Page 51 of Love and Other Trials
Maybe sending them back to the resort wasn’t such a bad idea. It would reduce the drama by fifty percent.
“Girls!”
They all faced toward Mother’s voice. Ariel almost wilted under her steely glare.
“We’re coming.” She hurried toward her, lugging the dress. “Terry and Tricia think they should go back to the resort and try their dresses on?—”
“Fine!” Mother opened her purse and proceeded to touch up her lipstick. “You two head on back. If they don’t fit, call Ariel. And then do some Pilates and have the resort make us some juice. Especially pineapple or pomegranate.”
“Yes, Mother,” they both said at the same time.
Tricia grabbed Ariel’s arm, so tight she was going to leave a mark. “Ariel, can you find us a taxi?”
She had to swallow her retort.Can’t you hail one yourself? This isn’t hard.Instead, she smiled. “Sure thing.”
After she located them a cab, she directed her mother and Tiffany back to her mother’s BMW. She drove, because Mother was too upset, and Tiffany rode in the back seat with the garment bag in her lap, looking as if she’d been whipped.
When they arrived at the seamstress’ bright blue house, Mother turned to Ariel. “If this doesn’t work, we might have to consider looking for a new dress.”
Ariel had to work hard not to be relieved. She wanted her house, and she would need Tiffany to be on board with wearing a different dress if it came to that. It was good her mother was the one who’d brought it up.
Tiffany’s anguished crying filled the car a moment later. “But I love this dress!”
Mother turned in her seat to look at Tiffany. “I know you do, but if you can’t get into it, there’s no other option.”
“I spent six weeks looking for the perfect dress, Mother!” More tears spilled down her wan face. “How can I find something special in three days? And that doesn’t even account for the pressing and steaming…”
The bile in Ariel’s stomach was starting to burn her throat. “Let’s cross that bridge when we get there. Tiffany, let’s think good thoughts.”
Her sister got out of the car and handed the nearly limp garment bag to her. “I want to, but it’s so hard right now. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I thought I was safe after the fitting. That the?—”
Her face blanched, and she hurried toward the little house. Ariel followed, feeling the storm brewing behind her. Mother on a tear. Shaming everyone.
God help them all.
It had been a sad scene back at the bridal cottage—Mother had tried to shove Tiffany into the dress, and her poor sister’s skin had gotten caught in the zipper, even with Terry and Tricia pulling the sides together.
What now?
Somehow Mother beat them to the door. Her knock held adon’t mess with mequality Ariel remembered from their childhood.
The door opened, and an elderly woman with a nice round face in a simple green dress gave them a compassionate smile. “Come in. I’m so sorry for your troubles. I can’t imagine how upset you might be. I’m Paula.”
“Hi, Paula. I’m Ariel, and this is Tiffany, the bride, and my mother. Thanks for agreeing to see us on short notice.”
“It’s my pleasure, dear. Sounds like you have the worst nightmare a bride could face. Let me see what I can do.”
Ariel handed her the dress, thanking the wedding gods they’d found someone kind. The first seamstress had looked at Tiffany’s waistline after she’d pulled on the dress and declared it was impossible. The next woman hadn’t been much nicer.
But Paula’s charming little house conveyed a comforting aura, from the lace curtains on the windows to the cheery yellow paint on the walls.
“What a day you must be having.” She patted Tiffany’s arm when her sister weakly nodded. “Come on to the fitting area with me. Let’s see if we can figure this out.”
Ariel shot her a thankful smile as they walked through an ocean blue doorway into another room. “Mother, I’m going to do a little more research on this problem. Would you go on with Tiffany? I’ll be there as quick as I can.”
Her mother came over and bussed her cheek, surprising Ariel enough that she almost dropped the phone she’d taken out onto the worn hardwood floors.
“You’re doing a wonderful job, Ariel.” Mother squeezed her arm for emphasis. “I don’t know how Tiffany could let this happen.”
