8.124 Say Yes to the Dress

Mrs. Devine managed to take a day off to go dress shopping with her daughter. A new bridal boutique opened up in Newcrest called Felicity’s Bridal. Newcrest was quickly becoming a serious center of commerce and was more popular than the Magnolia Promenade when it was developed. Felicity’s was located in between Jeannette and Julian’s wedding venue and Black Diamond.

Jeannette and her mother walked into the store, and she stood there in awe of the fact that she was actually in a bridal shop with her mother shopping for her wedding dress. She spent half her life planning her and Julian’s life together. Now that her plans were finally unfolding, she could barely contain herself. She was far more excited and happier than she ever imagined she would be.

“Are you all right, Jenn?”

“Oh, yes, mommy! I just can’t believe it. I’m here! I’m finally here!”

“It’s a miracle,” Ciera said. “I can’t believe you spent half your life waiting on that boy. Don’t get me wrong…I like Julian, and I’m happy for you, truly. But, you’re almost an adult now! If he would have had his act together earlier, you could have had a few children by now.”

“Hello, ladies. I’m Fredric,” the sales associate said from behind the counter. “Please look around and try on anything you like. Let me know if I can help you with anything.”

“Thank you, Fredric,” Jeannette replied.

She waited for Fredric to go assist someone else before she continued. “Mommy, please don’t. I believe that things happen just when they’re supposed to. I’m not gonna lie and say I’m not concerned about my age, but I’m not going to worry about that right now. I want to focus on being happy about right now, and right now, these dresses are calling my name!”

“You’re right, Jenn. I’m sorry. I don’t want my personal feelings to ruin your mood. This is your day! Let’s go look at these dresses.”

They walked over to the display area to get a look at what to try on. She was a little bit overwhelmed by all the choices, but it excited her too.

“Well…just pick one and work your way around, I guess,” Ciera suggested.

“Yeah…I guess. There’s so many, mommy! Did you and grandma go shopping like this for your wedding,” Jeannette asked as she grabbed a dress and went to a dressing room.

“Well, yes, but it wasn’t this glamorous. We got married at the courthouse, so we went to a department store and got a nice, white, Sunday dress,” Ciera reminisced.

“Oh. I bet you were still beautiful.”

“I hated it. You know I don’t like wearing dresses.”

“I know, but you didn’t even want to wear a wedding dress? I don’t like dresses, but I’ve always dreamed of wearing a wedding dress. I want the whole nine…the hair, the makeup…everything!”

“Heh! I see Mrs. Pruett is rubbing off on you. Are you turning into a girly girl on me?”

“Never!”

“Are you sure? She’s already got you wearing lip gloss and mascara…”

“It’s just lip gloss, mommy. And the mascara makes my eyes pop!”

Ciera laughed and said, “Only a girly girl would know what that even means.”

“I’m not a girly girl!”

“Sure, honey. Are you almost done in there?”

“Yep.”

When the dress was finally on, she stepped out of the dressing room and looked at herself in a mirror. “How do you like this one, mommy?”

“No. You got too much trunk for that dress.”

“You think so?” She looked at herself a little bit longer. “But, Julian likes my trunk,” she joked.

“Girl, take that dress off! I’m not buying that one.”

“You’re no fun, mommy,” Jeannette teased and went back into the dressing room. When she had taken off the dress, she came out and browsed some more. She found another that had potential and tried it on. “What about this one?”

“You look like you’re going to a fancy gala.”

“It’s nice, right?”

“Yeah,” Ciera hesitated. “It’s not right for a bride though. It’s not even white!”

“Times have changed, mommy. I don’t need to wear a white dress.”

“But, I want you to wear a white dress.”

“Why? You want me to fake my innocence,” Jeannette said provocatively.

“Don’t play with me, Jenn.”

Jeannette laughed. She loved messing with her mother. Well, she loved messing with anyone who would let her. “Oh, mommy. I clearly did not get my goofball trait from you.” She went back to take the dress off. “So…did grandma buy you a white dress because you could wear it, or were you faking it?”

“Girl! Watch your mouth. I am your mother! Does Mrs. Pruett let her girls talk to her that way?”

“What way? I’m just asking a question.”

“Uh huh. That is for me to know, and you to never find out.”

“I guess I have my answer then,” Jeannette said to herself. She came out of the dressing room and looked at another dress while her mother was on the other side of the store. “Ohhh ho ho hooooo,” she laughed to herself. “She is going to freak out!” She grabbed the dress and ran back into the dressing room while her mother wasn’t looking. She put on the dress, came out, and got her mother’s attention. “Look, mommy! This is what Viv is gonna be wearing! I could rock it, right?”

“Jeannette! Get back in the dressing room and take off that dress! Everyone can see your girls!”

“Don’t you think I look sexy, mommy,” Jeannette teased.

“Stop playing, Jenn! Change your clothes right now.”

“Whoa,” some random teen said. “She’s hot!”

“See, mommy! I’m sexy!”

“YOU go find your parents and stay with them,” Ciera commanded the boy. “YOU go take off that dress right now! I mean it.”

“I’m going, I’m going,” Jeannette laughed. She went to the dressing room once more and changed her clothes. When she came out, she saw her mother near the first dress she tried on. Right next to it was another dress she hadn’t seen. She raced over to it and ran her fingers across the smooth silk. “Where were you when I was over here before? You’re coming with me!” She went to the dressing room, hopefully for the final time, and tried on the dress. This one was more difficult to put on, but when she had buttoned the last button and zipped herself in, she ran over to the mirror to inspect herself. She knew it was the one. She could feel it, and she knew her mother would too. “Mommy! Come look! This is the one!”

“Oh yes. That is definitely the one,” Ciera beamed. “Oh, look at you! You’re glowing! I think I might cry.”

“Aww, mommy. Don’t cry!

“Sweet plum, I love this dress! I don’t want to take it off!”

“I know, Jenn. Hurry up and take it off before you get tempted to wear it out. I’ll pay for it while you’re changing. Excuse me, Fredric? We’ll take this one…”

Jeannette went and took the dress off then joined her mother in the checkout area. “This is so exciting, mommy! Do I really have a wedding dress?!”