28 Days to Go
Today is my final dress fitting before the big day. I had the dress sent here by courier from the bridal shop in London. I did not bring it up myself; otherwise, Rich would have seen it before the wedding. I had it delivered directly to the shop that carries the bridesmaid dresses I chose. We spent hours dress shopping around here, but never found the dress that was the one. Even though I had no particular dress in mind, I just did not want anything straight up and down. I wanted a little bit of sparkle and something to enhance my chest, but not a dress so large that I could not walk through the doors, or one that made me look like a toilet roll cover. I have to keep Rich happy. Megan found a little boutique in London on the internet, so we checked it out. It was the best decision I made.
I remember walking into this little boutique wedding shop down a little alleyway and seeing the most beautiful dress hanging on a manikin in the middle of the store. There was an array of dresses hanging around the room on rails, but this one stood out above all the others. I walked straight up to the dress and touched it. It was absolutely perfect.
“Megan,” I said, turning to face her.
“That’s the dress, that’s your dress,” she said with a big smile.
“Good morning. Welcome to Hope Boutique. My name is Caroline,” A tall, older lady with long grey hair said while coming to greet us.
“Hi, any chance my friend can try on this dress?” Megan questioned.
“Of course,” Caroline answered with a smile.
The rest of the day is a bit of a blur to me. I followed Caroline into the fitting room, and she assisted me into the dress. I remember slipping it over my head with Caroline fastening it at the back before pulling it out at the bottom so it flowed just right. The dress was a perfect fit, no alterations needed. This can’t be right? Most dresses don’t fit like this the first time. I took a deep breath before walking out of the fitting room and into the main room where Megan stood. Her mouth instantly dropped.
“You look like a princess,” she stated with a wobble in her voice.
“Really?” I questioned.
Megan nodded her head, unable to speak. I saw tears rolling down her check. That was the moment I knew for sure this was the dress. The one.
The purpose of today’s dress fitting is to make sure everything is right. I am so eager to try it on one last time before the wedding. It’s going to be the first time since Lucy was born that Megan will be in her dress. She has worked hard to get her figure back quickly. She has lived off a rabbit food diet as she calls it. She never drank at my hen do either, but I think that might have something to do with Lucy. I get to see them both in just under an hour. I fling my hair into a loose bun and add a necklace that’s the same length as my wedding one. I grab my keys and jacket as I walk to the door to leave. I am so excited I feel like a child at Christmas.
*****
I stand by my car. It is only a two-minute walk from the shop, and I am twenty minutes early to meet Megan. Everything is done by appointment times in the shop, so I have to wait here for her. I check my mobile.
Hi Jen, I’ll be there in 5. Xx
Hi Hun, can’t wait Xx
I have a little time to wait. There is a shop beside the wedding boutique that sells iced fruit drinks. I decide to take up some time and get one for Megan and me. Megan loves them. They are the best thing to keep her in a good mood. Lucy is too young for them, but I bet she will be like her mum and love them when she gets older. I walk to the counter and wait for the attendant.
“Good morning, Miss. What can I get you?” The tall brunette man asks, displaying a full smile across his face.
“Two diced red fruitiest, please,” I reply.
“To take out or sit in?” He questions with a voice so sweet and brown eyes so intriguing they are giving me butterflies.
“To take out, please.” I take out the money from my new purse and pass it to him. Our fingers touch and the hairs on the back of my neck alight. He drops the change into the palm of my hand. I move over to the side while he makes them.
I can’t help myself from watching him work. He bends down to the fridge then stretches high to the cupboard. Oh, wow! He is so cute and looks in fantastic shape from the back. He is wearing a black shirt, not the normal uniform that everyone else in the shop wears. The staff normally wears a baby blue t-shirt displaying the company’s logo. I wonder if he is new. I’ll definitely be coming here more often if he is.
I shake my head. Get out of it, Jenny. You are marrying Rich.
A man wearing the company shirt walks past me and straight over to the man.
“Mr. James, what are you doing here?” He questions him.
“I just popped in to drop off those folders,” he replies, pointing to some black folders on the side. “You were really busy, so I thought I would help out for a bit, Mat.”
“Thank you, Mr. James,” the man says, looking worried.
He finally has a name. Mr. James walks over to me, carrying one drink in each hand and placing the two clear plastic holders on the table.
I gaze up at him. “I’ll just get you a holder for them, Miss,” he states, turning around and bending to get one. Oh, wow! What a close up view! He is wearing a pair of black jeans that show off his amazing arse.
“Here you go,” he says, placing them into the holder and fastening it. “What colour straws would you like?” He questions.
“Any.” I don’t care about the colour of anything right now.
“Pink it is. All females like pink, or so I have been told.” He places the straws alongside the drinks and winks at me.
“Thank you,” I state, taking hold of the carrier.
He is very attentive to me. I normally never get this kind of treatment. The attendants usually order the drink then pass it to someone else to make. Today, the shop is really busy, but Mr. James pays attention to me longer than usual. I walk through the crowd of people, taking a sneaky glance back, to see that Mr. James is still looking in my direction.
Pushing the door open, I notice Megan standing against the wall with Lucy in her pram.
“Hey Meg, how are you?” I ask while walking towards her.
“Hi, I thought you would be in there. I’m good,” she says, giving me a hug.
“Here you go,” I state, giving her one of the drinks.
“Are you ready?” She asks.
“Of course.” We stand outside sipping our iced drinks while we wait for my appointment time. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Mr. James walking down the little alleyway to where the cars are parked. I turn slightly to watch him. He walks straight over to the posh black car that’s parked beside me and climbs into it. I shake my head and turn to Megan.
“Let’s go.”
We walk over to the bridal shop and open the door.
“Good morning, Miss,” the lady says. “I’m Olivia. You must be Jenny.”
“Yes, I’m Jenny and this is my maid of honour, Megan,” I say, pointing to her.
“Shall we get on? Who’s first?” She asks.
“Megan goes first. I’m dying to see her in her dress.”
Megan heads off with Olivia while I take a seat on the white circle sofa in the middle of the room with Lucy in my arms. The circle sofa is unique with an open middle section enhanced with different accessories on it. Megan told me earlier that Lucy has been a little fussy today and has spent most of the past twenty-four hours crying. She wonders if it could be the start of teething.
This shop is stunning. Its walls are painted a light red colour and feature full-length mirrors all around the fitting area. There is a thick, cream coloured curtain behind the front of the shop so people cannot see inside. Two side walls showcase the selection of dresses the shop boasts.
“Wow! Megan you look fantastic!”
“Thank you, it fits,” she says with a huge smile covering her face.
The dress is a dark pink colour with a sweetheart neck and floor-length bottom. It is not made out of anything clingy, so it floats. On the right side of the dress just above the hip area is a little flower in the same colour with a hand-stitched diamond inside. It looks absolutely stunning on her. The other bridesmaids’ dresses are the same colour, but differ with a halter neck and flower located on the other side. Megan’s dress needs to stand out, but not be too different from the others.