Act of Kindness

"Kara! I'm headed to the airport!"

"I will remain here!" I called back to Pat from the bedroom.

Patrick's sisters were flying in for the weekend to help with one of the most challenging decisions for a wedding...finding the right wedding dress.

I've had no time to even think about the wedding dress or the bridesmaid dresses so Patrick's sisters and Julia were going to help me decide.

Julia and I were standing at the foot of the bed starring down at the pictures upon pictures of wedding dresses all in different styles. We raided Barnes & Nobles for Bridal magazines and ripped out the ones we liked the most. We spent hours watching Say Yes to the Dress just for more ideas.

"How can a woman chose? They're all so pretty!" I complained.

"Well let's start with what you don't like." I looked over all the pictures again, letting out a "Hmmmm" as I walked around the bed and took off the mermaid styled gowns. More and more pictures were taken away, leaving us with a styled wedding gown I liked the most.

"You sure that's the one you want?" Julia asked after the half hour it too me to narrow it down. I nodded, "Then we'll show the people at the store when we get there."

"Kara!" Three voices screamed as the bedroom door flung open. The three Kane sisters surrounded me in a big group hug, briefly acknowledging Julia with a "Hey, how's it going?"

"We are so excited to go dress shopping! We've been waiting for that phone call." Erika said as the three of them look down at the dress style I picked.

"Is this what you picked? Oh Kara, you'll look so good in this. Pat won't be able to take his eyes off you."

"What about looking good? Let me see!" Pat said through the door but Jackie leaned against the door.

"No! You know the rule!" She told him.

"Now what about the bridesmaid dresses?" Jessica asked sitting on the bed, picking up some of the pictures, then turning her attention towards me.

"The color's blue. Style will determine what it looks good on all of you." I said, embarrassed I haven't thought much about this.

"Lucky for you, we did some research." Jess said pulling out a handful of pictures.

"Pat thought we should help out so we did some research and we found some that we liked. We weren't sure what Julia liked so we just found a whole bunch." Erika laid out the pictures just like we did with the wedding pictures and began picking a choosing our favorites.

Once we all picked our favorites we headed out to some of Chicago's bridal shops, trying on numerous dresses. The consultants were able to find the style I liked and in the budget I asked for but there was only one problem...

"Kara you have to make a decision." Julia told me as I stood in probably the 30th gown.

"But I can't! They're all so beautiful!"

"And she looks good in all of them. That certainly doesn't help." Erika added.

"Let me go back and look at what else we have." My consultant Jenna said. I continued to stare at myself in the mirror.

I loved every dress that I put on. They were all so beautiful and amazing but none of them felt like the one. I didn't begin to cry when I was wearing any of the dresses like I'd seen so many on TV do when they found their dress. I didn't get goosebumps thinking about how Patrick will be starring at me as I walk towards him, dressed in the one dress.

I was beginning to rethink the whole jeans and T-shirt wedding when Jenna came back out, a gown in her hands. I got out of the one I was in and slid on the new one. Jenna had be facing away from the mirror until it was on me completely. Once fitted she said, "Alright, take a look."

I gasped, my hand covering my mouth as I took in the dress. My hands ran over the beading, my hips curving to create an elegant body shape. I blinked to clear my eyes before the tears started to fall.

"Let's go show the girls." Jenna led me out to my bridesmaids and once I was in clear site, they all gasped just as I did.

"Kara...wow." I stepped onto the small stage, turning to the mirror.

"You look amazing Kara. What do you think?" Julia asked, walking around the dress, smoothing out the bottom half.

I couldn't even reply I was so choked up. Pat's sisters joined Julia and I up on the stage.

"I think this is the one."

I changed out of the dress and was fitted so they could alter it for me. I scheduled a time to come back and try it on again to make sure it fits.

Next on our list was a quick lunch and then we were off to another shop for the bridesmaid dresses. We explained to our new consultant that it was going to be a summer wedding, everything was going to be blue, and I need a flower girl dress to match.

"Who's the flower girl?" Jackie asked.

