The Lucky Dress Read online

  She puts the ball gown back onto the crowded dress rack and pulls out a smaller bag next to it.

  “This one is where I got the inspiration for you girls’ bridesmaids’ dresses.” The feathers spill out before I can notice anything else: pastel pink, gray, and white feathers from just above her knees all the way to the bottom. If there was a giant feathered headpiece with it I’d think she was performing on Broadway or with the Rockettes. “Isn’t it gorgeous?”

  I nod, “It’s feathery. This one is for the reception?”

  Boy is it ever feathery, like a Las Vegas showgirl. I can’t even picture what a row of bridesmaids will look like, all of us being feathered from the knees down. I would think she would want something unique, not more feathers for her reception. But then again, Hannah has always been full of unexpected decisions.

  “Yes. It reminds me of a vintage party dress, so it’s just so fitting, don’t you think?”

  “I do.” I hate it, but I do think it’s fitting. Now I know what we’ll look like: insane. We will be one of those bridal parties that are pictured on line after going viral, in a What Not to Do to Your Bridesmaids article that lives on the internet for years to come.

  Lily walks into the room holding a glass of wine and stops dead in her tracks just two feet inside the door.

  “Holy shit! What is this? You opened a bridal store in your house?” There is the Lily I know and love.

  “No!” Hannah yells at her and points towards the hallway. “No wine in here, it would just ruin everything if it spilled.”

  I watch Lily slowly back out of the room, eyes big and eyebrows raised. That was quick, her completely offending Hannah only an hour into our trip. I thought for sure it would take her until at least later tonight.

  “I’m sure you could use another glass of wine, Ems,” Lily says sarcastically as she rolls her eyes. “You should come have a glass.” She nods towards the stairs, acting as if convincing me to come have a glass of wine is some difficult challenge. Obviously, Lily is starting to understand why a glass or two of wine might be necessary on this trip.

  “Sure?” I look to Hannah who nods her head with a smile.

  I follow the two of them down the grand staircase and into the open plan living room and kitchen. One full wall is black stone with a huge fireplace in the center. All the furniture is stark white, the walls are white, the curtains are white, the decorations are variations of white. The room merges into a wall of the kitchen with an island almost the full length of the room. Again, everything is white, except the stainless steel appliances.

  “My God, how do you keep this clean?” I ask them, glad it’s not mine.

  “I have no idea. I have a lady who does it daily.” Hannah pours herself a glass of pink champagne before hopping up onto one of the metal barstools that sit just below her white sparkly quartz island counter.

  “What is your life?” I ask my brother who is sitting on the counter holding a beer. “My whole apartment could fit in this room alone.”

  “I don’t know why? It’s not like you don’t have money.”

  He’s right. When our parents died, they left us enough money that neither of us would’ve had to work for a good ten years even after paying off our student loans and college debt. I do have money, but after looking at this house I don’t know if he will for much longer. He and Hannah appear to have a very rich taste. They bought the house right after the last time I saw them both. I’ve seen pictures and I knew it was fancy, but I never ever expected this fancy.

  It’s at moments like these, when I’m with my coupled up happy friends, that I find my mind wandering to what Jack and I might have been like if we’d made it all the way down the aisle. What would the wedding have actually been like? Would we be sitting here, blissfully happy, having found our soul mate in one another? Or would I ever have caught him doing his assistant?

  Four

  The Wedding Planning

  One year, six months ago.

  Tigard, Oregon

  “How many people are on your guest list?”

  Megan, our wedding planner, is sitting with a huge schedule book in front of her, covered in a rainbow of sticky notes. Every time I give her a number or an idea she writes it in three places: the pastel pink notepad at her right side, the notes section of the day planner, and then she quickly taps it into her opened laptop.

  “Just over three hundred invitations need to be sent out. I doubt that many will come, but my fiancé is from… uh… money…”

  “Socialites?”

  “Yes. Rich socialites that know everyone in the city. That’s a great definition.”

