The Gates of Hell

“Once you go fag, your shoes match your bag,” as always, Caty giggled and put her feet together, twisted and posed with her shoes and bag. “Get it? It’s Lisa Lampanelli, duh?”

“Serious problems,” I spoke while gesturing with both hands towards her figure in front of the three way mirror. “Major problems actually.”

“Love you to, cousin,” Caty dropped her hand holding the small handbag she held and grunted at me, stuck her tongue out and stalked off towards the front of the store, through the door to the left.

“I agree, she has problems,” Danielle spoke softly from beside me, she had been watching quietly, so unlike her but she had. Oddly enough. “But it was funny…”

“I live with idiots,” I laughed as I stood and walked out of the room, when I found the store clerk that had been helping me, I cleared my throat and motioned towards the back room. “Can I see those dresses now?”

“Oh, I’m so sorry Miss Seward; I was just about to go get them. I got caught up with another customer,” she spoke frantically as she hurried off towards the store room, I held my hand up and squeaked but didn’t gain her attention. I didn’t want her to act scared; I just wanted to see the dresses she promised.

“I brought coffee,” I had stepped back in the room seconds before Brian walked in and held out a tray of coffee and a bag of bagels or something, donuts hopefully.

“Coffee,” I sighed happily as he handed me over a cup, and then took a seat beside me.

“Any dresses?” he questioned looking around at the half bored/ half asleep roomful of my bridesmaids. I had Gena beside Danielle; beside her were Val and Michelle who were leaned against each other, weakly texting on their phones. Across the room was Leana, my mother and Caty who arrived back and was in a heated game of slaps with Leana, it traded off to mom every now and then. Kassie was at Leana’s feet, sitting in the floor reading a book, we had been at the bridal shop for way to long.

“Nope,” I said dryly as I blew on the top of my coffee, it was scalding and I had burnt my tongue twice. “But I got the lady in gear; she’s bringing the dresses from the back.”

“Sweet,” he murmured leaning back; I took the same route and leaned back on his side, playing with the cups outside label until the woman with the dresses walked in. “Hell time.”

“Shut up or we’ll make you try a couple on to spare some time,” Kassie threatened as she folded the page she was reading in her book, closed the cover and slid it under Leana’s seat and then straightened up to watch as I changed into a pretty beige dress.

“Should he be in here while she undresses?” the store clerk, who I managed to read from her nametag was Betty murmured as she looked at my mother.

“That’s the made of honor, he’s allowed,” my mother winked and grinned at the woman, who gapped at her and slowly slid her gaze over to Brian, if I could read minds I’m sure hers was something close to this Oh my God, that sexy Greek God is the maid of honor? No fucking way, if he’s not the groom, the groom has got to be something close to God himself. Or so her face stated.

“Plus, I’m not showing anything he hasn’t seen when we go swimming at the beach,” I motioned towards my underwear and bra that slightly resembled a bathing suit I once had, blue and frilly. “Right Brian?”

“Yes, and gawking at her now is allowed since I’m in a room full of women who want me to stare at her boobs and butt and tell her if they look big,” he stated it so nonchalantly the poor Betty woman gasped and choked on her own spit before she ran from the room calling out that she’d be back soon.

“I’m so telling Zacky,” I pointed at him while Michelle crossed her arms and harrumphed.

“Asshole,” she murmured as he laughed, he didn’t give a shit. Sadly, they hadn’t been getting along and he didn’t seem to care.

“First dress,” I broke the silence and turned around so everyone to see the front of the dress, a couple of the girls gasped and murmured how beautiful I looked but really, the dress was just gorgeous and I was earning all its shine. The beige was embroidered with tiny pearls that were teardrop shaped and it formed a beautiful V down the bodice and filled in the middle with tons of them. “I love it.”

“it really does look good on you, maybe try on some others though, put that to the side though,” Brian spoke seriously as he pointed to the stack of dresses Betty had brought in and put on a dress rack.

“Good point,” I nodded and slipped out of the gorgeous dress, I eyed it as my mother put it in the corner seat and handed me another, this one was more old fashion with its lace shoulders and sleeves, it had pearl drops on it to but they seemed more—tacky than anything. “No.”

“I agree, its old looking and you know how Briony is,” Leana spoke out loud to my mother, gesturing wildly at my figure standing in front of them all. “She doesn’t like old fashion.”

“Not clothes at least,” I murmured as I slipped that dress on and tried on the next which was a strapless with a black lace fitting like bow around my waist, I liked it but it seemed more of a bridesmaids dress. After a good thirty minutes of trying on dresses, I gave up—I hated shopping and trying on stuff, today was more than enough for me and I had liked the very first dress I tried on, so why search anymore right?

“So we found everything we need right?” Danielle questioned following me and Brian out the door, we were arguing over dresses and places we needed to go, to find more. “Guys stop fighting!”

“No, he’s being an ass,” I complained and kicked out my foot, connecting my leg with the back of his knees, he fell out on the floor gasping and gapping at me.