AN: Oh dang! This chapter got really long. Sorry about that. Well, hopefully it'll make up for the long wait. School was light this week but not for long, so please enjoy. Now I know this is supposed to be set in 2013, but it was a real challenge trying to find really nice dresses, so some of the descriptions are going to be more from this year.
While Jack was thinking of Sally, in the mortal world Sally was thinking of her dearest Jack.
She had woken before sunrise, missing her favorite boney pillow. Waking up in a new room should have been a routine by now, but this time when she woke up alone, it was so strange. It really was a new experience for her. Instead of the cozy dark walls of home, things here were more bright. For lack of a better term, everything was more alive.
What bothered her the most was not having anything to remind her of Jack. There were some things she took from their room, but most of it was her clothes and her sewing supplies, and of course the wedding dresses. All of her personal belongings she had packed into the trunk at the foot of the bed so the room looked like it once more belonged to Jack.
The room she occupied now was so bare. Her clothes were packed into the dresser while the wedding gowns hung in the closet. Her sewing machine sat atop the dresser closest to the closet.
Right now she was looking at the wall where she had hung a framed drawing of Jack in the pumpkin patch by her bedside. The sketch had a notable tear through the center that had been carefully taped back together. Sally smiled and reached for the drawing. She ran her finger over the paper scar, remembering how it got that tear. She could still see the scene playing over in her mind.
"You don't look like yourself, Jack. Not at all."
"Isn't that wonderful? It couldn't be more wonderful!"
"But you're the Pumpkin King!"
"Not anymore!"
CRACK!
"I feel so much better now!"
Despite all that occurred that day, Sally had felt so awful about the picture. It had been drawn so well only for Jack to just break it in two, so she had picked up the broken pieces and hidden them under some extra material on her sewing machine. The next day during the town's cleanup, Sally had gone back to retrieve the items. She was still living with Doctor Finkelstein at the time, but had been able to fix it during those rare moments of privacy that she got in the lab. On the day she moved in with Jack, he had spotted it at her bedside.
Sally laughed, remembering how embarrassed she had been to find him holding it. Sure, he had been a little self-deprecating with himself for it, however, he had been able to laugh at the memory, even more so because she had gone back for it. Try as she might, she hadn't been able to get it away from him, nor escape his teasing comments about how cute and flattering it was. The worst part of it had been that the picture was sitting beside some other mementos from him that she had kept. He really didn't let her live that one down.
Smiling, she kissed the picture before placing it back on the wall. With a yawn, she pushed back the covers and got out of bed. She was about to reach for her robe when she realized this wasn't her room, so her robe wasn't by the bed like she usually had it. She checked the closet, but found only the dresses she had hung there.
"I must've packed it in one of the dressers." She searched through the drawers, but there wasn't any sign of it. "Hmm… I was sure I put it in here."
Sally continued to dig when she suddenly grabbed something. She thought it was another of her nightgowns, but the color was stark white instead of cream. She pulled it out of the drawer and held it up. She blushed at the sight of one of Jack's dress shirts in her hands.
"Oh, I must of grabbed this instead of my robe by accident." She worried her lip at making such a silly mistake before shrugging to herself. "Oh well, Jack does have about a dozen of these. Maybe he won't notice one missing…"
She smoothed out the wrinkles from being hastily packed into a drawer, running her fingers on the polished white buttons, the spread collar and French cuff, and split back yoke with center back box pleats. The thin material was a simple cotton/polyester blend with a traditional placket. Jack always looked so sharp in this shirt. She brought the shirt up to press it to her face and inhaled, happily finding a lingering trace of her beloved's cologne still in the familiar fabric.
"Oh Jack…" she whispered longingly. Cuddling the shirt one more time, she quickly set it under her pillow before heading out to find the girls.
XXX
With a yawn, Will emerged from her room. She was so exhausted from last night, having done a mega movie marathon of some classic movies, and none of them had gone to sleep till after midnight. It was worth it though because Sally's reaction was absolutely priceless!
