Chapter 42 #2
Given how effortless it was the first time round, this should be as easy as falling off a log, but Athena’s confidence in her judgment has been shattered.
A whole hour later when we still haven’t brought out anything she will even consider, she leans back in her Mother of the Bride chair and purses her lips.
‘I’m sorry to be picky, but with each of the other dresses I chose, I knew immediately that they were “the one”.’ She wrings her hands. ‘I just can’t bear to make the wrong choice a second time.’
I’m thinking out loud. ‘The ones we wore for our dancing reel at the harbour are probably too slinky.’ Considering dresses that have been dipped in the ocean shows we’re running out of options.
Tia ponders. ‘The one from Unicorn Creek is here, but that belongs to Lando.’
Athena sits up. ‘How has my brother been buying Seraphina East wedding dresses when he barely has two pennies to his name?’
I try to keep the explanation simple. ‘We were doing a bridal photo shoot and I fell off the Silver Meadows’ stepping stones. As it was Sav’s fault, Lando picked up the tab for the dress I was wearing. After all, he’s loaded and Sav is broke.’
Athena’s voice rises in protest. ‘Lando isn’t rich! He lives on fresh air and gives all his spare cash to conservation charities.’
I’m blinking at her. ‘Are you sure we’re talking about the same person?’
She sighs. ‘A lot of our family struggled with the profligacy we experienced growing up, but Lando was the worst. Until recently he’s always been fiercely independent, and adamant he wouldn’t accept a jot of the family fortune.’
Tia swoops in.
‘Leaving Lando aside, there is a dress upstairs that has been paid for in full but is still available. It’s also been covered in marsh mud and had an Iron Maiden’s rescue and revive.’
Athena sits back in her chair. ‘There’s nothing to lose by looking.’
I’m another level of awake. ‘There’ll be the one from our strawberry tart fiasco, too.
And another from the ice cream slide. And the B every woman makes a dress her own.’
When I go into the fitting room a few moments later, she’s staring at her reflection and swishes the skirt.
I fill her in. ‘Where the other dress was super pretty, with this one “less is more”. It has side splits with lace inserts that are modest and super sexy all at the same time.’
Her smile spreads. ‘That’s the kind of crowd-pleaser we’re looking for.’
I’m hoping I’m not getting ahead of myself. ‘Would you like to try it with your court shoes and a lovely long veil?’
‘Please.’
She lets me do up her zip, then she slides her feet into the pearl mule stilettos and pulls on a veil.
She walks out into the room, puts her hands on her waist, then stops in front of the long gilt mirror and gazes.
‘It’s different from the first. But the plain silk is so simple and classy, it’s a lot more me than the other. In the end, I like it better.’
As Tia and I stand back and watch her walk the length of the room, we’re both giving silent cheers in our heads. And thinking back to Lando carrying me the length of the car park wearing it, it hits me.
That was the moment I fell in love with him.
I wonder why I’m being so absurd, then I stop and think again.
That sensation of warmth seeping through every atom of my being. My body feeling like it was merging into his and never wanting it to end. Wanting to stay in his arms forever, that it couldn’t be any other way.
With the awareness percolating through my brain, it feels like the whole world is shifting underneath me, but it’s not thrilling; it’s dangerous.
How did I not know this before?
Because I was too busy resisting to recognise the truth. Too busy worrying how love felt to understand that it was sweeping me away. It’s as if with every good thing Lando has done all summer, he’s broken down my barriers. But if they’re so close to gone, that makes me vulnerable.
The day after seeing the seals, I didn’t ride home, I floated.
And I’ve relived that every night since. More to the point, now it’s hit me that I love him, what the hell am I going to do with this knowledge, and where am I going to put this love, because there are still so many reasons I can’t give it to Lando.
Then I come to my senses, think this can’t actually be me, and start getting wedding dresses ready to take back to the store.
On her way back to the fitting room Athena drops a hand on my arm.
‘Don’t hold it against Lando for being a rich boy once upon a time.
Judge him for who he is, not where he comes from.
And please give him a chance, because he really cares about you.
I know I’m biased, but he’s truly one of the good ones. ’
I give a sniff. ‘I’ll bear that in mind.’
It’s not just about the love. It’s as if the whole world is trying to persuade me I might be able to give Lando a chance after all.
I follow her into the fitting room, undo her zip and get the dress onto a hanger. ‘Shall I get this one ready to take away?’
She nods, slips on her T-shirt dress, and pulls me into a hug. ‘Thank you for sorting me out, Maeve. I’ll owe you for this forever. I’ll drop your dresses at Lando’s place later.’
I’m still mumbling into her shoulder. ‘Then it’s fast-forward all the way to Saturday!’
And when I think of how Saturday’s going to pan out for me, in my newly aware state, my stomach goes into free fall.