Free (Sequel to Through The Dark) Complete

Chapter 54

Amanda had Julie up and out of the house right after breakfast the next day to try on bridesmaids dresses. They had gotten up and had breakfast with the boys, and it had been fun for all four. Julie enjoyed the time, and the banter between them had made them all laugh till tears streamed down their faces. This whole dress shopping thing was a bit overwhelming though. Going to over priced shops with designer gowns all to pick out a dress that didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. Julie thought she could wear a paper bag because everyone's focus should be on Amanda and not on her.

"JJ. Could you please just stop huffing and puffing every time we try something on?" Amanda asked looking through yet another rack of dresses.

"Panda, we've already been to three shops, and I've tried on over a dozen dresses. It's been hours, and every dress was beautiful." Julie said as she stood back and waited for the onslaught of dresses she would be trying on in this store.

"But none of the dresses were perfect. There will be a dress that is equally you, as it is equally me. And when we find it, we will know." Amanda said handing one of the dresses she found to JJ.

"You mean, you will know? Cuz I've known that most of the dresses we tried on were pretty good." Julie said letting the dress lay over her arm. She might as well wait for the two or three others Amanda was going to hand her before taking it over to a dressing room. Amanda had sent the sales lady away almost immediately. She just asked if there were dresses they could try on and told her they would come get her when they needed help.

"Pretty good? JJ. It's my wedding. Pretty good, is not good enough. Could you just possibly behave and pretend to be excited about this?" Amanda asked handing her yet another dress.

"I was excited two shops ago." Julie mumbled and then shrugged when Amanda gave her a look. "What? Don't pretend you didn't know how this would go." Amanda had shown her the picture of the custom dress she was having made for her wedding. It was beautiful and flowing, and not your typical white. It was perfectly Amanda. Julie on the other hand didn't see all the fuss in this. Maybe it was her broken brain that couldn't get excited about this fairy-tale wedding stuff. She wondered if she'd ever be able to be a normal girl, who dreamed about her wedding and her prince standing at the other end of the aisle waiting for her. This just seemed like a lot of work for one night when all that should matter is that you were marrying the person you love. The person you've decided to spend the rest of your life with. But could someone really know when they'd found that person? How could you not question if it was the right decision? How could you possibly know that the person was the one you wanted to spend the rest of your life with? Her mind reeled at all the possible doubts. Julie snapped her head to attention when she heard Amanda clear her throat loudly.

"Um, are you still in there?" Amanda asked JJ. "You seemed to be off in your own little world." She watched JJ sigh. "What's going on?"

"Oh, just wondering how one gets to this place. How one gets excited to be getting married and picking out wedding dresses and torturing....er...I mean, fitting their maid of honor with dresses to compliment theirs." Julie said taking the third dress from Amanda.

Amanda shook her head. "And I wonder how you can't be. I wonder how you haven't dreamed of this your whole life. Marrying the perfect man. And before you tell me no one's perfect, I meant the perfect man for you. Not perfect in the complete sense." She linked her arm with JJ and walked her towards the fitting room.

"Ok, never mind. I'm not going to ruin your day. Sorry I brought it up." Julie said hanging the dresses on the hook and closing the door.

"You're not ruining my day. All I wish is that you would open yourself up to the realization that not everyone is Johnny. I can see why you didn't think there was such a thing as a happy relationship, a reason to want to get married and settle down with someone for the rest of your life. Look at Harry. He's completely different. Hasn't there been a time where you thought that maybe you guys could be together forever?"