by Bry Foster
“Thank you Ms. Le Roux, it is a pleasure to meet you as well.” I speak in the same stilted manner that she did. This should be interesting.
“Ms. Le Roux. It is so great to meet you! I’m such a huge fan of your products. I swear I made my dad send me all the samples he could get his hands on of your Audrey line pre-release!” Liz gushes.
“You traitorous bitch.” I mutter half-heartedly so only she can hear. She turns her smile to me. I don’t think I’ve seen her this excited since she found out I was accepted into the academy.
“Yes. Well, at the minimum you have good taste.” Lena says as her eyes glide over Liz and then back to me. Her lip curls. “In make-up.” Well then.
Following our less than amiable introductions we pile in to separate cars. Though Lena insists that Corisande ride with her, she sticks with Liz and me. One body guard sits in the back with us and another sits up front in the passenger seat. Lena, Clara and a few guards get in to the black Escalade they drove in before. When the car starts to pull off, Corisande looks at me.
“Don’t be so docile around Lena. She will eat you alive if you do.” My brows pinch.
“Excuse me?”
“Lena. She is quite a character, I would not have chosen her for my son but he fought hard to be with her. Refused to date anyone else. Sometimes I wonder if he regretted his choice before he passed away.” She pauses, visibly upset and then continues, “He certainly would be if he saw how soon she was able to get over his parting.” Corisande tells me and I am stunned in to silence. Does this mean she is on my side? Because I would much rather have her with me than against me. Woah, that dynamic shifted quickly.
“Why did she seem so upset with me?”
Corisande starts speaking again as my phone vibrates in my back pocket. I pull it from underneath me as I listen to her.
“Lena has always found Cash to be unruly and independent in the worst of ways. I’m sure she is just shifting those feelings on to you. Try to enjoy your day anyway, you should be excited.” I give her a small smile. One that grows when I read the message across the screen of my phone.
Cash: Have u any idea what an exceptional kisser you are?
Me: If that was a compliment all it did was make me think about how many ppl you compared me too :/
“Who’s that?” Liz asks as she looks over my shoulder. I’m sure she can see pretty clearly who it is but she wants me to say it out loud.
“My fiancé.” I meant to say it in a sarcastic way like I usually do, yet this time when the words roll off of my tongue I get a slippery feeling in my chest. I try to push the emotion down. Whatever it is, I don’t want to dig it up right now. I’m afraid of breaking down and looking even more like an idiot than I probably already do to Corisande. However, even after everything she’s witnessed about my life in the last 24 hours, she has yet to make a negative remark or look at me with pity. In fact, I think she may be looking at me with a tad bit of deference.
The traffic in New York is crazy. It was not so bad when we were just leaving the airport but, as we get closer and closer to the shop the traffic gets tighter. Almost two hours after our arrival we make it to where we need to be. It is snowing harder and I am glad that Liz and I brought jackets. Brilliantly lit signs and billboards come into view as we slowly travel through Times Square.
The sidewalks are wet with little puddles and are like three times the size of the one’s back home. It becomes apparent why when we need to get out of the car. The driver parks and then comes around to our door. He opens it with an umbrella over it so that we don’t get wet but I politely inform him that Liz and I will be fine and he can just assist Corisande. He gives me a tight smile but does as I ask.
I pull my gray hooded sweater tighter around me as I wait for everyone else to climb out. Wisps of curly black hair fly around in the wind and rain drops land on my hair and start to seep through the bottom of my pants legs. Lena and Clara are behaving like they have never seen water before. They bolt into the shop called, Belles Mariées as gracefully as they can while maneuvering around the many other people walking on the sidewalk and trying not to slip.
The dress shop is nestled between a designer clothing store and a jewelry shop that has all kinds of sparkling diamond trinkets attractively displayed in the window. The landscape reflects in the window over a beautiful backdrop of diamonds in various settings.
