Mother of the Bride - Chapter Three

A Chapter by SM Davis

Preparing for the unpreparable

With tears streaming from my eyes and apprehension dripping from every pore in my body, I listened to the ringing on the other end of the phone.

"Hi Mom," she said without reservation.

"Hi Baby!" I replied. My voice was shaking as my lips quivered the next words. "Of course I'll be at your wedding. How could I not?"

"The reception too, Mom. I want you there."

"Yes, of course. I love you so much. I miss you even more. I'll be there."

We caught up on things that have been happening with us both over the last months. She is working now, she has her driver's license and is doing payroll with a fence company. "My baby girl is all grown up!" I exclaimed with pride while the tears came faster than a lead balloon falls.

We hung up the phone and I looked at my husband whose face was still wearing that quizzical look and another phrase that I never thought I'd say came out quicker than I could think.

"I HAVE TO GO SHOPPING!"

Without waiting for a response I grabbed my purse and almost fell on my face as I stumbled out the front door. Thoughts were racing through my mind. Where in the world does a woman who detests shopping go to find a dress suitable for the mother of the bride? I drove to the only place I could think of...

Macy's!

I drove up to the front of the mall, and parked in the first parking space I could find. Ok, so I didn't realize it was a mile away from the store front, but it didn't matter. I was walking faster than my thoughts were racing, and I passed up six individuals on the way to the door, leaving them in the dust. Tears welled up in my eyes again as I thought about my baby girl getting married. I wandered around the downstairs floor at Macy's and somehow wound up on the second floor walking amidst the baby section. I don't think I was aware of it at the time. A beautifully chic woman approached me and asked me if I needed assistance. I looked at her, panic written all over my face and said, "I'm the mother of the bride. I need a dress." She smiled very calmly, guided me back down the escalator and pointed to some of the most beautiful dresses I'd ever seen.

"The woman's dresses are there and I'm certain you'll find what you're looking for. Congradulations." I looked up to thank her and she had already disappeared. I walked and walked around the dresses. Inside, outside, and in between all kinds of beautiful silky sexy dresses. I found a few I wanted to try on, and found the dressing rooms. The clerk asked me if I'd like to purchase them, like I looked like I could afford all of them. My short blonde hair was frazzled, my eyes were puffy and swollen, and as I looked down at my feet I realized I still had my slippers on!

"No, thank you. I need to find the dressing rooms" I replied.

She smiled that elegant, dimwitted smile and guided me toward the dressing rooms. I entered the dressing area and walked around this corner, turned left at that corner, passed the triple mirror display and found a room that was unoccupied around the third bend. The first dress I tried on was silver and shimmery made of silk. It covered by shoulders, V'd at the plunging neckline and was layered in one inch strips that stopped right above my knees. It was pretty enough I supposed, but as I peered at myself in the mirror, I looked like a sterling mummy with electrified hair. Not what I had in mind. The second dress was too horrifying to even describe. My grandmother's mother might have been buried in it. The third dress didn't fit past my thighs, regardless of how glamorous it was. The fourth dress was perfect! Black around the bodice and pleated silver satin from my breast-bone to my toes. Accentuating my bustline while also showing the illusion of a small waist. I felt like Elizabeth Taylor in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

"You'll need a shawl mom, it might get a little cool..." I remembered my daughter's words and hurried out of the dress.

I looked for the sales lady when I came out of the dressing room, and she was no where to be seen. I saw another one and asked her if she knew where I could find a silver shawl. She smiled, looked at the dress and said "It's simply gorgeous. Yes, I have just the thing." She did, too. It was a silk shimmery fabric shawl that matched the pleated satin perfectly. I told her just that, and said I was ready to purchase both the dress and the shawl if she had the time to ring me out.

"This is so beautiful. Do you mind if I ask what the occassion is?"

I looked at her not sure what to say. Tears welled up in my eyes as I told her that my daughter is getting married and I am to be the "Mother of the Bride". She smiled. I told her that I hadn't spoken to my daughter in six months and that she called that morning to invite me to be in the wedding.

She smiled again and asked, "When is the wedding?" I paused took a deep breath trying to maintain my composure. It didn't work. I looked at her overtly crying this time and said "NEXT SATURDAY". We both looked at each other and for whatever reason we both broke out into uncontrollable laughter.

"Kids.." was all she said. "It's alright honey, you're going to be the most beautiful mother of the bride that anyone has ever seen. This dress is perfect for you." I smiled as gracefully as I could and walked out of Macy's.

I was driving home, day-dreaming about the wedding and the dress, and well, many other things and as I approached home once again a thought occurred to me. SHOES! I have to get shoes! Jesus, Mary and Joseph, where am I supposed to find a pair of shoes? I had been to Ross the other day looking for some work clothes for my husband and thought that might be a good place to start. I had glanced through the shoe section there and thought they had a rather nice selection. I turned the car around and headed the other direction toward the nearest Ross store.

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