"I asked Abby if I could borrow her kids as my flower girl and ring bearer. She should be meeting us here with Madelyn soon." I answered.

The four bridesmaids went off to look for what they liked while I just sat back and let them pick.

"Sorry we're late. Pat was having some trouble with Nicky." Abby said, Madelyn holding her hand.

"No problem. The girls are looking around so now I just sit and wait. I told them we needed a flower girl dress so Madelyn will have to try some on too." Madelyn smiled, hearing that she get's to play some dress up.

"Alright, each girl has a different dress on. This is their first pick." Jackie, Jessica, Erika, and Julia all walked out and stood in front of me. Their gowns different in style but all in the royal blue.

"Wow" Both Abby and I said. "I thought we wanted short dresses since it's in the summer?" I asked.

"Yeah but these were pretty." Julia said.

"How about we stick to shorter dresses?"

The girls nodded and went back to the changing rooms. While they switched dresses, I decided to look around myself, hopping this process could speed up just a little. The boys had a game tonight and we planned on going.

As I rifled through the rack of dresses, one caught my eye, "That's a beautiful dress. It's simple but it looks really nice." The consultant said.

"Can we get it in royal blue?" She nodded. "Have the girls try this on." She grabbed the dress and brought it back to the bridesmaids. A couple minutes later they all emerged wearing the dress I picked out; our consultant finding three more in the back.

"Now we can get this in blue but we won't be able to get a flower girl's dress in the same style. I did, however, find one that might go with it." Our consultant explained.

Abby and Madelyn followed the consultant to a changing room. I got up and looked the girls up and down, "All of you look great. How do they feel?"

"Very comfy actually." Julia answered, moving her hips around in the dress.

"This would defiantly go with the wedding, especially since we can get it in the right color." Erika added.

"What do you think, Kara?"

"I'm in love with these."

"Here she is." The five of us turned to see Madelyn walking out looking so pretty in her dress. She had the biggest smile on her face as she stood next to my bridesmaids on the stage.

"Madelyn, you look so cute!" I told her.

"We can get the sash in the blue to match the rest of you."

"I think we've got our bridesmaid dresses." Julia told the consultant and I twirled Madelyn, her little dress spinning outward.

The girls were sized and changed in a half an hour and I placed the order and made the appointment to return with the girls for the fitting.

We then spent some more time looking through the different accessories the shop had for the bridesmaids. We picked out some hair clips, earrings, and we even ordered the shoes to match.

"Kara, this is going to be a beautiful wedding." Abby assured me as we parted ways until the game.

I could care less about my dress or the shoes. I just want to marry Patrick. Sure, it's every girls dream to have a big wedding with the ball gowns and the flowers but...I don't care about that. Heck, we could get married just before one of Pat's games in the middle of the United Center with everyone watching. I just want to spend the rest of my life with Patrick.

---

The next few days Pat's sisters were here, they helped organize the seating arrangement, stuff the invitations now that the list was finalized, ordered the flowers, schedule a time for Pat and his groomsmen to get fitted for their tuxedo's, and book a photographer and the limo's.

"So have you decided where you're getting married?" Erika asked as her siblings and I sat around the living room eating Chinese food.

"We were thinking Rochester. It's the half way point between Syracuse and Buffalo. Makes traveling easier for the family." I answered.

"So you booked a church and all that?" I nodded.

"You've done all of that while having your show in a few weeks? That's talent." Jessica commented.

"I have a question about the most important part of the wedding." Patrick announced. The four of us looked at him, waiting for him to finish the food in his mouth before he continued, "What about the cake?" His sisters all rolled their eyes.

"We need to meet with a baker." I told him.

"Open bar?"

"If you're paying for it." Jackie said.

"It'll be money well spent. What about the dinner?"

"Is that all your concerned about? The food?" Pat gave Erika a 'duh' look, stuffing his face with more of his own dinner.

"We've got to talk about it." I said, patting Patrick's knee.

"What about music? Are you getting a DJ?"

"Actually, I have some friends in a band back in Syracuse. They offered to play as their wedding gift."

