Chapter Five

“What is this?” Kristy held up the mauve colored notebook Claudia had just placed in her lap. All four of them were in the jeep again and driving toward the nearest bridal shop. Dawn had only agreed to ride in the vehicle if she got to sit up front. This left Kristy in the backseat, defenseless against Claudia and her planning notes.

“Since we have some time before we get to the store, I thought you could start writing down ideas for the wedding.” Claudia offered Kristy a matching pen as she talked. Kristy could not help wondering if the seating arrangement was planned. Grudgingly she accepted the pen and opened the cover of the notebook. “First, let us cover the wedding party.” Claudia pulled out her own pen and opened another pad. “Who is going to be your maid of honor?”

“Dawn,” Kristy muttered, but did not make a move to write it down. Claudia did not look up as she scribbled away in her own book.

“That leaves Jessi and me as bridesmaids. Are there any other family members that you might want to include?”

“Scott has a sister,” Kristy admitted. “I suppose I could ask her.”

“And her name is?” Pen posed, Claudia looked up questioningly.

“Nancy,” Kristy finally supplied.

“Hold on!” Jessi warned from the front and the jeep rounded a turn a bid faster than necessary.

“Is she married?” Claudia continued.

“No. Why do I have to do this?”

Claudia raised her eyebrows. “You want to marry Scott, don't you?”

“Yeah,” Kristy answered in a bored tone. “I don't need all this stuff,” she waved toward Claudia's bag of magazines and stuff, “to get married to Scott.”

“True,” Dawn injected for Claudia, “but I happen to know Scott wants you in a dress at least.”

Kristy straightened up. “And how do you know this?”

Looking innocent again, Dawn just said, “I have my resources.”

Before Kristy could say more, Jessi announced, “We are here.”

/\//\//\//\//\//\/

“Here,” Dawn shoved a cloud of white materials through the door of the dressing room.

“What is that?” Kristy eyed the billowing mass suspiciously.

“The beginning,” Jessi answered for Dawn, who was busy trying to persuade the hangers to stay on one of the dressing room's many hooks.

“Oh no!” Dawn doved for the door as Kristy yelled, “I am not trying on that.”

Jessi closed the door and leaned against the inside. “You can and will. I am not letting you get married in a pair of sweat pants.” Crossing her arms, Jessi prepared herself for a fight.

“I won't wear sweat pants,” Kristy protested.

“Then what were you planning on wearing?” Jessi asked in a suspiciously calm tone.

“I don't know,” Kristy admitted before declaring again, “I won't wear sweat pants or that thing.” She pointed to the cloud of netting and sequins hanging on the wall.

“How about this,” Jessi offered. “You try on that and other gowns and if you don't like them we will try others until you like one.”

“I won't like any of them,” Kristy did not look happy, but seemed to realize that she had no choice.

“Maybe,” Jessi agreed, “but you won't know until you try.”

“Yes I can,” Kristy protested, but caught the weird piece of equipment that her sister-in-law threw to her. “What is this?”

“A strapless,” Jessi answered before shutting the door behind her. “Hurry up, the longer it takes the worse it will feel.”

“You can forget this thing,” she yelled.

/\//\//\//\//\//\/

Kristy appeared a few seconds later; the dress was on, but obviously the strapless was not. Everyone agreed the fluffy concoction was not Kristy. Claudia picked the next gown.

“I cannot even stand without feeling like I am going to rip the thing.” The sheath dress covered everything in one long tube of satin.

“Nice fin,” Dawn commented. The train was a detachable cone of fabric that attached to the back under a rather large bow.

Next was a plain A-line cut with pearls and very few sequins. It was the best yet, but it lacked a bodice. Kristy did not even have to show it off. Everyone agreed, it was way too revealing.

Finally they let Kristy look and pick one. She loudly declared she did not want any of them, but under threat of another cloud-like one, she picked one. It was a simple satin dress with a short train. The only decoration was some flowers embroidered around the hem. The neckline was a simple scoop with embroidered edging. It was simple, yet pretty. When she modeled it, they all agreed she could use this one.

