Page 22 of Very Special Forces

"He'swearing a suit to the wedding," I said to collective sighs ofdisappointment.

"Shamehe isn't going in his commando suit," snickered Lily.

"What'sa commando suit?" asked Mom. "Is that from his time in theArmy?"

Isighed. I refused to explain that one. My mom might drop my nieceand then Serena would be on my case for eternity.

"And howabout a veil?" asked Cherry, mercifully stepping in. She skirtedthe podium, an array of frothy white veils in her arms and anassistant trailing behind her. "We have a lace trim, acathedral-length though maybe not with this dress, there's acompletely plain, two-tier..." she continued as I zoned out for amoment. "Lexi?"

Iblinked. "Yes?"

"Do youwant to try them all on?"

"Theshort one," I decided.

"Thebirdcage veil. Great choice. Very contemporary." Cherry tipped theveils into her assistant's arms and raised a small veil on aheadband and slid it onto my head, playing and fluffing the netuntil she decided it was just right before she steppedback.

Iblinked again. It was perfect. The dress, the rhinestone sash, theshoes, the tiny veil that swept down under my chin and allowed myhair to sweep freely down my back. I looked like abride.

"Oh,Alexandra," breathed Mom. "You look stunning."

"I'll take the veil and the sash," I decided, not caring aboutthe price tags. If I had to work every crappy case searching formissing pets, misplaced family members, and stolen goods for thenext five years, I would do it without a single complaint. Well,without a singleaudiblecomplaint. That is to say, I might complain a lotbut I would still be grateful to wear these beautifulitems.

"Wonderful! Here's the seamstress. She'll pin the hem andthen you can take this all off and I will have the veil and sashwrapped and waiting for you to collect when the dress is ready. Wecan take care of everything else at the cash register before yougo."

"Thankyou, Cherry." I smiled at her, grateful for herpatience.

"No,thank you," she said, squeezing my hand before she tookoff.

Whilethe seamstress hemmed the dress and cooed at my blue heeledsandals, my family began to mill around, examining all the otherdresses until one-by-one they began to leave. By the time theseamstress had finished, only my Mom, Lily and the two baby girlsremained.

I toldthem I would be a few minutes, then hurried to get changed,slipping off the dress and hanging it on the padded satin hangerbefore pulling my own clothes back on. Except for that moment ofpanic, it was fun to try on my remaining three options of beautifuldresses and now that I knew my final choice was made, reliefyielded to excitement. The dress was the final decision to make inthe wedding plans. All I had left to do now was find a tank, andwork out what was puzzling me about the strange case Jas Kapoorasked me to work on. Then Solomon and I could get married, partythe night away and the next day, we could get on a jet and leaveMontgomery behind us. Perhaps that was what I needed to close thepast for good: a well-deserved vacation.

By thetime I emerged from the changing room, I was in better spirits."Mom? Lily?" I called as I returned to the salon but they weren'tthere. I turned around, following the corridor back to the front ofthe salon and found my mother at the cash register, handing overher card. "Mom? What are you doing?"

"Payingfor your dress and the veil and the sash," said Mom as Cherryreturned her card. "Your father and I agreed that when you gotmarried, we would pay for your dress. You know that."

"Youdidn't have to pay for the extra things too!"

"Weknow, but we chipped in for your brothers' and sister's weddingsand we want to do the same for you too. No arguments. Just a thankyou will do."

"Thankyou," I said graciously. Then I rushed over and huggedher.

"I'm sopleased you're marrying a man," breathed Mom.

I lether go gently. "I have no idea what to say to that," Isaid.

"We'llcall you when your dress is ready," said Cherry. "Then you'll comein, and we'll do one last fitting before you take the dress homewith you. I hope you'll send us a snap of the big day for our wallof fame," she added, nodding to the wall of framed photos of happycouples. Behind us, the door opened, causing the bell atop tojingle.

Iglanced over my shoulder at the newcomer as Cherry began to wrapthe veil and sash in a pristine white box.

"Lexi?"said Julia Atwater, frowning in surprise, then smiling. She carrieda garment bag over one arm.

"Hi,Julia," I said, hoping that I concealed my astonishment in time. Ididn't need to worry that she thought anything untoward about myreaction because she seemed preoccupied with the garmentbag.

"It's sonice to bump into you. Are you here for a wedding dress?" sheasked.

"That'sright. Finally made a choice and my mom generously bought it forme. Is that a wedding dress?" I pointed to the bag.

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