Page 74 of It Happened Duo
Maisy laughed. “This isn’t Downton Abbey. This is the modern age. Chelsea isn’t beneath Rex, and he wouldn’t ask for that just for money’s sake, would he?”
“I mean, there’s rich, but the Buchanan’s areobscenelyrich. Sometimes I think how it must be nice to be so loaded. But all that money… what a burden as well.” I shook my head.
Recently, when I met up with Miriam for coffee to discuss the schedule for the wedding day, I happened to view the spreadsheet where she left her binder open to the page she kept meticulous calculations. I almost choked on my cappuccino seeing the total spent so far on the bottom line.
“The other day, Miriam spent ten thousand dollars on a custom made virgin white wool rug that will run down theaisle at Fifth Avenue Church. Only it’ll be unrolled right before I walk down, and rolled right back up after. Ten thousand dollars and I’ll be the only one to tread on it before it gets tossed away or donated. I could think of better ways to spend the money and not waste it on the wedding day.”
“She knows you’re not a virgin, right?” Maisy guffawed. She should be the one to talk, saving herself all these years. At least, as far as I knew, she and Brooks never…
Anyway, they’d cooled things off between them for now, and it was probably for the best. Long-distance relationships were hard enough, but being oceans apart once she leaves this week on the ship? It was better this way so she could focus on things as she prepared to depart New York. Damn, I’d miss my sister.
“Knock, knock. Did I hear someone’s a virgin? You, Chelsea?” India entered the dressing room, ready to pounce on this bit of juicy gossip on camera. I grit my teeth against the intrusion.
“No, it was a joke. What’s the game plan for today?” I diverted her attention away from virgin territory. She consulted her clipboard.
“Let’s see. The crew and I just finished interviews with the mothers and Agnes. What a shame to hear about your mother’s wedding gown; she nearly cried on camera telling the tale of her love story with your dad.”
I hated hearing this. India might be a good producer, but really, did the viewing audience need to see my mother crying?
“Anyway, you and Maisy each have three gowns to tryon and show off. We’ll film the mother’s reactions. Then we’ll take a lunch break, and wrap up with my interview with you. It’ll all take about four hours total, with a brief lunch break, I estimate.”
“Great. We’ll be right out.” I almost shut the door on her and waited until I heard her footsteps tread away, then let out a sigh.
“You’ll get through this, Chelsea,” Maisy assured me, squeezing my arms.
“It’s fine, really. I’m about to marry an amazing man, and that’s all that matters. So, I can put up with cameras intruding on us a little.” I shrugged it off as best I could.
“I’m so happy for you.” Maisy hugged me tight, squeezing the air out of me, then reaching for some bobby pins. In the mirror, I watched as she pinned bits of my hair up, leaving the rest down in a half-up do.
“Are you going to be okay? Because I know you were pretty sad over Brooks after the spring break trip, and we have had little time to talk. Oh, I like this look.” I eyed myself side to side, trying to image a veil and tiara for my wedding day hairdo.
“I’m not going to lie. It’s been tough to feel so many things for him, when I also want to pursue my career. I mean, what woman in their right mind would turn down this cool opportunity to sail the world? It’s hard to say if Brooks really understood that.” With her eyes and entire face downcast, I felt bad about how hard I’d been on them about their budding relationship.
But in true Maisy fashion, she refused to talk moreabout it, moving on quickly. “Now, which gown shall we parade in front of the cameras first?”
I let it go, and hoped for the best. Her whole life was ahead of her and the last thing she needed to think about was a man. I vowed not to bring up Brooks again.
43
WEAR THE DAMN HEELS
CHELSEA
After the primary filming concluded,India and her filming crew left for their lunch break. While they were gone, it was finally time for me to show the gown I really loved best to Mom, Maisy, Miriam, and Sophie to get their opinions.
No way was I going to show the gown in front of the cameras before Rex had a chance to see it at the altar. Some things had to remain private from public viewing.
“There. Zip me.” Maisy turned, and I obliged, bringing the dark red zipper halfway up her back and admiring the red velvet off-shoulder look with long lacy sleeves.
“Perfect for a Christmas wedding. What do you think?” I asked, admiring her in the mirror.
“I love it, but what about the other bridesmaids?” She twisted to view the low back of the gown.
When I’d asked my lifelong friends from Holly Creek to be my bridesmaids, they all came right down thefollowing weekend to try on gowns, and left their measurements behind so we could order when ready. With Miriam footing the bill, they were eager for anything, no matter the price. All that remained was my final decision, and this was it.
“This was one of their favorites, too. So it’s settled. Yay. One major decision done today. Now for my gown,” I said. It was time to try on the gown I’d been eyeing. Sophie helped me get it off the hanger, unzipped it, and readied it for me to step in.
“Before you put this on, have you even peeked at the price of these gowns? Because I feel like I should wear white gloves to touch them.” Sophie worried.
