English Teaching Tools


The Wedding
By Janine Bouyssounouse


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"Hurry up, Samantha!" Grandma shouted up the stairs. "We're going to be late."

Samantha was looking at herself in her mom's full-length mirror. Yes, the flowers were still in the right place in her French braid. It was hard for her mom to braid her fine, brown hair, but it looked so nice. Samantha was happy her grandma made her dress to look a little like her Auntie's dress. Samantha got to pick out the bolt of fabric in the store. Over the years, her grandma had made so many pretty skating costumes. Her grandma could turn a long, flat piece of fabric into a beautiful outfit in the blink of an eye. She could take scraps and turn them into something spectacular.

Samantha had been waiting since she was three years old to be the flower girl in her Auntie Angela's wedding. Seven years is a long time to wait, but the day was finally here. So why was she scared?

"I'm going to leave you behind if you don't get down here right now!" Samantha's grandma yelled with her hands on her hips and arms full of last minute items such as the guest book and various decorations. Samantha picked up her flower basket and ran downstairs to get into her grandma's pick up truck.

"How long will it take us to get there?" Asked Samantha.

"Only forty-five minutes if there isn't much traffic."

Samantha slumped in the front seat and watched the scenery fly by. She was kicking her feet and playing with the lace on her dress.

Samantha knew her job would be to fluff out her Auntie's train. It would be as beautiful as a bouquet of flowers. Then it would be time to sprinkle the flowers down the aisle. That was where the picture in her head stopped.

Samantha felt the speed change as the truck turned off the freeway. Samantha's stomach churned. What if she couldn't do it? What if she froze up? The car stopped in the parking lot. Grandma got out of the car, she began to gather all of the last minute things for the wedding. Across the parking lot, Samantha could see her little brother with her dad. He looked so handsome in his tuxedo. Her brother wasn't afraid of being the ring bearer.

"Are you coming or what?" Asked grandma. "Bring the guest book with you. We're running late." Samantha reached for the guest book without looking for it, pulled it out and slammed the door shut behind her.

"Where should I put the guest book?" Samantha said. She swung the book by the corner as she looked around the church.

"Where is your flower basket? Did you leave it in the truck?" Samantha had locked the door out of habit and her flower basket was locked inside of the cab of the truck.

"I'm sorry. Can I have your keys to unlock the door?" Samantha held her breath while she waited for the answer.

"The keys are in my purse. Don't forget to put them back when you are done." Samantha dug through the purse and dashed out to the truck, feeling relieved to be out of the way.

Samantha climbed into the cab. She decided to stay there as long as possible. Maybe everyone would forget about her. She scrunched down in the seat and watched all the people arrive in their suits and dresses. The longer she watched, the more people arrived. Soon the parking lot seemed completely full. Samantha's stomach churned and groaned. She wasn't hungry, just scared. She wiped her sweaty palms on the skirt of her dress.

A sound came from far off, it sounded like horse shoes slowly hitting the pavement. Samantha sat up in the seat and looked all around. Coming around the corner, into the parking lot, was a horse drawn carriage. It was white and round, just like Cinderella's carriage. The horses matched the carriage and they were so beautiful and proud.

Samantha popped out of the truck in a flash, grabbing her flower basket. The door slammed shut.

"Are you the only one here to greet the bride?" asked Auntie.

Samantha was out of breath and put her hand up to her Auntie to steady herself. "Everyone else is inside."

"They must be wondering where you are. Come with me. It will be easier that way. I don't know how I will be able to walk down the aisle if you don't go down first," said Auntie Angela.

Samantha's jaw dropped as she listened to her Auntie. Samantha grabbed the outstretched hand.

As soon as the door opened, Samantha could see Grandma sigh and queue the violinist to start the music. The wedding coordinator rushed Samantha and the bride to their starting places.

"Wait a minute!" Samantha pulled her arm away from the wedding coordinator's hand. She put the flower basket down on the floor and ran around behind her Auntie. Samantha found the edge of the train and shook it out a little. She helped it glide to the floor so that all of the pretty lace patterns could be seen. Samantha scurried back to pick up her basket.

"Now, I'm ready." Samantha snubbed her nose at the wedding coordinator for forgetting the most important part. Samantha walked confidently down the aisle sprinkling flowers and keeping her eyes straight forward. At the end of the aisle, she took her place a little off to the side.

Everyone stood up as Samantha's Auntie walked down the aisle with Samantha's grandpa. Samantha really was happy to be part of her Auntie's wedding.


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