“We can do that if you want.” Sasha said as Mandy began to work with one of the dresses, trying to find the top and bottom through mounds of tulle.
“Since I’m going to be leaving soon. I’d like to see her try stuff on.” Mandy replied, lifting the heavy garment up. “Put this over your head.”
“Man, I didn’t realize how heavy this was.” Sasha said, surprised. She could feel the weight of it pressing down on her hips. She couldn’t imagine wearing it for an extended period of time.
“I think it’s the train.” Mandy said. “It’s hefty.”
“Okay.” Sasha said, dismissive. “Let’s put the other one on.”
“Right-o.” Mandy told her, helping her lift the dress up. The next dress wasn’t as voluminous and Sasha was able to walk into it once Mandy orientated the material so she would be touching floor and not fabric.
“Oh this is much more comfortable.” Sasha breathed out a sigh of relief as she lifted the top of the dress over her chest. “I like how it feels.” She wanted to twirl around, but there wasn’t room for it.
“Ooo.” Mandy said gawking. She looked over the dress Sasha was wearing. It was a beautiful silk gown in a trumpet shape. It didn’t have anything too terribly blingy, but it came with a beautiful jeweled belt that set it off. It also donned a sweetheart-cut neckline that ruched along her waist. “I like it better than all the others you’ve tried on so far.”
“Really?” Sasha wondered.
“Hell ya.” Mandy stated.
“Well?” Helen called from the other side of the door. They had taken longer than normal to try on one dress. Helen wondered what could be hindering them from showing her.
“Coming...” Sasha muttered, just loud enough for Helen to hear. Mandy took hold of the changing room door and opened it, standing on the side as Sasha walked out.
“I love this one.” Sasha said, almost excitedly.
“I do too.” Helen mumbled as her eyes welled up in happiness. She dabbed at them with the tissue she had brilliantly on-hand.
“Let me see what it looks like.” Sasha said, walking over to the pedestal and mirror. She was taken aback by herself. She had a waist and she looked amazing. Memories of when she looked in the mirror at her older self flooded back. She thought about having Simon’s baby and the happiness she would have being with him and enjoying life together. She envisioned his expression, seeing her walk down the aisle for the first time. Her eyes started to well up. “Oh wow.” she said, and then in-between sniffles, “Yea. This is the one. I just wish...my mom was here...” The latter sentence was barely audible, not loud enough for Helen to hear. Sasha’s words might have offended her, but Helen knew how close Sasha had been to her birth mother. The feelings were normal.
The store assistant broke the mood. “Would you like to pick out accessories as well? We have shoes, jewelry, veils, and tiaras.” Sasha was a little taken aback, as if the employee hadn’t been paying attention to them at all, but was more eager to have her spend more money. Perhaps she’d get those accessories elsewhere.
“Not right now, no.” Sasha said to her. “I think we need to work out the maid of honor dress and a dress for Helen.”
“Any preferences on color?” the employee asked shortly. “Some of our samples are limited on color options. I obviously wouldn’t want her to try on something I couldn’t match with your color scheme.”
“Light blue, I think.” Sasha said, remembering the dresses she had scanned through earlier while waiting for options for her own gown to arrive. “Helen, I don’t care what color you wear, so whatever you’d like is fine with me.”
“Thank you, dear.” Helen responded, her eyes dancing.
“If you’ll come this way I can show you some samples.” the employee told them. Sasha rolled her eyes from behind. Apparently the assistant wasn’t paying any attention to where they were earlier.
“That would be great.” Mandy said, breaking the awkwardness. She was always so polite. They were shown to the bridesmaids racks again and Mandy ooed and aahed at a couple, to which Sasha demanded she should try on. “I think I will. I’ll help you out of your gown first. Come back here.”
Mandy let Sasha to another changing room, holding a bridesmaid sample in her left arm. In no time at all, Sasha was out of the gown and back into her street clothes, which paled in comparison. Sasha removed herself from the room while Mandy started to change.
