off. “Okayyyy,” she says in a mopey tone as she’s slowly making her way back to the door.
I tell her to hold on so I can turn on sad music over the speaker. And because she’s the best friend a girl could ever have, she complies without question. I turn on that terribly sad song “I Will Remember You”, and once it’s blaring over the speaker, I nod for Stacy to leave.
She gives a sad smile. I give a sad smile. A lone tear streaks down both of our faces as she turns around and walks out the door. It’s the end of an era. I might never see her again.
Just before the door closes, she stops it and peeks her head back inside. “Oh! Don’t forget about the dress fitting at 4:00!” Oh, right. She’s still getting married here at the end of the week, and there are, like, a million tasks we still have to do together before then.
“Yep! Ride together?”
“Sure! I’ll pick you up here at closing.”
“Kluvyoubyeeee.”
“BYE!!”
Then, she’s gone, and I let the sad music drown my soul once again, thankful that Ryan isn’t here to make it worse. And will someone please tell me when I’ll stop thinking about him?
Chapter Six
June
“All right, take off your clothes,” says Miss Mable as if I’m used to hearing that phrase on the regular.
“Right here?” I look around the empty seamstress’ shop and, despite its vacancy, don’t relish the idea of stripping in public. “I think I’ll just go in the dressing—”
“Fooey, nonsense!” says the million-year-old seamstress stripping the shirt right off my body and tossing it somewhere across the room. “The curtains are covering the windows, and the rest of the wedding party isn’t due here for another fifteen minutes. None of those boys will see your boobies if we hurry.”
My eyes go wide. “Boys?”
Miss Mable is mercilessly peeling the jeans off my hips, and Stacy is holding in her laughter so hard that tears leak down her face. I swear, she looks like she’s going to burst a blood vessel from all that repressed laughter when Mable tosses my jeans to the far end of the room—right next to the shirt I wish I was still wearing.
“Actually, it’s only Ryan coming,” Stacy says, chuckles bubbling through her words. And now I understand why this scenario is so funny to her. “He’s the only other one that needs any alterations.”
“Oh my gosh! You’re kidding!” Suddenly, I feel stark naked standing in the middle of a seamstress’ shop in my bra and panties. I hurry to cover myself with my hands as if that will keep Ryan from seeing all of my bits if he were to show up early.
Miss Mable thinks I’m only being shy in front of her. She bats my hands away from covering my boobs. “Oh, stop that. I’d kill to have my body look like that again. You ought to parade it around the square right now instead of hiding it behind your hands.”
I don’t care to be the grand marshal for that parade, though. I lunge for the midnight-blue bridesmaid gown and have to pry it from Mable’s wrinkly hands. But let me tell you, this old woman is strong, because she is not letting this dress go without a fight. Maybe she wanted to measure me before I put it on? I don’t know, but it seems like she’s trying to make me confident in my own skin through immersion therapy. If she has it her way, I’ll be naked all day.
“Quick, shove me into this thing!” My eyes are frantic, and I look like someone just announced an impromptu sack-race that I’m now the most eager participant of. I’m hopping and shimmying into this dress as if a million dollars are on the line. Really, though, what’s on the line is my butt. I’ll die before I let Ryan’s greedy eyes get a peek at my rear end.
Stacy is doubled over laughing. Really, I’ve never seen her crack up so much. She thinks the prospect of Ryan sauntering in here and seeing me in my unmentionables is hilarious. Have I said how much I hate her?
“I’m going to cut up your wedding dress like a paper snowflake if you don’t help me zip this up!”
She does, but she takes her sweet time, laughing harder with every tiny inch the zipper rises. “There, you’re decent again.” She wipes her eyes and looks a little disappointed that the situation didn’t play out like she