“Finally.” Kristy turned back toward the dressing rooms.

“Not so fast,” Claudia interjected. “We still have the veil, shoes, and stockings.”

“Let her be,” Jessi said. “We will do that later. We have the dress that is good enough for today.”

Dawn added, “Now she can pick out our dresses.”

“Oooh.” Kristy turned back with a devious glint in her eye. “I can't wait.”

/\//\//\//\//\//\/

After declaring that they all had to try on these orange metallic colored dresses with no straps, Kristy savored her moment of revenge. Then she relented but not until after they had all put them on and modeled to her satisfaction.

Her final choices were very similar to her own dress, except they were lavender and did not have trains. The shoes could be dyed to match, but she decided to wait on those. It was too many decisions for one shopping trip. “No more,” she declared.

/\//\//\//\//\//\/

“I hate rain,” Kristy declared as she stared out the windows in the parlor.

Dawn straightened from her picking up. The remains from her painting project were still scattered around the room. Jessi had scheduled the furniture to be delivered the next day and she wanted the room clear. Kristy was supposed to be helping. “I think you like rain, but don't like being cooped up inside.” Stretching to relieve her back, she asked, “Where is Scott?”

“With the other guys finishing the basement,” she grimaced at her reflection. It grimaced back. “I have been banned from their company until they are done.”

“They figure out you were hiding from us?” Dawn kicked the plastic and sent dried paint and dirt into the air in clouds.

“I don't know, but Scott insisted I go through on the dress.” She made another face at the water sheeting the other side of the glass.

“Somehow I get the impression that you only offered to help me because Claudia is working in the kitchen with Jessi.” Dawn kicked the plastic farther across the floor.

“I never knew there were so many stinking details to getting married.” Kristy turned and coughed at the dust. “You know you are just making the mess worse.”

Dawn looked up and shrugged. “My help is not helping and the weather is making me feel like being annoying.” Then she grinned. “Let's go get a movie and junk food.”

Kristy instantly brightened. “Yeah!”

“We could have a movie party.”

“Claudia is so big on planning right now,” Kristy said, “Why don't we ask her to suggest a movie and Jessi is great with food.”

“Good idea,” Dawn agreed. “Just help me finish in here and then we can go ask.”

“I knew there had to be a catch.” Kristy exclaimed, but began to help with the plastic floor covering.

/\//\//\//\//\//\/

“Have any of you seen My Best Friend's Wedding?” Jessi asked studying the back of the aforementioned film.

“Yes,” Dawn exclaimed from the next row in the video rental store. “I hated it! It was in very poor taste.”

“What kind of poor taste?” Claudia asked from beside Jessi. “Your opinion can be off sometimes, especially when it comes to movies.”

“I beg to differ,” Dawn argued in shock. “I was right about Newsies and The Princess Bride, wasn't I?”

“Yeah, once I got it,” Kristy commented. “On the other hand, I never understood your fascination with the classic nerd.”

“I think we should watch Persuasion or Pride and Prejudice,” Dawn suggested, changing the subject.

“How about Rush Hour 2?” Kristy presented the action film to Jessi for perusal.

Jessi grimaced. “Must you be so unromantic at a time like this?”

“Yeah,” Dawn chimed in, having abandoned the idea of the classics for another day. “You should have no trouble getting Scott to watch that with you. You know how much he enjoys commenting of the different techniques Jackie Chan uses. Tonight is a 'Girls' night. Romance is the only genre allowed.”

“I have made a decision.” Claudia announced as she plucked a video from the shelf and waved it above her head so that all could see it over the aisles. “We are going to watch the Runaway Bride. Now who is paying?”

“You choose, you pay,” Kristy informed her.

Before Claudia could protest, Jessi collected the case and tape and announced, “My treat.” She headed to the check out. “After all, it is my rental card, VCR and TV.”