Three Weddings and a Dress (24 page)

It would take time for Mark’s sister to trust her new soon-to-be sister-in-law again. She got that. Jessie would make sure she had no reason not to in the future.

“Mark?” She waited for his attention to turn to her. “Where are your parents?”

A frown marred his brow for a spit second, she almost hadn’t caught it. “Mother had one of her headaches and insisted Father
stay
with her.”

For tonight, she didn’t mind. In fact, it may be quite pleasant without the drama. “Tomorrow?”

 
He sighed rubbed a hand over his eyes. “I don’t know, princess. I love you though, that’s all the matters.”

Was it? What type of life would they have if his own parents couldn’t even support their union? She’d worry tomorrow.

*****

“That was a lovely dinner last evening.” Her mother stood behind her at the dressing table. Sun glinted through the slats of the blinds.

Bella’s beads glimmered. The lace shimmered. Faint whispered words slathered over the room in a mantra. “You deserve to have your day”. Over and over, what was Bella trying to tell her?

“Hija, what is wrong?” Her mother’s hand paused, the brush in mid-air. “You’ve been quiet all morning.”

“Mama, are Mark’s parents here?”

“I’ll go check.” Dropping the brush on the table, her mother hurried from the room.

Now that she was alone, it gave her too much time to think. Her gaze traveled to her gown. Beautiful, the perfect dress for Mark’s princess. Why did it feel like she wasn’t meant to wear Bella?

“I demand that you stop this travesty of a wedding. That girl is irresponsible and I do not want her in the family.” The heated words were loud enough to carry through the thin wood of the door.

That answered one question. Mark’s mother had arrived. Who was she speaking too?

“Mother, lower your voice. I told you last night you couldn’t stop the wedding.”

“Oh, yes I will. You know the part where the priest asks if anyone objects…” More conversation, but Mark must have moved his mother down the hall.

The door cracked and her mother stealthily squeezed through the opening. “I had to wait until the coast was clear. That witch, is damn scary. I’m sorry you had to hear.” Her mother wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Mark is a good boy he’ll calm his Mama down.”

The time had come to make a decision. Resolve calmed her. The message Bella was trying to convey finally sunk in. “Mama will you please tell Mark I’d like to see him before the wedding.”

“But Hija, it’s bad luck for you to see the groom.” Her mother hadn’t budged a step.

“Please?”

“What do you have planned?” Her mother squinted down at her.

“I would like to talk to my future husband.”

She stared at Jessie for a while longer before she huffed a sigh and spun on her heal.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. “Jessie?”

“Come in Mark.”

He tentatively opened the door, as if this were some kind of gag. When he saw her sitting in front of the makeup mirror, he closed the door behind him and came to her.

He squatted next to her and gently ran a finger to wipe a tear. “What’s wrong princess?”

“I can’t do this.” Panic raced across his face, guilt hit her in the gut. “Sorry, that didn’t come out right.”

“Do you love me?”

“Yes. I want to marry you Mark. More than anything I’ve ever wanted in my life. But not with your mother down the hall threatening to stop the wedding.”

Jessie’s mother’s voice could be heard, the words not definable but clearly angry. Then a heated response came from Mark’s mother.

Mark glanced over his shoulder as if he could see through the door. “Or with the arguments flying. Princess, if we postpone it, how do we know things will be different the next time?”

“We don’t.” Jessie swallowed down the acid that had taken permanent residence in her stomach. “How are we going to have a life together if our Mother’s can’t even be in the same room together at the wedding?”

Mark placed his hands on her shoulders, the zing of electricity ripped over her. “I can’t promise they’ll ever get along, but Jessie Perez, what I can promise is to hold your hand and we will face our families together. We can only take one day at a time. I pray my mother will grow to love you as much as I do. Will you do this with me?”

He gave her a squeeze she drew strength from his. She sniffed back a tear and smiled at him. “Yes. But do you think we can start our lives together without our Mothers’ drama?”

His hands dropped, his brow furrowed, “What do you mean?”

“Do you want a big wedding?” She answered with another question.

“Jess, I love you. If you’re asking me if I need to have all the trappings of a traditional wedding the answer is, no. What do I want? You as my wife. I want to grow old with you. I want to watch our children
and
grandchildren play soccer in Central Park on Saturdays. I don’t care if we get married by a Justice of the Peace or a Tribal Shaman as long as we tie the knot. Princess, what do you want?”

“I don’t want to go through with a big wedding.”

He bounced on the balls of his feet, considering. She wasn’t sure what.

“We have the license. Where’s the most famous place people go to elope?” He grinned at her. “Come on, Princess, the answer is easy.”

“Niagara Falls?”

“That’s my girl. Want to?”

