The Perfect Dress

by Brown, Carolyn

  “Hello, may I help you?” she asked as she locked gazes with Lyle and her stomach sank.

  “Hello, Jody.” His tone dripped icicles.

  “What are you doing here?” Her chest tightened. Pain shot through her temples, and her hands shook.

  Kennedy looped her arm into Lyle’s. “Honey, they don’t sell cakes, and I don’t need a wedding dress for our big ranch reception. What we need to look at is centerpieces for the tables and a cake. And I like this one right here.”

  Jody’s hands knotted into fists. There was nothing she’d like better than grabbing a few of those sugar roses and hurling them at Kennedy. Or maybe just forgetting all about the girl and rocking Lyle’s jaw with her fist.

  “Isn’t he just the sweetest husband ever to come to one of these affairs with me?” Kennedy crooned. “Now let’s move over a table, darlin’, and look at pretty cakes.”

  She tugged on his arm, and he followed without a backward glance. Jody thought she’d gotten past the anger stage, but the way her fingernails dug into her palms told a different story. She imagined smashing the whole container of chicken salad into Lyle’s face, especially when he agreed Kennedy should order that huge cake.

  Her parents were probably paying for the reception since all she’d gotten was a rushed courthouse wedding, but Jody hadn’t even had that much. Forget the mushy chicken salad—she’d rather throw the fake cake at him, especially if the inside was something hard like concrete.

  Paula and Tabby were giggling about something when they returned. At least, they were until Paula stopped in her tracks and her eyes shifted from Lyle to Jody. “Holy smokin’ hell,” she whispered. “What is he doin’ here?”

  “He’s with his new bride, Kennedy. They’re getting a wedding cake for the big reception the ranch is throwing for them,” Jody explained in low tones.

  “Your ex?” Tabby asked.

  “That’s right.” Jody nodded.

  Tabby shot a mean look toward his back and then promptly headed out across the floor, bypassing them on the way to where Mitzi and Dixie were bringing in cups of soda for everyone. Without saying anything, she took one of the three cups Dixie was trying to handle and started back to the display with it in her hand.

  Jody watched Tabby from the corner of her eye as she wove through the crowd. Then Jody caught Mitzi’s expression when she realized that Lyle was in the room. Her mouth set in a firm line and her jaws worked as if she were trying to swallow a green persimmon.

  Tabby stumbled over her own two feet but quickly got control. Then she tripped over the toes of Kennedy’s fancy boots and dumped the whole drink on Lyle’s freshly starched and ironed jeans.

  “Oh, my goodness, I’m so sorry. I’m usually not the clumsy one. But I was lookin’ at that cake and wasn’t watchin’ where I was goin’. I hope I didn’t hurt your daughter’s toes,” she gushed. “Please forgive me. It’s not every father who’s kind enough to come along with his child to these things. And now I’ve ruined your jeans. I hope folks don’t think that you’ve peed on yourself. You really don’t look old enough to do that, I promise. To have a kid as old as yours, you look pretty good.”

  “It’s all right. I have a change of clothing in the truck,” Lyle said through clenched teeth. “And this is my wife, not my daughter.”

  “Oh, sweet Lord.” Tabby’s hands went to her cheeks. “I’m so sorry. It’s just that you l-look about like my father’s age, and . . .” She stammered over the words. “Well, I’m glad you brought extra jeans. Forgive me for being so awkward. I hope I don’t do something stupid when I’m modeling a dress for The Perfect Dress tonight. Did y’all stop by our table? We do custom wedding dresses for plus-sized women, like your wife. Why are you getting a wedding cake if she’s already your wife?”

  Kennedy tugged on his arm. “Let’s go out to the truck and get you out of those wet things. And for your information, we’re having a reception. That’s why we need a cake and not a dress. One more thing: my size is none of your damned business. You’re certainly not a skinny person, either.”

  Tears flowed down Tabby’s cheeks. “Accidents happen. You don’t have to get mean with me. I try to lose weight, but it’s so hard.”

  “Let’s get out of here.” Lyle ushered Kennedy away from the table.

  “I’ll call you about when and where to deliver that cake,” Kennedy called out to Glenda.

