Chapter 19 Jane #2
“Jane, dear, you look tired,” Mom says, giving me a critical once-over. “It’s not becoming to work so much.” I hate it when she talks like this, as if she’s the mother of petulant debutantes. The only coming out I’m interested in is something that might make her faint, though.
I try not to smirk at the thought, even though it terrifies me. What would Mom say if I just dropped the bomb right here and declared that Keeley is my girlfriend?
She’d probably disown me for good. I clench my fists. “I’m fine, Mom, just got off a flight.”
“Ooh, your life always sounds so glamorous. Where were you?” Nora asks.
Keeley clears her throat. Mom has barely acknowledged her, which is unsurprising, but it still ticks me off. “We were on a band retreat in Montana. I’m so sorry for inserting myself into your family time, but…”
“But I insisted she come when I talked to Jane on the phone! Keeley has such a great sense of fashion, and she’s the one who got us this appointment,” Nora says.
Mom’s jaw ticks, but she doesn’t protest. “Fine, fine. It’s…nice of you to join us, Keeley. Nora was just about to start trying things on.”
Nora’s eyes widen as Mom shoos her off to a dressing room and scrolls through the nearest rack, pausing every so often to pull a gown off the hook and shove it at an attendant, a wisp of a brunette in a pale pink pantsuit who is hastening to follow.
After Mom darts across the room in search of something more purely white, I turn to the woman. “I am so sorry for her,” I whisper.
The woman shrugs. “This is nothing. It’s my job to help find the perfect look. We also have a lovely selection of vintage gowns that might be to your taste for your next red carpet, Ms. Mercer.”
I’m actually pretty tempted by that, and my eyes wander in the direction of the other racks even as Mom shoves the first dress into Nora’s dressing room.
Most of what we wear on the red carpet is provided by the designer on loan, but I really hate wearing something that is meant to be used for one person on one occasion. Vintage is definitely appealing.
Before I can get too distracted, Nora steps out of the fitting room in a princess gown.
Its layers and layers of tulle make her look like she’s going to a cotillion instead of her wedding.
Probably because she’s just stopped being a teenager.
The gown is a stark white that washes Nora out, because she shares my painfully pale Irish complexion.
Nora wrinkles her nose as she steps up to the platform.
Mom gasps dramatically. “Look at you!”
“I don’t think this is it,” Nora says, frowning as she smooths her hands down the fabric. “It makes me look like a ghost.”
Mom puts her hands on her hips. “Well, Nora, you have to wear white. It symbolizes your purity.”
Nora flinches. “Right, but there are a lot of shades of white. Can I try something a little creamier? Maybe ivory or champagne?”
Mom audibly sighs. “You can try it, but I don’t think it’s going to look as nice as the starker white. Danny is going to want to see you look like a proper bride! You don’t want to let him down.”
And there she goes, making my sister’s idea sound immoral, as if the shade matters to anyone but her.
By the way Nora’s shoulders hunch on her way back to the fitting room, I know she’s already feeling defeated.
Glancing around, I stride over to the nearest bridal rack, determined to locate something that fits my sister’s request that Mom won’t totally hate.
I find a creamy ivory lace gown that looks to be close to Nora’s size and take it off the rack. Keeley hums in agreement.
“Worth a try?” I ask.
Keeley’s always had such a good eye for these things, so I really value her opinion. “Yeah, that one looks promising.” She eyes my mom, who is still ordering the attendant around as Nora slips back into the dressing room to change into the next one. “I forgot how intense your mom is.”
My jaw clenches, but I smile toothily across the room in Mom’s direction. “And this is her on her best behavior, can you imagine?”
“I know I’m the lucky one in the band, but still, this is something to behold.
” Keeley really is lucky, with parents who not only love and accept every piece of her, but the Cunninghams have stuck together over the years and seem to still actually like each other.
I know Keeley and Oliver are close too, even if they don’t talk as often as they would like.
She’s never rubbed it in the Glitter Bats’ faces, but I’ve always been a little jealous on my bad days.