Her arms few around him and then she gave him a resounding smack of a kiss. He tightened the embrace deepening the kiss. Static electricity raced through her veins.

The man could kiss.

Setting her from him, he stood, as if he couldn’t trust himself to keep his hands off her. “Now all we have to do is figure out how to sneak out of here.”

Standing, she went to the window. “I hear fire escapes are so easy a six year old can climb down them.”

Laughing, Mark joined her. Unlatched the window and pushed up the glass, took a step away. “Royalty first.”

Dear Diary:

Abandoned again

I watched the couple disappear out the window. Once more, my fate hung in the balance of the unhappy parents left behind.

Will I be sold on eBay again?

It shouldn’t be long before Carla or someone discovers the missing bride and groom. Then I will know what will happen to me.

I tried to suppress my dread, but my Alencon lace still shivered in anticipation. I couldn’t have been happier for Jessie. I know she and Mark made the right decision. They’re going to be happy together.

I heard Carla’s voice seconds before the door swung open.

“Hija?” Glancing around and not seeing her daughter, she checked the connecting bathroom. When she returned to the main area, her face was a study of bewilderment.

Katie and Joey followed a few moments after. Both stopped when they saw only Carla. Katie looked around the door as if Jessie may be hiding there.

“Where’s Jess?” Joey asked.

“I was hoping one of you could tell me. She’s not here.” Carla walked around me to the window.

That was when I knew she understood what happened. She straitened and turned to face the two friends. “Looks like Jessie is teaching Mark to take the easy way out.”

“What?” In chorus was her answer.

“Where is Mark?” Mark’s mother stood in the doorway.
Carla scowled. I thought how downright scary she could be sometimes. My ribbons rippled in fright.

“You scared the two away,” Carla accused.

Mrs. Taylor bustled in and swept around the room.

“I don’t understand. Where did they go?” I could detect a smidgen of glee in her voice that the wedding wouldn’t take place.

I don’t think she’d grasped the fact the wedding wasn’t off. It had just changed locations.

Carla indicated the window. “Jessie and Mark must have escaped out this way.”

“What?” I swear I heard dogs howl in response from that screech.

Mrs. Taylor rushed to the window, stuck her head out. It looked like she paused a moment as if she considered following, but then thought better of it. Raising her head before she was clear of the frame, I heard a resounding thunk that ruffled my lace.

“Damn it.” Rubbing her head, she cleared and swiveled to stare at other occupants. “At least they’ve come to their senses. This wedding was a farce.”

“What’s a farce, Grandmother?”

I hadn’t noticed little Sarah join the group. The little girl went to her grandmother, tilted her head. “Aren’t Missy and I going to spread the rose petals?”

“I’m sorry, you’re disappointed. But soon Mark will find a woman who will be more responsible and then you can spread your petals.” She grasped her granddaughters hand and led her toward the door.

“You don’t get it do you, Claudia?” I’d never heard Carla use the woman’s first name.

As if they were equals.

“Excuse me?” Clearly the woman didn’t like the familiarity.

Carla got in her face.

I was enjoying this. The two lovebirds were on their way to happiness. Did Carla know she was giving them time?

I knew if Mrs. Dragon Lady had an inkling of where they were headed she’d find them and stop them. It didn’t matter they were in love. What mattered was, in the Taylor’s opinion, Jessie Perez was from the wrong side of the zipper’s foot and that would never do for her son.

“The kids haven’t called off the wedding you idiot.” The gathers on my bodice tightened as I waited for Carla to drop the other shoe. “They’re eloping.”

“What?” There goes the dog screech again.

Mrs. Taylor didn’t wait for a confirmation. She yanked her young granddaughter behind her. “Let’s go find your mother. Then I’ll tell Damon, he’ll put a stop to this nonsense.”

Silence ruffled my chapel train. Then Katie burst into laughter, Joey and Carla joining her. I wasn’t really sure what was so funny.

Sometimes people humor escaped me.

“I’m sorry I guess I shouldn’t laugh.” Katie wiped at her face with her arm. “You don’t think she can stop them, do you?”

Carla shrugged. “I have no idea where they’ve gone. I’m sure she doesn’t either.”

She sighed and started to pick up the items Jessie had left around the bride room. Joey and Katie silently helped. I could tell all three may be disappointed about missing the wedding, however they knew Mark and Jessie had made the right decision.

I wondered if now I’d finally find out my fate?

A few minutes later, with everything in Jessie’s bag except me, the three women left. I was still snug as a glove on the dress mannequin.

I heard voices in the hall and almost felt the disenchantment that everything had been canceled. After a while, everything grew silent.

Shadows snuck across the room. Then the moon-light filtered through the blinds and I realized I’d been forgotten.