To Have And To Hold

19 - Flawless Fitting

"You're sure you definitely don't want to come with me?" Lauren asked, pausing at the door.

Joey stared at her, deliberating whether he wanted to join the girls as they shopped for Lauren's wedding dress. On the one hand, he was desperate to see what she looked like in her dress. She'd already been on a preliminary trip with Jaime and told him she was pretty sure she'd found the one, and he hadn't been able to stop imagining it since. On the other, he wanted to save seeing it for the first time for the day itself. She did have enough help from Jaime, Julia, and his mom already, who he knew would be fussing over her and making sure everything was perfect.

"I'll keep the surprise," he said.

"If you see it now you might not cry on the day," she countered.

"Go. Have fun. I'll see you later," he said, smiling fondly at her.

"Love you," she called as she went out the door.

Joey switched on the TV, flicking through the channels mindlessly. He switched it off again. He refreshed Twitter, then Instagram, then Twitter again. He put his phone down, drumming his fingers on the back of the couch. 

"You wanna go for a walk Diane?" he asked into the silence.

His daughter responded to the question by going crazy, leaping around on the couch and wagging her tail.

"C'mon then," Joey said, grabbing her leash. The sun was climbing higher in the sky and Joey slid his sunglasses onto his face as Diane led them down the sidewalk. She automatically went to pull him round the corner on their usual route, but Joey stopped.

"Should we go see Mommy?" he said.

Diane just stared up at him, so he made the decision himself, and crossed at the lights in the direction of the store Lauren was at.

Several times on the way he almost turned back, feeling guilty even though she had invited him to come. But before he knew it he was approaching the store front, and something was forcing his feet forward. He walked past the window, trying to stare inconspicuously inside, but he struggled to see in through the glare. He turned around and walked past again, slower this time. Still no sign of Lauren, but he did manage to lock eyes with Jaime, who looked outraged at the sight of him. He averted his gaze and kept walking. But it was too late.

"Joseph Michael Richter," came Jaime's voice from behind him. He turned around guiltily.

"Hi Jaime."

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her arms folded across her chest. 

He held up the leash innocently. "Taking Diane for a walk." Very far from their neighbourhood. Jaime narrowed her eyes at him.

"Right outside the store you knew Lauren was at for a dress fitting?"

He shifted his weight from foot to foot, thoroughly caught out. By this time his mom had come out to see what was going on. He waved sheepishly at her, and she shook her head at him with a smile before going back inside. Moments later, he heard Lauren's voice from inside the store.

"I asked him if he wanted to come!" she cried, her voice coloured with amused disbelief. 

Julia joined Jaime outside. "You might as well come in now you're here," she said to Joey.

"No, I can't," he said, looking longingly through the store window even as he refused the invitation.

He was about to say his goodbyes and go back home to await Lauren's return and have her inevitably make fun of him, when the love of his life came out into the front of the store in a full length white gown, looking an absolute vision.

Joey's jaw dropped to the floor, and Lauren grinned. She beckoned him in, and he only hesitated a second, handing Diane's lead to Julia as he went in, followed by Jaime.

He opened his mouth, attempting to say something to Lauren but totally lost for words. There were none to describe how gorgeous she looked. 

"I said I didn't want to see the dress," he eventually managed feebly. Which was still half true, although the way his heart was reacting to seeing Lauren stood before him in a wedding dress, it was difficult to remember why.

"You shouldn't have made an excuse to come all the way out here then," she said cheekily.

"You have a point," he admitted, laughing.

"I'm not getting this dress anyway," she said.

"You're NOT getting that dress?" he exclaimed, his eyes roaming over the lacy fabric and appreciating the way it fit her figure. She looked absolutely incredible in it, and he couldn't fathom how she wasn't going to  buy it. Lauren just laughed, drawing Joey's eyes back to her face.

"Can I see Diane?" she asked him hopefully, peering outside. 

"Sorry, I have to ask no animals around the dresses," interjected the sales assistant.

"Well if I just get out of this-"

"Nope," Jaime shook her head firmly, hustling Lauren to the back of the store. "Bye Joey," she shouted over her shoulder, and he chuckled. Lauren looked back one last time, grinning at him, before she disappeared to try on another dress.

Joey left the store and took Diane back off Julia, returning home and trying not to think too much about Lauren in wedding dresses. She arrived home a couple of hours later, sitting in Joey's lap and resting her head on his.

"Did you decide on a dress?" he asked softly.

"The one I fell in love with first time round," she replied, lifting her head to smile at him.

"I can't wait to see you in it."

She kissed the top of his head,and Joey wrapped his arm tighter around her waist, envisioning her walking down the aisle towards him, now with the reality imminent.