Chapter 42 #2
“Thank you. I’m sorry I pushed you all away. I just didn’t know how to deal with this. Usually Clay cheers me up, but without him, it hit harder than I thought.”
“You have no reason to apologize. I shut you guys out for months when I was going through my shit. And Cece went completely mute when she was dealing with her own. I think you’re allowed your free pass,” I say with a smile.
“So let’s cheer you up. Clay isn’t here to fulfill his duties until later, so the job falls on us. Any ideas, ladies?” Ronnie asks, looking us over.
“We could go shopping. That usually always works,” Aubrey offers, which makes a lightbulb go off in my head.
“Oh my God! I know! Wait, give me a sec to find it.” I pull out my phone and scroll through my emails to one that came in this morning out of nowhere.
It’s about a one-day pop-up sale. Everything is from 50% to 80% off.
I turn my phone excitedly toward them, nodding my head enthusiastically. “We’re doing it. It’s today.”
“Em… those are wedding dresses...” Aubrey looks at me with worry, as if I may have lost my mind.
“I know, but it will be fun! We’ll each go in, get a dress, and come back here.
Then we can sit in our dresses and watch cheesy-ass movies while getting drunk.
” I get more and more excited as I speak.
I turn my phone back to me, reading over the email.
“And look! I have a ticket, and it says it comes with four guest passes. If that isn’t a sign! ”
“Babe, why do you get emails about wedding dress sales? And why do you have a ticket?” Cece asks with concern.
“Sometimes I look up nice wedding dresses for fun, and when they ask for my email for future sales, I give it. We never know when I’ll need it. I need to be prepared for when Greyson pops the question. If he ever does,” I add, not wanting to sound too sure of myself.
“He will,” Aubrey says without missing a beat.
My ears perk up and my head whips her way.
“How do you know? Did he say something? Don’t you be hiding things from me, baby Brey.
Does he already have a ring? Where is it?
! It’s probably in his sock drawer. Remind me to check it when I get home,” I shoot out questions her way, mentally thinking of all the places he could have hidden a ring, then snap my fingers together when it comes to me.
“I know where it is! It’s behind the TV, isn’t it?
!” I grab her arm forcefully and shake her, needing answers.
Aubrey smiles with a soft laugh, prying my hand off her arm. “Calm down, Em. He didn’t say anything. But I know my brother. He will, he loves you.”
I huff, my excitement at finding a ring gone. But she’s right, he does love me, and he has mentioned marriage a few times already, so I know the idea is wandering in his mind. Patience, Em.
“You know, I think Greyson might have been onto something when he claimed Emma was crazy,” Morgan says, trying to hold back her laugh. Her cheeks are still stained with tears, but her eyes are bright now, and a smile spreads on her lips. That’s our girl.
The girls all laugh while I narrow my eyes at them.
“Haha. Yes, we’ve already established I’m a little coo-coo.
Now, what do you girls say?” I smile brightly.
“Come on, it will be super fun! I’m paying so you girls don’t have to worry about money or your men questioning why you’ve spent money on a wedding dress.
Say yes!” I bounce a little on the bed, trying to get them to agree.
They all shrug, turning to Morgan. She bites her lip for a moment, then nods. “Let’s do it. It could be fun and will definitely get my mind off the baby subject.” She smiles, but you can still hear the hint of sadness in her voice. We’ll change that.
“So are we, like, browsing through them until we find one we like?” Ronnie questions.
“Nope. We’re picking the first dress we find in our size, no matter what it is. No trying on, nothing. It will be even funnier to see once we put them on back here,” I tell her.
“All right then, I guess we’re going wedding dress shopping!” Cecilia says, laughing as we all scoot off the bed and head downstairs.
“Sam! You’re on babysitting duty until we get back, maybe even after that. We’re planning on getting drunk and watching sappy movies,” I call out to him when he lifts his head from his spot on the floor with the kids.
“I thought I already was on babysitting duty?” he questions back with a smirk.
“Well, now you are officially,” Cece tells him, giggling.
“Hi, Sam. There’s food in the fridge if the kids or you need anything. Help yourself,” Morgan says from the kitchen as she grabs her purse.
“If you need anything that isn’t here, you can always head out to one of our houses.
I’ll text you the codes for the doors. And I’ll leave you my car, we’ll put Dante’s car seat in it if ever you do decide to leave.
Just keep us updated,” I inform him, already pulling out my phone to text him the info he might need.
“And call us if there’s anything. But we should be back here in about two or three hours,” Cece adds after me as she goes over to Dante, kissing his head and hugging him.
I do the same to Gracie, taking her in my arms and showering her with kisses. “Bye, my Little Tulip. Mommy will be back soon.”
Sam takes her from my hands, setting her on his hip. “May I ask where you girls are heading off to?”
“We’re going wedding dress shopping!” Morgan exclaims from the entrance where she’s now putting on her shoes.
A smile takes over Sam’s face. “Should I even ask?”
Aubrey passes with wide eyes, heading toward Morgan. “No, no, you shouldn’t.”
He shakes his head and laughs. “Why do I feel like this was somehow your idea?” He directs his question to me.
Ronnie explodes with laughter behind us, bending in two. “This is priceless. Even he’s catching on to your craziness!”
“Shush it. I’m not that crazy.”
They all turn to me with a pointed look. “You are.”
Exactly two and a half hours later, we’re back at Morgan’s place, laughing our heads off as we exit the car and retrieve our huge garment bags from the trunk. I notice my car is still here, so I know the kids and Sam are as well.
Halfway through our impromptu shopping, Cecilia and I folded and called Sam to see how everything was going. Okay, fine. I folded. But he assured us things were going great and that he had just fed the kids and was getting them ready for their nap.