I can’t imagine what it’s like to have a family who doesn’t expect you to fit into such a tiny mold of acceptable behavior.
Shaking my head, I take the gown and stride across the room, hanging it on the rack adjacent to Nora’s fitting room.
“That’s not white enough,” Mom mutters as she puts another two frilly white monstrosities next to my more understated selection.
“It doesn’t hurt to have her try on a lot of options,” I say. “This is Nora’s day, right?”
Mom blinks. “Of course it’s Nora’s day. But she’s young and doesn’t know what she wants.
When she’s looking back at wedding photos thirty years from now, I don’t want her regretting going the trendy route instead of the timeless one.
” Mom says trendy like it’s a four-letter word, voice lowered into a harsh whisper.
Before I can retort, Nora steps out of the room in another white dress, this one almost brighter than the last, with glittering appliques and a band of lace that looks more early-aughts fashion don’ts than upscale designer.
She grimaces at me in the big mirror as Mom gestures for her to show it off.
“I want to try something in a different direction,” Nora says, jaw set.
Mom opens her mouth to protest, but I cut her off. “Keeley and I found another option for you. It’s on the rack.”
Nora beams and steps carefully over the rack, avoiding stepping on the too-long gown. She picks up the lace and hurries excitedly into the fitting room, the attendant following to help her out of the dress.
“So, Mrs. Mercer, how have you been?” Keeley asks, as we move to stand over by my mom.
Mom almost glowers, as if she can’t be bothered by Keeley’s question. “Just fine, thank you. My beautiful daughter is getting married, and I couldn’t be prouder. The Lord has blessed our family.”
Keeley crosses her arms, leaning against the wall.
There’s no smirk on her face, but I see the spark of mischief in her eyes.
“Yeah, you have two girls you should be really proud of. Jane has been working so hard, and she has a lot to show for it. She got nominated for a RECORD award for her first big streaming project.”
I flash Keeley a grateful glance, and every part of me wishes I could squeeze her hand in this moment. I appreciate that she’s trying, even if it’s not going to work.
Sure enough, Mom huffs. “I suppose that’s…something.”
“It really is!” Keeley says, pretending not to notice the disdain. “Did you know Jane is in such high demand that she hasn’t had a break in months? Everyone wants to work with your daughter, because she is brilliant and talented at everything she does.”
Mom’s brows furrow. “She should be using those gifts to serve God.”
I want to shout, Stop trying to bring me back to church!
but there’s a part of me that still wants to keep the peace, despite how she treats me.
Fortunately, we’re saved by Nora stepping out in the lace gown, looking absolutely beautiful and not like a little girl at all.
It has a sweetheart neckline that isn’t too revealing, and the bodice fits like a sheath until it subtly flares from her hips into a slightly fuller skirt with a small train.
The attendant spreads it out carefully as Nora ascends the platform.
“I like this silhouette a lot better,” Nora says, biting her lip as she looks in the mirror. I can tell she’s trying to keep a straight face, but Nora is practically beaming. “I feel pretty.”
Mom frowns. “It’s very different than what we talked about. I want to see the last one again. You looked like a vision.”
Nora clenches her fists, trying to hide them in the lace. “But this one is perfect. I think…no, I know, it’s the one I want.”
I hate the look on Mom’s face, like she wants to fight Nora on this. Before I can stop myself, I stride over to the rack. Maybe I don’t need to stand up for myself today, but I can do it for Nora.
“Why don’t I try that one on, and you can look at them side by side?” I ask.
Keeley snickers and hides it quickly with a cough when I glance her way.
She knows exactly what I’m doing. I raise a brow, because I know it’s going to work.
Before Mom can protest, I stride over to the rack, grab the white monstrosity, and dart into the fitting room. The attendant hurries behind me.
And then I’m faced with the reality that I’m at least two sizes bigger than Nora.
“Is this even going to fit me?” I mutter.
She hums. “It’s going to be snug, but I had to clip your sister in, so there should be some space to make up for your curves.”
