Thread

The small things that keep family close to us.

In the middle of the hotel bedroom suite, Marianne stands on a stool in her wedding dress, wiggling impatiently while her nana and mum fuss under the bottom of her dress.

‘Why are we doing this now?’ Marianne complains.

‘You know its tradition,’ her mum replies.

‘There!’ Nana holds up her piece of the underside of the dress, showing the gold button neatly stitched onto the underskirt. She gathers her needle, thread and embroidery scissors, and walks to the open sewing box on the bed. She puts each tool back in their respective place.

‘But why couldn’t you do it before today?’ Marianne asks again.

‘Because you decided to leave it until the last minute to collect the dress,’ her mum patiently replies.

Marianne rolls her eyes. ‘You still could have done it earlier.’

‘Mine were put on last minute too. It’s all part of the tradition.’ Nana replies. ‘Everyone gets a button, and a piece of handkerchief, even if it is as you walk out the door to get married.’

‘I know, the button from Great Grandma,’ Marianne recites, ‘and the handkerchief from Great Grandpa. Carrying on the family line.’

‘I had it too when I married your father, and now you have them to pass on to your daughter. That way we always have part of the family with us,’ Mum adds.

Mum finishes the final stitch on the small square of handkerchief. ‘There. All sewn on.’ She stands up and shows Marianne the respective piece of skirt now adorned with a small square of white-ish handkerchief.

Nana takes the piece of dress from her, and inspects the stitching. Mum puts her needle and thread away. ‘Well, it will last for the day,’ Nana concludes.

‘Mum!’

‘And that’s all it needs to do,’ Nana interjects, looking at Marianne. She takes hold of Marianne’s face and holds it with both hands. ‘You look so beautiful.’

Marianne’s face melts into a smile. ‘Thank you, Nana.’

There is a knock at the door.

‘She’s ready.’ Nana replies.

‘Oh, don’t forget the veil,’ Marianne adds.

Mum carefully scoops up the veil from the dresser, and drapes it over Mariane’s head, attaches the comb into Marianne’s hair, and arranges it.

Nana fluffs the bottom half of the dress, and now Marianne is ready.

Her mum takes both Marianne’s hands, taking in the overall sight of her daughter ready to get married, smiling in pride.

Her mum leads her out of the door, Nana following behind.

Time to get married.