Three Weddings and a Dress (20 page)

Good they were still occupied.
 

None of this arguing would be happening if Mark’s sister had brought Sarah. Moving to the window, she pushed up the frame, then cringed as a screech rifled through the room. If she continued to sneak out, she’d need to oil the window. A quick look at her door indicated things were good to go.

“Come on.” Jessie threw a leg over the sill.

Once she stood on the fire escape, she looked down. What the hell was she thinking? She turned to climb back in as the two mother’s voices raised another notch. The two giggling girls looked at her expectantly. She was about the same age when she’d first snuck out with Katie and Joey. Another crash sounded from the living room.

It was safer to go this way. She’d face retribution later.

She helped the two little ones out onto the ledge. “Both of you have to be really careful and do what I say, okay?”

Jessie chanced a look down to the street. The four stories looked a hell of a lot higher than it normally did. Sarah and Missy were holding hands and huge grins graced their faces.

They were having the time of their life.

“I’ll go down first, Sarah you next, and Missy you follow.”

Jessie carefully backed down the ladder. As soon as she was down far enough to give Sarah room, she beckoned for the little girl. With a giggle, Sarah turned as Jessie had done her toe searched and finally found the rung.

Jessie held a hand to Sarah’s back until she was safe.

Then Jessie helped Missy to follow. Once both had reached the first rung, Jessie told them to hold tight while she went down one more. Jessie looked up to beckon them to do the next. Their eyes wide with an equal mixture of excitement and fear as they took each step of the journey one rung at a time.

 
Both girls left a trail of delighted snickers in their wake. When they were all safely on the ground in the alley behind the building, Jessie led them in a round of ring around the fire ladder.

“Okay, let’s hurry so we can catch the train.” Jessie grabbed a small hand of each girl.

Sarah turned her wide-eyed gaze up to Jessie, “We’re going on the subway? Oh, Grandma Taylor’s going to be really mad.”

Wouldn’t that be great? “You’re with me you won’t be in trouble.”

The three dodged foot traffic. The click of their steps echoed as they ran down the sidewalk to the station. Careful to keep them in front of her, she let them buy their own ticket. First Sarah, then Missy, slid their card in the reader. Jessie followed them through the turnstile to the platform.

Apprehension clenched her chest, two small girls were a huge responsibility. Here she was in a New York subway with a train racing to a stop in front of them. What would she do if something happened?

Now that the adrenalin rush had worn off from her anger and secret get-a-way, she couldn’t believe what she’d done. God, what had she been thinking to take these two precious girls down the fire escape? Forget, she’d done it her first time with her friends around the same age. That was beside the point. She was supposed to be a grown-up. Acid swirled in her stomach. She inhaled to calm herself.

Mark’s mother was driving her completely insane.

Literally.

She looked around at the passengers. What she saw relaxed her shoulders. Many mothers had young children. Someday soon, she hoped to have a child and most likely she’d be bringing her baby or toddler with her on the train.

This was everyday life in New York.

After the three found seats, Jessie hid her smile at Missy’s superior attitude. She’d been chattering non-stop informing Sarah about all the do’s and don’ts of riding the subway. Everything was, “Nana said this,” or “Nana said that.”

Sarah listened solemnly to everything her new friend told her. Jessie hoped that once she married Mark the two little girls would have a chance to see each other often.

“34
^th
street stop is next, that’s us.” Jessie stood, but motioned the girls to wait. When the train had stopped, she helped them off.

Once on the street, they could see Macy’s and the target of their big adventure. Flower girl dresses.

 
Stopping inside at the front of the store, Jessie glanced around for a legend. There it was by the escalator.

“Jessie I need to go to the bathroom.” Sarah announced loud enough for the people in Jersey to hear.

“Me too,” Missy agreed.

Luck was good. There was a restroom by the little girls department. First things first.

“Let’s go.”

Once the girls had refreshed themselves, washed hands they were ready for their dresses. Jessie had a catalog in her bag from Macy’s. There was a Cinderella dress on sale she’d loved it the minute she’d seen it. It was perfect.

Rhinestone and pearl detail at the waist and a crinkle skirt with netted hem. A little girl’s dream.

The dresses would compliment Bella.

She took a quick inventory of the girls to make sure they had clothes, shoes and everything else in place or tied. Jessie swung the bathroom door wide and the three of them stepped out and faced a fire-breathing dragon.

“Just what the hell did you think you were doing taking my grandchild?” Claudia Taylor’s angry face tilted into Jessie’s, her mouth in a snarl and hands opened like claws under her tight chin.

Jessie took a step back knocking into one of the girls, she wasn’t sure which one. She was too nervous to take her eyes off the enraged woman.

“Ah, you…” Jessie swallowed down her nerves.

She knew she was stuttering, but damn she’d thought she had enough time to at least show the little ones their dresses. Have time for them to try them on, see how pretty they’d be.

