My Best Friend

Mindy and Tex

"Oh my goodness", Luda Mae said.

She, Mama Sawyer, Henrietta and the tea lady watched as Mindy stood in front of a mirror trying on her wedding dress. It was white and went down to her ankles. It had long sleeves that went past her elbows and lace around the cleavage.

"Oh, honey, it's beautiful!" Luda Mae said.

"Really?" Mindy asked twirling around.

"Tommy won't know what hit him", Mama Sawyer said in her mechanical voice.

"I hope he likes it."

"He'll love it", Henrietta softly said.

"Sweet boy", the tea lady said nodding.

Luda Mae zipped up the dress in the back.

"It's a perfect fit!" Mindy said.

"Good! We have the dress, the family's here. All we have to do is decorate the house and wait for the boys to get their outfits. You go ahead and change out of that dress and well start decorating."

Luda Mae, Mama Sawyer, Henrietta and the tea lady left the room to allow Mindy to change. Mindy smiled as she looked at herself in the mirror. The women were right. She did look beautiful. Maybe if she did something with her hair, she could look even prettier.

"That dress suits you", Mindy heard.

She looked in the mirror seeing Tex's reflection. She gasped as she turned around to see him standing at the door.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"There's no harm in family getting to know each other, is there?" Tex asked.

"Well, no."

Mindy turned her back to him.

"Will you unzip me?" she asked.

"Sure."

Tex stood behind her and pulled the zipper down. He smirked as he looked at her cream colored skin.

"How did a pretty girl like you wind up with someone like Tommy?" he asked.

"We've known each other since we were kids in school", Mindy answered. "He was my only friend. We took care of each other."

"So what attracted you to him? As you can see, he's not the most attractive person in the world."

"He is to me", she frowned. "I see him for who he is, not his looks. I love what's on the inside, what he does. Not what he looks like."

She turned to face Tex.

"Tommy is your cousin. You shouldn't be speaking badly about him."

"I know he's my cousin", Tex said. "But I find it hard to believe someone as pretty as you could love someone like him."

"You don't sound very supportive. You can go now."

"I am supportive, just not when it comes to something like this."

Mindy frowned as she looked up at Tex. She couldn't help but admit that she found him attractive. He didn't have to hide his face like Thomas did. Tex spoke, not like Thomas who couldn't. Tex spoke with a deep voice and a southern accent. Mindy was worried that Tex was up to something. He was the only man in the family who was very forward with her. Sure, Alfredo, Chop Top and Tinker acted odd around her saying how pretty she was, but they left it at that.

Tex was the only one who bothered starting conversations with her, trying to get to know her better.

"You know", Mindy said. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're flirting with me."

"I might be", Tex smoothly said.

"Well don't. I'm marrying Tommy. I love him and nothing's ever going to change that."

"Not even this?"

Mindy was caught off guard as he pulled her to him, pressing his lips against hers. She gave a muffled scream as Tex kissed her.

"Tex!"

Mindy pulled back slapping him across the face.

"Get out! Get out now!"

"Fine, then", he said rubbing his cheek.

"If you're lucky, I won't tell Tommy about this."

She watched as Tex walked out the door before slamming it. Mindy's hand trembled as she touched her tingling lips. She was shocked that Tex had kissed her. She knew he was trying to steal her away from Thomas.

"It's not going to happen", Mindy promised herself. "I will walk up to that altar, stand by his side and say "I do." I will become Mrs. Mindy Hewitt."

Mindy stepped out of her dress and changed into her regular clothes.