GLORY – CHAPTER 25

Putting on her robe, Brenda stepped into her bedroom to find two unknown women.

"Hola, Senorita Martin. Senor Sonny hired us to do your hair and makeup."

Brenda smiled. Sonny was pulling out all the stops.

"Your dress is being ironed," the shorter of the two women informed her.

"Thank you," Brenda said as she sat in the chair. As the hairdresser began on her hair there was a knock on the door. "Come in."

Frank Hubbard walked in.

"Frank, hi," she said surprised, getting up to hug him.

"Hey, Bren," Frank greeted as he gave her a hug. "This is for you." He handed her a note.

The note read "Will you marry me, tonight? S"

"Are you serious?" she asked out loud to no one in particular.

"Deadly," came Sonny's voice through the door.

"Yes," she screamed.

"Would you mind sharing your special day?" Frank asked.

"It's about time you proposed to my little sister," she reprimanded, punching him in the arm. "Of course, I would love to share this day with Robin. Where is she?"

"She's coming," her future brother-in-law told her as he headed for the door. "Thank you. See you at the altar."

"That's what family is for."

Minutes later, a blindfolded Robin entered the room. Robin screamed when she saw Brenda. "What are doing here? And where is here?" she questioned as her big sister embraced her.

"I'm getting married."

"Sonny proposed?"

"Yes."

"Finally." They both laughed.

"So what am I- -"

Brenda gave her a knowing look.

"I'm in your wedding?"

Brenda shook her head.

"Oh my gosh, are we having a dual ceremony?"

Brenda nodded.

Robin threw her arms around her sister and hugged her tightly. Then she quickly stopped and stepped back. "Bren, are you sure you want to share your wedding day with us? After all you and Sonny have been- -" Brenda put her finger over the younger brunette's lips.

"Hush! Sonny and I would love nothing more than to share this day with our little sister. I'm positive Stone will be standing right next to the minister, cheering us all on."

Robin smiled and nodded. "Yes, he will."

"Now let's get ready."

"Yes, chop, chop girls. We don't have all evening," Anna announced as she walked in wearing her pale blue Armani dress.

"Mom," they both cried in disbelief as they ran to hug her.

"You didn't think Sonny and Frankie could marry my girls without me present, did you?"

Brenda and Robin started to cry.

"Hey, no tears. We don't have time. Now go sit down and let these women get to work," their mother commanded, kissing them and shooing them to their seats.

Staring at herself in the full length mirror, she couldn't believe it. Staring back at her was a woman. A beautiful woman in a form fitting, off the shoulder, off white Vera Wang gown. Sonny had her taste down to a tee. Her dark brown hair was piled beautifully on the top of her head with a few curly strands hanging down. She looked like- -

"A princess," Tad said from behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling Robin over to them. "You both do.

Anna joined the four way connection and the family looked at themselves in the mirror. They had come a long way. A very long way.

"Robin, you look gorgeous," Brenda gushed.

"Thanks," Robin blushed in her white, A - line Versace gown with a princess neckline. Her French roll had every hair in place. And her tiara veil completed the look.

Tad kissed both of his daughters on the cheek. "I love you two."

"We love you," they said in unison and kissed him back.

"I'll see you in a bit," he stated and slipped out of the door, after stealing a quick kiss from his wife.

"Now it's time for something new, something old, something borrowed, and something blue portion of the evening. First, something new," Anna told her daughters as she opened the door.

Gloria Cerullo walked into the room dressed to the nines.

"Gloria," Brenda and Robin exclaimed.

"Girls, you look so beautiful," she praised. She hugged them gently, placing a penny in their hands. "Carmine's ma told me on our wedding day if I put a new penny in my shoe, we'd have a long happy marriage and a houseful of kids. And I wish the same for the both of you."

"Thank you," they said, as they put their brand - spanking new penny in their Manolo Blahnik heels.

"You girls be happy, I'll see you out there," she said with tears in her eyes as she left.

"It's not too late. I've got the Quartermaine jet on standby," Edward announced walking through the door.

Brenda, Anna, and Robin laughed.

"Oh, Edward, you never quit," Brenda smiled, hugging and kissing her surrogate grandfather. "I'm glad you came."

