Paige
twenty-four
“Ifinally understand all of the quotes and references I’ve heard over the years that I just thought were vaguely funny. It was actually pretty good for an eighties movie.”
We’ve just landed back in Savannah and I’m still thinking about last night. Not only did Hayes introduce me to The Princess Bride, but he also broadened my sexual interests.
I thought for sure I would hate anything that had to do with my behind.
It scared the living daylights out of me when he asked about having me there, which is not a question I ever anticipated receiving.
Now? Well, now I think I wouldn’t mind that again, and that is a revelation.
Just because something sounds scary, doesn’t mean it will be.
Besides, when it comes to Hayes, I don’t know if I will have any boundaries I wouldn’t let him cross.
He’s taken me so far, in such a short time, and I haven’t been disappointed once.
Hayes kisses my head and hands me my seatbelt. “I told you that you'd like it.”
I watch him round the front of the sleek Maybach and get into the driver’s seat. It was so nice to have a night to ourselves without having to think about this wedding stuff, or how crazy my mama is.
“I’m dreading today. I’m sure Mama’s gone off the deep end because I asked for one day without her and one piece of the planning she couldn’t have her hands on.”
“Do you want me to make some changes to my schedule so I can be there with you?”
I turn to face him, tucking my legs under me and curling my entire frame into the seat like it can protect me from Mama’s fury. I don’t want him to have to cancel anything just so I have a defender. I should be able to stick up for myself and not let Mama push me around every other moment.
“No, I can handle her. Mostly it’s just going with what she wants, anyway. That’s not too hard when I don’t care.”
“What about when you do care? Are you willing to keep fighting for the little things that matter to you in this whole production?”
“I think the only part I really care about is the ceremony and my moments with you, and we’ve managed to get what we want in those instances.
There’s nothing left to fight with her about.
” Admitting this brings new levity to the situation where there was just trepidation before.
If I can tolerate Mama’s craziness a few more days, and play along at the planning sessions, this thing will be over before I know it and I’ll finally have unguarded access to my trust. Whether I can stand being with Mama every waking moment for the next few days, is a different story.
“You don’t want to take a stand on something insignificant just to make her work for it? That’s what I would do.”
I shudder. “I hate fighting with Mama. The last thing I want to do is start picking fights about stuff I couldn’t care less about. Let her have her way and make this event something she wants so she’s happy and it’ll be over in a few days.”
“I promise I will never let your mother plan another event for us. If there’s something that needs planning, I’ll hire the whole thing out and tell them not to bother us.”
I put my hand over my heart and give him my best appreciative princess face. “My hero.”
“I thought I hated public events and being in the spotlight more than anyone, but I think I found my match in you.”
I salute him and grin. “Your equal in hating being in the spotlight, reporting for duty, Sir.”
“Mmm, say that again.” I catch the change from mirth to desire as it occurs in his face and swallow.
“Which part?”
“Call me Sir again. I like hearing that from your sweet lips.”
Oooh. He’s jumping from our humor to wanting more dirty talk from the naughty version of me he’s created. “What will we be doing later, Sir?”
“If you’re a good girl, I’ll give you anything you want.”
This is a bit weird for me. I’m okay using some of the naughty words while in the moment, but this has me outside of that headspace. I laugh nervously. “I think I’ll have to practice that a bit more to feel comfortable doing it on command.”
“It was worth a shot, and practice is always good.” There is a twinkle in his eye even as he acknowledges my discomfort, so I know I didn’t turn off the mood completely.
“Would you please drop me off at Mama’s? Hopefully, I can be finished with all of this mess if I start early enough. There has to be an end to her preparations at some point, and I’d rather get it over with as soon as I can.”
Hayes pouts, hilariously pushing out his bottom lip so I laugh. “I was hoping you would stay with me longer, but you’re right. I can drop you at her house and head straight to the office.”
When I walk in the door at Mama and Daddy’s, all hell has broken loose.
There are multiple strangers at every table and seat in the parlor.
Some have fabric samples, others have laptops out typing furiously, some are painstakingly creating a seating chart with beautifully handwritten calligraphy, and there are a few orbiting Mama like little moons as she moves from one room to another, dictating her wishes to each group.