The movies were a mix of everything since they didn't have a real set genre for what they wanted to watch, but that was okay since Sally wasn't picky either. Al had picked first, insisting on The Last Unicorn for Sally's first viewing pleasure. The story had mesmerized the rag doll, who eagerly watched as a brave unicorn and a magician fought an evil king attempting to capture the world's unicorns; though she did pout at seeing that Amalthea and Prince Lir didn't remain together.
For the next movie, Sally had oddly enough picked Gremlins after spotting the critters on the front of the film. Mogwai had been dozing in her lap when his namesake was revealed, giving the rag doll a pleasant surprise when the sleepy pug had perked up with a attentive snort. They had watched several more, but Al insisted they end the night with one of the greatest movies of all time: The Princess Bride.
Will smiled. It was a great movie, though Sally surprised them both when she commented about how Prince Humperdinck sounded just like Jack. Both Al and Will had a good laugh regarding that one.
Still laughing, Will shuffled into the kitchen. She was thinking about how to start the day, thinking she would first need a large cup of coffee, when her sharp nose caught a most delicious scent. She followed it into the kitchen, and to no surprise, found Sally busying away at making breakfast.
"Morning early bird," Will greeted. Sally turned to smile as she asked, "What are you making that smells so good?"
"Oh, I hope you don't mind. I had to search around, but I found some ingredients I'm familiar with using in my kitchen back home." She turned to show her the counter full of her findings: fruits, eggs, bacon and sausage, jams, bagels, cheese, and porridge. Will was a little overwhelmed.
"The ingredients are a little different than what I'm used to, so I hope they taste alright," Sally said, returning to the stove.
"If it looks as good as it smells, most definitely! Seriously, you didn't have to make so much."
"Coooffffeeee…" They turned to find Al slowly walking into the kitchen. She pushed past them both to reach the red and black coffee machine.
"Good morning to you, Al," Sally greeted.
Back remaining towards them, the girl growled out, "Don't say it's a fine morning or I'll shoot ya!"
Will rolled her eyes. "Don't take it too literally," she said to Sally, hoping to ease her friend's concern. "Al is the type who's not into socializing until after she's had her first cup of coffee."
"Oh."
"Yeah, once she's had her coffee, then we can get to planning out the day," Will said, reaching around to grab a plate and load up on what Sally had put together. She also put together a plate for Al before motioning Sally towards the dinning area.
The two weren't seated long before Al joined them, steaming coffee mug in each hand. As they dug into their plates, Will was the first to break the silence.
"So, I'm thinking after breakfast we should get moving. Al, what time was our appointment again?"
The redhead held up a finger as she took a long sip of coffee. "Got a morning, early afternoon appointment so have time to try on extra dresses. So we cannot be late!"
"No kidding, but first we have to get ready and pick up the other two members of our party," Will added.
Sally looked up from her plate. "What other members?"
Al smirked over her coffee while Will replied. "Another tradition," she said. "See, while some brides go with just their bridesmaids, most prefer to be surrounded by family—mainly mothers."
Sally was a little quiet, just processing what she'd just been told. Frankly, she had no idea what to think. She wasn't sure what to personally make of this custom, but it seemed to be an important one. Though, she wondered how Will planned to accomplish this? As she looked at her friends, she noticed the unease on their faces.
"Oh girls, don't worry," she quickly said. "I'm not upset. A little surprised, maybe, but certainly not upset."
"It's just, well, we know you were made in a lab, but we knew the consultant might ask, so we thought…"
Sally held up her hand. "While I appreciate your concern, it really isn't necessary. I never had traditional parents, but it's not something I can say I'm disappointed about."
"Wait, I thought that cranky doctor made a wife," Al chimed in. "And didn't Will said you guys were like a family unit now, or something?"
Sally went to respond but stopped. Now that it was brought up, things had been different with the Doctor. Since that first Christmas, they had more of a parental-type bond. Whenever she would visit, the Doctor was gruff but pleasant, and she enjoyed her talks with Jewel. Why, after the moonflower incident, she had even started calling her by name instead of Mrs. Finklestein. Thinking about that time did make Sally blush, considering while under that potent plant's influence she had even called the Doctor and Jewel her parents.
"Huh, maybe I do have more experience with that than I thought. And you know, Jewel was the one who helped me design my first dress."
"See? So it totally makes sense for her to be there," Will said.