"I couldn't miss my granddaughter getting married even if it is to a- -"

"Edward," Anna warned.

"Yes, well—" he handed Brenda a velvet box.

She opened the box to find a pearl necklace staring up at her.

"Lila wore these at our wedding and she wanted her eldest granddaughter to wear them on hers," Edward explained as he put them on her.

"Oh, Grandfather," Brenda cried.

"No tears, young lady," Edward commanded, flustered. "You are a vision of loveliness." He kissed her cheek and Robin's as he left.

"Hiya, princess," a voice rang out.

"Uncle Sean," Robin shouted, running to Sean Donnelly.

He scooped his niece up in his arms and held her. Reluctantly he put her down and stared at her. "You look so beautiful. Your dad would be so proud."

"Thanks, Uncle Sean."

"I'm the bearer of something old." Carefully taking something out of a bag, Sean clasped a sparkling diamond necklace around Robin's neck.

"Uncle Sean! This is- -"

"Let me tell you the story first. One day, Robert was walking down the street, minding his own business, when he saw a driver lose control of his car and he burst into action. He ran and pushed this lovely young lady, who was in the direct path of the car, out of the way. The woman he saved was an African princess, studying at the University in Melbourne, and to show their gratitude, her family sent your dad an uncut diamond every year. He was saving them to make you a necklace for your wedding day."

Tears streamed down the three women's faces.

"He loved you so much, princess," Sean reminded her.

"I know. I know," she murmured, hugging her uncle again.

"Okay, enough tears, get out of here Sean. It's my turn."

With a farewell, Sean left the mother and daughters to themselves.

Anna showed each of the girls pale green garters. "When I fell in love with Robert, I knew I had found my other half," she said, pulling a green garter up Robin's leg, "and when he died, I felt I lost a part of myself, my soul." She fitted the garter in place and kissed her daughter's thigh before moving over to Brenda and sliding the almost identical garter up her eldest's leg and thigh. "And then when I least expected, I met your dad and he made me laugh, smile again, he made me believe in love again, restored my soul, and helped me create a family," she concluded, adjusting the garter perfectly and kissing Brenda's thigh and then stood up. Touching both of her daughters' faces, she looked at them with tears falling down her face. "You, Brenda Martin, and you, Robin Scorpio, are two of the greatest products of the two great loves of my life. I love you both, madly."

Brenda and Robin hugged their mother tightly. The two women who for so long had yearned for a mother finally found one almost five years ago. One they could count on and who was there for them. Not the same one Robin remembered, who left her behind in a heartbeat to chase down the bad guys, but one who made tea to calm stomachs and nerves and would yell down the house if you did something dangerous or stupid. The threesome never heard the photographer as he immortalized the moment forever.

"Can anyone join this lovefest?" the man asked from the doorway.

Robin broke away from her mom and sister and ran to the blonde gentlemen.

"The pictures don't do you justice," he whispered.

"What are you doing here? How did you get here?"

"Did you think your Uncle Frisco would miss his little Robin getting married?" He shook his head. "Never in a million years."

"I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you, too. Now stop with this sappiness before I start to cry and ruin my mascara," Frisco reprimanded jokingly, lightening the moment.

Stepping away from her uncle, Robin turned to introduce her sister. "Uncle Frisco, this is my sister, Brenda."

"Brenda, nice to meet you," Frisco greeted, kissing Brenda's extended hand.

"It's nice to finally meet the great Uncle Frisco."

Frisco smiled and bent down. "I am the blue man. I found these blue stones on my travels and assignments and they made me think of my three girls." He wrapped the beautiful blue stone anklet bracelet around Robin's ankle. "I love you, Robin Scorpio, and from the little time I've spent with Frank, you're marrying a man your dad would like and approve of."

"Thank you, Uncle Frisco. I love you."

As they hugged, Ruth Martin slipped through the door.

"Grams," Brenda said quietly as Robin, Anna, and Frisco chatted.

"Hello, Brenda," Ruth greeted with a hug and a kiss. "I really like this young man you're marrying. I can see hints of Nico in him, but he's his own man."

