Right next door to Hell

44

     I was extremely happy. I had a lot of reasons to be like this. Around nine o'clock in the morning, Thomas began to give calls to invite people. Our parents, when we gave them the good news, began to cry. They could not believe that we actually have decided to make the next step.

      I was enjoying me coffee, listening to some Guns N 'Roses next to Thomas. It was our favorite band. It was the best way to start a Saturday morning. Axl Rose's voice made me feel like I was flying since I was a kid and it still does now, in a peaceful Saturday morning, May 19th. I heard a knock on the door, then someone opened it.

      "Good morning, happy future family! Erin, are you ready to go? We have some shopping to do!" said Diana entering with Amy and Lexy beside her.

      "Yes, I'm ready! Thomas, see you later. We can go out to lunch together." I said taking my leather backpack. "All right, baby! Have fun!" He said kissing me.

       We walked out and we got all four in Lexy's car. We stopped at the first bridal shop that I started to look around. I walked inside and I glanced through dozens of models hung on hangers.

     "Can I help you, Miss?" A woman asked me. "I am looking for a dress, but I do not know which model to choose." I answered. "When is the wedding?" "Next week. I want something simple." I added. "You would look much better with a champagne-colored dress that you already have a very white skin. Hmm ... how about this one?" She asked me taking one.

       "It is beautiful. I'm going to try it. I took the dress in the dressing room and I put it on. It was vintage. On the back, a row of buttons looked like little white pearls. It was lace at the top and bottom was a skirt above the knees made of veil. It didn't have sleeves, but it had wide straps made of lace too. It was nice.

      "Well, what do you think?" I asked the girls. "It is... perfect!" Lexy said. "I'm sure that Cliff would love it." Amy added. "Did tou said Cliff ?!" I puzzled asked. "Yes. He would have liked to see you like this. Even if ... you know ... all he wanted was to see you happy." She told me trying not to do the things harder.

      "I miss him. If I could turn back time..." I said after a little break. "We all do... But he does not want us to be upset. I think he has a better life than here." Diana tried to calm down the tears in our eyes. "Maybe..."

      I took off the dress and I went to pay it. I felt like a little girl who gets a new doll. We went after on Sunset Boulevard. I started to button my phone. I received a message from Thomas.

     "Have you resolved?" He send. "Yes. You?" I replied. "So do I. Where are you going?" He asked back "Rainbow. Do you come?" "See you there." He ended.

     "Erin, I do not care what you want, but we will make one last girls party tonight." Lexy said. "Where?" "At your place. I talked to Oliver to go with Thomas and the other boys in town. Let's make a sort of bachelor and bachelorette party." Diana continued. "I'm afraid to know what you are going to do." I said. "I'm afraid to know what the boys will do. I can think just at the craziest ideas they have." Lexy noticed.

     "Are you fine? You seem upset." Diana noticed looking at me. "No. But today's is not my best day. I'm not feeling too well." I answered. "We can drive you home of you want."  "No. I come with you. If I go home, I will do something to feel better? I'll be fine." I told them all.

      When we arrived at the Rainbow, the boys were already there. They laughed together. I've hugged Thomas from behind and kissed him on the cheek.

     "Honey, what are you doing? Have you found a dress?" He asked me. "Yes. You will like it." He smiled. "Can I see it?" He questioned. "No way! I do not know how it is in Austria, but here it says you're not allowed to see her wedding dress before the wedding. They say it brings bad luck." said Lexy.

       "Okay, I'll wait until next week. I'm curious to see how my wife will surprise me." He added with a strange smirk. "I have to start to feel casual with the word 'wife'."

       I sat next to him and watched at him smiling. He had the kind of smile that you pay a million dollars to see it. Bright and full of happiness.

      'We shared hard times and this is the price we payed. But through it all, we kept the promises that we have made. I swear that I will nevever leave you alone.' I thaught.