Wedding Dress Trail

Aria's POV**

I stood in front of my closet with both hands trembling slightly at my sides as I stared at the clothes hanging there. I had left the green tunic from yesterday on the chair when I took it off last night. The wedding dress trial had made me feel anxious to the point that it caused my stomach to churn. Selene would arrive soon to take me to the boutique. The baby bump felt more noticeable to me every single day. I needed to hide it. What would happen if the wedding dress failed to conceal my body? What if the mirrors in the fitting room showed a clear outline that could not be hidden? Ronan would notice right away. Selene would start asking questions. And Lyra would have all the proof she needed to attack. I took a deep shaky breath and reached for the baggiest sweater I owned. The sweater reached down to my hips when I pulled it on. I combined it with my black pants which had an elastic waistband as the most comfortable option. I now felt a bit more secure about myself. I needed more protection. The racing of my heart continued to speed up while I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

Someone knocked on my bedroom door at that moment. Selene's cheerful voice called through the wood. "Aria? Are you ready yet?”

The small admission I made to her had brought out my quietest voice which I had tried to speak. I desire everything to fit perfectly while maintaining its aesthetic appeal.

She extended her arm to me for a friendly embrace. Your wedding dress will create a beautiful look for you because everything will fit perfectly. We should leave for the downstairs area to prevent traffic from delaying our journey. We proceeded down the stairs while walking next to each other. Ronan rested on the couch in the living room while he used his phone to view content. He looked up when he heard our footsteps and grinned wide at me. "Have fun trying on dresses today, babe. I want you to send me pictures of the dress that you select."

"I will send you pictures," I said back to him. I approached him and placed a brief kiss on his cheek. His blue eyes looked up at me with so much trust in them, and that made the guilt twist even harder inside my chest like a knife turning. Elowen waved at us from her position in the kitchen doorway which she occupied while holding a dish towel. "You can reach out to me for assistance with your dress selection process." The first customers of the day had already departed when Lupin went to work. I felt relieved because I had one fewer person observing my every action for the day.

Selene drove us to the boutique with the radio playing softly in the background. She spent the entire journey to the destination explaining various wedding dress designs which she thought would suit me best. I want to wear an empire waist dress which has a simple design that starts above the waist. The ideal design should include a skirt which flows freely. That kind of dress hides everything just perfect for someone in the early stages of pregnancy like you are." She looked at me with concern from her position in the driver's seat. "Are you okay over there? You seem really quiet today."

I told her that I needed time to think about many different matters. "About the wedding and everything that comes with it."

She reached over with her right hand and squeezed my left hand gently. All of it will be alright Aria. Ronan has taken responsibility for his actions. Mom and Dad have rebuilt their relationship after their previous problems. You will find your happy ending because you will create your own family. The phrase happy ending sounded like a terrible joke which made me feel bad inside my mind. I forced myself to smile as I nodded at her words. The boutique became visible within a few minutes of our arrival. The establishment called Bridal Bliss featured a pristine white exterior while its windows showed mannequins wearing white bridal dresses. I felt nervous again when we entered the parking space.

We walked into the space together while the air became fragrant from fresh flowers and fabric spray. The consultant Tara welcomed us at the entrance with her professional smile. "Are you Aria and Selene? Right this way please. The staff has already prepared your measurements which were obtained during our phone conversation yesterday. The staff showed us to a fitting area which had three tall mirrors surrounding a small raised platform. The lighting design created a soft yet attractive appearance. The room contained velvet chairs arranged for visitors to use. Tara presented me with five different white dresses which I could choose to wear. All of the items presented themselves as straightforward yet flowy just like Selene had suggested. You can start with number one here. It has a beautiful empire waist that will be perfect for your stage of pregnancy.

I took the first dress from her and carried it into the small dressing room. I closed the door behind me and locked it for privacy. I began to tremble as I took off the sweater and pants which I had worn there. The bump showed clear and round at a little over six weeks now. I tested the surface by touching it. I sucked in my breath hard and pulled the white dress over my head carefully. The material of the dress moved across my entire body. The waistline of the dress extended upwards under my chest area based on Tara's description. The skirt billowed out loose around my middle. I turned around to face the mirror slowly. It worked pretty well. The bump pressed against the fabric just a little bit, but all the folds and layers hid it mostly. I took a deep breath and stepped out of the dressing room onto the platform.

Selene gasped loud when she saw me. "Oh my gosh, Aria. You look completely stunning in that dress."

Tara gave her approval by nodding her head. "You look absolutely gorgeous. Would you please turn around so we can view your back side?" I made a careful spin on the platform. The mirrors showed every angle. The back of the dress displayed lace details which extended down to the train. The short train created a sweet appearance. The dress felt heavy on my body yet at the same time it made me feel pretty. "Is it too tight anywhere? Tara inquired as she pointed out my middle section.

"A little bit around here" I said. The truth slipped out before I could stop it. "I might need to increase my size.

Tara expressed no difficulty with the request because she maintained a cheerful expression. "You should now proceed to try on the second dress." I went back into the dressing room. The second dress was made of looser silk chiffon material. The second dress provided better coverage than the first dress.