“I think I’ll sit down here while you both try on clothes. Gives me a break.” Sasha said, plopping down where Helen had been seated. “Mandy, is it on yet?”
“Yea, hold on a second.” Mandy was obviously struggling as she spoke. “I’ve got to get the strap fixed. There it goes.”
“Well come on then.” Sasha told her, anxiously awaiting her friend’s exit from the changing room. The door opened and Sasha gasped. “That color is stunning on you. I think it really brings out your eyes.” Mandy twirled around, gazing at herself in the 180 mirror and taking in all available angles.
“I love how it compliments her blonde hair too.” Helen said. Mandy had recently acquired highlights which were done in Oregon and the salon owner thought she wanted to go lighter all over so Mandy’s beautiful brown hair had brightened up. Mandy was tempted to tell her mother she was going to get them fixed here in town, where she knew her most favorite stylist would do wonders on her hair and correct those awful mistakes.
“Do you want to pick out one now, or wait until after Mandy chooses one?” Sasha addressed Helen who shrugged.
“Oh I’m so getting this one.” Mandy said, flipping her hair out.
“I guess I’ll go then.” Helen said, moving over to the racks.
“Let me get out of this dress. I want to see.” Mandy mentioned in a half-whine.
“Do you need help, honey?” her mother offered.
“No, this one is easy. It has a side zipper.” Mandy told her. Helen looked a bit shot-down, but smiled through it all.
“Okay. I’ll pick out some things I like once you’re done. I’ll just browse until you’re out.”
As Helen moved farther away, Sasha stood up to walk Mandy into the room to talk privately. “This is happening so fast.” she said to Mandy.
“You’ve been together for a while.” Mandy answered with a light giggle.
“I know. I also know this is how it was meant to be. I just...I have these giant gaps in my life. I can’t explain it to you.” Sasha said in a hushed tone.
“You mean like when you were sixteen and were lost for that week and didn’t remember...?”
“Is that what I told you?” Sasha asked, scratching the side of her face.
“Is that what you told Simon and the police?” Mandy wondered.
“I don’t know.” Sasha said, shaking her head. Truthfully, she didn’t remember anything leading up to that night when she was in the bed and Simon appeared out of nowhere half-dressed.
“You know, you should have Rob take a look at you.” Mandy said, referring to her new love interest back in Oregon. “Once he’s done with his residency and goes into practice of course. That’s his forte you know. He’d be bound to have answers for you.”
“Maybe.” Sasha shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Let’s just think about your wedding right now. I can’t wait. It’s going to be wonderful.” Mandy said excitedly as Sasha left the room and she started changing.
CHAPTER 19
Sasha was completely flustered on the day of her wedding. She was in the chapel, pacing nervously and twiddling her fingers.
“Where is the dress?” Sasha asked. She had left it up to Mandy to pick it up from the alterations seamstress, who just finished that morning. Sasha had no time because she had to get her hair and makeup done.
“I’ve got it.” Mandy said, holding the dress bag in one hand and a necklace and a pair of ballet slippers in the other. “These too.”
“Okay, good.” Sasha breathed out shakily.
“Mom will be here in abo
ut five minutes. I told her to meet us in the bathroom parlor.” Mandy said, taking the dress and putting it up on a garment rack. Sasha sighed. “Nervous?”
“A little bit. I want everything to go perfectly.” Sasha commented. That wasn’t the whole of it. Sasha wanted to experience and remember everything. She also was very schedule-oriented and liked to make sure everyone did what they were supposed to.
“The wedding planner is here and she’s managing everything.” Mandy said, trying to calm Sasha’s nerves.
“What about the cake?” Sasha wondered, half-wanting to go to the reception area and take a look herself.
“I don’t know.” Mandy admitted, wishing she had lied instead. Still, her moral compass would have bothered her. Suddenly a cell phone started ringing and both women looked around. Mandy gathered and answered it. “Hello?” She turned to Sasha and whispered, “It’s Simon.” Back to the phone she continued the conversation. “Yea. Twenty minutes? Okay.”
