“Almost ready?” Sylvia, the wedding planner, breaks in. “All the guests have arrived.”
“Almost,” I tell her. “I still need to slip on my shoes.” My stomach is all topsy-turvy, and I feel a little light headed. I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous. There’s a room full of people out there, waiting for little old me to walk down the aisle. It’s hard to believe I’m still the same girl who used to jump in puddles and chase frogs. I’m a princess now, and I think it suits me better. If only Blake could see me now.
I look for the beautiful shoes I spent a small fortune on; pointy silky pumps with pretty ribbon ties. “Where are my shoes?” I dig into my oversized bag, and peek under the skirted vanity chair. They’re nowhere to be seen.
I start to panic when Kayla swoops in, shoes dangling from one manicured hand. “They’re here,” she calls out. “You left them in the washroom.”
“Oh, thank you.” I let out a long breath as I grab the shoes. Crisis averted.
Sylvia comes back, flustered, but I’m not too concerned because that’s just her way – I think all wedding planners are born flustered. “Okay, the groom’s not here yet, but it’s all good. This will give me the chance to put final touches on a few things.”
I’m surprised. It’s not like Peter to be late. He’s always usually so punctual – it’s one of the things I love about him. Blake used to always be late, like other people’s time didn’t matter. I always found it so disrespectful. I’m sure that Peter has a good excuse. There must have been a mishap. Maybe, he misplaced his shoes too.
Mandy is grinning widely. “Everyone’s here. This is so exciting.” She hasn’t mentioned Blake so I assume he’s not here. A tiny part of me is disappointed. I know it makes no sense because I really don’t want him here. I guess I just want him to see how far I’ve come along. I want him to see me with Peter, to show him that I’m over him, that I’ve moved on and made a fabulous life here.
I suppose what Ireallywant to do is… stick it to him.
I honestly don’t know why I still care.
I take a seat on the pretty loveseat, and slip on the shoes. I press down the folds of my skirt, and study my manicured hands and the gigantic ring on my finger. I’m brought back to the day he proposed, and all those other special moments. The first time he took me to a baseball game, the picnic under that big oak on our second date. The first time we made love at that little Inn – I was still a virgin, and he was certainly very patient. I knew I loved him then.
We were full of hopes and dreams back then. I was going to be a rock star in the fashion world, and he was going to be an architect – he got a little closer than I did. He has a good job as an Architectural Technologist, and I worked as a manager at a kids’ clothing store, until last week. I loved it there, but business hasn’t been going well. With all the big box stores taking over, the small shops are having a tough time, andRomper Room Fashionshad to let me go. I was pretty down about it, but thankfully this wedding has been a great distraction. I’ll find another job soon enough I’m sure. And I still have Peter, my family and my friends.
Maddie and Jake are running around, like kids do. They’re having a blast playing with Gabbie’s kids. Maddie is precious in her junior Bridesmaid dress. And Jake is handsome in his little tux. They were over the moon when I asked them to be in my wedding.
“You want us to walk with you in the church, auntie Maeve?” Maddie asked, beaming. “Do I get to wear a pretty dress?”
“Of course you do,” I told her. “And Jake also gets to wear a suit.”
Sabrina, the flower girl, is getting antsy. She’s tugging at the hem of her flower girl dress, and fiddling with her little up-do. “Don’t do that, sweetie,” her mom (Peter’s sister, Myra) says in hushed tones. “You’ll wreck your pretty hair.”
Sabrina scowls at her, and I smile. How can you expect a six-year-old to understand the concepts of hairdos and dressing up for weddings? I’m sure she’s just tired of waiting.
So am I. I check my watch – it’s the beautiful Bulova watch Peter got me for my twenty-fifth birthday. I never take it off.
He’s fifteen minutes late. It’s so unlike him.
C’mon Peter,I silently plead.Everyone’s getting impatient.
Kayla plops down next to me. “How do you feel?” she asks. “Nervous?”
I nod and attempt to smile, but it comes out all twisted because I’m just so riled up.
“Don’t forget to breathe,” she reminds me.
Corrie wiggles her little behind between the two of us. There really is no space for her on the loveseat but that doesn’t stop her. “Just look at those two,” she says. “They make me sick.”
I peel my gaze away from the kids to look at Gabbie and her new man, Eli. They really are a little sickening to look at – so in love. “I’m happy for her,” I tell Corrie. “She deserves it.”
Corrie laughs. “I know she does,” she says, “but did she really need to find someone so hot?”
Kayla wraps an arm around Corrie. “Green is not a good color on you.”
“Everyone’s just so in love and happy,” she says. “And I’m just a bitter soon-to-be divorcée.”
Kayla squeezes her tightly. “I have a feeling that you’ll be fine too. Look at you in that dress… gorgeous.”
Corrie grins happily.