I pressed the fabric against my body to see how it looked in the mirror. The mirror showed no signs of a bump this time. A wave of relief flooded through me. The anxiety still remained in my thoughts. What if I gained more weight before the wedding in twelve days? I reentered the platform area again.

Selene clapped her hands together when she saw me. "This is the one. Ronan is going to die when he sees you in it." We all laughed together for a moment. Tara took some photos for the records. She began to pin the hem to show where it should be shortened. We discussed which veils should be used with particular jewelry. I finally experienced my first moment of relaxation during the day. The second dress succeeded so far in the fitting process.

We began to dress number three. The top part of the satin dress had a tight bodice. I saw the design as dangerous to use. I tried it on at the dressing room. The satin fabric wrapped my body too tightly at my stomach area. The bump showed up clear as day underneath it. I felt panic strike me in the chest area. I pulled the fabric with all my strength to try to make it looser. The attempt failed. "This is not the one," I called out through the door.

Selene knocked on the door from outside. "Are you okay in there?"

I lied to her about my condition. I am coming out now. I quickly took a robe from the hook to cover my body. I stepped outside without my dress on. "That one was too snug for me."

Tara agreed with her immediately. "I think you are right. Let us try the next one." The fourth dress had a chiffon base which was covered with lace material. The dress fit perfectly because it concealed everything needed. We used pins to hold it up while taking more pictures. Selene sent Ronan a sneak peek picture that showed the dress. "She found THE one!" she typed with a bunch of heart emojis.

I reached dress five with extreme tiredness covering my entire body. My bump began to hurt because I had been standing too long. I wanted to sit down bad. "Just one more twirl around the platform?" Tara asked with her pins in her mouth. I turned my body to stand at full height to make a slow circle movement. The mirrors caught a sudden movement out of the corner of my eye over by the accessories section across the store.

Lyra stood at the store pretending to look at headbands and hair accessories. But her eyes were locked right on me the whole time. Watching every single move I made. How did she "happen" to be at the exact same boutique right now? There was no way that was a coincidence. She was following me without my knowledge. The cold sensation ran through my blood in my veins. She was whispering to herself at that location. Her mouth was moving slow. I could read her lips clear across the room. "Growing fast. Hiding hard." Rage started to build inside of me at an intense speed.

Selene noticed her too. "Is that Lyra over there? What is she doing at this boutique?

Selene, I need to say that I need to shop for something here. My voice sounded tight to me.

Tara maintained her focus on her tasks while she remained unaware about everything happening around her. "Does this feel like the winner dress to you?"

I responded in the affirmative to her statement. "Let us wrap this up please."

I changed my clothes to sweater and pants as fast as possible. I paid the deposit at the counter. I exited the store with Selene who was carrying the dress bag. Lyra stayed inside the building by remaining nearby. She kept observing me without interruption.

The car ride home became silent after that period. Selene maintained her dress excitement by talking throughout the entire car ride. I maintained my tense state during the entire trip. Lyra had seen me in that wedding dress. She probably took photographs too. She saw how my belly looked up close. This could be the end for me.

Ronan hugged me tight at the door. "Can I see the pics later?" I nodded at him and went upstairs fast to my room.

Night fell over the house. Everyone settled down for bed. I peeked out my window into the dark. Lyra's room light was on across the hall. Her phone screen illuminated her entire face.

The next day our family gathered for brunch. Everyone discussed the wedding plans while we all enjoyed breakfast. Lyra at the table maintained her silence during our meal. But her eyes stayed sharp on me the whole meal.

Two days passed. The boutique sent me a final fitting reminder text. The boutique staff called to confirm my arrival. "All set for tomorrow?"

I dressed myself with great care on the following morning. I wore the same gray sweater with loose pants.

We returned to the boutique to complete the last dress modifications. Tara greeted us smiling. "Your dress alterations are ready to try on." I went into the fitting room. I pulled on dress number four. The dress fit perfectly now because the pinning process had been completed. The bump remained hidden under the fabric throughout the entire duration.

I walked outside to the platform. Selene showed pride for me through her smile at me. The door bell rang and Lyra entered the room with her usual relaxed attitude. "I forgot my earrings here yesterday," she said to Tara with a fake smile. Everything she said was false.

Tara addressed her with a friendly greeting. Selene showed deep concern through her frown expression. I remained frozen in my wedding gown position. The mirrors showed every angle of me. My bump stayed smooth and hidden. But my heart hammered loud in my chest.

Tara progressed through her work by implementing incremental modifications. I raised my arm to fulfill her requirement. Lyra moved closer to me in order to reduce the space between us. The woman dedicated her full attention to observing my every action.

The session finally reached its conclusion. I changed my clothes back into my regular clothes. The room contained my bag which I needed to carry outside. I turned my body to walk toward the exit. He observed my movements from his location across the room. She stood near the register while smirking at me and she pointed to her eyes and then back at me.

I spoke quietly to myself about her current observation of my movements.