Alyona stared at herself in the mirror, nervously smoothing down the front of her sleek purple velvet dress that her mother had helped her into twenty minutes earlier.
Her hair was pinned up on top of her head with a few tendrils framing her face, a soft knock pulled her from her thoughts as her door opened slowly and her father popped his head around the door, smiling widely as he spotted her.
Slipping into the room, he walked toward his daughter, dressed smartly in trousers and a button up shirt. Reaching her, he took her hand in his and spun her around, ‘you look beautiful baby girl’ he said thickly, his voice laced with emotion.
Alyona giggled as she stopped, facing him, reaching up with her free hand and patting his chest, ‘you aren’t getting emotional on me are you dad?’ she accus
