Awake, My Sleeping Beauty

Chapter 14

"God, would ya look at that. That dress would be wonderful," Susie said in awe. Susie and Heaven stood outside a small boutique looking at the wedding dress that was on the display window. Heaven winced at the huge fluffy gown.

"Mm, no," She shook her head. "Too over the top."

Susie put her hand on her hip and glared at Heaven. "Honey, I meant for me not for you."

"Oh," Heaven bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Well, in that case, it's perfect. Susie Breslow needs over the top."

"Damn right I do," Susie nodded and went back to eyeing the dress. Heaven stared at her friend.

"Miss Breslow, don't tell me you're hearing wedding bells already. You and Tommy haven't been going out for that long!"

"Ugh," Susie made a face and crossed her arms. "It's all this wedding planning, it's got me thinking all these insane thoughts. Besides, you're getting married at twenty one."

"Oh that's different!" Heaven laughed.

"How!?"

"Ricardo and I are in love and we've been together for two years."

"Whatever," Susie said in a sing song voice, "How's the good ole'brother-in-law doing anyway? Was his first night in your parents house awkward enough?"

"Nah, everything was fine. I slept in my room and he slept in one of the guest rooms. Besides, he was called earlier this morning by one of his business partners and he has to fly out this afternoon."

"You're not going with him?"

"No, I've had enough flying for a while, Suze."

"Good! That means we'll be able to party hardy tonight!"

"Come on," Heaven rolled her eyes and slid her arm through Susie's. "My mom would kill me if I didn't go to the store she suggested. If we don't find anything there then we'll come back to this one."

"All right, but I have a lunch with Tommy this afternoon so let's make it snappy."

"Deal," Heaven agreed. Despite her excitement to marry Ricardo, Heaven didn't find the planning portion of the wedding as great as her mom and Susie did. Thank goodness Christine had offered to take care of the reception, that was now to be held at a banquet hall despite Heaven's insistence that she wanted the party to be at home.

Beach

Frances took a drink of water as she and Christine sat on the sand in their jogging clothes.

"I'm beat!" Christine gasped for breath.

"Well, if you hadn't stop exercising for three months you wouldn't be near to having an asthma attack," Frances scolded her friend.

Christine drank from her water bottle and shook her head. "I know, I'm sorry. Things have been pretty busy at home."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," Christine replied stiffly. Now that Ricardo had returned with Heaven Christine knew she didn't have much of a choice but to tell Frances the truth. This realization scared Christine. How would Frances take the news? Was it possible that she was still opposed of her son dating Heaven enough to not get mad, or was Christine putting an end to their friendship once again by revealing this secret?