“What did he want?” Sasha wondered after Mandy ended the call. Mandy was tempted to not reveal anything, but figured Sasha would nag away until she finally relented anyway.
“He was calling about the photographer. He’s running about twenty minutes late. He’ll make it for the ceremony of course. You just won’t have the photos of you preparing before the wedding. We should have gone with Grimes. Oh, and the cake is on its way.” Mandy rambled through the mental list of all she and Simon discussed. Surprisingly, Sasha seemed calmer.
“So bad news and good news?” Sasha asked.
“Yea. It’s not that big of a deal.” Mandy said supportively. “Mom’s got her camera and she can take some pictures of you if you want her to.”
“If she wouldn’t mind.” Sasha muttered.
Mandy laughed. “What else is she going to do? I mean, you’re her daughter now. This is just as important to her as it would be if I was in your shoes.”
“Hand me the dress.” Sasha commanded, although she was jovial in the way she said it. “How much time do I have to get ready?”
“Calm down. Another twenty minutes. We’re here. It’s not like you’re going to be late or anything.” Mandy stated firmly.
“I know. I just like to be in control and I’m not.” Sasha told her. Mandy nodded and they heard a light rap at the door. It was Helen. Sasha told her to come in and her new mother was all decked out in a brilliant red two-piece dress suit.
“Nervous?” Helen asked. Sasha nodded and they entered the parlor area and she sat down near the vanity.
“A little. I’m more scattered than anything else.”
“You have nothing to worry about.” Helen soothed, resting a hand on Sasha’s shoulder. “You look beautiful and everything will sort itself out. Relax and enjoy your day.”
The phone rang again and Mandy answered. “Hello, this is Mandy.” She paused as she listened to the person on the other line. “Are you serious? Hold on, I’ll tell her.”
“What is it?” Sasha wondered as Mandy put the phone down, but the call was still active.
“The photographer’s battery went dead and his assistant has to run to the store. He’s seeing if they have a charged one they can take.”
“Really?” Sasha asked in desperation. Mandy then exploded into laughter.
“No, I’m totally kidding. He’s here. He got here a little earlier than he thought. He wanted to make sure you weren’t in the middle of changing before he came in here to snap some photos.”
Sasha breathed a sigh of relief. “Tell him to give me five minutes.”
Mandy brought the phone back up to her ear. “Give her five minutes. She just needs to put the dress on. Knock on the door before you get in here.”
Once the call ended, Sasha asked for help into the dress. Sasha did want to opt for the very comfortable dress she found in the salon, but the way she was treated left much to be desired. She decided to go to another salon and get another dress. She wasn’t able to find anything similar, but she found a gown that was better. It was a white gown with a beaded bodice and sweetheart neckline, and around the waist and down the back of the train there was a bright red detail. There were crystals and embroidery swirling down to the train.
“Let me just lift this thing.” Mandy said, heaving it up so she could get the hole made for Sasha to step into. “Boy it’s heavy.”
“I know.” Sasha said with a giggle, looking at her friend. “I’m going to be sore from dragging it the rest of the day.”
“Oh, don’t exaggerate.” Mandy said playfully, helping create a stepping spot in the gown for Sasha who walked into the hole with no issues. “There. Pull it up.”
Just as Sasha got the dress up above her strapless bra, they heard a knock on the door. Mandy quickly laced up the corseted back and Sasha called out, “Yea I’m decent.”
The door swung open and Sasha greeted Lucas the photographer. “How are you doing?” he asked her. Lucas was about her height, dressed all in black, and he had a bag slung over his back.
“Holding it together...barely.” she said nervously, although there was a hint of an almost-giggle.
“Well, I’m just going to snap some photos as you get the veil and your accessories on. You look wonderful. Simon is going to be a happy man once he sees you coming down the aisle.” Lucas told her, carefully putting the bag down and retrieving his camera and flash extension.
“He’s already a happy man. He’s going to be an ecstatic man.” Sasha said with a light giggle. The sound of camera clicks could be heard in the background while Mandy helped Sasha retreive her earrings.