Mrs. Taylor must have discovered them gone as soon as they’d cleared the alley. She must have been in hot pursuit before the three of them had reached the subway station.

It was time to grow some backbone and stand up to the woman. What if the beast was a head taller than her? Courage wasn’t counted in physical stature.

“Look Mrs. Taylor. Obviously you knew we were coming to Macy’s to pick out flower girl dresses.”

“That is beside the point. You kidnapped my granddaughter.” The woman’s voice upped an octave with each word.

Jessie looked around in worry. She didn’t want to be arrested only days before the wedding for kidnapping one of the flower girls.

Jessie caught sight of her mother as she rounded the corner by the escalator. Her relief was short lived when she caught her mother’s expression.

She had thought Mrs. Taylor was in a temper. Nothing, and she meant
nothing
, compared to Carla Perez in a fit of temper. The tapping of her mother’s heels preceded a few seconds before she stood in front of Jessie.
 

“Mama,” Jessie said. “Let’s step into the rest room where we can have a little privacy.”

Shooing the two little girls further into the room so the adults could follow and shut the door, Jessie beckoned for Mark’s mother and her own. Neither woman was of a mind to move.

This was just great. Now what was she going to do? People were already stopping to stare.

“Jessie Marie Perez.” Oh dear. Her full name. Her mother was royally pissed. “What in heaven’s name were you thinking taking those two little girls down the fire escape?”

Jessie didn’t have time to even swallow, let alone answer before Mrs. Taylor screeched loud enough to scare the dogs for blocks.

“What?” Claudia Taylor, if possible, had raised her voice another couple of octaves.

They had the attention of every patron in Macy’s. Next it would be on the five o’clock news. Jessie Perez kidnaps flower girls, takes them down the fire escape, and they rode the subway to the department store.

Jessie’s mother was not going to let Mark’s mom take over. Nope. She knew her mother was out of the reasoning zone, nothing to do but ride the tidal wave and face the consequences.

“Do…you…know…what…could…have…happened?” Each word punctuated with a drop of spittle spray. “They could have fallen to their deaths!”

Carla Perez’s chest rose as she filled her lungs for the next lecture. Jessie was always impressed at this side of her petite mother, who looked like she wouldn’t harm a fly.

Yeah, unless she was pissed off. Then get the hell away.

Fast.

“You, Jessie, you deserve to fall and break your fool neck. Is this what you’re going to do with my precious grandbabies when they come? Huh? I just want to know because I need to go to the doctor now and get some nervous pills.”

Jessie had a moment to wonder if there was such a thing, before the backseat quarterback dragon stepped into the fray.

“Mark is going to hear about this. You daft girl. Now you’ve done it. What I couldn’t accomplish in months, you have in one afternoon. Now there will be no wedding.”

She reached a hand, or claw toward Sarah, who backed away as if she knew it wasn’t safe to be within breathing distance. “Sarah, come with your Grandmother.”

Did she think the little girl needed to be reminded who she was? Sarah was having none of it. She folded her arms across her chest. Stubborn washed over her stance.

“I’m staying with Jessie. We’ve been on an adventure and we’re getting our flower girl dresses.” She turned her head and glared at Missy as if daring the other little girl to defy her. “Aren’t we?”

Missy squared her shoulders, her petite Adams apple bobbed, “Yes, we are.”

Jessie grabbed the two little hands, “Excuse us we’re going to find our Cinderella dresses.”

“Yeah we’re going to be Cinderella’s,” Missy agreed.

Their exit was ruined when Mrs. Taylor and her Mother both stepped in front of them. Mrs. Taylor was the first to speak. “I don’t think so. You are not going anywhere with my granddaughter.”

There was enough space between the two women to afford Jessie a view of the Woman’s department and what she saw made her want to curl up and hide. Marching toward them was a security guard. He really didn’t look like he loved his job. Correction he might like it a bit too much.

“Is there something wrong ladies?” The officer asked.

“This woman kidnapped my granddaughter.” Mrs. Taylor looked down her nose at the man.

“Mine too.”

“Mama.” Jessie glared at her mother.

“Okay so she kidnapped my grand-niece.”

“Mother.” Jessie still held the two girls hands. Who clung to her legs like glue.

“Jessie didn’t do anything she just took us on an adventure, sir.” Sarah peeked around Jessie to impart her portion of the conversation.

“Yeah. We’re buying Cinderella’s.” Missy chimed in.

“Miss, please let go of the girls.” The officer instructed.

“Arrest her.”

Jessie stared, “Mother.” The word was getting old, but it seemed to be the only thing she could say.

“Why don’t we all go to the office and sort this out?” He asked more kindly than Jessie would have thought possible under the circumstances. When none of them budged he added, “Please?”

“Okay, come on Missy, Sarah.” Jessie led the way after the man.

This left the two older women to follow the parade. Jessie kept her gaze glued to the officer’s back. There was no way she wanted to look at any of the gawkers.