"But what about blending in? Isn't that why you and Doctor Finklestein made those devices fo Jack and I?"
"What devices?" Al asked.
Will chuckled. "Who do you think offered to test them out?" she said, ignoring Al for the moment. "I made sure to set it aside so Fink wouldn't try to reconfigure it into one for you or Jack. Jewel doesn't know, so it'll be a great surprise."
Sally was touched. "Will, that is very sweet of you. Thank you." She was about to take another bite of eggs when she remembered something. "You said we were picking up two members. Who is the second?"
"Oh, La Muerte of course," Will said. She finished her breakfast and was headed for the kitchen. "That one was last minute, but hey, who better to have along than another relative? Plus, I thought it'd be best to have someone along to keep Al from putting you in a super sexy dress."
"Awww, what? I thought we could do that because she can't wear white anymore?"
"Don't whine, Ally. This is her wedding day. She should look amazing and besides, Jack's aunt is way conservative, and probably would set the place on fire if the bride was showing too much."
"Jack has an aunt? Okay, why is no one telling Al things anymore?!"
"Oh dear, she's gone third person. Look, Al, I'll fill you in while we get ready, if you hurry!"
The offer quickly triggered Al to finish her smaller portion. Meanwhile, Sally was still puzzling over something.
"Wait, what's significant about wearing white?" she asked, a brow arched in confusion. "My first dress wasn't… Well, not really."
"Never mind that. Look, we need to get going if we wanna get to the appointment on time."
"Isn't it a little early? I thought most shops didn't open for a few hours," Sally noted as she spotted the clock.
"Oh, we're not shopping here. Where we're going it's already ten o'clock." Before Sally could question it, Will pulled up the chain around her neck to reveal her key. "This baby saves me so much on airfare!"
"Oh, well…"
"Ah, not another word. Come on, ladies, let's get a move on!" Will dragged a groaning Al off into the back while Sally just chuckled.
Having finished her breakfast, Sally set her dishes in the sink and was just about to clean them, but decided against it with their appointment scheduled so soon. Instead, she headed for her room. It didn't take her long to change, brush her hair, and put on the hologram device. Once it was in place, Sally pressed the button and took another look at her human guise. She made some adjustments before heading off to find the girls. She was surprised to find they were both still getting ready.
"Not ready!Not ready!Not ready!Not ready!" Al shouted as she ran from her room to the bathroom.
Sally just laughed before knocking on Will's door. "Will, almost done in there?"
"Just a sec." Sally was about to walk away when she heard, "Uh, actually, could you give me a hand? I can't reach this button on the back."
"Sure. I'm coming in."
Stepping inside, Sally found Will struggling to reach a small button on the back of her shirt collar. She walked up behind her, setting a hand on the girl's shoulder to still her so she could reach the button. Once it was in place, Will turned with an appreciative smile.
"Oh thanks! I had a heck of a time reach– What are you wearing?"
Sally looked down at her dress. "Is something the matter?"
"No, well, actually yes. Sorry but this is one of the drawbacks of not having your earrings project clothes. Your dress is totally you, but it's not something that humans wear."
"Oh… Well, this really is all I have. I don't tend to make many clothes for myself."
"Not even for date nights?" Will asked. "You know, never mind. Looks like we'll be adding another shopping trip to our agenda. For now, you can borrow something of mine again."
"Thank you."
Will walked over to her closet and opened the doors. "Okay, a dress would be good since it'll be easier to get out of for clothes shopping. Hmm.. and the weather is warm where we're going, so something sleeveless will be okay. Now that I'm thinking about it, do you have a strapless bra? I think cups are built into most bridal dresses, but it would help if you wanna wear one for the fitting."
"A bra? What're you talking about?"
Will froze and slowly turned to face Sally with an incredulous look. "Sally, please tell me you didn't just say what I think you just said?"
"What do you–"
"Never mind! Save that for later," Will interrupted, gold out an outfit for her to change into. "Let's hold this off till after the fitting. This is really gonna make Al's shopping trip way more interesting."
XXX
The American Museum of Natural History…
The daily crowd of spectators were gathering outside the museum, but unbeknownst to them, there lie a secret door just hidden on the side of the building. That door opened up and a tall redhead stepped out, her blue eyes scanning the area around her before she stepped outside.