  Mitzi draped an arm around Tabby’s shoulders. “Are you all right?”

  “Couldn’t be better.” Tabby wiped the tears away and grinned at her sister. “How’s that for a performance?”

  “That was standing-ovation material,” Dixie giggled. “Who was that?”

  “The sorry sucker who hurt our Jody,” Tabby said.

  “Then the reviews for your acting skills will be out of this world. I’ll share my drink with you,” Dixie said.

  It started as a hardly audible giggle, but soon Jody was guffawing and wiping at her own tears with a paper napkin. “That was incredible,” she finally said between hiccups.

  “You are welcome.” Tabby curtsied. “Now let’s get into that chicken salad. Acting always makes me hungry.”

  Dixie set her two cups on the table. “She’s not as pretty as you, Jody.”

  “Thank you for that.” Jody set about making five sandwiches.

  Mitzi unloaded two cups and opened a bag of chips. “Did you two take acting classes?”

  “Nope, we’ve just put on shows for each other and for Daddy since we were little girls,” Dixie answered. “Tabby can cry on demand. I can’t, so I’m glad she was the one who knew who that sorry son of a gun was.”

  “Oh, honey, she did an amazing job. I just wish I’d have known what you were going to do. I’d have filmed it so I could watch it over and over,” Jody said.

  Paula held up her camera. “You are welcome.”

  “I’ve got the best friends in the whole world,” Jody said past the lump in her throat.

  Mitzi’s stomach clenched as she and Tabby pushed through the double doors into the room where the models and their assistants would get ready for the show that evening. So this was the maternal instinct that people talked about. Anxiety and pride all rolled into one big ball.

  A lady in a blue vest took a look at their lanyards and ushered them back to a table with a card that said “The Perfect Dress.”

  “You can set up right here. You’ll be in the first fourth of the models in alphabetical order.” She pointed toward the end of the room. “Your number is on the card on your table.”

  Mitzi’s mother had used a camera to snap pictures of her at every school event and function, no matter what she was involved in. Now Mitzi was doing the same, only with a phone, as she took the first photograph of Tabby in her cute little white capris and shirt. “Before and after to send to your dad,” she explained.

  “Did Paula send that video to him, too?” Tabby opened her tote bag, set up a small, lighted three-way mirror, and laid out a whole array of makeup.

  “Yep.” Mitzi pulled up a chair and sat down beside her.

  “Good.” Tabby leaned forward and started with a few dots of liquid makeup on her face that she brushed outward. “He’s going to tell me that it wasn’t a nice thing to do but that I did it for a good reason.”

  “That’s what I’d tell you.” Mitzi propped her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her hands.

  “I really do wish you’d been older or Daddy would’ve been younger so he would have noticed you in high school. He whistles a lot now. Why don’t you ask him out on a real date? Not just a lake date.” She applied eyeliner to her left eye.

  “Men should ask women,” Mitzi answered.

  With one eye looking fabulous and the other not even touched, Tabby turned toward Mitzi. “This is the modern world. When I date, I’m going to ask a guy out. Daddy is kind of gun-shy when it comes to askin’ women. And we haven’t helped very much. We kind of sabotaged the first lady he got serious about because we were
afraid he’d like her more than us. Then the next one was downright awful. But we like you. We promise to be nice if you’ll ask him out. We’ll even dress him up.”

  Mitzi snapped a picture of her, then sent it to Graham. “He’ll get a kick out of seeing you getting ready.”

  Tabby went back to her makeup. “You’re not going to talk about dating him, are you?”

  “Don’t think so,” Mitzi answered as she sent the pictures to Graham.

  She got a text back immediately: I’m jealous. Wish I was there.

  She sent back a smiley face and kept snapping pictures as the process went on. The lady in the vest came by and said, “Fifteen minutes and it will be your turn.”

  Tabby flipped her hair up in a messy bun on top of her head and put away all her things as methodically as she’d gotten them out. “Okay, I’m ready for the dress and the veil.”

  After Tabby took off her capris and shirt, Mitzi held the dress for her to step into. Tabby stood in front of a long bank of mirrors with a few other bride models as Mitzi fastened each little satin button on the arms of the dress. “I feel pretty in this. Do you think I’ll like feel like this on my real wedding day?”

