AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I make eyes at her and mouth, “Stop it.”
We’ve been at Sasha’s place for nearly two hours and Blair’s patience is disappearing rapidly.To be fair, though, she’s displayed more patience than usual, so there is that.
“I can see you two in the mirror,” Sasha says before gathering the tulle skirt of her dress and turning to face us.“I agree that this dress is stunning.”She smiles at her dress designer who’s here for the fitting.“What I’m unsure of is whether it’s too over the top for me.”
“Oh my god,” I say as everything suddenly makes sense.“You’re worried about what Rhodes’s mother will say, aren’t you?”
“No.”She squishes her face.“Maybe.”Her expression turns positively forlorn.“Okay, yes, a lot.That woman is so mean.You know I won’t be okay if she says even one little thing about me or my dress or my makeup or anything!Oh my god, I can’t do this.I can’t marry Rhodes!”
“Well, that escalated fast.”Blair looks at me and motions with her hand.“This is all yours now.I should not be in charge of this.”
The three of us have been friends since college and haven’t found a life emergency we couldn’t fix between us.However, Blair is not the one we put in charge when emotions spill over and run wild.She’s the hard-as-nails one we go to when we need a good slap and help navigating a situation without letting our emotions interfere.Sasha is usually the one we go to when we want to sit in our emotions while I’m the one in the middle of the spectrum who mixes pragmatism with some feelings thrown in.
I walk to Sasha and take hold of her arms.“Youcanmarry Rhodes andwillmarry Rhodes.In this dress.And he will love it as much as you do, and that’s all that will matter.And honey, if there’s one day in a girl’s life that calls for over the top, it’s her wedding day.You should have every single thing you want on your wedding day.I mean, you know my thoughts on you and Rhodes having Otis and Daisy in your bridal party.I’m still unsure why you’re not.”
I eye the two Pugs sleeping soundly on Sasha’s bed.Otis and Daisy are the light of their lives and I’m pretty sure the only reason they nixed the idea of having them walk down the aisle with Sasha is because of Sasha’s fear of what Marlene Barron would have to say about that.
“I am also completely behind that idea.Otis would make the best ring bearer,” Blair says.“Fuck Marlene and all her boring ideas of how a woman should act.”
“I agree.Otis and Daisy need to be in your bridal party,” Nancy, the dress designer says.She’s also a good friend of Sasha’s and championed the whole family being part of the wedding from day one.
“While we’re throwing out our thoughts, I also think you should consider giving Rhodes that lap dance we discussed a while ago,” Blair says.“No one would ever forget your wedding.”
Sasha’s eyes fill with horror.“We discussed that while we were drunk.I’m not making our first dance a lap dance.Good god.”
Blair shrugs.“Well, I might steal that idea in case I ever get married.”
Nancy laughs.“I can actually imagine this happening.”
“Okay, back to the matter at hand,” I say.“We need to come up with a plan for how you’ll handle Marlene because whatever you choose to wear or do, she’s going to have something to say about it.Even if she loves it, she’ll never admit it.”
Nancy nods.“Truth.That woman might be the meanest woman I’ve ever met.”
“Take her off the guest list.”Blair’s not even kidding.It’s exactly what she’d do.
Sasha presses her lips together at Blair.“That’s not a helpful suggestion, Blair.”
“Isn’t it, though?”Blair asks.“I think it might be the most helpful suggestion of the night so far.But since I know you’ll never entertain it, I can also suggest I sage her down as she enters.”
Sasha frowns.“Sage her down?What?”
“Spiritual hygiene, Sash,” Blair says, like that term should already mean something to Sasha.At our friend’s blank look, she adds, “We’ve gotta take care of our energetic body.Burning sage or spritzing it will help cleanse the bad energy that Marlene brings to your wedding.”
I fully expect Sasha to tell her no, but she doesn’t.Instead, she seriously contemplates this idea before saying, “Maybe.We’ll see how she is at the rehearsal dinner.”
“Okay, so sage is on the maybe list.”I bring everyone back to the plan we’re making.“What else?”
“I’ve told you what to do,” Blair says.“If you took my advice, you wouldn’t need a plan.”
I give her the look that saysnot helpfuland move on to other ideas.“Have you brought this up with Rhodes?Perhaps you two could have a signal you give when you’re feeling overwhelmed by his mom, which lets him know to intervene and help you out.”
“He knows how I’m feeling,” Sasha says as she thinks about this idea.“I’ll talk to him about a signal.”
“You know that man will do anything for you,” I say softly.
Sasha smiles.“Yeah, he will.I just hate that I need him to.”
“Isn’t that part of what a marriage is, though?”I say.“Knowing all the little intricate ways your partner needs you and also knowing exactly what they need in certain moments.”
