Emily gave her a big hug. “Promise me whatever you do, you won’t bottle things up inside of you. It isn’t healthy.”
“I’ll cross my heart and promise on Granny’s grave that I won’t. Now tell me about the dresses Ashley tried on.”
“I can do better than tell you. Come with me.”
Becky’s heart pounded. “You still have the gowns?”
“Maybe.” Emily ran lightly up the grand staircase in the center of the room.
Becky followed, eager to at least have an idea about the style of dress Ashley wanted. If she had that, she could talk to Tess at the Bridesmaids Club. If they didn’t have any pre-loved bridal gowns similar to Ashley’s dream dress, she would scour the Internet, looking for the perfect gown.
“It’s over here. I moved it to the back of the rack in case Ashley wanted to see it after I’d added the last beads.”
“It’s finished?”
Emily reached into the rack and pulled out a gown. “It’s more than finished. All I have to do is photograph it for my catalog and it’s ready for the store.”
Since her engagement to Jamie had ended, Becky had never imagined getting married or wearing a wedding gown. But, if she’d had to describe the type of dress she thought would be perfect, this was it. With its satin bodice, capped sleeves, and full chiffon skirt, it was amazing.
“The crystal beads make it sparkle,” Becky said softly. “Does it need any alterations for Ashley?”
“Not one. If there was ever a dress that was made for her, this is it.”
Becky tried to find the price tag. There wasn’t one. “What would someone pay for the perfect wedding gown?”
“For anyone else, it would cost four thousand dollars. But, if you’ll allow me to photograph it and add it to the catalog, I’ll halve the price.”
“Are you sure?”
“It covers most of my costs. If I can’t make a wedding gown for my friend, there’s something wrong.”
With her heart beating fast, Becky held out her hand. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”
Instead of shaking her hand, Emily gave her another hug. “I hope it makes you sleep a little easier knowing Ashley will love her gown.”
Tears filled Becky’s eyes. “It will. Thank you for discounting the price. I didn’t expect to find a gown for Ashley, let alone one that fits.”
“You came to the right place.” Emily wiped a stray tear off Becky’s cheek. “Do you have time for a cup of tea? I bought a special cranberry and raspberry blend yesterday. You’ll love it.”
“I can’t stay. I told Tess I’d be at the Bridesmaids Club in half an hour.”
“In that case, what would you like to do with the dress? You can leave it here or take it with you.”
Becky pulled out her wallet. “It’s safer here. I’ll ask Sean to pick it up in the next day or two.”
“That sounds great. Don’t pay for it now. Let Sean sort that out when he collects it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. Just do me a favor and try to get more rest. Whatever’s happening won’t go away by not sleeping.”
As Emily added a ‘Sold’ label to the dress hanger, Becky sighed. Only getting an hour’s sleep each night wasn’t good for her health, but it stopped her from dreaming. And when all she could see was Mary being torn from her arms, it was a price she was willing to pay.
Becky parkedon the street and walked up the tree-lined path to her friend Tess’ house. It was here, in the loft above the enormous garage, that the Bridesmaids Club had set up their headquarters.
She always felt a rush of pleasure when she thought about how the Bridesmaids Club had started. A few years ago, a group of friends decided to donate their old bridesmaids’ dresses to a bride-to-be who’d lost all her gowns in a burglary. When the local newspaper ran a story about the donated dresses, women from across the country sent their pre-loved bridesmaids’ dresses to Bozeman. They wanted to do something wonderful with their gowns and the Bridesmaids Club could do that for them.
What had started as a way to help one bride had blossomed into a not-for-profit organization that helped hundreds of bridesmaids a year.
