Reliving Yesterday ✔

Chapter 18.

The dress was nothing less than flawless. Midnight blue with silver pin dots bursting from the waist up and down and gradually thinking and then disappearing towards the end. It was like wearing the night sky; absolutely breathtaking. It was art on fabric and a masterpiece of design.

That was until I put it on and looked like I'd been stuffed into a dark blue potato sack. I slumped my shoulders and looked into the mirror. I don't know why I was expecting this big movie reveal. The dress had looked so amazing on the hanger in the dressing room. Reality was harsher. I looked over at May, while one of the girls dressed from head to foot in black with a tape measure around her neck and pencils sticking out of her bun tugged and pulled and pinned my dress so that it didn't look like a sack anymore. Now, May was the picture of beauty. She had got blue highlights in her blonde hair and her eyes were deep blue, too, so the entire thing looked like it was made for her. Which isn't a bad thing because she's the Maid of Honour.

Bianca came over to look at us on our boxes and she had this faraway look on her face that she gets more frequently as the wedding nears. "Oh, guys," she breathed to us and collapsed on to a nearby couch drowned in smiles, "I can't believe it's only three weeks away." She looked utterly, undeniably happy. God, I envied her.

Her friends squealed and hopped off their boxes and ran to her. Even the head seamstress, who was usually a real grouch when it came to stepping off her box before the measuring and pinning was over, was smiling at Bianca like she knew what she was talking about. Honestly, brides get a whole lot of special treatment. The only thing Bianca's fiancé seems to be getting to do is things like eat cake samples and shine his shoes and stuff. I just stood on my box like the idiot I was, still being pinned and watched them in distant awe. I had, like one friend who would probably do that for me; Hanna. Not that I minded. Hanna gave me enough things to do and listen to even though she was one small person. "Let's do lunch tomorrow, girls," Bianca said, giddily. And all of them gushed in response. I smiled. I had school, but it's not like I had to be a part of their BFFs-Before-A-BFF's-Wedding Lunch.

That's exactly when Bianca seemed to notice me and her euphoria reduced a little as reality dawned on her. "Oh, sweetie, you can't come, can you?"

"Don't worry about me," I assured her, "You four have a BFF lunch. I'll be fine in math." I smiled at her, hoping that was enough to convince her that I didn't have to be made a part of their luncheon outings.

Bianca's smile returned. "OK, Alex," she told me, "But we'll all go for a meal before the wedding, promise."

"It's a date," I said and grinned.

"OK," Adrienne interrupted, having had enough of wasting time, "Let's get you out of those dresses and on to the rest of the tasks to do today. We must not waste our Sundays! Chop, chop!" She breezed out through the curtains to go yell at the guys. I was glad. Her constantly breathing down our necks wasn't a very healthy thing for my nerves. I mean her and Parker both, I really couldn't handle. We had got the dancing down pat. So much so, that Judy hardly wanted us to dance anymore because, in her words, she was way too busy helping the others that she doesn't have time to watch our elegant waltzing. Another wedding training session I could stay away from.

I changed back into my regular clothes which actually fit me and went to stand close to Bianca. People usually didn't yell around her; mostly they just obeyed her every command. I'd just get married for that. "Alright, everyone. Now, the guys are going out to buy their ties and pocket hankies," Bianca told us, "And Adrienne will go with them," she added, seeing May's horrified looks, "And we -" she paused for effect, "Are going to see my gown!" Everyone squealed again and I, not wanting to seem anything less that ecstatic about this whole affair, squealed, too. "Let's get a move on, girls!"

All five of us piled into Bianca's car and May drove us out to this small boutique that Adrienne had found, which makes custom, one-of-a-kind wedding dresses. It was the cutest little house with a pale pink trim and a dazzling inside. As soon as we walked in, we were swept up in a frenzy of seamstresses offering us food - nothing that dripped or spilled or stained or crumbled - and glasses of sparkling apple cider. We sat down and waited for Bianca to change.

"Hey, so I was thinking, for her Bachelorette Party we could call some of our other friends from college and some of her high school friends and take a weekend trip to Atlantic City. How's that?" May asked, in a whispered tone, "I've already got the decorations and stuff planned; all Caribbean because that's where they're going on their honeymoon, and I've got some gift ideas as well. What do you guys think?" The other two voiced their approval and I just tried not to look awkward, sitting there, out of place. "You can come, too, Alex," she told me, fondly, "We'll ask your dad and we'll get the guys, except, you know, Bryce(The groom) to drive us there."

"I'll think about it," I told her, glad that Bianca was emerging from the changing room. Everyone gasped.

She looked amazing. It was a beautiful, clean white piece of stiff brocade and an embroidered bodice with layers of fabric topped with a white tulle that spread out all around her, making sure that the closest you could get to her was about a foot away from her. Strapless and cross tied at the back, there was nothing to find fault with and Bianca was absolutely glowing. "Do you like it?" she gushed, not even looking at us. She just kept staring at herself in the mirror, smoothing down the many, many layers of her skirt.

"Love it," May told her, walking all around Bianca and smiling with adoration.

"Oh, it's absolutely perfect, Bianca," her mother beamed with pride.

"Perfectly tailored, isn't it?" Adrienne asked, walking in at that moment.

Everyone agreed with her.

And then stopped short. Bianca looked like she was about to faint. "Adrienne?" she said, in a shaky voice, "Why are you here? The boys are buying their ties and pocket squares! Why aren't you with them? Bryce can't match to save his life! Oh. my God! My groom isn't going to match the decor."

Bianca's glow had vanished and Adrienne blanched. "I thought your mother was going with them," she said, horrified, noticing that Bianca's mom was standing right there next to me.

That's when May, being the Maid of Honour, sprang into action. "OK, B, calm the heck down and enjoy your gorgeous dress, and we," she said, grabbing my arm, "Will go check on the boys. Nothing to worry about, K?"

She pulled me along with her. "Distract her," she hissed to another bridesmaid as we left and she ran over to Bianca and started gushing all over the dress again.

May basically shoved me into the car and drove off like a madwoman to the store across town, where the guys were supposed to be buying their wedding finery. We stumbled in through the revolving doors, just in time to see Bryce thank the cashier and pick up the bags. My heart dropped. May was sprinting across the hallway to Bryce. I followed her. Bryce saw us and smiled, but then when he realized that May was running at him like bloodhound, he stopped short. Without a word, May picked the bag from his hand and dug into it, bringing out three boxes. Her eyes widened. "Your even bought CUFF LINKS?!" she screamed, "Bryce, you can't match to save your-"

She faltered. By now, she had opened all three boxes and had laid them out on a counter and there was no denying that all three items; the tie, the pocket square and the cuff links were perfectly matched, not only to each other, but also to the dresses we were supposed to wear and to the gorgeous decor Bianca had picked out. The ties were classy, the pocket squares were simple and elegant and the cufflinks were glistening in the light. All the same midnight blue. "How -" May was at a loss for words, "Bryce!" I swear there were tears in her eyes, "How in the world did you manage to match these? They're perfect!"

Bryce shrugged. "Glad we had this guy, I guess," he smiled.

And then pointed to Parker.