  “Yes, I do,” Mitzi assured her. “Now for the veil.” She set the tiara on the top of Tabby’s head. “I don’t think I messed up your hairdo. If I’d tried to do that with mine, it would’ve looked more like a fresh cow pile than an elaborate style.”

  “It’s all in the twist of the hand and the curls from those little pink sponge rollers you saw me in this morning.”

  Tabby inhaled deeply and then let it out slowly as Mitzi snapped another dozen or more pictures. “Oh, Mitzi, just look at me. When I get married, I want a veil like this. Nothing over my face to make me sneeze,” Tabby said. “Okay, are we ready?”

  “Depends.” Mitzi snapped more pictures.

  “On what?”

  “If you’re going barefoot or if you’re going to wear the shoes in that box.” Mitzi pointed.

  Tabby giggled as she took out the shoes and slipped her feet into them. “I’m nervous.”

  “Not as much as I am,” Mitzi admitted. “My mama used to give me a kiss on the forehead for good luck when I had something that made me nervous. Granny gave me one on the day we opened our shop since Mama wasn’t here to do it. Now I’m giving one to you.” She leaned forward and brushed a soft kiss on Tabby’s forehead.

  Tabby took a step forward and kissed Mitzi on the cheek.

  “I wish my mother was here,” one of the other models said.

  “Not me,” Tabby said. “I’d rather have Mitzi.”

  Mitzi got misty eyed and was so glad that she was there with Tabby.

  “Five minutes.” The coordinator pointed to Tabby.

  “Maybe I need one more kiss to calm me down. I don’t want to disappoint y’all, and I’ve got butterflies in my stomach,” Tabby said.

  “I don’t believe it,” Mitzi said. “Not after that performance with Lyle.”

  “That was pretend. This is real.” Tabby pointed to her forehead.

  “Three minutes. Come on over here and get ready to go through the curtains,” the woman said.

  Tabby started that way with Mitzi right behind her. “If I don’t trip or freeze at the end of the runway, will you ask Daddy out?”

  “No, I won’t.” Mitzi kissed her on the forehead one more time.

  “If he asks you out, will you say yes?” Tabby pressed.

  “We’ll see,” Mitzi answered.

  The lady held up one finger.

  “Go on so I can see you in the crowd. That’ll calm me right down, and besides, you need to take pictures for Daddy.” Tabby nodded toward the side door.

  “And now, from The Perfect Dress, a custom plus-sized wedding shop in Celeste, Texas, we have Tabby Harrison modeling one of their creations,” the man with the microphone said.

  Mitzi had barely sat down in the chair beside Jody when Tabby stepped out with her bouquet in one hand and the other on her hip. As if she were born to be a model, Tabby slowly made her way to the end of the runway, flipped the train behind her as if she was doing the crowd a favor when she turned, and started back.

  The applause was deafening, and a guy right behind them tapped Mitzi on the shoulder. When she turned around, he handed her a business card and asked, “I saw you hurry out just as they announced the model. Are you the owner of that place?”

  “Yes, with my partners,” she answered.

  “Want to make up a few dresses in various sizes on consignment? I’d love to sell them in my shop in Houston. Finding dresses in anything more than an eighteen is tough, and I’ve had to turn away customers in sizes twenty up through thirty.”

  “No, thank you. We like to work directly with our customers.”

  “Well, if you change your mind, just give me a call. That’s some gorgeous work and the fit is superb.”

  “Thank you. Now I’ve got to get back to help my model out of the dress.” She stood up and offered her hand.

  He shook hands with her. “I’m serious. If you get time to design a couple, I’ll be glad to sell them.”

  “Well, how about that?” Jody said right behind Mitzi. “Next thing you know we’ll be offered a reality show.”

  “Can’t you just see that?” Paula and Dixie fell into place. “One pregnant owner. One jilted one, two teenagers, a grandmother named Fanny Lou who pops in any old time, and Mitzi, who—”

  Mitzi whipped around and butted in before Paula could finish the sentence by saying that she was in love with a high school crush. “I will turn down a reality show without even thinking about it for a second.”