Belles Mariées has a large display window and the lights inside contrast brightly to the gray, dreary world surrounding it. We all file in and are immediately greeted by an older woman that is impeccably dressed. Straw colored hair is pulled into a fancy bun that sits on top of her head and probably took tons of bobby pins to keep in place. Shiny pearls drape around her neck twice and matching ones gleam from her ears.
“Ah, Ms. Le Roux, bonjour.” Lena kisses both of her cheeks. Corisande brings the woman into a hug that shocks me so much my eyes probably look like saucers. She suddenly looks so friendly.
“Amelia dear, comment ça va?” Corisande switches back and forth from French to English as they catch up. A flurry of kisses and hand grasps pass between everyone as we move away from the door.
Amelia walks us over to a seating area. Plush, oversized white couches are arranged around a small platform that has a giant mirror behind it. Dark wood flooring and exposed beams contrast beautifully with the white gowns of all cuts and lengths that are hanging around the shop and on manikins. “Ma mère was so pleased to hear you would be stopping by. Unfortunately she is away in Sweden on business.” Amelia says to Corisande.
“Yes, of course, of course. This is our bride to be, Khloe Hudson.” Corisande introduces me as Lena and Clara sit down.
Amelia gives me a bright smile. “Congratulations. You have managed to capture the heart of Cashel Castille, and so young. I never thought I’d see the day. To think that Leblanc girl was so sure this was a media farce.” She tells me as if I have accomplished the impossible. If only you knew.
“Thank you?” Was that a compliment? I’m curious about this Leblanc girl but my face warms nonetheless.
“This is Lizbeth Turner, she will be our maid of honor.” Corisande continues.
“Very nice to meet you all. Please sit.” Everyone sits down. “I hope that you have a wonderful experience, getting married is going to be one of the happiest days of your life and my staff and I are here to make sure we assist you the best way we can. We’ve brought a touch of our home here to New York. Anna?” She calls; a heavy set girl with shoulder length dark hair rounds the corner with flutes of what looks to be champagne. Liz and I look at each other.
“If this were Paris, you would be able to enjoy a drink but as we are in the States I have supplied sparkling cider for the young ladies. There is also sparkling water if you’d prefer that.” Amelia says.
“Cider is fine, thank you.” I say and Anna brings over two flutes for Liz and me. I am surprised by my best friends’ silence. I guess I’m not the only one trying to wrap my head around all of this.
“Perfect.” She gives us a bright smile revealing straight white teeth framed by rose pink lips. After everyone has a flute she brings a binder over to us and the girl who I think is her assistant sits down next to her with a clipboard. “Alright. Do you have a certain design in mind? A certain fabric? Any specifics at all?” Everyone turns to look at me and suddenly the room is very warm. I feel like there is a frog in my throat.
I don’t know much about style, wedding dresses, designers, nothing. The most I have had to worry about in dressing up is what outfits of Liz’s I can piece together to look more my style and less Liz’s dressier taste. If it weren’t for school uniforms, I’m sure my wardrobe would make me an even bigger target for Marley.
I don’t want to look like a complete idiot in front of Cash’s family, though judging by the way Lena and Clara are looking at me, I’ve already failed. And Corisande hasn’t even told them about the embarrassing debacle at my apartment earlier. I am seriously fighting back t
ears when my best friend comes to my rescue. Liz places a hand on my knee and says, “I’ve been trying to talk her into a ball gown but she really seems to be more of an “A-line” girl.”
The sales woman nods at her as she thinks and her assistant starts jotting something down. I’m more interested in what she is writing than where this conversation is headed. My phone vibrates and I reach for it again, disturbing the small patch of my wet jeans that had warmed against one spot on my leg.
Cash: No 1 compares ;p
BTW, Don’t let my mom & Clara intimidate you. B the fearless girl I’ve come 2 admire.
“Is something on that phone more important than making your wedding dress?” The dopey smile on my face fades as the Lena’s voice sinks my mood. I bite my tongue to keep from lashing out at her and look up to see Clara smirking and obviously happy about my scolding.
