Halfway through our impromptu shopping, Cecilia and I folded and called Sam to see how everything was going.Okay, fine. I folded.But he assured us things were going great and that he had just fed the kids and was getting them ready for their nap.
We walk into the house still giggling but trying to keep it down, knowing the kids are most likely still asleep. We find Sam sitting on the couch watching TV. He turns his head around to look at us and starts laughing the minute he sees the bags in our hands.
“I honestly thought you were kidding about the wedding dresses. I should have known better.”
“Wait until you see them.” I wink at him as we all head to different bathrooms to change.
I exit one of the upstairs bathrooms and head down to the kitchen where Morgan, Cecilia, and Ronnie are already pouring wine.
“This is atrocious,” I declare the minute I hit the landing, lifting the huge skirt of my dress to refrain from stepping on it.
Cece turns first to look at me and breaks out in a fit of laughter. “Oh, dear God! That is the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen!”
“Holy shit! It looks like it belongs to the nineteenth century.” Ronnie throws her head back and joins in with Cecilia.
Morgan puts her hand to her mouth and tries to hold hers in. “It really is hideous... why would you pick something so awful?”
“I didn’t. I just took the first thing in my size off the rack without looking. Like you were all supposed to do! But clearly didn’t from the looks of it.” I narrow my eyes at them.
Cecilia’s dress is pretty classic, a strapless trumpet with a sweetheart neckline. Ronnie’s is a short tea-length dress with off-the-shoulder half sleeves. And Morgan’s is a ballgown with tulle and inch-thick straps, leading to a deep V-neck.
Whereas mine is this ugly concoction with huge puffy sleeves. It’s not even white, it’s some weird cream color and could practically be considered a turtleneck with way too many layers of thick fabric. The only part of the dress I approve of is the corset, but what’s the point if you can’t even see how beautiful it makes my breasts look.
All that’s left is Aubrey, who still hasn’t emerged from the bathroom on the main floor. After ten more minutes of waiting and half a glass of wine emptied, I head over to the door and knock. “Baby Brey, you need help in there?”
“I’m not wearing this… thing,” she states through the door.
“Oh, come on. It can’t be that bad! I can promise you it’s definitely better than mine.”
“No. I promise you, it’s not.” I can practically hear her shaking her head.
“Just show us. If it’s really that bad, you can take it off.” The rest of the girls show up behind me, even Sam gets curious and wanders over.
“Oh, sweet baby Jesus… what is that thing?” he says when he spies my dress.
“Don’t even say anything. I know,” I sigh with a head shake.
The door finally cracks open, and we all gasp when Aubrey steps out.Yeah, now I get why she wouldn’t come out. That isnotAubrey at all. But damn, I might leave with that one tonight. Greyson would appreciate it 110%.
“Oh… my… God…” I whisper.
“Wow,” Morg says from beside me with huge eyes, while Ronnie, Cecilia, and Sam just stare with their jaws hitting the ground.
“I know. It’s really bad. Ugh! I’m going to change,” Brey huffs out and turns, about to head back into the bathroom.
I grab her wrist, stopping her. “No, Brey. The dress is amazing! You need to keep it on. Holy shit… Someone take a picture!”
Ronnie immediately whips out her phone from somewhere in the dress.Of course, her dress has pockets.She quickly snaps a picture and puts it away with a smirk.
“Wait, why did you do that?” Aubrey asks with a frown.
“So that I can send it to Shane. You can thank me later,” I say.
“WHAT?! NO!” She tries to reach for Ronnie, but we block her path. She turns to me with a panicked expression. “No. Please, Em. Don’t…”
I wasn’t really going to, but now I feel bad for making the joke. I place my hand on her arm and give her a reassuring smile. “I was just kidding, Aubrey. I wouldn’t do that to you. But you wouldn’t have anything to worry about, the dress is really hot. Please keep it on, just for now. Let yourself go a little.”
She sighs and drops her head. “Okay, fine.”
