Freedom - John Shelby

14

Alice was anxiously pacing around the filing office she once called a bedroom, waiting for Ada to reappear with her shoes. She couldn't even bare to look in a mirror; scared of how the white dress looked on her frame and the heavy makeup looked on her face. What if John thought she looked silly? What if her scars were too visible? What if everyone felt bad for him for falling for such a wreck? A panicked breath left her lungs and the pacing continued even as Ada came back into the room, tutting as she placed down the cardboard box.

"You look amazing Alice! Honestly! You should've seen me on my wedding day, bloody Karl in my stomach, I looked like a whale!"

Alice sighed before turning to her friend, halting her pace.

"But I don't feel like a beautiful bride. I feel like a joke. What if John doesn't like it?"

"You could wear a potato sack and he'd like it!"

"I'm being serious, Ada."

The Shelby sister shook her head, placing her hand on Alice's shoulder.

"Remember what I said to you that day we went shopping months ago? When we got the dress for your date."

She had to search through her head for the exact memory, but soon her friend's words came flying back to her like an angel's message; "Remember that you're the beautiful Alice fucking Shepherd. Not whatever he made you be."

"Yeah, I remember." She answered thoughtfully, sliding her feet into the strappy heels.

"Exactly! So come on, let's go downstairs and have a drink. Pol's just dying to see you!"

And she knew that Ada was right. As soon as she let that sink in and she could no longer distract herself with petty worries, the real upset set in. No one from her family would be here for this - not her brothers or her mother or even her godawful father. The grief had been pushed back and neglected for so long, she was sure she could do it for just a little longer, but she didn't much like the idea of sobbing about her dead mother to her husband on their wedding night either.

"I'll just get too drunk to think about it." She decided to herself before following Ada downstairs.

Upon stepping into the living room, Alice was immediately met with two eager pairs of eyes. The first belonged to Lizzie Stark - a childhood friend of hers - and the second to an overjoyed Polly, seemingly glistening with emotion.

A huge mirror stood on the wall behind the women and for the first time, Alice saw herself. The white material didn't look foolish on her as she'd feared, in fact it looked stunning, bright like starlight. Tiny beads and delicate lace trimmings complimented the flowing skirt and a modest yet tight fitting top defined her chest nicely. Silver hoops hung from her ears and neck, her brown hair hung in pretty ringlets and a subtle bit of highlight powder made her eyes pop. She looked - dare she say it - like how John had romantically described her. "Maybe this is what it's like to see me through his eyes." She thought, before her attention was refocused on the two women.

"Wow. Look at you!" Lizzie exclaimed, hugging her lightly so as not to crumple the material. "You look incredible!"

"Thank you. I think you might be right." Alice replied with a grin, earning a giggle from the three women.