Saying yes to the dress

“I miss you.” Sunny said, sitting down at her desk.
“How can you miss me, I’m right here?” I said, looking up from the paperwork I had been working on. We had made some new hires, but now came the paperwork of getting them on our insurance and all that jazz.
“I know, but it’s like, the only time I see you anymore is here, at work. You’re either at John’s house, or he’s over, or I’m with Noah…”
“Jealous?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“No. I’m happy for you – John makes you laugh in a way that I haven’t seen you laugh in a while. I just mean… I mean is this it for us? I get married, you get a boyfriend, and we cease to see each other outside of work?”
I laughed. “Sun, I think you’re being a tad dramatic – first, John isn’t my boyfriend. Secondly, it’s been like, two weeks.”
“Yeah, right, because seeing someone every night isn’t very boyfriendly.”
“I used to see Noah every night, does that make him my boyfriend?”
“If you were doing the things that you’re doing with John, then…” She said, wiggling her eyebrows.
I blushed.
“I knew it!” Sunny said, pointing at me and then clapping her hands. She then started to do the cabbage patch. “Lanie is getting some!” She sang.
“No, Lanie is not.” I said, blushing still.

It was true, John and I hadn’t had sex yet, but we had come pretty close. My mind flash back to the night before, John in my bed, my skin sliding against his, his hands on my waist, his breath in my ear… I shivered.

“Well if you haven’t, by the look on your face I can tell you’re pretty close.” Sunny said, smirking. Then she bit her lip, and I knew what she was going to say next. “Have you… I mean. Are you still OK with how things are?”
“I’m still good with how things are.” And that was true, for the most part. I never knew quite how to introduce John to people – did I just call him my friend? But he was spending all of his free time with me. Did I really need the girlfriend label slapped on it?
“OK, well…” She trailed off. I knew she wanted to say more, but I also knew she wouldn’t. “So. Anyway. Back to us – I know it’s only been a week, but it’s probably the longest we’ve been apart. And I don’t want to make this a habit, so how are we going to fix this?”
“I don’t know. Girls night out?”
“How about girls day out? My Mom wants to go look at wedding dresses. I have an appointment for Saturday. I thought we could make a whole day out of it, shopping, dinner, maybe go grab drinks? And before you say no, I already talked to the Mo’s, and we have hired some new help so…”
I sighed. “I’ve never left the shop for the whole weekend before. If we go out drinking the chances of me dropping in here on Sunday are slim. I’m not sure how I feel about that.”
“But that’s what we hired help for, Mel. So that you and I could have a life.” “I know, but they haven’t been here that long and…”
“And you have no idea how to let go. The Mo’s will be here. They’ve got more experience with this place than you and I combined. I know you’re nervous, but it’s sink or swim for them and for you. You’ve got to let go.” She looked at me sternly, and then pouted her lip. “Please Lanie? For old times sake?”
I sighed. “Fine. But not because of that pouty lipped bullshit you’ve got going on there. That does nothing for me.”
“Sure it doesn’t.” She said, leaning back and winking.

Saturday morning I kissed John goodbye and left from his place to go meet Sunny and her Mom at the boutique she had chosen. The place was filled from top to bottom with gorgeous white dresses in every style imaginable. Sunny wasted no time diving in to the dresses – instructing her Mother and I that she had no problems trying on anything and to get started picking. Sunny and her Mom seemed to have no issues finding dresses to try on, but I on the other hand just couldn’t come up with one. They were beautiful, but they weren’t Sunny.
Sunny saw the look on my face and laughed. “Go over there and look at bridesmaids dresses Mel. I’ll call you when I’m ready to try this stuff on.”
“Any particular style you’re looking for?” The assistant asked her, while leading me across the small store to a smaller selection of colored gowns.
Sunny shrugged. “Nope. She’s my maid of honor. She gets whatever she wants.”

I wasn’t much better at finding a dress for me. Everything looked either too slutty for a wedding, or too matronly. I was starting to get frustrated and was about to give up when I saw it. The color is what caught my eye first – a dusky midnight blue. Sunny had planned a short engagement, their wedding was set for the end of February (I know – crazy right? She and her Mother had dived head first into planning) Her wedding theme was basically winter – and silver and midnight blue were her colors. I pulled it off the rack and was disappointed to see that it wasn’t what I had pictured in my head. It was shorter than I had planned (knee length) and the bottom was jagged, the skirt looked like it had been made of several ripped and ruffled pieces of fabric. It was also sleeveless – it wouldn’t work for a winter wedding.