"Nice, free entertainment," Jackie smiled, "Now, who is coming to the wedding? You had a lot of invitations."

"Well...there's both families and friends, the team and their families, some of the cast and crew, some of the people from the Blackhawk Organization, others from the hospital I've worked closely with, and Pat's got some other hockey friends coming too." I explained. All three eyebrows rose and looked at Pat for more explanation.

"Pat...who else is coming?"

"Just a couple guys from around the league. They all like Kara and want to see her more than me." He shrugged.

"Give us names Pat! Names!" Erika freaked.

"I don't know. I think some of the Sabres are coming, some Canucks, some Penguins--"

"Is Crosby gonna be there?" Jessica asked, eyes gleaming with hope.

"Um...he might?" I laughed as the girls day dreamed of the hockey players that might show up. There were a lot of players getting invitations, if they RSVP or not is up to them.

"You guys are going to have the wedding of the century." Jackie gushed.

"There's always Vegas." Pat mumbled to me before he got up to get more food. I shook my head with a laugh.

Vegas might not be so bad...

---

"Amanda, these are amazing."

The Wednesday after Pat's sisters left I went to visit Amanda in the hospital. She had been writing to me about all her ideas for different shows and was eager to show me. She had created a binder, separated by show, with different drawings, layouts, and notes marking every page. I was only on the second show, amazed at Amanda's talent.

"I love making my own designs for every show. But you have to see my favorite." She flipped through the many, many pages to the back, the tab labeled with a W. "This is my favorite musical. I've seen it once and fell in love with it."

I starred down at the page labeled with green and black, the title drawn perfectly, "Wicked is your favorite?"

"Well, they're all my favorites but if I had to chose, this would be my favorite." She answered.

"It's a great show. Everything about it is amazing." I turned the page to see different drawings of Elphaba and Glinda, their costumes detailed and perfect.

"I love everything about it. The story line is so...deep. You wouldn't even think of it as a prequel to The Wizard of Oz."

"Do you have a favorite song?"

"I can't pick. They're all beautiful, but if I have to pick....probably 'For Good'."

"That's everyone's favorite." I laughed, remembering when I sang it numerous times in high school for chorus."

"I know but it's so good! You can't not like it."

"Alright, alright. Well I need to get going.Got some more wedding planning to do. Which reminds me. I have something for you," I set her book down and put my purse on the bed, looking through it till I found what I wanted. I had two envelops, handing her the first one.

"These aren't what I think they are...are they?" She asked, looking up at me.

"Yup, front and center. And there's passes for you and your family for before and after the show. I'll give you a tour myself."

"Kara...this is unbelievable. First the game now this? I don't know how to thank you." Amanda said, choking up.

"Just promise you'll be there."

"I will, I will! Thank you so much Kara! This is amazing!!" She grabbed my arm and pulled me into a hug.

The smile on her face was enough to last me a lifetime. Amanda couldn't stop freaking out about going to this show and was praying that the days would go by faster.

Finally letting go of me, she opened the second envelop. She was bouncing in her seat as she read the wedding invitation out loud, "Oh my god I'm going to your wedding!?"

"Patrick and I want you there." I said.

"Kara...you have no idea how much this means to me. You've done so much already."

"You're like a little sister to me. I want you to be a part of this." I nodded towards the paper in her hand. She brushed away the tears and hugged me again with all the strength she had.

"I'm so freakin' excited!"

I told Pat about my visit that night when I got home, "You probably just made that girl's month." He replied tossing his arm over my shoulder. We were curled up on the bed, the TV light flashing in the dark room.

"She's like a younger sister to me. I want to be there for her."

"See," He kissed the side of my head, "That's why I love you. You are an amazing, caring, loving person."

"You're not too bad yourself." I teased, nudging him.

I had no family here in Chicago and Amanda had somehow filled in as my little sister. Sure, I had Pat and Julia and the team, but I'm the baby of my family and to have someone looking up to you and someone I look out for is a great feeling. Deep down I was just as excited to have Amanda be there at my first performance and as I walk down the aisle. She's changed my life in some way and it's the least I can do to thank her.