AllFreeNovel
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I’ve never been that into fashion. Mostly because I live in Alaska and there aren’t a lot of stores up here, let alone ones specific to plus-size clothing. Almost all of my clothes are bought online. I try them on and return them through the mail, which is an annoyingly long process. Sure, I can go to a box store, but if I want something more than a basic T-shirt, shorts, or jeans, I have no options. And the boutique stores in our small downtown don’t carry anything plus-size.
But I’m getting married, which means dress shopping. My mom, my sisters, and Noah’s mom all meet at the dress shop in Anchorage. The minute we enter, all the nerves I had about being here disappear. I’ve been in other shops that don’t cater to plus-size women, and the salesladies give me a look of disdain, as though I have some nerve even being in their shop. And I’ll admit, I expected a bit of that today. But I’ve never felt so welcomed in a clothing store.
The woman I booked a last-minute appointment with, Brena, greets us at the door.
“You must be Mandi?” She looks at me in the middle of everyone. “I’m here to make sure you pick the dress of your dreams.” She quickly turns to everyone. “I’m going to steal our bride away. My assistant, Thad, will escort the rest of you ladies to the waiting area. Please enjoy some refreshments while you wait.”
Brena and I are just about out of earshot when the doors of the store open.
“You hoo, we’re here!” I recognize Ethel’s voice. “Where’s the champagne?”
“Are they with you?” Brena asks.
I nod. “It’s my grandma and her kooky friends. I apologize in advance for anything they might say or do.”
She pats me on the back and picks up her walkie-talkie on her hip. “Thad, more of the Greene party and guests up front.” Smiling at me, she pats me on the small of the back again. “Let’s get started. I need to know all your likes and dislikes. I set five dress styles in your fitting room. We’ll try each one on before you even go out and show everyone else. That way you can decide which style you like best, and we’ll go from there. I mean, if you want to show your family these five we can, but in my experience, that’s how a bride ends up with a dress she doesn’t love. Too many opinions flying around. Too much pressure.”
“I love you, Brena. Can you shop with me all the time?”
She laughs and takes the first dress off the hanger. “Go ahead and change into the corset. I promise I’m not looking.”
I do as she instructs, and I realize that I’ve never even stood in front of my sisters in only my underwear and a bra before, but Brena doesn’t make me feel self-conscious in the least.
As she situates the gown on the floor for me to step into, I fear for a second that she may have underestimated my size. That I’ll be trying to pull the beautiful, beaded dress up my curves to no avail. But it slides easily over my hips, stomach, and breasts. If anything, it’s a little too big.
“I love your red hair down, but for this dress and neckline, you should definitely put it up. Do you mind?” She puts my hair in a twist as if she’s a fairy godmother and anchors the dress to fit my body with a big clip in the back. I can actually breathe as I stand in the mirror and stare at myself in a wedding dress. “This is another reason I don’t allow guests. A bride should only be concerned about her feelings when staring into the mirror wearing a wedding gown for the first time.”
As I soak it in, Brena asks me questions about what I like about it, how I feel with it on my body. And we do the same process four more times.
“Okay, now that you’ve picked the style you love, we’re going to go grab a bunch for you. Welcome to the fun part.” She does a little clap before she disappears, giving Thad orders of which dresses to pull.
My phone dings in my purse and I take it out.
Noah: Thank you for taking my mom. She told me she was really excited. I think tux shopping wouldn’t have been the same to her.
Me: You’re welcome. She’s the mother of the groom after all.
Noah: Still. Just know it means a lot to me that you’d do that. Dinner tonight?
Me: Sure. But turns out this is quite the process, hopefully I’ll be done by then.
Noah: I’d wait all night for you. ;)
The winky face makes my stomach flip.
Brena and Thad return, and I put on a champagne-colored dress that has a beaded bodice with a small belt and puffy skirt. I love the way the neckline dips into my cleavage, and I wonder if Noah’s eyes will stray to that area on our wedding day.
My hope that they do tells me I need to get my feelings in check and remember that this is a fake marriage.
We walk out of the changing area, and I can hear all of my guests being way louder than is polite. When I walk into the waiting area, everyone stops and stares. My skin, already flushed from trying on so many heavy dresses, heats further.
“Oh, Mandi,” my mom coos while she steps closer. “It’s beautiful. You’re beautiful.”
“I do love the champagne color,” Chevelle says.
“Your skin tone goes with it perfectly,” Posey adds.
“I just love it,” Nikki says.
