by Alison Mello
“What’re you going to do about food and music?” Sylvia asks.
“To be honest, I haven’t even gotten there yet. Chase pretty much said to make sure we have dresses, and he’ll take care of everything. He’ll probably hire the caterer that Abbey and Seth used. It shouldn’t be too hard to find someone even on short notice because it will only really be those who are here and maybe a few others.”
I head into the kitchen to open some wine and pull the veggie platter out while Chase is getting food ready. I see my dad sitting on the couch looking really tired, so I walk over to him.
“Daddy, we have a spare room. Do you want to lie down until dinner is ready? Chase is just warming the grill now so you could get a little nap in.”
He looks to the stairs, realizing the bedrooms are upstairs.
“The guys can help you with the stairs. Chase, can you help Dad upstairs to the spare room so he can lie down for a little while.”
Chase comes running into the room. “Of course,” he says as he squats down. My dad wraps his arm around Chase’s shoulder, and Chase hoists him up.
“Can you make it up the stairs like this, or would you feel better with someone else on the other side of you?” Chase asks him, concerned.
“No, I can make it like this. I just need the railing.”
Seth comes over and helps him until he’s at the stairs and can brace himself on the railing, and then Seth follows behind them just to be sure he doesn’t lose his balance and fall on the stairs.
I turn to Sean. “Thanks for watching the grill.”
He laughs. “I’m not really watching it. He hasn’t put anything on it yet. I’m just making sure it stays safe so close to the house. It is not a problem, T. I’m sorry your dad’s not doing well.”
“Thanks,” I say as he wraps an arm around me and gives me a hug.
Tracey comes over to ask if there’s anything she can help with. I shake my head and tell her, “I love that you’re getting a little baby bump.”
A minute later, Chase comes over with all the meat and puts it on the grill while we all stand around talking.
Tracey laughs at me. “Little baby bump? None of my clothes fit me anymore.”
Audrey joins us as I say, “I remember going through that. I hated shopping for maternity clothes.”
Audrey smiles. “That’s why I kept all of mine, so when I got pregnant with Grace I didn’t have to deal with it all over again.”
“I’m definitely keeping everything I buy. I know Sean wants more than one kid, and I’m not opposed to multiple, so I’m sure we will have another one.”
“I know you guys are just getting married, but what about you? Do you think you guys will have a child together?” Audrey asks me.
“It is funny you ask. We were just talking about it. We’ll probably have one of our own. Katie will enjoy being a big sister, and I wouldn’t deprive Chase of a baby because I already have one. Plus I love him and would love to have his baby.”
She smiles at me. “That is sweet. You two look very happy.”
“Thank you, we are. He has been very good to me. He has been helping me with Katie while my dad was in the hospital and he even included her when he asked me to marry him.” I smile, thinking about it. “To be honest, I never thought I would agree to marriage so quickly but I love him and know this is right.”
“Look at Sean and I, we haven’t been together much longer than you and we are getting married and having a baby,” Tracey adds.
“It’s amazing when you know you have found the one. In my case, he found me, but I’m so thankful he did.”
“What do you mean he found you?” Audrey asks.
“I was walking into Seth and Abbey’s backyard for their engagement party, and I didn’t know anyone, so I was looking a bit lost when Chase spotted me and came up to me to introduce himself and help me find Abbey, so I tell him all the time that he found me.”
“T, can you grab me a platter from the cabinet on the side of the dishwasher?”
“Sure, hon. Be right back.” I head back into the kitchen to get my man what he needs. I see all the people and I smile. Sarah, Ellen, and Sylvia are all talking, my mom is with Cole, Seth, and Michael, and the rest of us are talking in the doorway while Chase grills under an umbrella. I hand Chase the platter and start taking the rest of the food out of the fridge and putting it on the countertop so people can make their plates.
Chase walks in the house. “Dinner is ready!”
I look at my mom. “Do you want to check on Dad and see if he’s up? Chase will help him downstairs.”
She nods and heads upstairs. A minute later, she’s calling Chase from the top of the stairs. He goes running up, and Seth waits at the bottom for him. A few minutes later, we are setting up my dad with a TV tray and some food.
“Thanks, Chase,” my dad says as he hands him a bottle of water.
Chase calls the girls down while Audrey and I make their plates and set them up at the snack bar to eat. Once they are situated we make our plates and join them at the snack bar so we can keep an eye on our girls. Audrey tells me she’s an only child, so she was elated when she found out Mason had a brother and is really excited to have a sister-in-law.
“I really hope we can get together more often with the kids. I know we all work, and it’s hard, but they seem like they’re getting along so well.”
“I know how you feel. My sister is so opposite me, and we talk so little I might as well be an only child.” I lower my voice so my dad won’t hear. “I called her to bring the kids down so my dad could see them, and she told me there was no way she was letting her kids see him that way. They are older than my kid, and she’s handling it fine. I don’t get the big deal.”
“Theresa, that is awful. I’m so sorry,” she says sympathetically.