I hang my garment bags in the hall closet and make my way toward Mama, fighting through the throng that surrounds her.
“What’s going on?” I ask, as soon as I can make it close enough to hopefully grab her attention.
“Oh, Paige, you’re here. Finally.”
“I told you I would be gone overnight, and now I’m back. What’s on the schedule for today?” I work to keep any frustration out of my tone. I don’t want to upset her first thing after taking away a day of her precious time by doing my own thing.
“We are finalizing all of the reception details. I brought in extra help from the Savannah College of Art and Design to make it go faster, so I’m overseeing each team and ensuring they’re doing it correctly.
” She looks over the shoulder of a girl who can’t be older than me, holding out fabric samples with locations written on cardstock pinned to them.
“Not like that, you buffoon. We are not using blush pink in the swags from the ceiling, it’s ivory only, with green on the walls. The pink is just for the tablescapes.”
The girl scurries away, clutching fabric samples in her hands when Mama is done dressing her down. My eyes widen in horror at her tone and the way she spoke to the girl. I know the feeling all too well of being on that side of Mama’s cutting remarks.
“Was that necessary?”
“They need to know their place and how not to mess up. I let them learn the hard way and the lessons stick better. Now, did you manage to find a worthwhile dress in that godforsaken city, or do we need to return to the bridal boutique to try on the dresses I have on hold again?”
I beam at her, despite her disbelief that I could have achieved my goal without her. “I found all of the dresses I will need. I put them in the hall closet.”
She raises an eyebrow at me. “How many dresses do you expect to wear to one event?”
“I have a ceremony dress, a reception dress that’s a bit easier to move in, and something less formal for the rehearsal dinner.”
“Hmm. I want to inspect these dresses. Your bridal shoot is tomorrow, and we can’t have something completely wrong on hand. Maybe we should head to the bridal shop now while we have time,” she muses.
I take a deep breath and pray for patience. I knew she would second guess all of my choices, not trusting me to pick out anything worthy of the image she has for the party she is planning, but it hurts anyway.
“The dresses are perfect. They are altered and fit my body exactly as they should, and I feel so beautiful in them.”
Mama purses her lips and looks me over, taking in my slate blue silk blouse and cream skirt like they offend her and any dress I could have picked will be just as terrible.
“Very well. Show me what you bought. You there,” she says to a passing young man with artfully messy hair and a septum piercing. “Take the garment bags in the hall closet upstairs to my bedroom and hang them on the wardrobe.”
“Yes, ma’am,” the unidentified man says, hurrying out to the foyer.
“I’m perfectly capable of carrying the bags myself,” I remind her.
“We have the extra hands, might as well make use of them.” She waves off my concern and turns to the three people still trailing her. “You three start on the place settings. I want to see all of the options we have when I return.”
They scuttle off toward the dining room and I feel sympathy for them welling up in me.
Who knows what she has subjected this army of assistants to in the last twenty-four hours?
And where did they all come from? SCAD should still be on holiday break.
If she went dredging up all of the wayward souls left in the city during the break, she really must have been desperate for help.
My thoughts of the assistants are cut off as Mama places her hand on my back and marches me into the foyer and up the stairs to her room. I try to shake off her hand, but she just moves it to my upper arm instead and I roll my eyes, submitting to being dragged along with her.
The garment bags are hanging on her wardrobe when we enter her room and I smile at the white bags knowing what’s inside will have to pass Mama’s inspection. There is no way she can complain, though she will try.
I go to the heaviest bag and unzip it, folding the edges around the hanger and pulling the bottom of the dress out of the bag so the train can be displayed. “This is the ceremony dress.”
Mama walks up to the dress, her eyes squinted as she takes in each piece that makes up this fabulous creation. While she runs her hands over the lace, pulling it away from the lining, I open the second bag.
“This is the reception dress. It doesn’t have a train like the ceremony dress does. If I have to dance, this is a good option.”
“Hmmm,” she says, leaving the ceremony dress and giving her attention to the long gown that will swirl around my feet without tripping me up. “I don’t like it as much as the ceremony dress. It’s too plain.”