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“But it won’t be right.” I sighed, suddenly understanding how Bridezillas were born. So far through the wedding planning process, I’d stayed calm. I hadn’t stressed over the little things, and I hadn’t panicked that we’d left some things until really late. But my dress? There were only two months left until the wedding. Actually, seven weeks.
Shit. Seven weeks?
I turned to Freya, totally panic-stricken. “Freya, I’m on a clock here. If I find something today, alterations might need to be made and that won’t happen overnight. And if I don’t find something today? I’m going to have to spend all of my time searching every freaking dress shop in this city and beyond until I do find something.”
Before I could break down and cry in the middle of the store, Bree swept over and handed me another glass of champagne, which I chugged down as if it were water.
“Take it easy,” Bree said, placing her hands on my shoulders. “We’ve got this. We’re all here for you and we’re going to help you find the best wedding dress ever. If it takes a little longer, that’s okay. Seven weeks is forever. I’ll take time off work if I need to. But we will find it, Leah. I promise.”
Taking some deep breaths, I nodded. “Okay. Okay.”
Izzy and Kayla walked over to us after carefully examining the dress I’d just tried on. I got the impression Izzy had fallen in love with it and was already planning on making a note of it for future reference.
“You could always just replace the one you had,” Teresa suggested. “Get an exact replica.”
I shook my head. “The groom has already seen it. And I’m not usually superstitious but we’ve had enough bad luck. I don’t want to tempt anymore.”
“I think you’re looking at this all wrong,” Bree said. “You’re trying to recapture what you had, but you can’t. So why not try something different? Something totally away from the ideas you had when you first looked. Also, Radleigh will probably be expecting something similar, so why not blow his mind? Go for something unexpected.”
I shifted my eyes towards her. “I’m not Lady Gaga. I’m not walking down the aisle in a dress made of dove feathers and white tiger fur.”
A chorus of laughs echoed around the room, and Bree said, “I don’t
mean that kind of unexpected. I mean, why not try on something less lacy, or with a fuller skirt? Just something you hadn’t considered before.”
“I’m too short.” I turned and looked in the mirror, pouting at my reflection. “If I wear a big puffy dress, I’ll look ridiculous.”
“It doesn’t have to be too big,” Teresa said, thoughtfully. “In fact… wait there.”
She scurried away with a smile on her face, but I was way too disillusioned to get excited.
“I never knew wedding dress shopping could be so hard,” Kayla said, staring at the mass of gowns surrounding us. “They’re all gorgeous. I’d be happy with any of them.”
Bree smiled at her. “It feels a lot different when you’re picking one for yourself. It’s the most important dress you’ll ever buy. The one you wear when you walk down the aisle towards the man you love, ready to spend the rest of your life with him.”
Izzy let out a dreamy sigh, letting me know for sure she was picturing her own wedding day. She would make a stunning bride. She had the cutest face and amazing cheekbones. Like me, she was short, but curvy. She and Jesse would, one day, make beautiful children together.
“Miguel asked me to marry him.”
Slowly, the four of us turned to face Freya, where she stood biting her lip nervously.
“Sorry… did you say Miguel asked you to marry him?” Bree said.
Freya nodded. “It wasn’t like a real proposal, it was more like… I guess he just wanted to know where I stand on the whole getting married thing.” Her cheeks flushed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to blurt it out like that, it just… happened.”
Izzy and Kayla, although aware of the situation, would never be able to grasp the true enormity of Miguel’s question. Miguel was a laid back, easy going kind of guy, but he was also a romantic. And he loved Freya. If he’d been thinking about marrying her, and she wasn’t on the same page… this could easily spell the end for them. Considering everything Freya had been through, he’d asked the question perhaps a little too soon. They hadn’t even been together for a year yet, and Will had only been gone for a year and a half. One of Miguel’s most lovable traits was his impulsiveness, but had he gone a step too far, too fast?
“I… erm… well, I…” I stuttered. “What did you tell him?”
“I told him I love him, but also that I’m not ready to make that decision just yet.” She sighed and leaned back against the wall. “I do want to be with him. I can’t imagine being with anyone else. But that kind of commitment? I’m not sure I’m ready yet.”
Bree caught my eye, and I knew she was thinking about the conversation we’d had a couple of months ago. Neither of us said anything, though. In the end, it was Izzy who broke the silence.
“May I say something?” she asked timidly, and Freya smiled and nodded. “I don’t know you very well, and I know nothing about your relationship, but I do know that you and Miguel look happy together. If you really aren’t sure, that’s fine, but if you’re hesitating because you’re worried about what people will say… don’t. I know this isn’t the same thing, but there are a lot of people in my life who have an opinion about me being with Jesse. They say it won’t last, and he’ll cheat on me, and who the hell do I think I am dating a famous footballer. But what they say isn’t important. How I feel about him is what’s important.” She shrugged shyly and lowered her head.
“You’re right,” Freya said. “There is a really big part of me that thinks people will judge me for moving on. A lot of people already have.”
“It’s not like you’re going to get married tomorrow,” Bree said. “If you want to be with Miguel forever, you can tell him that without announcing it to the whole world. If you know what you want, tell him. And also, make sure he proposes to you properly next time!”
