That Last Little Spark

Time until wedding: 45 minutes

“Jess? Are you done yet?” Kelsey knocked on the bathroom door. Jess was done, but she stood silent, staring at her reflection in the mirror. It was nothing like the first time she had tried on the dress. This was the big picture...her hair and makeup done and wearing her jewelry she had picked out for today.

Jess opened the door and watched Kelsey’s jaw drop. “Oh my god,” she smiled. “Bam is going to be all over you.”

“You think?” Jess bit her lip shyly as she bent down to slip on her heels.

“I don’t just think, I know.” Kelsey laughed and slipped past Jess into the bathroom, her own dress folded in her arms and her shoes dangling from her fingers.

“Bride! Why aren’t you dressed yet?” Jess asked when she walked back into the main room. Erica was standing there, her hair and makeup done, wearing her jewelry and everything, just looking at the dress

“I just wanted to look at it...one more time before I put it on.” Erica admitted. “Plus I wanted to wait until you girls were all dressed so you could see how it looked.” she grinned.

Once Kelsey was dressed and everyone was in the main bedroom, Erica took off her jeans and button down top, feeling completely comfortable with stripping down to her underwear in front of her closest friends.

“I didn’t know a strip show would be involved. Isn’t that technically cheating?” Chloe spoke up with a smirk.

“You and Kelsey are like the Gutter Mind team.” Ashleigh rolled her eyes and unzipped the bag holding the wedding gown before helping Erica pull it up from her feet. The photographer began snapping pictures once Kelsey, who had the shortest nails, began the process of buttoning up the back of the dress.

“How does it fit?” she asked as Erica straightened it a little more. “It doesn’t feel like it’s about to slide down?”

“It feels...perfect.” Erica’s lips curved into a smile.

“It looks perfect.” Jess knelt down to feel the lacy trim on the dress.

“I’m ready.” Erica smiled at herself in the mirror.

“Not yet.” her mom stepped forward with Erica’s veil and a tiara in her hands. She set the tiara on top of Erica’s head, making sure it was secured before stepping around behind Erica to clip the veil underneath her updo. The veil actually clipped to the tiara, to make sure it wouldn’t fall out.

“What’s next?” Erica asked.

“Shoes.” Kelsey spoke up, Erica’s shoes dangling from her fingers. Erica had decided to go for low heels for comfort.

“And garter.” Jess twirled the white lace garter around her finger. As Erica had said, a sapphire blue ribbon ran around the middle of the white lace.

“Of course. Couldn’t forget that.” Erica laughed.

“It’s your ‘something blue’, isn’t it? So that would be bad luck.” her mother teased.

“I really hope this doesn’t change our friendship.” Jess laughed as she slid the garter up Erica’s leg.

“Of course not! AlthoughBam might get jealous if he saw this.” Erica smirked.

“I’ll tell him later.” Ashleigh giggled.

“Put it all the way up!” Chloe exclaimed. “Make him work for it!”

“I’m not going to flash everyone my underwear because the garter is up so high!” Erica’s jaw dropped.

“It’s above her knee. If she wants it higher, she can do it herself.” Jess laughed and stood back up. They all took a few more pictures together before Erica’s mother looked at the clock.

“It’s time.” she smiled at her daughter with tears in her eyes.