"I'm liking him more and more, too. Is Gramps here, too?"

"Yes, he and Joey are trying to keep your dad from having a breakdown, losing two girls in one day is testing him."

Brenda smiled.

"This is for you," Ruth said, handing her a pale blue lace handkerchief. "This was my mother's and she gave it to me and I gave it to your Aunt Tara on her wedding day. And then Kelsey found it one day and put it in her pocket with her crayons and I found my mother's handkerchief had turned a bluish color."

Brenda grinned.

"Now I give it to you and one day you'll pass it along to Glory and Robbie," Ruth finished.

"Aww, Grams. Thank you. I love it. And I love you."

"I love you too, Brenda. Be happy."

"I will. I will."

"Okay, girls, it's time," Tad announced, walking back in with Sean and Edward following him.

Frisco took Robin's hand and asked, "Will you allow Sean and me to walk you down the aisle in your father's place?"

"I would be delighted," Robin answered.

With a quick word to Robin, Ruth exited.

"Girls, I'll see you out there," Anna told them as she quickly kissed their cheeks and left, also.

"You don't mind having a distinguished gentleman walk you down the aisle, do you?" Edward asked.

Brenda shook her head.

"I love you, Robin," Tad said, kissing her.

"I love you, Tad," his step-daughter responded.

"I love you, Bren," he said to his daughter.

"I love you, Dad," she answered.

They all exited the room.

As they stood at the top of the aisle, Edward leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Not only is he here, but he'll stay until you are his forever, even if it is just to get at me," Edward grumbled in her ear.

A peace fell on Brenda on hearing her honorary Grandpa's words. She turned and gave him a big kiss, leaving lipstick marks on the side of his face.

Edward blushed and fussed.

And then it was time to begin. With Tad on her left and Edward on her right, they walked her down the aisle. As Frisco and Sean did the same for Robin. Walking down the aisle, she saw that Sonny thought to invite her nearest and dearest. The Quartermaines, including AJ and Keesha, the Cerullos, Luke, Lucky and Elizabeth, Laura, Stefan, Lesley Lu, Nikolas, Felicia, Bobbie, Terry Brock, Courtney, Jagger and Karen, Lucy and Kevin, Serena, Christina, Livvie and her newly discovered twin sister Sam, Tiffany Hill, Justus, and even Ned. Sonny even thought to invite their Pine Valley friends: Palmer, Daisy, Opal, Petey or Peter as he liked to be called now, the entire Martin clan, Nina and Clint, Edmund and Maria, Sam, Maddie, Brooke, Alex and Dimitri, Livia and Tom, Terrence, Jamal, Derek Frye, Danielle Frye, Nico and Cecily, Greenlee, Erica and Jackson, Bianca, Lily, Reggie, Hayley and Mateo, Trevor and Janet, Amanda, and Tim Dillon.

Looking ahead, she saw her and Robin's wedding party. Lois was front and center in a pale blue bridesmaid dress and she was sure Lois’ nails matched to a tee. Next to Lois were Taylor Roxbury-Cannon, Kendall Hart, Maxie, Georgie, and Julie Chandler. Proudly standing next to Sonny and Frankie in black tuxes were: Frankie's step-brothers, Bobby and Mickey, Jason, Aidan, Jamie, and Gabriel. Katie, Nola, Glory, and Robbie were all dressed in beautiful white flower girl dresses. Michael and Morgan looked like miniature versions of their father.

As they paused near the altar, Brenda saw Anna and Mac sitting in the front row to her right, and to her left sat Angie and Cliff, their son, Clay and daughter, Jessie, and Mike.

Edward kissed her on her cheek then took his seat. Sean and Frisco did the same and Mac came to take their place.

"Take good care of my baby," Tad said to Sonny.

"I will," Sonny assured him, as Tad kissed Brenda's cheek and placed her hand into Sonny's.

Brenda looked into Sonny's eyes and mouthed thank you. He nodded.

Mac lifted Robin's veil and kissed her cheek. "I love you, honey."

"I love you, too, Uncle Mac."

Mac gently placed Robin's hand in Frankie's and went back to his seat with Tad.

"Dearly beloved," the minister began.