5

"Why are we here, Ashley?" My eyes were fixed on the 'Corrine Bethany's' Store laid ahead, gaze watching the number of ladies that strolled out from there, all bearing smiles on their faces.

"To pick a wedding dress, of course" Followed the response of the girl, while she unbuckled her seatbelt, soon having her makeup retouched.

To be honest, I don't know what I was expecting, when she had pulled up at the house, stating that we had to leave as it was a matter of urgency.

This shouldn't be surprising at all, because it was just the kind of thing Ashley Williams would do.

"I just got back from my flight few hours ago, Ashley" I uttered.

"Nia, you seem to be forgetting something" She had spun to me at once, eyes filled with pensiveness.

"This wedding only gets to happen once. There are no re-dos" She let out. "We have to make sure all is perfect" I heard her say.

"Now get your ass up, and let's go pick a dress" She uttered at once, getting off the car.

I remained back in the seat, emitting low sighs, prepping myself for whatever bustles that laid in there for me.

But I couldn't keep my sister-in-law waiting now. She was one impatient girl.

"Come on, Nia"

That was my cue to get off the car, and at once, I stepped down, moving over to her, while being led into the store.

It was even quiet than expected the moment we stepped into the space.

Perhaps I thought I would find a number of ladies with wedding dates fixed on a Saturday, wrestling for one of those pieces which were held on the hangers, but the calm was what struck us first.

There was a lady by the counter, whose attention remains fixed on some packages before her.

Not even sparing a glance at us, her focus remained on the items on the desk, and soon enough, a figure from an outlying room had stepped out, approaching us.

"Miss Williams" She greeted, eyes beaming on at Ashley. "It's a pleasure to have you here" She added.

Now, what business did Ashley hold with a wedding store owner, that I had not an answer to.

"And I'm guessing this must be our bride" The lady followed, eyes acknowledging me.

"She's even more beautiful in person"

My gaze shifted from her to Ashley, the confusion held in there.

"She saw a picture of you" Ashley whispered, clarifying.

"Isn't this exciting!" Ashley cried, bopping on her feet. "This is really happening, Nia"

"You're getting married!" She added, crashing into me.

"This is like a dream" She whispered amidst the hug, and perhaps, it was only my imagination, but I could swear I caught a sniff from her.

She wasn't about to begin crying, in front of this lady whom I knew not a thing of, was she?

"I'm beyond happy, Nia. I am" Ashley let out, soon pulling back, deciding nothing would ruin her perfectly fixed lashes.

Her chuckles soon poured out, while she took in my expression.

"I'm Corinne" I heard that voice follow, while the lady reached for my hands, holding it softly in hers.

"I'll be at your service, I'll make sure to get you a dress, that would be the 'icing on the cake' of your wedding" She smiled, soon pulling me into an inner room.

I heard the squeals of Ashley trail after us, the excitement of the girl bursting in, while I was led onto a round of exhaustion.

***

"ugh"

I heard that weak grunt, tumble out the lips of my friend, eyes peering on with an endearing look, while that expression foretold her disapproval of the clothing on me.

"I don't know— She tilted her head to a side, face scrunched up, with piercing gaze giving a thorough examining of the dress worn on my body.

"It's kind of drab?" She called flatly.

"What?" I scoffed, arms folded across my chest.

"This is the seventh dress I'm trying on, Ash" I stated.

"If we go on like this, we'll remain here until dark"

"That's the thing, Nia" She called at once.

"My opinion doesn't matter. So long as you're happy with it, and you feel comfortable in it" She followed.

"Well, do you want me looking drab" I uttered.

"Do you feel comfortable in it?" She questioned.

My eyes shifted from her figure to Corrine, watching as they both watched me with intent, waiting for the words to leave my lips.

"Cameron should be here with me" I let out.

"Oh, for the love of God!" Ashley flung her arms in the air, the sigh escaping her lips.

"That's why he doesn't get to see you, not until the day of the wedding, so he would be left stunned when he sees you walk down the aisle in your wedding dress" She spoke in a 'duh' tone.

"I want him to pick the dress with me" I let out.

"I would feel much comfortable with him doing that" I added.

I couldn't tell if that was what I really wanted, or it was the fact that I just wanted to see him to know if he was okay.

"He's not going to wear the dress, Nia. You are" Ashley's voice was stern.

"You are the one to pick your dress" She uttered firmly.

"Ma'am"

A voice had broken into the room, with the figure of another lady proceeding in the area. But she wasn't alone, that, I realized.

She was with another figure.

A much familiar profile.

