Page 275 of Steeling Her
My mom rolls her eyes and cradles me as we walk into the suite they have dedicated for the dress I have bought—well, my dad bought for me. He has never seen me in it, and he doesn’t want to until the day of the wedding. I know he finds it very hard to let me go, especially when I’m his only daughter. I can see it in his eyes. Even with that heartache though, he is very happy for me and Nick.
I walk into the room where my dress is hanging up in. It has a black plastic cover around it because I know there are cameras outside looking to get their money shot of the dress and spoil the day for me.
I had been looking everywhere when I initially went shopping for the dress. My dad said I could have whatever I wanted, but I didn’t want it to cost an arm and a leg for him. He’s worked so hard for his money that he could have spent on himself and my mom, but he insisted I get the dress I wanted, no matter the budget.
I am really lucky to have that option. Not many do and I’m very grateful.
Searching for the dress was hands down the most stressful thing I’ve ever had to endure. It went on for weeks and weeks in different states across the country, until I finally went to a private booking that Haley got me at Oscar de la Renta in LA. There, I found the one that I just adored. The fitting was easy, and the dress is custom made to pure perfection. I hope Nick thinks the same.
My mom unzips the dress from the bag and lays it across the bed in the room.
I’ve stayed in a large suite to myself the entire night. Although the idea of being able to relax and do my own thing was originally the plan, it didn’t turn out that way. The girls and my mom all came around last night to have some drinks and time to unwind before the wedding. It was nice to catch up with them and we played some fun games. But when it came down to trying to fall asleep, I just couldn’t do it. The thought of getting married right then and there has crossed my mind one too many times thanks to my brain working in overdrive, hence the bags under my eyes.
It’s been untouched since the final fitting and has been in that bag to protect it. I’ve had it hidden in my parents’ place in case Nick stumbles across it by accident and ruins the tradition of every wedding. Just for safe keeping.
My mom smiles down at the dress in thought. “I remember when I first saw you in this when you decided to try it on. I could tell it was the one just from the look on your face. You looked like a true angel in it, and I’ve never seen someone so beautiful in a dress like that before. It really took my breath away, sweetheart.” As I get closer to the dress, I can see the tears starting to well up in her eyes as she focuses on me.
She lifts her head and focuses her gaze upwards, beginning to fan her face to stop the tears from falling. “No, we’re not going to do it!” she scolds herself. “You are not crying right now, Elaine!” she admonishes herself again. I couldn’t help but chuckle a little before giving her a great big hug.
She’s been my rock throughout the last three years. Sure, I have Nick, but my mom has been with me from the very start along with my dad.
The dress is a mermaid gown with a low back that just touches the bottom of my ribs with spaghetti straps to bring out the v-neckline in the front of the dress. The bodice is made up of fresh and crisp white lace with lining underneath it. It falls so elegantly to just above my knee, showing off a small train of delicate lace stretching behind me as I walk. The dress accentuates my curves in all the right places. It’s a simple dress, and that’s why I love it so much. It fits my personality like a glove.
No glitz or glamour. That just isn’t my style.
“I love you,” I whisper in her ear, making her squeeze me back. I know that she’s trying not to say anything in case she cries, but she still lets me know that she feels the same. I’ve always been very close with my mom. I’ve never had a bad relationship with my parents and I’m very appreciative for that. Sure, we’ve had our fights, but what family hasn’t.
Gage, Reggie, Austin, and Chris are groomsmen while TJ is the best man at the wedding. I’ve asked for Haley, Cassie, my cousin Harper, and Candice to be my bridesmaid, leaving Danielle to be the Maid of Honor and Taylor to be the flower girl. I have it all prepared. We practiced too. I like having a run-through so that I know what I’m doing to make things run smoothly.
When I decided to set up my own business with Nick’s help, I poached Candice to come and join me. I knew that what she was getting paid for at our old job wasn’t helping her in the long run. I promoted her because I know she would do such a good job. She’s the manager in the athletic department of the physical therapy clinic I now own and run. I have two other managers; one manages the therapists who primarily deal with general walk-ins and older clients, and the other manages children, young adults, and adult rehabilitation.
It’s a small business, but we’re slowly growing day by day. We do an excellent job reaching out to anyone who needs our help. I have a lot of trust in my management team.
I don’t just sit in the back though. I take on clients just as much in all areas. I enjoy having a routine where I get to converse with people who stop by the clinic in Sherman Oaks, a prime but expensive area. If it hadn’t been for Nick, I wouldn’t be able to do it at all.
He drops in every so often to get treatment for his shoulder. It’s slowly healing back to what it once was, but we still have a long way to go. He still, to this day, refuses treatment from the Chargers’ therapist and always comes to my clinic just so he can support me even when he has already helped me in more ways than one.
Taylor turned eight a few months ago. She always loves coming down to Mississippi to be with her grandparents.
I don’t mind coming down here either. You get all you need. Some of my best childhood memories were in Mississippi before we moved to New York when my dad became a coach for the Giants.
Nick and I decided to get married here because it means so much to us. Long Beach, Mississippi is where we decided on. The hotel we’re currently in has decided to organize everything with the wedding planner so that it is exactly to our taste. Our wedding is simple, with a limited guestlist so that it’s hidden away from prying eyes.
We’re not getting married on the beach exactly. We’re getting married in the special gardens that has a large wooden gazebo, vines of roses laced around it, the ocean and beach remaining as a background. The reception is in the hotel venue itself, where it will be in a separate location within the grounds. It’s a private and small party. We don’t need a whole lot of people here, just family and close friends. It took us a lot of time flying back and forth between here and LA to find the perfect place, but where we decided is just right. It’s what we envisioned. The wedding planner did a great job in locating this for us.
Speaking of wedding planner.
Another knock on the door echoes around the room before it’s pushed open. I know that it’s her, Sienna. After she enters, she shuts the door behind her. With a clipboard in her hand, she raises it so she can look at her watch to see what time it is. “Alright, so, how are we both doing?” She beams with excitement, making me copy her.
“Good,” I respond as my mom gathers her voice.
“Good! Alright, we have about ten minutes before we need to start moving along, okay? I’ve told the guys to start making their way down to the garden. We will have to start soon, too, okay? The guests have arrived on time, which is an first for me.” She nods and I copy her yet again. “Okay then, let’s get you in this masterpiece of a dress.” She throws her clipboard over to the table. She claps her hands together to rid of any dust before touching the dress. It’s very delicate, there’s only one way of getting into it without tearing it.
My mom reaches over and starts to unzip the access point from the side of the dress. I begin to pull off my robe and lounge wear to slip into it. My white backless bra has been checked and secured time and time again for fear I have a fashion fiasco. My underwear is white so that you can’t see them. Everything has been prepared well in advance, but now, it’s finally the time.
This is it.
As I slip into the dress and pull it up, I adjust the straps around my shoulders. My mom zips me into place while Sienna grabs my white heels to go with the dress.