The girls have finished eating, so I take their plates and send them back upstairs to play while we start cleaning up. I throw plates in the trash and clean the utensils Chase used to cook. Once I finish, I pull out desserts and tell our guests that the desserts, plates, and utensils are on the dining room table and to help themselves. That gets everyone in the other room so I can put away the food from the grill before it goes bad. The girls come into the kitchen and help me tidy up so we can sit and relax. As I’m just about done, my mom tells me that she and my dad are going to take off while it isn’t raining. I tell him to hang on, and I can grab Chase.
“Hon, can you help my dad to the car? They are going to go.”
I walk back into the living room with him, stopping at the bottom of the stairs to call Katie down. “Katie, come say bye to Grammy and Grampy.” I can give my dad a hug as Katie comes running down the stairs.
“Bye, Grammy. Bye, Grampy,” she says as she hugs them good-bye and just like that she takes off back upstairs to play.
Chase helps my dad from his seat, and once he’s standing I give him a big hug and a kiss on the head. “I love you, Daddy. I’ll call to check on you this week.”
“Bye, baby girl,” he says as he uses his walker to get to the door.
People are calling their good-byes as he waves with his back to them. I walk my mom out and tell her to call me if she needs anything. We wave as they pull out of the driveway, and we head back inside.
We walk back into the house to a huge round of laughter and Sean covering his hears singing, “La-la-la-la.”
“What the heck are you guys talking about that has Sean singing?”
They all start laughing again because they get to talk about it more.
“Sylvia slipped, saying something about her and Michael that Sean was not interested in hearing.”
“Oh really? Do tell. What was so good that Sean is walking out of the room?
“I said that Michael likes to tie me up, and my brother got all grossed out. Like I don’t have sex.”
“I’m not saying you don’t have sex. I’m saying I don’t want to hear about it. Dude, you hurt my sister, and we’re going to have
problems.”
Michael starts laughing and says, “I won’t give her more than she can handle.” He slaps her on the ass.
Tracey looks at Sean and says, “Clearly you two are brother and sister.”
Sylvia’s chin drops. “Am I hearing my big brother likes to play rough, too?”
Poor Sean is so red with embarrassment. He groans. “Yes, now can I stop discussing it with my fucking sister?”
Michael pats him on the back. “Yeah, way to go, bro!”
“Okay, time to change the subject,” I say to help Sean out.
“Great idea. Thank you, Theresa!”
I shake my head. “What time do you girls want to get together tomorrow?”
Sylvia says, “My friend owns the bridal shop on Main Street. I can text her and let her know we are coming and meet you at ten when it opens.”
“That’ll work if she has dresses she can sell me off the rack. Remember I only have a week.”
She nods. “Got it. Let me text her right now.”
“Hey, we haven’t heard how Chase proposed,” Audrey says.
I smile at my man before I start the story of how Chase proposed one more time. It makes me so happy to think about how sweet he was to include Katie.
Chase jumps in as he sits on the side of me. “I told her I knew it wasn’t a romantic proposal, but I thought it would be better to include Katie, that I loved her and Katie and I wanted to be with her forever and asked if she would marry me. She nodded yes, and Katie jumped up and down in the middle of the restaurant screaming, ‘My mommy is marrying Chase.’”
Everyone was saying how awesome it is that he included Katie and is telling him good job when Sylvia’s phone pings.
She looks at me. “She said she can take care of you, so we have an appointment at ten.”
“On that note, we’re going to head out. I’m tired, and I want to rest so I feel up to meeting you ladies in the morning,” Tracey says as she grabs Sean.
“Hey, Sylvia, we can talk dirty now your brother is leaving,” Michael shouts to bust Sean’s balls.
“Dude, really!” Sean shakes his head then grabs Michael’s hand and pulls him into a man hug. Tracey says bye to everyone as she heads to the door.
A short time later only Mason, Audrey, and the girls are left, and it’s really nice to have just them over the house with us. I learn that Audrey is a schoolteacher and works in a fourth-grade classroom and that Mason is the fire chief for one of the local firehouses.
It’s getting late so Audrey and I head upstairs to tell the girls it’s time to go, and of course, they are upset because they’re having fun. I kneel and say, “I know you girls are all having a great time, and I’m very happy that you are. However, right now it is time to go, but what I can do is talk to Mama about you girls having a sleepover with Katie another night. How would you like that?”
Raegan says, “Yes, please,” and Grace just nods.
“Okay well let’s get your things together, and I’ll work on that with Mom.”
We say our good-byes and watch from the door as they head to the car. Audrey yells that she’ll see me in the morning just before she gets in the car. We wave as they pull out of the driveway, and once they are out of sight we shut and lock the door.
Chapter 16
We walk into the bridal shop right at ten, and of course, there are other girls there. It’s Sunday, and they all have the same idea as me, get in early. Lucky for me, Sylvia knows the owner, so we are getting some Say Yes to the Dress–type service. I tell her my situation and that I want something pretty but not over the top. I also fill her in that it will be for an outdoor wedding. She tells me she has a few dresses in mind and that she will be right back. While I’m waiting, Tracey is walking around the shop with Katie to see what they have for dresses for her. They come back as the shop owner brings the dresses she had in mind so I can try them on. I go into the fitting room and come out in dress number one, which I hate. It is too lacy, and it just isn’t me, but I show the girls anyway. They all say, “Next!”