"Alright, ladies, coast is clear."
She stepped back as her traveling companions emerged. The first was another redheaded young lady. She wore a dark gray jean skirt with a white button-down tied at the waist, and black ankle boots. Her autumn hair was pulled into a low ponytail, and her onyx eyes were wide as she tried to memorize everything she saw.
On her arm was an older woman, who wore a chartreuse pencil dress with a full pleated skirt, and over it she wore a matching coat trimmed in fur to match the hat sitting atop her blonde pageboy. She also wore black gloves and heels, while a set of red beads adorned her neck and ears. She scowled at the brightness of the day, her rouge lips turned down in a sneer.
"Goodness! Never thought the human world would be so bright," she hissed. "Heavens, how does anyone see anything?"
"Here Jewel, these outta help." Another blonde emerged, handing the older woman a pair of dark sunglasses.
"Thank you, Willa dear." She took the lenses and sighed in relief. "Much better!"
"Come on, Ally!" Will called into the hidden door. "You were the one who said we can't be late!"
"Okay, okay." The final member trudged out, a sour glare directed at her friend. "Get to explore a cool secret room, but actually not because my friend is a party pooper."
"I'm sorry, sweetie," the oldest redhead replied. "I promise I'll give you a proper tour once we finish finding Sally a dress."
"I have to say, La Muerte, I'm still having a hard time believing that's you," Will said, appraising the disguised goddess. "It's uncanny, and your voice sounds totally different."
"Thank you. Xibalba and I have had to take on many forms when walking in the mortal realm," La Muerte explained as she sealed the door. "This is my most recent form. I thought it would be great for my next job interview."
"Wait, Death Deities get day jobs? What madness is this?" Al asked.
La Muerte laughed as she turned to descend the stairs. "Never you mind. Come on. We need to get a cab or we'll be late."
The party walked out to the street while La Muerte hailed a cab. They were lucky enough to snag one that would fit all five of them, and it took about fifteen minutes before they were dropped off at their destination. Excitedly, Will and Al lead the way as they entered the bridal boutique. Everyone was in awe of the place, so much so that they almost missed when the front desk clerk greeted them.
"Hello ladies, welcome to Kleinfeld. How can I help you today?"
Al was the one who responded. "Hey, I'm with the Tanner party. I called this morning about the slight change in the bride."
The consultant tapped a few keys on her computer. "Ah yes! Ms. Tanner, we're happy to have you back. Now, who is my bride today?"
"Oh, umm, me," Sally said, raising her hand. "I-I'm Sally."
"Welcome! I'm Audrey, and I'll be your consultant today. Now, who do we have here?"
"Oh, umm, of course. Uh… W-Well, this is Al, though you just met her. Oh, and this i-is Will. They're going to be my bridesmaids."
Audrey shook each of their hands before Sally turned to Jewel, unconsciously taking ahold of her hand. "This is Jewel, my m-mother." Saying it aloud was so surreal, but Sally was overjoyed by the smile Jewel gave her, in addition to the gentle squeezed of her hand as the older woman shook hands with the consultant. "And this is…"
"Mary Beth, aunt of the groom," La Muerte politely interrupted, shaking the consultant's hand. "Pleasure to meet you."
"Well, welcome, all of you. Now, before we get started, what exactly are we looking for today?" The question was directed at Sally.
"Oh, umm, well… I guess I-I don't know, exactly." Sally didn't know what to say. She was so nervous, but she knew she shouldn't be. Taking a breath, she tried thinking of her original dress, and found that focusing on her seamstress knowledge seemed to help ease her nerves quite a bit.
"Well, I'd like a sheath silhouette with long sleeves. Something very simple."
"Alright… And do we have a price point?" The consultant asked.
"Price point?"
"I got this." Will stepped forward, "Thinking around two to five thousand, but actually, we're in a bit of a pinch. The bride needs a dress in two weeks."
"I'm sorry, but did you say two weeks?"
"Yeah, I know. But there were complications with the first dress, so we're hoping to get something we can take home today."
