Sweet Lantern

Chapter 20

Alice

When we get to the dress shop, mom and Elaine go to talk to the ladies standing at the front of the store. They are both older women, who look very proper and very happy to talk to the women standing before them, so eager to talk wedding dresses and veils.

Beth and I walk around the little store, running our hands over the bagged dresses. We go through each aisle while I'm trying to get an eye for what I might like. There are so many different dresses. There are white dresses and off-white dresses, even champagne dresses. There are long ones and short ones. Dresses with long trains behind them and dresses with no train at all. There's V-neck and scoop neck, sequined, beaded, satin and lace. There are so many choices, it's hard to even know where to start. I've never thought about marriage up until a few weeks ago, so wedding dresses are not really in my scope of knowledge. I have no clue what I like.

Our moms have finished talking to the ladies and they're all headed in my direction looking like a mini wedding mob. They approach me and Beth in the tiny aisle and ask if I have any idea what kind of dress I'd like to see first? I shake my head and the older ladies tell us it's OK, they know exactly what to do. We're led to the middle of the store, toward the back. There's a sort of square of dressing rooms, a stage (the only way I know how to describe it), with a raised round smaller stage area in the middle, and it's all surrounded by full length mirrors. Lining the edge of this fitting area are really nice upholstered chairs, two on each side, with a small table in between each set of chairs.

We're told to sit here, and the ladies will bring dresses over for me to look at, so I can begin to get an idea of what I might like.

They both come back after a few minutes have passed, the moms have been immersed in talk of cake tasting and decorations while Beth has been bored, lost in her phone. The ladies have at least five dresses laying over their outstretched arms. The put them on a table and begin holding them up one by one, in front of us. There are so many options, it's a bit overwhelming. I see it all, buttons going all the way down the back (I wonder how I'd pee if I had to get out of that dress), lace and polyester, big puffy sleeves and no sleeves at all... it just goes on and on. I may not have a good idea of what I like yet, but at this point I do know what I don't like.

"I'm not sure any of these are really for me. I don't want a big, poofy dress. I don't want so many buttons that it'll take three people to help me get into or out of my dress, and I'm not sure I like the sequins or the tulle either. I want simple. And I don't like bright white. It's too traditional. It's just not me. I'm sorry", I say and hang my head down, feeling like I'm disappointing them all.

The ladies all start to chatter around me. Mom is asking if I'm sure I don't want to wear white, while the ladies that brought the dresses are telling us that they have more dresses to show me.

"Don't you ladies think she should choose what color she wears to marry the very lucky groom?" I snap around at the sound of Darry's voice and see his handsome smiling face; he's standing behind me. A smile lifting the sides of my mouth, I jump out of my seat and run to throw my arms around him. He wraps his around my waist and lifts me up off the floor, kissing my neck.

"Thank you", I whisper in his ear.

"I thought you might need back up. But I can't stay long, the guys are next door at the tux shop. I just thought I'd peek in and see how it's going", he whispers back to me, sitting me back down on my own two feet.

"Well, hello. Darry, of course she can pick her color, silly boy. I was just making sure she had thought it through. That's all", my Mom explains, a look of amusement on her face.

Darry winks at her and tells me loud enough for everyone to hear that he'll be right next door if I need him to come get these ladies under control again. He leans down and kisses Beth on the head and tells her to put the phone away and help me with these crazy women.

She smiles and nods as he leaves the dress shop, turning to go next door and then goes right back to her phone.

"What do you have in mind dear?" One of the ladies asks me.

"Something simple, I think. Not too big, not too showy. And I really would like to see something in that champagne color or something similar, maybe?" I tell them, looking around to see if there's anything remotely close to what I've just described.

"I think I have just the dress, one second..." the lady says and turns to go fetch a new dress. She comes back and unzips the dress, smiling at me as she holds it up. I hear both of the moms breath catch and my heart stops.

"Yes, I think that's it", I say in barely more than a whisper.

The dress is floor length, it's vintage style too, which I really love. The A-Line body is made of Chantilly lace and polyester, it has a V-neck with a dramatic open back. The dress is framed with Chantilly lace and has the same for the straps over the shoulders and down the back. And it's champagne colored. It's absolutely perfect.

I stand up and cross the "stage", gently taking the dress from the lady. All eyes are on me as I turn to the mirror and hold it to my body. I am in love with the dress. "Oh Alice!" both moms say together. "Go try it on, dear", my mom says, anxiously guiding me to the dressing room behind us.

I slide into the dress and open the door, peeking my head out. "Mom? Can you..." I say and motion the back of the dress. There's a small button at the top of the neck and a tiny zipper right above the small of my back. "Sure, honey", she says and comes to help me finish getting into the dress.

I step out, loving how the cool material feels against my skin. When I step up on the small round step in the middle of all the mirrors, I look from one to the next. I almost don't recognize my reflection. The dress is gorgeous, and it hugs me in all the right places, really showing off my curves. I know it will take Darry's breath away just as it has mine. I look so beautiful, so elegant and much older than my eighteen years.

I turn, realizing that no one has spoken a word since I walked out. Both of our moms are sitting in the chairs, one right next to the other, holding each other's hands, their free hands over their mouths, with tears welling in their eyes. Beth is on the other side of the stage in one of the chairs behind me. She's even looking at me, her mouth agape.

"Y-yy-you, you look amazing, Alley", Elaine says first. Mom is still silent, so I get worried and mutter, "Mom?", my eyes pleading with her to say something.

"Oh, baby girl. I have never seen anyone more beautiful in all my life. You are going to blow everyone away when you come out in this dress."

She leaves her chair and comes to hug me. She's standing behind me, adjusting the dress while I look at my reflection, still unable to believe this is me or that this is happening, this is all real. I'm marrying my very best friend in the whole world in just a few weeks. The tears start falling before I even realize I'm crying. "Oh baby, what's wrong?" My mom cries out, wiping the tears from my cheeks. "I'm just so happy, Mom. I love him so much and this is all so surreal."

Now Elaine is crying at my side too. Beth right beside her.

We all manage to dry our eyes and my mom hands the dress back to the shop ladies. "Thank you, ladies, for all of your help, truly. This is the one she wants. She has decided against a veil and she'll be barefoot, so the dress is all we'll be needing today."

When we walk out of the store, the guys are all leaned up against Mr. Williams' pickup truck. "We thought you lovely ladies might like to go to lunch. John's treat", Mr. Williams says, patting my dad on the back and laughing.

Darry comes to get my hand and lead me to my mom's car. My dad greets my mom the same way and Mr. Williams does the same for Mrs. Williams, kissing her hand, reminding me of all the times that Darry has done that for me. He's had a great example.

"We will follow you ladies to whatever destination you decide on", the guys tell us as they close our doors and go back to pile up in the truck.

"Well... all of y'all had such sweet escorts back to the car, where the heck was Robby?" Beth says, annoyed and we all laugh. I wonder to myself if there was a bit more behind that question and look at Beth, who is now back with her face buried in her phone.