  “It’s been a day,” Jody said. “I’m ready to get a big cone of soft ice cream and go home. How about y’all?”

  “Sounds good—I want rocky road,” Dixie said.

  “Me, too.” Tabby had already removed the veil and the shoes. “I told Daddy that he has to ask you out since I didn’t fall on my face.”

  Dixie pumped her fist in the air. “When’s he goin’ to do it?”

  “I’m standing right here,” Mitzi said.

  “Yep, you are.” Tabby grinned.

  Chapter Twenty

  They’d gotten home at a decent hour after the bridal fair, but all three of them were so wound up about all the appointments that had been made, there was no way they could sleep. They were still in the living room talking about how many dresses they could make in a month without losing quality when Mitzi realized it was three o’clock in the morning.

  She yawned and stretched. “Girls, if we don’t get to bed, we’re going to fall asleep in church.”

  “I vote we miss tomorrow,” Paula suggested.

  Jody raised a hand. “I second that vote.”

  “No argument from me,” Mitzi agreed as she headed off to her bedroom. She crawled beneath the sheets and shut her eyes, but sleep wouldn’t come. Were Tabby and Dixie having trouble settling down, too? Were they still talking about the bridal fair and planning their next wedding bouquets? They’d spent a lot of time going through the photo albums at the floral vendors.

  It was well past five o’clock when Mitzi finally fell into a deep sleep, and she didn’t wake until almost noon. She crawled out of bed, made a stop in the bathroom, and then growled at her reflection in the hallway mirror. “I look like I’ve been run over by a Weed Eater and then thrown under a semi.”

  Jody pushed open the door to her bedroom. “You don’t look that bad. Besides, you’ve got a couple of hours to get ready for your date. That’s enough to nap and still transform you into Cinderella.”

  “Let’s go get a cup of coffee. That’ll make us feel better.” Jody tugged at her arm.

  Paula was already sitting at the table with a cup of hot tea in front of her. “Good morning. I hope that y’all feel better than I do this morning. I’m glad we don’t do a bridal fair every weekend.”

  “It’s kind of like the day after Christmas, isn’t it?” Mitzi said as she got
a Diet Coke from the refrigerator. “I don’t want to go to the lake. Heat, bugs, and hot sun is not my idea of a great Sunday afternoon. I’d rather stay in my pajamas all afternoon and do nothing but lay up on the sofa and watch old movies. How about we call it all off and—”

  “Are you sick? You all look like hookers after a tough Saturday night!” Fanny Lou burst in the back door before Mitzi could finish the sentence. She’d already changed from her Sunday dress into a pair of baggy jeans that had been rolled up to the knees, sandals, and one of the promotional T-shirts advertising The Perfect Dress across the back.

  “Granny!” Mitzi gasped.

  “I’m here to get y’all’s tired asses in gear. Me and Harry decided that we’re going to the lake with everyone. We’re supposed to meet the Harrisons at the lake marina at twelve thirty. They’re providin’ a fried chicken dinner, and I’m starvin’. Graham and Alice both asked about you this mornin’ at church, and the twins looked like they’d been drug through a knothole backwards. Y’all plumb wore them out yesterday. That video with Lyle and the spilled drink was so funny, I almost peed my underpants. Tabby showed it to me while we were passing the plate.”

  “We thought maybe we’d stay in this afternoon,” Jody said.

  “The hell you will,” Fanny Lou said loudly. “After what them girls did for y’all yesterday and with no money changin’ hands, you’re goin’ to all three get your asses up them stairs and come down here lookin’ bright eyed and bushy tailed. It would disappoint them kids, and I ain’t havin’ it.”

  They all looked at each other, but no one moved.

  Fanny Lou raised her voice another notch. “If I got to tell you again, it ain’t goin’ to be pleasant.”

  Mitzi grabbed her Diet Coke and carried it with her. “I’ll be down in fifteen minutes. No need to put on makeup since I’ll just sweat it off.” She turned around at the door and asked, “Did you bring sunblock, Granny?”

  “Plenty enough to go around.” Fanny Lou nodded. “Don’t any of us need to get skin cancer. Now get a rush on it. Harry is on the way, and we’re all going in the van.”