"Oh, wow. That's gonna limit your selection quite a bit, I'm afraid," Aubrey revealed, her expression conflicted at this new information. "It will have to be one of the models we have on the floor… This may also cause complications with getting you alterations."
"No need," Sally supplied helpfully, now feeling a bit more comfortable than before. "I'll be altering the dress myself."
"Well, in that case, if I could have everyone follow me, please. We'll go shopping for a dress."
They followed the consultant into the back of the store, and Sally quickly overwhelmed yet again. She had never seen so many dresses in her entire life! There seemed to be countless gowns hanging up, displayed on mannequins, and many young ladies trying on gowns. She didn't know how she would ever find something, and she had been so caught up in her own thoughts that she almost missed when the group stopped in front of a selection of dresses.
"So these here are our sheath style gowns. Have a look and select anything you like."
"Actually, Aubrey, do you mind also showing us where the flamenco-style dresses are?" Mary Beth inquired, before smiling at the future bride with a certain sparkle in her eye. "I know you said a sheath, Sally, but I wouldn't mind seeing you in something in silk and lace with ruffles. Ooo, and a mantilla veil and tiara!"
"Oh, umm..."
"Sorry, I just would love to see you like a Latina princess."
"Well, a-alright then."
"Ooo! And I wanna see her in an A-Line or Trumpet," Al said, despite Will's protests. "Girl has curves that she's just gotta show off!"
"Sure. We'll start with the bride's picks and then try out some other options."
After a few dresses were selected, Aubrey directed the bridal party to where they could sit on a large couch in front of a runway and large mirror, then took Sally into the back where the dressing rooms were.
"Alright, Sally, you just slip into this robe and then knock to let me know when you're really for me to help you into the first gown."
"O-Okay…"
When Aubrey left, Sally took a deep breath. She just couldn't believe this was happening. To think people were so kind and helpful, though she was a little nervous about the dress. She had never had help putting on clothes before; even with her original gown she had no assistance getting it on. Stepping over to the gowns on the rack, Sally then saw why she would need assist. Each gown either had a series of buttons or was laced like an elaborate corset.
Not wanting to make the consultant wait any longer, Sally shed her clothes and reached for the robe. She caught a glance of herself in the mirror, and was surprised again to see the human her staring back.
So it goes even this far, she thought, assessing her form. I doubt I'll ever get used to this. Quickly slipping on the robe, she knocked on the door.
"Alright. Do we have an idea what we'd like to try on first?" Aubrey asked as she stepped into the room.
"Well, I-I'm not sure…" Sally looked over the dresses concealed within the plastic bags—so many to choose from. One had been her own, while others were chosen by her friends, but the one La Muerte insisted on her trying had immediately caught her eye.
"What about this one?" Sally asked, fingering the page.
"Ah, I was wondering about that one," Aubrey said as she unzipped the bag and reveal the textured gown within. "So this is the one your fiancé's aunt picked out. It's a Lazaro fit n' flare bridal gown in ivory white, with strapless sweetheart neckline, beaded Chantilly lace elongated bodice with thin satin ribbon at natural waist, ruffled organza skirt, chapel train."
Sally was suddenly very grateful Aubrey was there to help to her. The gown was enormous! She nearly tripped over all the ruffles. When it was finally on, Sally waited for Aubrey to fasten the dress before looking at herself. It was different, to say the least.
"What are we thinking about this dress?" Aubrey asked.
"It looks.. nice," Sally responded. She checked the sides and thought it looked okay. It reminded her of the dress La Muerte wore only white and, honestly—though not to be rude to her future in-law—the skirt looked like a crow had its feathers bleached, plucked and stuffed onto the skirt.
"But we're not totally loving it," Aubrey said, hearing it in Sally's voice. "Do we wanna show the others, or try something else?"
"No no, I'll show them." Sally picked up the skirt and followed Aubrey out. She was made to go first and felt a little shy about showing off the dress. She couldn't help thinking to herself that this would be so much easier doing this for Jack. She never really modeled clothes before, not counting the time she tried costumes with the girls—but that was for fun. This, though, was something she would be wearing in front of everyone she knew.
