Gypsy Road

Still Climbing

"Good morning, beautiful," Eric's voice whispers in my ear.

I slowly blink my eyes awake. "Good morning." I smile at the warm autumn sunlight pouring between the crack in the curtains.

"You ready?" He nuzzles into my neck and kisses right against my collar bone.

"M-hm." I giggle, shifting in the sheets to sit up. I throw my legs over the edge of the bed, stretching and yawning. "Today's the big day."

"It sure is. We better get going."

"Yeah." I stand up and feel my head pound just a twinge--thank God this hangover isn't a bad one. I then head to the bathroom, grabbing everything I know I'll need for the day. After a long shower, I get dressed into a simple white slip that I'll be wearing under my dress. I sit down at my vanity and do my makeup. Keeping with my usual style, I go for my every day look, my favorite blue eyeshadow, black eyeliner, and a frosty pale pink lipstick. I hear a faint knock on the bedroom door, and a muffled voice comes through.

"Donna?" It's Marissa.

"Yes?"

"Can I come in?"

"Yep, it's open." I say between finishing coats of mascara.

She opens the door and scurries into the bright room. "You look stellar!"

"Thank you." I smile.

"Now, let's see what we can do with all this hair." She giggles and grabs my red curls in her hands, letting them tumble back down to my shoulders.

After an hour or so, she has my hair up into a beautiful and extravagant half up-do. My curls are carefully pinned back, tiny braids weaving in here and there. She also has placed crystal bobby pins throughout, and carefully combs my bangs forward so they're nice and straight and neat.

"Wow... You did a really good job." I turn around to face her.

"Nah, that's nothing." She waves it off.

"No seriously, Marissa you've got some talent. You sure you shouldn't be some sort of a hair and makeup artist?"

"Maaaybe." She raises her eyebrows and smiles.

I hear another knock at the door, this time much more frantic.

"Yes?" Marissa calls to the person on the other side.

"It's Sarah and Sam!" Sarah's voice is muffled by the oak of the door.

"Come in!" I call back to them.

The door swings open and the two rush in, smiles on their faces, their hair and makeup done.

Just as Sam is about to shut it, the door swings back open. "Surprise!" I see my sister, Jackie, and my cousin, Lisa in the doorway. Jackie's dark brown hair is pinned up almost just like Sarah's, and Lisa's bleach blonde almost exactly like Sam's.

I jump up from my chair and grin, "You guys look great! Man, I've missed you both." I give them each a quick hug.

"Missed you too, sis!" Jackie smiles.

"Alright, time for the dresses, I've got them right here. I was thinking we alternate the colors at first, but then I decided to have them custom made so the outside of each dress is sparkly and aqua blue, and the folds and underside of the sleeves and skirt are a bright shiny peach. Here, I'll show you." I skirt into the closet and heft the pile of plastic bags, each one carefully encasing a frilly, flowing bridesmaid dress.

I set the stack on the bed, almost tripping on a couple of boxes on my way. Marissa picks up the one on the top of the stack with her name written in permanent marker on the white plastic. She slips the dress out of its protective wrapping and gasps when she see it finished. She saw the plan on paper, but never got to see the actual dress yet.