  Definitely a crowd I’ve never been welcomed into until now. And I’m still unsure if I’d like to be there or not. Besides knowing I’ll stay for Jack, the rest of them make me a tad nervous.

  “No problem. Did you have a theme or colors picked?”

  “A theme?”

  “Yeah, a lot of couples pick a theme for the wedding and that’s where we get our colors, decoration ideas, and venue from. It really sets a tone for the wedding.”

  “Well, I don’t know. I’m gonna be honest with you…” I pause – not to intentionally be dramatic, but because any time I tell someone this I get a gasp, moan or hanging jaw. “I was never the girl who was planning out her wedding or her Prince Charming. I never really cared about any of this. But because I’m marrying into this particular family, I’m expected to throw this seriously over the top wedding, and I have no idea what I need or want.”

  Just as suspected, Megan’s jaw drops open and her eyebrows pinch together like she’s confused, or maybe constipated. “You’ve never dressed up and played bride, or even brought bridal magazines?”

  I shake my head with a frown, “Nope.”

  “That is a little weird! But don’t worry, I did, and I know everything about weddings. I’ll make sure yours is fabulous.” She smiles as she jots down a note in each of her three devices.

  “Can I tell you what I see for you guys after finally meeting you?”

  “Absolutely,” I nod.

  “I noticed the ringer of your phone earlier was Fly Me To The Moon by Frank Sinatra. What would you think of something Old Hollywood style? Classy, elegant, and very vintage.”

  I feel the smile grow on my face. “I like that. I have no idea how you’d pull it off but I do love it.”

  “It’s one of my favorite weddings to do,” Megan grins.

  “Now is probably a great time to mention that I’m marrying Amelia Cabot’s son.” I chew my fingernail as Megan slowly looks over her laptop at me. Of course she would know her by name, everyone seems to.

  “Oh. Wow.” She takes a deep breath.

  “Yeah, she tends to like to do things her own way. When I’m done here she’s going to drill me on what went on and insist that I give her your number so she can get her ideas to you. She can be a little overwhelming and demanding, so just remember you don’t have to do anything she says unless I’ve approved it or you think it’s a good idea. But like I said, I’m pretty clueless when it comes to weddings.”

  “Are you OK with her wanting to help plan the wedding? For some brides that is a definite no-no.”

  I shrug my shoulders, almost unsure of how to answer this question. If I say no, there will be instant strife between Amelia and me, but if I say yes, I might not even know what I’ve gotten myself into until I’m on my way down the aisle.

  “If she comes up with something fitting then I don’t mind at all. She’s got flawless taste if I’m honest. Just be ready to put your sassy pants on and feel free to tell her no, blame me if you have to because she can be a bit exigent.”

  Megan lets out another small groan, “I know all about her. I’ve heard horror stories from other event planners. I’ll stand my ground, though. You have nothing to worry about.”

  Her suddenly discouraged expression tells me she could be nervous about meeting the great Amelia Cabot. I don’t blame her even one bit. I once witne
ssed Amelia fire a waitress at an event she threw because she dropped and broke an entire box filled with unopened expensive bottles of wine in the middle of the party, after tripping on a tiny teacup poodle that had escaped someone’s bag. When that someone finally realized that her precious, yet annoying ‘child’ had nearly been severed in a gazillion pieces by breaking glass all around it, she demanded Amelia fire the waitress on the spot. And so she did.

  “So, I will get started on a proposal tonight and we can meet up on…” Megan flips through her book quickly and scans her computer screen. “Can you meet me on Saturday? At my office? I’ll have samples and outlines for you to go over with me, and we’ll make a lot of the bigger decisions right then.”

  I nod, “Absolutely, it’s a date.” I grab my bag and coffee from the table, ready to be done with wedding planning for the day.

  “Oh, and Emi…” Megan touches my hand as I start to leave the table. “Keep your afternoon open because we’ll go look at venues that day too.”

  “OK. Should I bring Jack with me?”

  “For sure. Actually, if he wants a say you’d better bring him to everything.”

  “Everything… OK. Thank you so much, Megan.”