The gleam rushed to my eyes at the sight of that profile, and at once I hurried forward, over to the woman who had nursed me since birth.

"Mother"

I crashed into her embrace at once, trying to settle in properly, but this dress wasn't giving me any chance to do that.

"Oh, dear"

"It feels so good to have you back" Her words were low, hands stroking my cheeks, while the smile took her lips.

She pulled back in a moment, eyes peering at the dress on me.

"Is this the chosen one?" She questioned.

"Oh, no, no. I can barely move in it" I uttered, adjusting the zipper.

My eyes remained on the figure of mother, taking in how much she's changed since the last time I saw her.

And that was only few months back when I left home to get an apartment for myself. Although, she was against it, but after I graduated college, I decided it best to leave, to adjust to taking up responsibilities.

And somewhere right at the heart of town, I have been inhabiting ever since.

My eyes remained on that lady, watching the smile that graced her lips. She looked much happy, eyes filled with joy.

"What are you doing here?" Voice poured out low, eyes shifting through hers.

"I had called her over to help out" Called Ashley from behind.

"I knew it would be this hectic" She added.

"Well darling, what are your choices?" Mother began, pulling me to the side where the stack of dresses were.

"I don't have any" I uttered to her in a breath.

"I can't seem to find any that feels right" The sigh left my lips, with exasperation itching at me.

"We could have a dress custom-made for you, right to your taste" Corinne pitched in, moving closer to me.

"Just let us know what your visions are" She added.

My gaze shifted through the trail of dresses filling the room. All beautiful, each one elegant, yet I couldn't seem to find one that my heart took a liking to.

"I don't know" My voice fell. "I'm still lost on—

My words were cut off by the sudden entrance of a man.

Suited up well, he pushed in a trolley of roses, holding up a placard that spelt my name.

"I have a delivery for Miss Sangretti"

He took a stop before me, brushing the flowers with some feathers, and as if one cue, that smile took his lips, while his gaze met my confused ones.

"I'm Adam" He introduced.

"I was asked to get this to you" The man followed.

"Who did?" The confusion could be detected in my tone.

"Mr. Williams" He clarified, stretching out a note card for me to take.

"Compliments" He added.

"Well, that's lovely" A smile had crossed the lips of Ashley, eyes beaming. "But we're busy!"

She soon snapped, with the smile having faded off, and a frown taking its place.

"You can have all the show of affection when you both get married, right now, we have a far pressing issue at hand" She let out, pointing at the unpicked dresses laid at my feet.

And only then did the ruckus begin in, voices from the people around pouring into my ears.

"We'll have our best tailors from France make the dress to perfect fitting" It was Corinne.

"Make a choice, Nia" And then Followed Ashley.

"Darling, I want you to take your time, and go with your heart" Mother's soft voice broke out too.

"Ma'am, I'll need you to sign here" Even Adam had joined in on the tumult.

"We've received some orders" Another lady  had walked in joining in on the commotion.

And while the rabbles around me broke out, I tried to keep my self steady, but at each utterance that broke out, I could feel my head turning light, the words pricking at me.

Only then did I lose it.

"Enough!"

My voice had pulled the calm at once, with eyes shifting through the figures before me.

Ashley's gaze remained soft on me, concern held in there, while she took in my disheveled state.

Mother on the other hand, gazed at me with every affection, eyes holding onto a hint of gleam.

Corinne awaited me to make a choice. Of course to have her bank account rolling.

Believe me, I doubted if their tagline was what they really sought—"Making every bride happy"

Who had the time to go about concerning their self with some ladies who you have no idea what made them say yes to their partners?

The fees must be the only drive, nothing else.

And then, Adam. The man still had that pen stretched out to me, waiting for me to sign the delivery.

"It is my wedding" My voice was low, eyes shifting through every one of them. "I should be delighted to be picking out these dresses, but I'm not" I stated.

"There's something missing"

"There's someone I need to talk to"

And with that, I had proceeded into the the changing room, leaving those eyes staring at my form, all watching in silence, while I moved away.

Even if Cameron had decided to keep up with this, I just couldn't.

I sought to talk to him. To clear the air, and know if he was okay. My heart had been troubled all morning, and perhaps, the reason I couldn't think straight, and just make a choice on what dress to get.

It was overall exhausting.

I barely could find myself right, talk more of having to go through rounds of dress fitting.

All I wanted was to gaze into those eyes belonging to the man I love, and to hear him say all is fine.

I yearned to hear his voice.

And at that, I had gotten changed into my clothes, hurrying out of 'Corinne Bethany's' onto his place of work, to see that profile once more.