twirl and swings her arms, shaking the bags hanging from her forearms.
Michelle squeals at the sight of pink bows and pretty wrapping paper when Jessica plops down on the sofa. She calls us over; and just how my dad would imitate Santa Claus every Christmas morning, she does the same. She reaches in the bag and playfully asks, “Who do you think this one is for?” Then shakes it by her ear and shouts, “Stephanie!”
Stephanie graciously accepts her gift from Jessica, and stretches her shoulders back with a tiny grin. Jessica continues to pull a separate present out for Michelle, and then finally one for me. I thank her, but she grabs onto my arm and looks at me with glossy eyes.
“I hope you like it” she whispers, “Nothing I can give you will ever be enough to thank you for putting up with me. I know have been quite the bridezilla over the past year.”
I tell her not to worry about it, and assure her she has not been as crazy as she thinks (which is only half true). I snuggle up beside her, and unwrap my present. I hear Stephanie and Michelle squealing behind me, thanking Jessica for their new fabulous golden peep-toed Louboutin heels.
Jessica tilts up her chin, and says “These are the shoes you have to wear tomorrow for the wedding. Aren’t they gorgeous?”
“Their fantastic!” Michelle shouts slipping one onto her bare foot and admiring herself in the mirror.
I choke when I un-wrap my sparkling pair and catch a glimpse of how high the heel is. Jessica must see the look of concern splashed across my face, because she says, “If you wear them tonight you will have enough practice by tomorrow.”
I let out a strained laugh, “Thanks Jess, they’re so beautiful.” Which is an understatement. They are absolutely stunning. But I wouldn’t have expected any less from Jessica.
“Look back in the bag.” she nudges me with a huge smile on her face.
I peer down, and see a tiny little blue Tiffany box, “Jessica, this is too much.”
Stephanie and Michelle are huddled around us, and I can feel Michelle’s warm breath blowing against my ear, which is really irritating. Jessica’s face becomes quite nervous and she fiddles with her engagement ring as I flip open the box. I gasp at the sparkling silver chain with the cutest little charm staring back at me. It’s light pink, and has a carved diamond ring on the front of it. Jessica insists I flip it over, and when I do; there is a tiny etching in the back, Friends Forever J
I am not sure if it is finding out about Stephanie and Ben, or if because this pendant reminds me of our youth and the time Jessica and I went to the mall, picked out matching friendship necklaces, then wore them until the early part of the eighth grade. But whatever it is, tears pour down my cheeks. They stream even more so, when she pulls out the same one from around her neck.
I wrap my arms around her, and bury my head in her shoulder. Jessica continues to jabber on that she picked the charm with a diamond ring, because it would always remind us of our twelve year old wedding promise to be one another’s maid-of-honors. I feel knots form in my stomach and more tears sting at the corners of my eyes, because she may never get to be my maid of honor, especially now that I want to swear off all men forever.
Stephanie breaks up our moment and cracks open a beer, “Enough of this blubbering! Are we ready to get this party started or what?”
Jessica assesses my attire; navy shorts and a white tank top, “I hope you don’t think you’re wearing that to my bachelorette party.”
I glance down at my plain Jane self and give a pitiful shrug. Right away, the girls jump into selecting an outfit for me that will match our new shoes, because Jessica wasn’t kidding when she said I should practice wearing them before tomorrow. Michelle riffles through the closet and pulls out my deep V-neck lace Guess dress, and insists it will be a perfect match. I agree, because even if I did object, I would be overruled. I slip into the two-toned high-shine layer dress, letting Jessica pull up the metal zipper in the back.
The restaurant is so elegant, with high ceilings and dim lighting overlooking the pool glimmering in the moonlight. We are a tad bit