Page 38 of No Limits

When we get to the dress shop, Mom’s already inside, holding her very own cup of coffee and pulling dresses out from a neat row of white and tulle.

“Oh, my little girl is getting married! I can’t believe it. I’m just so happy for you, Shay.” She pulls me into a big hug.

My eyes close as I wrap my arms around her and get lost in her floral perfume. It’s a scent I’ve known for years, but never been able to place. It’s the comfort of home, one that was missing for years while Mom was busy being MIA while she mourned Dad. It’s been a tough road, but we’re back to being mother and daughter in a true sense.

When she lets me go, she pulls Chelsea in. “And you’re next!”

“What’s the deal, Jane? Anything good?”

“I was just looking at what’s over here.” She walks about over to the row of white and Chelsea follows. They talk in soft voices and pull a few dresses out to examine closely.

But I stay stuck in place, my eyes wandering the store and trying to take it all in. There’s a lot to see, a lot to notice. There are dresses upon dresses. Some that are fluffy, some that are silk. Even colors. And that doesn’t even include the bridesmaid section that looks like a Crayola box exploded in the other room.

A deep breath helps settle the nerves building up within me a little bit.

There’s a buzzing in my pocket and I pull my phone to see a text message from Lochlyn.

Have fun today. No matter what you choose, you’ll be the most stunning bride ever.

Somehow, he must know that I’m struggling, that I’m in my head a little too much. Though it can’t be that hard to figure out. Lochlynknowsme, he always has.

“Hello there, ladies. Can I help you?”

“We have an appointment for Shay Sterling. Ten o’clock.” Chelsea steps forward to handle the situation. She made the appointment, so she’ll deal with any issues.

“Ah yes, we’ve been expecting you. Very exciting. My name is Prue and I’ll be here to assist you today. We have a room for you over here. You can set down your bags, coats, coffees. I see you’re set with a warm beverage, but can I get you anything else? We have water, mimosas, juice. We save the champagne alone for if you find a dress.”

“Mimosas sound perfect. Thank you so much.” Chelsea talks with a smile while we follow Prue down the hall.

“All right, here we are. Feel free to set your things down and then have a look out on the floor. We have hundreds of dresses to choose from. Do you have a style in mind?”

All eyes turn to me and my face heats. “Um. I’m not sure. I was thinking maybe something mermaid or trumpet. I don’t want anything too poofy.”

“Why don’t we try a little of everything and then you can decide what styles you like from there. Sometimes, you get surprised by what you think you want that ends up not quite right.”

“Okay.” I’m not sure what else to say, and Prue turns on her heels, leaving us in privacy.

“Let’s get to it!” Chelsea rubs her hands together and an eager smile spans her face.

Shuffling my feet, I follow an eager Mom and Chelsea to the floor. They immediately start pulling dresses, hanging the clear bags over their arms as they grab more and more. Every so many passes through and Prue will take their findings to go hang in the room.

They’ve each grabbed at least seven, while I’ve been taking my time to really look at the dresses. A solid satin sheath grabs my attention, as does a beautiful fit-and-flare that has crisscrossed material leading up the body with a delicate beading.

“I think this is enough for now. It’s going to take me ages to get through everything.” The two hung over my arm feel heavy and I know this will be no easy feat.

As we make our way back to the room, Prue sweeps past me and removes the dresses from my hold.

When we get back to our secluded location, my eyes widen and my breaths come in quick spurts. The walls are now lined with see-through bags and rows of white and slightly off white. It’s incredibly intimidating.

“Where do we start?” I turn to Prue as she unzips the bags.

“Wherever you wish. I suggest just making your way through. I’ve organized it by fit style. So all the mermaids are together, fit-and-flare, etcetera. That way, if you try a few and know the style isn’t for you, you can skip the rest. It saves a little time.”

“That sounds perfect. Thank you so much.”

Everybody watches me expectantly as I look around to pick the first dress. With a shrug, I go for the one that feels like the beginning of the line, closest to the door. Pulling it gently from the hanger, I slip my pants and shirt off while facing the wall. I’m in here with my best friend and mother, but I still feel awkward being almost naked in front of them.

Once I have the dress mostly covering myself, I turn my head over my shoulder. “Can somebody zip me?”Chelsea steps forward and does the job.

---