“Just my fiancé making sure I haven’t lost my mind being in your company yet. I’m just informing him that I’ve dealt with worse.” Clara and Lena’s lips part but in comparison to how stuck up they seem to be their mouths may as well have dropped open. I give them the phony smile they’ve been giving me since we got here before typing out a quick reply to Cash.
Me: Working on it ;) i’ve dealt with crazy most of my life. I got this :p
“I doubt Cashel would be happy to know that you’ve spoken to his family that way.” Clara sneers.
“You’d be surprised…” Liz responds and I almost laugh. I quickly throw a hand over my mouth and cough.
“Please Clara, let’s behave like ladies. Nobody stepped in your way when you were carrying on as a tyrant bride looking for a wedding dress. Let’s let her have her moment in the sun, shall we?”
“My wedding was genuine. Not tainted with disrespectful tarts with poor fashion.”
“Well I never.” I say, not nearly as worked up about her comments as I should be. For once, it’s nice to see Corisande go at it with someone else. And here I thought I was special.
Corisande gives her a look that I would fear and Clara immediately bows her head in respect though whenever her eyes catch mine she is openly showing her hostility. Lena throws back her champagne, very unladylike, and gestures for another flute. “Please do continue, dear.”
“Uhm, of course.” Amelia clears her throat. Her cheeks are red; she must be nervous and uncomfortable with this dynamic. The tension is pretty obvious. “So, ‘A-line’?”
“Actually, I would like to see her in a few different silhouettes before we make that decision.” Corisande says.
“Certainly. We can put her in some of the samples after I measure her and from there I will start sketching out designs. Anna, be a dear and get my sketchbook would you?” Anna leaves and Amelia turns to me. “Do you know what fabric you’d fancy? Tule? Lace? Satin?”
“Uuuhhm, I’m open to different options.”
“Are you sure? Particular fabrics won’t be necessarily flattering for your figure, I’m sure.” Clara remarks.
“Certainly. Clingy fabrics are not decent on every one, dear.” The Lena chimes in. I feel like I am in a room with Marley and her crows.
“Cashel is perfectly fine with my figure. That’s all that really matters here.” I give them another disingenuous smile. Clara looks like she wants to rip my eyes out. Lena looks at me, really looks at me. Sizing me up. Before turning away and asking Amelia about some of the items.
“Are you okay?” Liz whispers to me, no doubt seeing the water building on my eyelids.
“Yeah.” I tell her before shouting, “Excuse me! Bathroom?” Anna points me in the right direction and gives me a smile dipped in pity. I nod in gratitude before stalking off to the bathroom, exchanging my cider flute for a champagne one on my way. I toss it back in record time and it’s empty when I open the bathroom door and walk in. I lean against it and suck in a deep breath.
The bathroom is as cold as the presence of my snobbish company. There is a pedestal sink that sparkles under the lighting in here. An oval mirror sits above that, framed by a white canvas, without a spot on it. A towel rack is next to the sink with a box of towelettes propped up on it.
I will not cry, I will not cry, I will not cry. I repeat to myself until I believe it. I can’t even presume to understand why I am letting them get under my skin. It doesn’t matter what they think of me. None of us are going to be in each other’s lives for long. I wince and bring my hand to my aching chest and rub my sternum. Even as the thought crosses my mind my heart aches at the truth of it. Because the truth is, I want them to like me. I want to feel welcomed and wanted somewhere. I want to be included in someone’s life, not as a burden or responsibility, but because they want me there. Because they accept me for me.
A whispered laugh of disbelief comes on an exhale of my breath. I’m letting those Disney movies get to my head. It’s hard to believe in fairy tales when it seems like nothing good ever comes out of your real life.
If your mother left you and your father can’t stand you… a thought I have regularly comes up and I know I will cry if I let it play out so I push it into the far recesses of my mind and lock it away like I always do.
