdoit…”ThenturningtoCharinashesaid,“Wewilllbegoingupstairstotryonourweddinggowns,leavingyoualoneheredownstairs.Ihopeyoudon’tmindandwon’tfindusginhospitality!”

    “HowcouldI?”repliedCharina.“NowweareallmembersoftheKingdomofDreamsandascloseassisters.Don’tbeoversensitive.OfcourseIdon’tmind.”Thenlookingtowardsherhandbagonthesofa,sheadded“Ibroughtmycameraalongtodaywiththeiionofbeingyourphotographer.Iwanttotakepicturesofeadeveryoneofyou.Ifyoudon’tmind,mayIalsotakesomeofthisluxuriousandcssiclivingroom?“

    “Ofcourse”repliedNovel.“Pleasedoasyouplease.”Thecha-chadanded.Amaliaantingalittle,herforeheadcoveredwithslightperspiratioiredbutstilletedandispirits.Everyoheredaroundherandapaniedhertothesedfloor,wheretheytoowenttotheirownroomstotryontheirweddinggowns.AllofasuddenCharinawastheonlyointhergelivingroom.

    Thisluxuriouslivingroomwasofcssicdesignandrgeenoughtoeasilyaodateahundredguestswithoutanyonefeelingcramped.Itwasbrightlyilluminatedaedanimpressionofserenehappine