  I don’t know if Jack will go to every planner appointment with me, but if I should have to suffer all this just to get married, he should have to as well. It’s not fair that men don’t have to do anything for the wedding but show up, yet women are expected to be frazzled, irritated, and short on time for months on end for something that’s over in a single day.

  *

  “I’m to come to everything?” Jack asks later that night as we fall into our nightly routine of dinner on the couch while watching Drunk History on Hulu.

  “Well… maybe not everything, but some stuff, yeah. I can’t do it all myself.”

  “You know if I could I’d be there for every meeting and every decision, Em, but with work, I’m just not sure I can squeeze it all in. What about Lily as a fill in for when I can’t make it?”

  “I’m sure Lily would be glad to go, but this is our wedding and you know how bad I am at this stuff. Surely, you care a little about every detail of the wedding?” I say with a half laugh knowing that it’s only partially true. Men really don’t care and if they say they do, they’re probably lying.

  “Sure, but napkins and china, aren’t exactly my specialty. That’s probably best left to you and Lily who seem to have an eye for those things.”

  “What about venues? Any ideas?”

  “As long as we don’t get married somewhere weird like a graveyard during a full moon,” he laughs. “Then I’m up for anything as long as you’re there.”

  “Sweet as that is, what I’m hearing is that I could come back here Saturday evening and say that I chose Thornbury Castle in England, and you wouldn’t wonder about the cost?”

  Not that this would ever happen. In fact, the only reason I know the name of this particular wedding venue is because I’ve been watching far too many wedding reality shows whilst trying to get into the groove of planning a wedding. The Cinderella wedding may be most girls’ dream, but for some reason, it’s just not mine.

  “That’s not the plan, is it?” He pauses, his fork midway to his mouth, suddenly realizing that I could really throw a million dollar wedding with a completely free rein.

  “No,” I laugh. “But I could if you aren’t interested. I just need a bit of help. I’m not good at this stuff.”

  “I know. Look… I’ll help as much as I can. I’d love for you to pick anywhere in the city as a venue. I think that would portray the two of us since neither of us are exactly country dwellers. And I’ll come check it out with you this weekend. Otherwise, let’s just try to keep it under a hundred thousand. Deal?”

  A hundred thousand dollar wedding almost makes me hyperventilate to even just think about. Who spends that much money on a wedding? It’s a one day party. I was thinking even twenty-five thousand seemed too much.

  “Also, I have a surprise for you on Saturday afternoon…” Jack carries his plate from the couch into the kitchen.

  “A surprise? You know I hate surprises.”

  “I know you’ll love this one,” he grins. “And before you tear the apartment to the ground, just know, it’s not here,” he smiles, snuggling himself next to me on the couch. “And you’ll never guess it, I’ll never tell, so just try to enjoy the moment.”

  I sigh a defeated sigh, as I squeeze his hand in mine. Now would be the perfect time to tell him that I’ve sort of invited his mom to have more than a little say in the wedding.

  “I, uh, gave your mom’s number to the wedding planner.” I quickly fill my mouth with the rest of my wine, staring across the room at the TV so I won’t witness the reaction of the news I’ve just tossed over at him.

  “You what?” he laughs, sitting a little straighter on the couch.

  “You know she’ll just find a way to her eventually anyway. I was thinking about it on the way home and she’s so much better at this stuff than me, so why not just let her do it?”

  “You’re just going to hand over the wedding planning to my mother?” His brows are raised and his voice is tight. If he never thought I was completely nuts before, he sure does right now.

  “Well, no. I mean… maybe?” I shrug my shoulders. I didn’t really think it through all the way, but I know I’ve been to Amelia’s parties and they are the parties everyone who is anyone dies to get an invite to. “I just thought she’d have such better ideas and contacts than me.”

  “You are a brave girl, Ems.” Jack pulls my hand to his lips for a quick reassuring kiss. “My mom is going to turn this into a reality TV show.” He shakes his head as the disbelieving laugh he’s been stifling emerges.