We walk into the house still giggling but trying to keep it down, knowing the kids are most likely still asleep. We find Sam sitting on the couch watching TV. He turns his head around to look at us and starts laughing the minute he sees the bags in our hands.
“I honestly thought you were kidding about the wedding dresses. I should have known better.”
“Wait until you see them.” I wink at him as we all head to different bathrooms to change.
I exit one of the upstairs bathrooms and head down to the kitchen where Morgan, Cecilia, and Ronnie are already pouring wine.
“This is atrocious,” I declare the minute I hit the landing, lifting the huge skirt of my dress to refrain from stepping on it.
Cece turns first to look at me and breaks out in a fit of laughter. “Oh, dear God! That is the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen!”
“Holy shit! It looks like it belongs to the nineteenth century.” Ronnie throws her head back and joins in with Cecilia.
Morgan puts her hand to her mouth and tries to hold hers in. “It really is hideous... why would you pick something so awful?”
“I didn’t. I just took the first thing in my size off the rack without looking. Like you were all supposed to do! But clearly didn’t from the looks of it.” I narrow my eyes at them.
Cecilia’s dress is pretty classic, a strapless trumpet with a sweetheart neckline. Ronnie’s is a short tea-length dress with off-the-shoulder half sleeves. And Morgan’s is a ballgown with tulle and inch-thick straps, leading to a deep V-neck.
Whereas mine is this ugly concoction with huge puffy sleeves.
It’s not even white, it’s some weird cream color and could practically be considered a turtleneck with way too many layers of thick fabric.
The only part of the dress I approve of is the corset, but what’s the point if you can’t even see how beautiful it makes my breasts look.
All that’s left is Aubrey, who still hasn’t emerged from the bathroom on the main floor. After ten more minutes of waiting and half a glass of wine emptied, I head over to the door and knock. “Baby Brey, you need help in there?”
“I’m not wearing this… thing,” she states through the door.
“Oh, come on. It can’t be that bad! I can promise you it’s definitely better than mine.”
“No. I promise you, it’s not.” I can practically hear her shaking her head.
“Just show us. If it’s really that bad, you can take it off.” The rest of the girls show up behind me, even Sam gets curious and wanders over.
“Oh, sweet baby Jesus… what is that thing?” he says when he spies my dress.
“Don’t even say anything. I know,” I sigh with a head shake.
The door finally cracks open, and we all gasp when Aubrey steps out. Yeah, now I get why she wouldn’t come out. That is not Aubrey at all. But damn, I might leave with that one tonight. Greyson would appreciate it 110%.
“Oh… my… God…” I whisper.
“Wow,” Morg says from beside me with huge eyes, while Ronnie, Cecilia, and Sam just stare with their jaws hitting the ground.
“I know. It’s really bad. Ugh! I’m going to change,” Brey huffs out and turns, about to head back into the bathroom.
I grab her wrist, stopping her. “No, Brey. The dress is amazing! You need to keep it on. Holy shit… Someone take a picture!”
Ronnie immediately whips out her phone from somewhere in the dress. Of course, her dress has pockets. She quickly snaps a picture and puts it away with a smirk.
“Wait, why did you do that?” Aubrey asks with a frown.
“So that I can send it to Shane. You can thank me later,” I say.
“WHAT?! NO!” She tries to reach for Ronnie, but we block her path. She turns to me with a panicked expression. “No. Please, Em. Don’t…”
I wasn’t really going to, but now I feel bad for making the joke.
I place my hand on her arm and give her a reassuring smile.
“I was just kidding, Aubrey. I wouldn’t do that to you.
But you wouldn’t have anything to worry about, the dress is really hot.
Please keep it on, just for now. Let yourself go a little. ”
She sighs and drops her head. “Okay, fine.”
I’m not even kidding; the dress is stunning.
Not something I would wear to my wedding, but for some sexy role-play with Grey while he gets all hot and bothered?
Definitely. It’s a beautiful semi-sheer, lace-fitted dress with a deep plunging neckline, a corseted bodice, and 3D flowers all over, finished off with lace cap sleeves and a dramatic high leg slit.
Honestly, it gives the illusion that you can see through the dress, but you can’t, which is probably what Brey hates about it. It makes it look like she’s naked with flowers stuck to her skin.
“She’s right, though. I’m totally gay, but, fuck me, even I could be persuaded with a dress like that,” Sam declares, looking the dress up and down before we turn and head back to the kitchen.
“Have you ever slept with a woman, Sam?” Cecilia asks him while we all look at her with wide eyes. “What? I’m curious.”
“I have. I dated a girl all through high school. Then I got to college and had a hot as hell roommate, and that’s when I decided I was more into men than women. Haven’t went back since.”
“Wow. And you didn’t have a clue before that?” Morgan asks next.
“I did. I used to consider myself bi since I always found men attractive as well. But I never fully explored it until then,” he says with a shrug.
“Hmm, interesting. We’ll come back to that. I want details, but I’m not sure virgin ears over here will like that.” I point at Aubrey, who’s red from head to toe. She tolerates a bit of sex talk, but I’m afraid two men having sex might be pushing it a little for her.
“We’ll wait till we get home,” I whisper to Sam with a wink.
He chuckles and shakes his head. “What did I sign myself up for?” he says sarcastically.
“Oh, you have no idea. But it will be fun. I promise,” Cecilia tells him with a giggle.
Just then the baby monitor comes to life in Sam’s hand.
He smiles down at it, then back up to us.
“I’ll get these little ones and bring them outside for a bit of air with some snacks.
Leave you guys to your wine and cheesy movies,” he says, strolling toward the stairs to the spare room Morgan has set up with two cribs for Dante and Gracie.
We spend so much time all together that all our homes now have two cribs for when the kids need to nap.
“You’re amazing! Bring my baby down here first. I want to give her a kiss,” I shout after him.