“Do you think we can fix it?”
Edward scowled. “I have OxiClean and an electric leaf blower. We’ll see what we can do,” he said as he went to fill a large plastic Tupperware container in the shower.
Shirley stroked my arm as I inspected the dress. “Blade did seem pretty miserable if that makes you feel any better.”
“I kind of just wanted him to make a grand gesture, tell me he really did love me and that he made a huge mistake,” I said as we carted the dress to the fire escape. “I know it was a fake relationship, but was the whole thing a lie?”
“Even if he did care about you, do you really want to start a relationship on such a bad footing?” my friend asked.
“There are people who start their relationships worse. It’s not like he was cheating on anyone.”
“Stop making excuses for him,” Edward said, carrying the large plastic tub out and placing it on the fire escape. “He’s a sociopath. Billionaires don’t make that kind of money by being nice to animals and babies.”
“Blade was nice to Cesario.”
The rabbit sniffed the container of OxiClean. I shooed him out of the way and scooped several spoonfuls into the tub of warm water.
“More,” Edward said. “I think some of these stains are bird poop.”
As we washed my grandmother’s dress by the light coming from the window, my phone rang. It was my father.
“The only reason I’m calling you,” he said when I answered, “is because your grandmother is in too much of a state to deal with you.”
“How is she?” I asked meekly.
“Not well,” he said. “We thought she was going to have to be hospitalized. And this was all because of your petty jealousy.”
I felt sick and guilty that I had hurt my grandmother.
“You know,” he continued. “As much as you try to deny it, you are exactly like your mother. This is exactly the sort of thing that she would have pulled.”
For once I didn’t have it in me to protest. This was inarguably something that my shitty mother would do.
“I’m calling to let you know that if you do not return the dress and the jewelry in mint condition by noon tomorrow, we will be pressing charges, and you can go to jail with her. You can drop it off at Cassie’s condo,” he said and hung up.
“The stains are coming out at least,” Edward said.
I knew my friends had heard all of the conversation.
I sighed. “That’s one piece of good news.”
After another round of washing, we wrung out the dress. Then Edward held it up as I turned the leaf blower on it. Shirley used a blow dryer on the more delicate areas. It took us into the early hours of the morning, but the dress was finally restored to a blinding white.
“So long,” I said to it as we packed it up in a large clear box and hauled it downstairs. Even though I couldn’t really afford it, I took an Uber to my half sister’s apartment. On the way, I mentally went over my finances. I had bills to pay. I knew I didn’t have a job—it was all over except the formal resignation. There was no way I could work for ThinkX again. I probably couldn’t even work in Manhattan.
The doorman at Cassie’s building waved me in, and I hauled the heavy box stuffed with the wedding dress and the bag of jewelry to the elevator. Cassie was standing at the door of her condo waiting for me when I dragged the box off.
“Everything better be accounted for,” she snapped at me. She tilted her head. “You know, I think I’m going to paint that mansion when Grandma gives it to me. Maybe a nice pink? Or a mint green? I’ll do a whole blog series about renovating it.”
I internally screamed at the thought of her ruining my mansion. Actually, I supposed it wasn’t mine anymore.Look at this as a fresh start. You can move to Portland and date a hipster.
“Where do you want this?” I asked. “I have other things to do today.”
My father and stepmother were inside the living room when Cassie and I came in. Ensley opened the box, and she and Cassie inspected the dress and the jewelry. I snapped a few pictures to prove I’d actually returned the items then turned to leave.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” my father asked.
“What do you want, an apology?” I asked with a hollow laugh. “The only person I’m sad about upsetting is Grandma. The rest of you can go lick a lemon.”