Curves is a nice way to say I have a butt, thighs, and a generous C cup compared to my sister’s lithe frame.
I strip quickly—years of fittings and photo shoots have made me pretty comfortable with my body, which was definitely a journey after being raised in purity culture—and the attendant makes quick work of getting me secured into the dress.
The glittering embroidery is scratchy, and I’m careful to avoid resting my arms too casually as she tugs on the zipper.
I can’t help but laugh, because the cleavage the thing gives me as soon as I’m all cinched up is evoking pinup.
Still, the dress isn’t that bad. It’s kind of A Cinderella Story chic, which was great for Hilary Duff in 2004 but definitely isn’t something you’d expect to see at a wedding more than twenty years later.
Grabbing the white tulle, I step out of the dressing room. Mom has made it over to Nora, where she’s picking at the gown and grumbling in disapproval. I glance over at Keeley, bracing myself for a snarky comment, but her jaw is just open in shock.
I raise a brow but resist the urge to tease her for the reaction. This isn’t the time. Instead, I step up onto the platform next to Nora, glancing at myself in the mirror.
“Hmm,” Mom says, staring at me. “I’m not sure how I feel about this dress now.”
Even though I’d never wear it, and even though this was exactly my plan, I wince at the dismissal in her voice.
The only reason she doesn’t like this dress now is because it’s on me, but I catch Nora’s eye in the mirror, where she mouths a thank you to me as Mom slowly moves around me in a circle, making disapproving faces.
“Too much cleavage,” Mom says. Then she turns to Nora. “You really look so beautiful, honey. Now that I see them side by side, I think that might be the dress.”
“Thank you!” Nora squeals, and she pulls Mom in for a careful hug. As they embrace, I can visibly see the moment Nora relaxes, her shoulders softening. She must have been stressed all day.
“If you want to come back one at a time, I can help you both change,” the attendant says. “My associate can get the transaction started for you, Mrs. Mercer.”
“That sounds fine,” Mom says, heading over to the register.
“Don’t worry about it—I’ll help Jane!” Keeley says eagerly, and I let her lead the way back to the second dressing room. Once we’re both inside, the space feels intimate, close, and I tug the curtain closed as quickly as possible.
“Holy shit, Mercer,” Keeley breathes, grabbing my hands, then stepping back to look at me. “I was not prepared to see you in a white dress today. Like I don’t want to freak you out or anything, but even though this dress is atrocious, it’s also…a good look, you in white. I’m into it.”
I roll my eyes, trying to pretend that’s not making my heart race. “Just help me out of the thing.”
“It would be my pleasure,” she says huskily. Keeley motions for me to turn around, and slowly, gently, she tugs the zipper down, her fingers leaving a trail of heat down my back. She presses a kiss to my neck, then between my shoulder blades, and again at the dimple of my hip. I gasp.
“Not here,” I breathe, stepping out of the gown as quickly as I can. But despite my protest, I whirl around and tug Keeley in for a kiss. She moans softly in reply, instantly deepening the kiss, pulling me closer.
“Oh!” a voice says with a surprised gasp.
Keeley and I snap apart at the unwelcome intrusion, glancing at the two-inch gap in the curtain.
Where Nora stares at us, mouth agape.
“Sorry! I just wanted to check on your plans. Mom is asking about dinner? I’ll, uh, give you a minute.”
I just blink, stunned, as Keeley tugs the curtain the rest of the way closed. Heart racing for all the wrong reasons, I hurry to dress and calm my nerves. I have no idea how Nora is going to react to this, and if it’s what I fear, she just might tell Mom.
I glance at Keeley, whose face has gone white as a sheet. “Jane, I’m sorry, I—”
“No, don’t be sorry!” I say, trying to make sense of what just happened as my pulse roars in my ears. “I started it…but…”
“But fuck,” Keeley says, her eyes wide in alarm.
I glance up at her, at a loss for better words to describe the situation I’ve just found myself in because of my own carelessness.
“Fuck indeed.”