being uncomfortable for one day.”
“But I don’t want to.”
If it’s possible, Lara’s scowling face goes even scowlier when she squints her eyes. “You know what they say, Em. No pain no gain.”
Pain? I’m supposed to endure being in pain on my wedding day, just so I can look good? I don’t even think I look that great to be honest, quite the opposite. But I suppose if it’s Lara telling me what’s necessary for a bride to be wearing under her wedding dress, she’d be the one who knows.
Deflating with a loud sigh I’m surprised when I’m unable to slump my shoulders in relenting despair. These control underwear won’t let me slouch even an inch.
I follow Lara out of the dressing room feeling stiff as a robot. No wonder bride’s all walk so bolt upright down the aisle, they don’t have sticks shoved up their arses, oh no, they’re held upright by something far worse…
I’ve decided control underwear are now the bane of my existence, the most horrible things invented for women since the corset.
“Now,” Lara says, nearing me with arms full of tulle that’s otherwise known as a bridal gown. “Let’s get this corseted gown on you, shall we.”
Oh dear me please no.
For the next hour Lara continues to shove my physical form into tight wedding dress after tight wedding dress. She expertly laces me up the back of each gown and by the time I get home I’m feeling positively bruised and abused.
Sniffing loudly, I crawl into bed with an already sleeping Callum. I don’t want to wake him up really, but if my bed bouncing tactics should accidentally wake him I won’t be feeling guilty. I could use a bit of sympathy right now.
“Who knew being a bride at my weight would be such a painful experience.” I meant to whisper, but my outburst sounds more like a whinging sob.
“Poor you.” Callum rolls over.
“Oh sorry, hun. Did I wake you?” Cuddling into my fiancé’s arms I feel a pang of guilt at actually having woken him.
“Don’t worry about it, my darling.” Callum coos into my neck. “You’ve had a hard day and you’ll need your rest for tomorrow.”
I suppose my beloved is right, the cafe needs opening up for breakfast goers in the morning anyway. I do feel very tired right now as well. My body is probably capable of going into a prompt coma after today’s squashing fiascos.
As I drift off to sleep I think I hear Callum utter something inexplicable. “Mum wants to help with the wedding plans.”
So tired… falling asleep.
He couldn’t have just said what I think he did, because as far as I’m concerned, Callum’s mum isn’t even invited to our wedding.
Chapter 3
Okay so maybe last night’s thoughts about Callum’s mum not being invited to the wedding were a bit harsh, but the woman does my head in. Of course she’s coming to the wedding, but that’s it. She’s not to know about our impending nuptials until she gets her invitation in the post. Callum knows how I feel about this issue. He simply wouldn’t have told his mother about our engagement when I’ve explicitly forbid such a thing.
I’m not being overly harsh here either. It’s for the benefit of her as well as me. Callum’s mum is in her sixties, she might develop heart failure if she were ever to become involved in the stressors of wedding plans. And wow do I know how much she’d want to be involved. See, the thing is, Mrs Stephenson is a widow. Her husband died ten years before I ever even met Callum. My fiancé’s dad died of heart failure, and ever since, Brenda Stephenson has been involved in, and obsessed with, her son’s life. As a matter of fact I was surprised yesterday when my phone didn’t go off once with a message from Brenda. She usually texts me around lunch time on weekdays if she can’t get hold of Callum while he’s on his lunch break, just to make sure he’s at least gone for a walk to get exercise.
Yes, of all the soon-to-be-mother-in-laws in the world, the one I’m about to be endowed with is a sixty year old personal trainer.
As I open up my little cafe for the morning I know I’m fooling myself. Callum’s mum would never suffer heart failure. She’s much too fit for a woman of her age. She made herself über healthy after her husband’s death. Callum has said as much to me. Every time I try