In I go and I put on the next one, and it has potential. It is long and silky, with just a little glitter, and is a halter top. I walk out and the girls are clapping. I tell them I love it but want to try on the others, so we set that one aside as a maybe and move on the third dress, which I can’t even get on, so it is out. So last, but not least, I try on the fourth dress. I like it better than the first but not as much as the second. This, too, is a halter top but is a heavier satin material with a lace layer going over it. It is pretty, but I think I like the other one better. I walk out into the area where the girls are waiting, and they all agree they like the other one better.
I go back in and put on the second one again and walk out so they can see. I step in front of the mirror and smile. I’m so excited but so sad all at once. My mom should be by my side for this, but she can’t be because she’s taking care of my sick dad. That is when I lose it. All my friends come rushing around me.
“I’m so excited to be marrying Chase. I just wish we didn’t have to rush for my dad, and I wish my mom could be here. I know it is selfish to think that way, but I should be doing this with her and instead she’s home taking care of him. Part of me feels bad because I should be there helping her,” I say as new tears fall.
Abbey rubs my back. “Oh, sweetie, your mom wants you here shopping. She wants you to have the best day possible, so don’t stress that.”
“I know you’re sad about your dad, but look, he’s doing better, and he could pull through and be good after this next round of chemo,” Sylvia adds.
“I know, and I’m sorry, guys. I have always been a daddy’s girl, and it’s just so hard to see him going through all of this.” I sniff as Audrey hands me a tissue. “Thanks, sis.” I wink and smile at her.
The shop owner comes over. “Are we saying yes to the dress?”
I laugh through what is left of my tears and scream, “Yes!”
Audrey and Abbey start cheering and jumping up and down.
Apparently Tracey walked off with Katie while I was upset, because she comes walking back in with a bunch of dresses one of the other shop girls helped her pick. “Yea, Mommy has a dress! My turn,” she says as she struts into a changing room, and we all start laughing.
The owner tells me to stay put and that the seamstress is on her way over to take care of pinning the alterations that need to be done. She tells me that she already filled her in and will have the dress ready for a second fitting on Thursday and that I can pick it up on Friday.
I’m standing around waiting when Katie comes walking out in the first dress that her new auntie Audrey helped her get into. I’m not a fan of it, so I shake my head, and she goes back in for the next one. The next one is better, but I still don’t think it’s it, and the girls agree. She heads back in and tries on another one, and this time she has nailed it. It’s simple like mine but not the same as mine, and we both love it. Her dress needs a few minor alterations, so the girl tells her to stay put as well. Tracey snaps a few pictures of us while we wait, but I make sure to tell her not to share them. I don’t want Chase seeing our dresses until Saturday.
The seamstress comes in and starts on Katie’s dress. She pins the length so she won’t trip and makes some minor adjustments at the zipper so it won’t be loose and tightens the halter. Once she’s all set, Auntie Audrey takes her back into the changing room and puts on her regular clothes while the seamstress works on my dress. She finishes mine about fifteen minutes later, and I head into the changing room to put on my clothes.
I head to the front to pay for our dresses and cringe when I hear her tell me that I owe her fifteen hundred dollars for both dresses, which does not include the alterations, and that I have to pay for in cash when I pick up the dresses. The girl tries to tell me that it was a steal because my dress is regularly twenty-five hundred. I hand over my credit card and shake my head. The girls decide we need to go shoe shopping next so we hit The Glass Slipper, whe
re we manage to find shoes for both Katie and me. Luckily, shoes for the two of us only run me a hundred dollars. Chase told me he wanted me to pick whatever I wanted without fear of cost, so I am. I hope he still feels that way when I get home and tell him I spent sixteen hundred dollars on dresses and shoes.
We’re all walking out of the store when I turn to Abbey. “What do you want to do about a dress for you? I’m not picky about what you wear. Do you want to pick something together, or do you want to just find something on your own?”
“Should we go for lunch and discuss where we can find a dress?” she asks.
Everyone agrees, so we pile into two cars and head to Blue Point since we aren’t far away. We get to the restaurant and are pleasantly surprised when we find it isn’t super busy. The hostess asks us to give her a minute to clean a table for us and says that she’ll be able to seat us right away. She shows us to our table and tells us our waitress will be right over. As we are getting settled, Sandy, our waitress, appears to introduce herself. Everyone orders diet soda or water and I order chocolate milk for Katie.
We’re looking over the menu and discussing what we’re going to order when my phone pings. I jump to check it, hoping it isn’t my dad. I see it is Chase, and I’m instantly relieved.
How is the dress shopping?
Well, I have good news and bad news.
What’s the good news?
I found a dress and shoes for Katie and me.
Then what is the bad news?
It cost me 1600.00.
That’s it? I was expecting you to tell me you spent 5k.
I would never spend that much money on dresses and shoes.
I know you wouldn’t. That’s why I wasn’t worried about the cost. I love you. Have fun with your friends.
I love you, too.
“Everything okay?” Audrey asks.
“Yes. Sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. It was Chase asking if I found dresses for Katie and me.”
