Chapter 22
Dress shopping like anything in Las Vegas was an experience.
Crown and Veil Bridal Boutique was the same shop I went to for my wedding that never happened.
They offered private suites, unlimited champagne and spirits, and a charcuterie board I couldn’t keep my hands off of.
As the maid of honor, it was my responsibility to ensure every event leading up to the wedding was giving immaculate vibes.
You only get married for the first time once.
“Anika would you hurry up?” my mother called out to my sister who was in the dressing room trying on the first dress.
“These dresses have lots of hooks, buttons, and snaps. Be patient.” I popped a fig in my mouth.
“Did you not have lunch?”
“I had to shift my appointments to make the dress fitting, so I skipped lunch.”
“Well at the rate you’re eating I’ll have to pay for another board.” Jemini’s side eye was vicious. I’d often attempted to replicate it but never quite measured up. It was the arch of her full and perfectly manicured brow.
“You’re not paying for any of this. Not the fitting, not the wedding, not the reception party.
” The cost to reserve the fitting was five hundred dollars.
If you purchased a dress here it was applied toward the purchase price, but if you didn’t, you were shit out of luck.
No dress, no deposit, and no fucks from the upscale Black-owned boutique.
This was how you curated the illusion of a luxury in-demand product.
We did the same at our real estate firm.
It gave off exclusivity and rich people loved to think they were getting an experience no one else could.
“My future son-in-law is wealthy and more than happy to provide.” Do you see how she made it about her?
“He’s happy to provide for Anika, not you.”
“What crawled up your butt, hmm? Why are you always looking to pick a fight?”
“Me?”
“Yes, this is a happy time. Anika is getting married. You’d think you’d be happy for her.”
Bitch. She would just love to cause a rift between Anika and me. She hated it when we teamed up on her and if she could get Anika to switch sides, the ref would be counting to ten on my ass.
“I am happy for her.” Honestly, I thought all of this was a joke and in a few months Dante and my sister would go their separate ways. But I had no intention of raining on her parade. She was happy, which I would respect and when it all turned sour, I’d be there to comfort her.
Anika brushed through the arched doorway in a heart-stopping cream dress. “Oh sweetie this is stunning,” Jemini gushed.
“I thought I’d start with traditional looks first. Although I’m not sold.” Anika stepped on to the circular podium. “What do you think, Nessa?”
The dress was far more conservative than the wearer. High neckline, lace, full puffy skirt. “It’s a beautiful dress for someone else.”
“You’re right. It’s not me. On to the next one.” Anika swept out of the room. I may not be onboard with the nuptials, but I wasn’t going to have my sister wearing a dress that didn’t mesh with her personality. Anika was the life of the party, and her dress should reflect that.
“How’s Aldridge?”
“Why?” I eyed Jemini suspiciously.
“Just wondering how he’s settled in.”
“How would I know?” I’d learned the hard way not to share important information with my mother.
She would either find ways to make me doubt myself or hold it close for a future point in time when she could use it against me.
When I told her I was getting cold feet, she ran to Marcus betraying my confidence.
I had to do damage control for months, which forced me to stay longer because I was a people pleaser, and I didn’t want to disappoint Marcus or his family, who’d taken me in as their own.
“He’s your client. Don’t you two talk about things outside of real estate?”
“No, not really.”
“Anika mentioned Aldridge has agreed to be Dante’s best man.”
“That’s news to me.” She wasn’t getting a crumb of intel from me.
“Don’t you think that’s a bit fortuitous?”
Jemini and her big fucking words. “I’m not following.”
“You’re the maid of honor and Aldridge is the best man. Just feels like fate is working overtime to get you two back together.”
“Dante and Aldridge are friends. In fact, it was Aldridge who introduced Dante to Anika. So, him being involved in the wedding makes sense.”
“You know Danessa …” I rolled my eyes, readying myself for a lecture. “I know you think I’m just some gold-digging bitch—”
“I don’t.” I did. Not proud of it but if it walks like a duck …
“You do. I taught you girls to know your worth. You’re smart, beautiful, and personality wise, you do what you can. We work with the tools we are given. Everyone wants to be provided for. It’s not a dirty word. Men like Aldridge have the desire to provide coded into their DNA.”
Anika entered the suite, saving me from this conversation. “Second dress. What do you think?”
My mother shook her head. “The dress is wearing you. You’re not wearing the dress.”