  “But it’ll be the kind on the E! channel, and that’s not a terrible party if you ask me.” I force a laugh, knowing how much he hates watching the Kardashians and their ridiculous parties with me, for the few moments before he asks to change the channel

  He leans over and kisses my lips softly, “I hope you’re ready.”

  How bad could it be? Amelia is one of the top socialites in the city, and if she throws a party, not one invite is turned down. She’ll make this wedding beautiful, elegant, and probably way over the top. I won’t have to do a thing. In fact, to tell you the truth, I doubt she’ll let me have much say at all.

  *

  “Oh, great! You brought Jack and Amelia.” Megan immediately looks more nervous now than she did the day of our interview. “It’s so great to meet you both.” She shakes their hands as if she’s just met Portland royalty. Hardly. I don’t think rich qualifies you as important. Or does it?

  “Yes…” Amelia and I speak at the same time.

  “We are excited to see what kind of ideas you have for us.” Amelia sits in one of the two chairs facing Megan’s office desk.

  “I have so many ideas, so, let’s get started.”

  I squeeze Jack’s hand in mine, nervously. He kisses my forehead and directs me towards the single empty chair next to his mom, taking his place behind me.

  “OK.” Megan sounds enthusiastic before pointing towards the board with a gazillion fabrics, photos, and ideas. “Here is my idea based on what we spoke of the other day, the Old Hollywood feel for the wedding. Please do stop me with any questions as we go.”

  For almost twenty minutes Megan continues to talk about venues, fabrics, colors, food, flowers, souvenirs, photographers, decorations, cocktails, entertainment, the first dance, wait staff, and music. Who knew you needed so many things to have a wedding? I am kind of thinking eloping might be the way to go. All of these options may too easily find a way to become disastrous.

  “What do you think? Is there anything you hate or love?”

  “I’ll start,” Amelia stands from her chair, making her way to face the idea board head on. Jack and I exchange nervous smiles and prepare ourselves to watch what’s about to unfold before us. This is it. This moment will define our wedding
.

  “I love the Old Hollywood theme, very classic and elegant, let’s do the main colors as black and white with a touch of something like pastel blue or ruby red. The flowers should be crimson roses, none other, and the centerpieces should blow guests away with their grandeur and sparkle. We will, of course, need crystals, dozens of crystals, as well as crystal place settings and glasses. I like the idea of a champagne color thrown in for maybe the linens with gold and silver pops in the metals. I want full out décor from floor to ceiling, it should all match our theme. If we’re going with the Old Hollywood theme the music should match, bring in a big band, Sinatra style. I have a caterer I’ll give a call today, we can do a menu of choices for dinner and dessert, and cocktail hour will not take place in the same room as the reception. I’d like to set up a swanky sort of cigar bar for cocktail hour. No hard liquor, we don’t need any drunks, so let’s do a Champagne bar with a signature drink of each the bride and the groom’s choices.” Amelia glances over at Jack and me, never having taken a breath through her whole slew of ideas. “What do you think? Of course, if I’m bringing in a big band you would have to take a few dance lessons. I know it’s been a while since Jack stepped foot in a ballroom…”

  I look at Jack with a smile, ‘I forgot you’ve had dance lessons.”

  “The skill seems to have faded a bit,” he squeezes my hand. “I think everything sounds great, mom. But really, it’s all about how Emi feels about it…” he looks to me, very willing to agree with anything I say. That’s just Jack.

  I nod. “I couldn’t have come up with all this in a million years. I can’t really picture it, but it sounds beautiful.”

  “Perfect,” Amelia says with a smile, turning to Megan. The two of them start jotting things on the board, removing samples that weren’t quite up to par, and poor Megan typing frantically into her phone as well. “Leave it to me, kids, and we’ll have this planned in no time.”

  “Ready to sneak out?” Jack whispers into my ear, his breath on my neck sending chills down my spine. Even though we’ve been together just over four years, he still takes my breath away. “I have a surprise for you… remember?” he adds, a coy grin on his face as he backs towards the door.