“Are they your ‘something blue’?” Helen wondered.
Sasha thought for a moment. “Not intentionally. I love sapphires. I am not too much for the superstitious stuff. I never have been.”
“Regardless, they are beautiful.” Helen stated.
“Where’s Philip?” Sasha asked. Philip was Helen’s husband and her adoptive father. It was nice to have someone fill that gap in her life, but he could never be a replacement for her true father.
“He’s with Simon and his father. They get along well.” Helen said with a smile.
“Well he better be here by the time I need to go down the aisle.” Sasha said. Helen just shook her head.
“He wouldn’t miss it for the world. He knows that he, or I, can’t ever replace your parents, but it’s such an honor to walk you down and for us to give you away.” Helen softly commented.
“I know.” Sasha sighed. “I miss them.”
“Here, let me help you with the veil.” Helen told her, going through the room to find the veil Sasha had purchased. It was long, about mid-back, and dotted with Swarovski crystals to match the jeweled bodice of the dress and gleaming tiara.
“You know I still feel guilty about my mom. If I was there sooner...”
“Sasha don’t.” Helen commanded, with a finger placed in front of Sasha’s face. “You’ve dwelt on it much too long. It’s not your fault. Your mother wasn’t just grieving you. She missed your dad. She just couldn’t take it.”
“I know. People always say that, but it doesn’t make me feel better.” Sasha said solemnly, trying to hold it together. She added angrily, “It was selfish of her.”
“All ready?” Mandy asked after a few uneasy minutes in silence had passed, with a blazing smile that broke the tension.
“Yes.” Sasha said, looking herself over in the vanity.
“I’ll be back. I’m going to scope out the area and make sure it’s all clear for you to come out.” Mandy told her. Sasha thanked her and her friend exited the room. Helen turned to Sasha and looked down at her daughter’s feet.
“Shoes?”
“Oh yea. I need those.” Sasha giggled lightly.
“Calm down dear.” Helen chuckled back. “You won’t even remember this when it’s all over. It’ll be one giant blur.”
Mandy rushed in the room and caught her breath. “All clear. Come on Sasha.”
“I’m coming. Bouquet?�
� Sasha asked Mandy, who as the maid of honor, was in charge of it. Mandy handed it over. “Thanks. Where is the wedding planner anyway? Isn’t she supposed to be doing this?”
“Sasha, stop worrying and come on!” Mandy said, pulling her best friend out of the door and into the narthex. Sasha could hear organic music emanating from the sanctuary. Mandy entered the sanctuary first to take her place up near the altar across from the men. The organ music stopped and the sound of a march began to play. Sasha could hear the sound of rustling from the people standing up. She was ready for all eyes to be on her.
She started to tear and then sniffle as the doors opened. As she walked forward, the lights went out. “Who turned those out?” she wondered. She looked around but couldn’t see anything. Nothing was going to ruin her wedding. Not even an electrical malfunction. Maybe she should have had a daytime wedding.
PART IV
CHAPTER 20
Suddenly the sound of a match being struck echoed throughout the room. Light appeared and Sasha breathed a sigh of relief, whispering, “Oh thank goodness. Nothing is going to stop my wedding from —”
“From?” Sasha heard a man say. She recognized the voice. She had heard it before over a year ago. It couldn’t be.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Sasha exclaimed.
“I could ask you the same thing. You’ve only been gone a few minutes. However, it was just long enough for my candles to burn out. Luckily, some appeared in the closet. I took them out and then turned around to light them and there you were.” Mankus said plainly to her, extinguishing the match with a flick of his hand.
“A few minutes? I’ve been gone a few years!”
“Really?” Mankus raised an eyebrow in intrigue.
“Well, maybe just one and a day or so.” Sasha said, realizing she might have exaggerated a little in the heat of the moment.
“Where did you go, or rather, when?” Mankus wondered, as his curiosity peaked.
“I started in my past, then future, then about eight years from...” Sasha said, losing her train of thought as Mankus interrupted her.
Out of Time Page 8
