Healing Sophie

44

Jess stared blankly out the window, deep in thought.

"You okay?", Sophie asked, frowning at her. The two of them were on their way to a boutique for wedding dress shopping which Jess had been so ecstatic for up until a few hours prior.

She continued looking out the window half-mindedly as they zoomed past snow-covered shops and trees. "I tried reaching out to my mom to invite her to the wedding, but she hasn't responded."

Sophie reached a hand over and squeezed Jess's. "I'm sorry. Maybe she's just busy."

Jess's chest ached at Sophie's attempt to see the best in people. It was one of the reason's she adored her. Jess had tried for so long to see the best in her mother though, and after a while she got sick of not finding anything but misery and exhaustion. "She's always busy," she muttered.

"Well, if she doesn't come, then screw her. You've got me."

Jess looked over at Sophie and smirked lightly. "Damn right."

Sophie pulled into a parking spot and grinned. "Now, let's go find the perfect dress and make you into a beautiful princess."

Jess snickered. "Bitch, I'm always a beautiful princess."

Sophie beamed and hopped out of the car, looping her small arm through Jess's. "Let's go then, princess."

Stepping into the fancy shop with hundreds of expensive bridal gowns made Jess feel small, smaller than she ever typically felt. She had never seen so many beautiful dresses.

"Hello, ladies. How can I help you?" an older bald gentleman in a suit approached them, the watch on his wrist easily more valuable than anything Jess had ever owned.

She shook her nervousness away and stepped forward. "Hi, I'm Jess Harvey and I have an appointment."

The man checked a list at the counter and smiled. "Welcome in, my name is Nigel. I will be assisting you today. Would you like some champagne?"

Jess grinned and nodded, before turning to her small friend beside her. "That's how every man should enter a room."

Nigel brought out three flutes of champagne and gestured for them to sit on the white plush couch in the corner. "So, Jess. What kind of dress are we looking for today?"

Jess flushed. "The cheaper, the better honestly. I have a little over a thousand."

She tried to ignore the flicker of distaste in the man's eyes. She had saved up as much as she could from her job at the campus store. "I'm afraid we don't have a whole lot in stock that is within your budget, but let's see what we can find."

Jess nearly choked at the number and Sophie inhaled sharply to her right. That was nearly the price of a used car.

The two of them waited in silence as Nigel disappeared and reappeared with an armful of dresses. "Let's try these on for size. There's a dressing room back there." Jess took a deep breath and grabbed the dresses before vanishing behind a curtain. The room was small and felt like it was closing in on her. She wasn't used to feeling so unsure of herself and she didn't care for it. She just felt so out of her element in all of the wedding planning. She was really grateful she had Sophie to help, though.

Jess slid on the first dress and looked at herself in the mirror. She hated it. It felt frumpy and awkward. The sleeves were too puffy and she didn't like the off-white color. She sighed and stepped out of the room, spinning for Sophie. "Do I look like a pretty princess?"

Sophie bit her lip. "It's uhh nice."

Jess smirked. "Liar." She disappeared back into the dressing room and tried on the following three dresses, each feeling wrong.