Chapter 16

The ladies had massaged Mary so well that when she wanted to stand up, her legs buckled from under her. Her bones were feeble, and she was as light as a feather—a feeling she hasn't felt for a while.

The sheets were changed, and Becca took her spot as they began to work on her while Mary wore her robe and was led to another room.

In the room, she was made to sit down, and a woman immediately came to her, her thick Spanish accent coming through as she spoke, "This is the bride, right? So beautiful, so beautiful. Your skin is flawless." The woman whose name Mary didn't know praised her, and Mary blushed at the praise.

"Thank you, ma'am." Mary replied, and the woman's eyes turned starry.

"And also well-mannered, a very rare trait in Americans," she spit out distastefully. "Come sit, child, so we can further make you beautiful." The woman gestured to the chair, and Mary complied, moving to sit there. "You are in safe hands, dear; just relax and everything will be okay."

Mary closed her ey