“Hey Lanie, I’m ready!” Sunny called from across the floor, and absent-mindedly I carried the dress over to the dressing rooms.
“What did you find?” Susan, Sunny’s Mom asked.
“Oh, nothing I just…” I held it up. “It’s not really my style but I thought the color would match.”
“You have to try it on. That’s the rule – even if you don’t think it’s your thing, you have to try.” Sunny said, pushing me into what was supposed to be her dressing room.
“Alright.” I said, realizing there was no use arguing with her. “But it’s going to look dumb on me.”

As soon as I slipped the dress over my head, I knew it was the dress for me. The top hugged my chest, giving me the appearance of pretty sexy (but not slutty) cleavage. The skirt danced every time I moved – it was going to look awesome on the dance floor. I stepped out and Sunny nodded.

“Now let’s see if I can find my dress just as easily.”

It wasn’t easy. There were plenty of pretty dresses, but as I had noticed earlier, none of them were Sunny enough. We were getting to the bottom of her pile, the ones we had saved for last because they were more to try on for fun rather than dresses we thought were serious contenders. Sunny was trying to keep a brave face on – cracking jokes about each dress she walked out in – but I could tell she was getting disappointed.

“It’s not a big deal if you don’t find the dress today Sun. I mean there are other stores…” I said, helping her in to a dress that was way too princess-y to be Sunny. She pulled it up, and I held the back together and zipped it for her. I glanced up over her shoulder to look at her reflection in the mirror and let out an involuntary gasp.

The dress was strapless like mine. The top was pretty plain – it had a few crystals on it, but not many. However, the skirt poufed out in to what I imagine a princesses dress would look like. It had a layer of tulle that was covered in crystals, and it gave the appearance that her dress was covered in snowflakes that were glinting in the sun.

Sunny looked amazing. Everyone agreed – but just to be sure, she tried on the other dresses in her pile. In the end, she ended up back in this princess dress.

“We can get you a tiara.” Her Mom said. “You should wear your hair down. Maybe they can put some crystals in it too.” She was standing behind Sunny, her eyes already welling with tears. “I’m so happy for you.” She said, squeezing Sunny from behind.

“Me too, Momma. Me too.”

Sunny’s Mom bought her dress, and much to my surprise, bought mine as well. Then she bid us goodbye, telling us we deserved girl time and to have fun. Sunny and I spent the rest of the day shopping, stopping only for dinner. After dinner we went home to change quickly and then headed out to our favorite bar – live music and plenty of guys. Just because Sunny was off the market didn’t mean guys stopped wanting to buy her drinks, and we both took advantage of that. Pretty soon we were hitting the dance floor and really having a good time (and also making pretty good fools of ourselves.) Around two in the morning when they called for last call, we decided we had enough (and couldn’t get more if we wanted) and called Noah to come get us.
We sat on the curb, waiting, huddled together for warmth against th
e cold autumn air when Sunny turned to me.
“Why haven’t you slept with John yet?” She asked, her bloodshot eyes on me. She had stolen some guys sunglasses and they were perched on her head, holding her hair back.
“I don’t know.” I said.
“Are you scared?” She asked.
“A little bit.” I answered honestly.
She nodded. “I’m scared to marry Noah, a little bit. I mean, I love him. I know I do. I know he’s it for me. But I also fear that in five years from now he’ll wonder if there’s something better out there. Leave me behind.”
“You know Noah would never do that.” I said.
She nodded. “I know. But sometimes it scares me.” Then she paused, peering down the street. “Can I tell you a secret?”
I nodded. “You can tell me anything, you know that.”
“I found my brother. I want to invite him to my wedding.” My mouth dropped open – and of course, that’s when Noah pulled up. John was in the passenger seat, and he slid out to let Sunny in – but not before she shot me a look that said “keep your mouth shut.” I was guessing Noah didn’t know about this.