Anika looked to me for a varying opinion. “Your body is tea and that dress is hiding all the hours you’ve spent in the gym.”
“Okay, I’ll try on a form-fitting one next.” We both watched Anika swoosh out of the room.
“That dress was a mess.” My mother poured herself another glass of champagne.
“Like seriously what was she thinking?”
“Maybe she’s trying to impress his parents. Word on the curb is they’re bougie as hell.”
“Well, that dress was not screaming welcome to the family.”
It wasn’t always a fight with my mother.
Jemini was funny, and smart as fuck. She’d never gone to college, but she learned quickly and knew a little about a whole lot.
She was an avid reader, mostly romance because in the pages of those books she could revel in the type of love that seemed to only exist in happily ever after stories.
“Have you ever heard of the Black Cat Golden Retriever theory?”
“No.”
“It’s all about opposites attract. Now a golden retriever is loyal, kind, and funny. For the purposes of this conversation that would be Aldridge. Then you have the black cat who is introverted, reserved, not funny.”
“That would be me?”
“Yes, in theory. You need to be the black cat so Aldridge can spoil and worship you as God intended.”
“So, I’m not a black cat?”
“You’re one of those feminist, unhoused black cats who’s always talking about equal rights.”
“Wait, you’re also a feminist.”
“While I agree a woman can do anything a man can, why would she want to? Aldridge was ready to turn you into a SAHWNK.”
“What the hell is that?”
“A stay-at-home wife with no kids. But no you wanted to be Danessa, attorney at law and you couldn’t even do that.”
I closed my eyes and inhaled patience and tolerance like my self-help podcast, Girl Hush, taught me. “I made the best choice for me. Besides I don’t want to be a stay-at-home anything.”
“Aldridge wants to be your golden retriever and you’re over there acting like a bird.”
“I don’t need dating advice from you. Last time I checked we were both still single.”
“No, you’re single. I have several viable irons in the fire.”
And by viable she meant barely legal. “Good for fucking you.”
“Alright Danessa, at the end of the day I’m still your mother. Watch your mouth.”
I couldn’t keep up with her, one minute she wanted to be one of the girls going to clubs with us and hitting on men half her age, and at other times she wanted to be the wise respected matriarchic. “I apologize.”
“Part of me thinks you dumped Aldridge just to spite me.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because you didn’t want to admit I was right.
A man’s financial prospects are just as important as being in love.
I’ve fallen in love with pro athletes and brothers who worked in warehouses.
And do you know what I learned?” She snapped in my face to confirm she had my attention.
“I learned rich or poor they all cheat. But you get to decide where you want to receive the news, in a mansion or a one-bedroom apartment.”
“Either way it’s gonna suck.”
“I’d rather sulk in a Laguna Spa heated Jacuzzi than a bathtub with mold.”
“You need to let go of this Aldridge thing.” I didn’t want to provide any hope. What we were doing beyond fucking was still unclear.
Anika returned for a third time in a form-fitting corseted number that hugged her curves. “This is what I came to see. Anika, you look amazing,” I gushed.
“You don’t think it’s too much cleavage?” Maybe my mother was right about her trying to impress the in-laws. Anika has gone outside with nipple tape and a sheer top. She wasn’t modest.
“If you have them, you should flaunt them,” Jemini said.
“I agree.” My mother gasped, presumably at the fact she and I were of the same accord. Ignoring her, I continued, “Let’s add a veil and get the whole bride effect.”
The sales associate left to grab a selection of headpieces while Anika admired herself in the mirror. “Anika?” my mother said. “Didn’t you mention that Danessa and Aldridge went on a date?”
“Uhm … I don’t know if that ever actually happened.” My sister, who was usually a great liar, wasn’t convincing anyone.
“We’re not dating.”
“Okay, hooking up, sneaky links, dicksurfing.”
“We’re not doing any of those things. And if we were, why would it matter?”
“Because I can’t wait to tell you I told you so. I was right five years ago and I’m right now. Aldridge is the one. I’m sorry you decided to implode your love life and future to try to teach me some asinine lesson. You’re just lucky he’s willing to give you a second chance.”
“Give me? Give me! Do you even believe the shit that comes out of your mouth? You tell us to know our worth and that we are the prize, but the minute a man with a little pocket change shows up you want us to bend over backwards to fit into his life. You are such a fucking pick me.”