I lean forward and run the water in the sink. Pulling the sleeves of my sweater up I cup my hands under the cool water, letting it pool between my palms and then splash it onto my hot face. I wash the stray tears away and stand up, reaching for paper towels. My brown eyes are a little dim. My dark hair is even frizzier than normal because of the weather and my mocha skin is a little blanched. I scoop my hair into a ponytail as a light knock comes from the bathroom door. Knowing it’s Liz I call out a ‘come in’ and she does. With a small smile and another flute of champagne. I laugh as she hands it to me.
Damn I love her.
“Don’t let those rude bats get to you. I hate that bitch.”
“No you don’t Liz.” I sigh. I may not be her biggest fan right now but Liz might be and I don’t want her to feel like she has to put herself between us and be uncomfortable.
“Okay, Ms. Le Roux is still my idol. I can’t give up on that make-up, Koko. It’s gold. Literally.”
“Get a grip crazy. I don’t expect you to hate them because they hate me.”
“I don’t think it’s you. I think they’re just frustrated with the situation. I do hate the way she’s treating you, though. It’s like they won’t even give you a chance.”
“And here I was thinking Corisande would be the one throwing me under the bus after seeing where and how I live.”
“Surprisingly when we got to your house, she didn’t seem to turn up her nose or anything. She looked genuinely curious.” I think on that as I toss the flute back. The vibrating of my phone distracts me.
“Is there something you haven’t told me about Cash?” I clasp my phone in my hand and then look up at her with pinched eyebrows.
“Not that I can think of. Why?”
“You keep getting this dumb smile on your face whenever you look at your phone. Plus, I saw the compromising position the two of you were in earlier.”
“And?” I ask, genuinely confused.
“And…You like him, you really like him, maybe you loooooooove him.” She sings. My mouth drops open and I scoff.
“I am not in love with him. I mean, I absolutely love him, but in love? HA! And anyway, what happened earlier was a one-time thing. It will not be happening again, I already told him so. I could never be with someone like Cash. You keep thinking that we’re in love with each other but I bet if I gave him what he really wanted he’d lose interest before I put my clothes back on.” I say and quickly become interested in my phone again. Liz snatches it from me.
“Hey!”
“Hey my foot! Some things just cannot be ignored Khloe. I know when you’re lying. The sad thing is I think you’re actually starting to believe your own lies.”
“Uhm, okay, mom. I’m sorry to have disappointed you but, I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.” Liz folds her arms over her chest and shift
s her weight to one leg causing her red locks to brush her shoulders. I roll my eyes. “Unless you are willing to dive into your own personal issues and the complexity of your bisexual tendencies, I don’t think we have much to talk about here.”
“Everyone has girl crushes! Besides, it looks like I have your cell phone, which you have stupidly not put a code on. How do you think Cash would feel if I text him your real feelings.” I adopt what I hope is a threatening position and glare at her.
“What feelings? Cash and I are on the same page with this. I would hate to lose one of my only friends but, I may take that risk.” Now she scoffs with an eye roll.
“Please, like you could take me? I grew up with all male cousins, two of which are hoping to be drafted soon. I would eat you up, princess.”
We stare at each other a long moment before I sigh.
“It’s okay if you want more to happen between you two.”
“Why? So I can be heart broken when all of this goes away? What good would that do? I just need to be more…aware, when he is around. So that I can prevent my hormones from getting the best of me. I’m sure it’s just physical attraction.” I don’t know if I’m trying to convince Liz or myself.
I’ve been having quite the mental tug of war. On some level, I know that Cash and I just wouldn’t work. We are both kind of hot headed and we come from two different worlds. He is wealthy and comes from a strong background. He’s surrounded by family and tons of friends that love him. I on the other hand am a complete mess. No real goals in mind, no family, no support. We can’t really agree on much, and yet here we are, set to head to the altar together in a few months.