Coming out of the changing room to all their eager faces, Sally started to feel more at ease, though she had forgotten that she was to stand in front of them and it took a few hesitant steps for her to reach the runway. Sally didn't even bother looking at the mirror, instead trying to face everyone with somewhat of a smile.
Aubrey must of sensed her nervousness, and asked, "Alright ladies, what are we thinking?"
"That looks, eh, lovely on you, dear," Jewel stated, "but, well, you don't look comfortable."
"Swan Princess," Al stated, "like not in a good way."
Jewel flinched, but she nodded her head in agreement. "Well, yes, now that I look the skirt is quite long. Perhaps something a little shorter would be better?"
Will was silent, but contemplative. Sally was about to ask her thoughts when she said, "Hey, I saw that on the way in. But wasn't that dress pink?"
"Oh yes, this dress primarily comes in blush, but surprisingly, Ms. Beth found it in white."
"Naturally," Mary Bath hummed approvingly. "Nothing says wedding like a bride in white."
"Well, traditionally, yes, but most brides nowadays try some color," Will quickly stated.
The entourage started going off, making Sally feel a little uneasy. She turned to look at the mirror behind her at the dress. Yes, it was a nice gown, but it just didn't seem to fit her. She wasn't too thrilled having her curves shown off, and to be honest, the dress was very, very constricting.
Seeing her distress, Aubrey asked if she was ready to try on the next dress. Sally nodded and excused herself. When they got back to the privacy of the dressing room and Sally was freed from her bondage, she immediately dismissed all the mermaid style dresses, leaving the sheath ones she pulled.
"Oh, I think I'd like to try this one next." Sally pointed to the bag containing a sheath dress she chose.
"Perfect!"
The moment she had it on, Sally and Aubrey returned to show everyone. Sally seemed a little happier with this dress.
"Oh, this one is pretty nice," Al said, "but there's something familiar about it."
Aubrey nodded and started to talk about the dress. "This is a Watters sheath. It gives the illusion of an off-the-shoulder neckline and is made fully of Hanover Lace. Now, this particular one has long sleeves, but we also have it available with short sleeves."
"I like this one," Sally said, turning about in front of the mirror. "It's very similar to my original dress."
"I thought it looked familiar," said Jewel, examining the dress again then nodding confidently. "Yes, yes. Why, aside from the fabric, I would swear you were wearing the same dress."
"This was what you had originally?" Mary Beth asked. She got up from her seat and took a closer look. "Well my dear, you certainly have an eye for detail. This looks lovely and very modest on you."
"Thank you." Sally turned to see the youngest members of her bridal party. "Will, what do you think?"
"Well, I agree it's just like your first dress," Will said hesitantly. "It's really pretty on you, but should we get something that's like your first dress? Shouldn't we get something different? Something that'll knock Jack off his feet?"
"Oh, you have a point..." Sally chewed on her lip thoughtfully, looking down at the dress she wore.
"Too bad. This one is so pretty. Maybe we just keep it in the top looks, huh?" Mary Beth suggested.
Sally nodded and followed Aubrey back to the fitting room. There were some more dresses, but each one just reminded her of her first dress. Her disappointed sigh caught her consultant's attention. She then had to explain the reason for finding a new dress. With that in mind, Aubrey quickly excused herself. When she heard a knock on the door, Sally gave her consultant permission to enter, however, the face she saw was of someone new.
"Hello Beautiful!"
Sally never expected to see a man enter the room. He wore a smart looking suit with a colorful tie, and a pair of stylish black glasses were perched on his nose. He had a large smile on his face and seemed friendly enough. Still, she couldn't understand why this man was in her room. She clutched at the top of her robe.
"O-Oh, hello," Sally said shyly. "I'm Sally."
"Pleasure to meet you. Welcome to Kleinfeld. My name is Randy, and Aubrey said we're having trouble finding just the right gown," he explained, his tone was pleasant and Sally felt more relaxed the more he talked. "Now, I don't want you to worry about a thing. We are going to find you the perfect dress." Randy gave her a big smile again.
"O-Okay."
"So, why don't you tell me a little about yourself. How did you and the groom meet?"
"Oh, you mean Jack?" Sally wasn't expecting to have to answer that question, but luckily, the girls had prepared a somewhat alternative version to tell the consultant if it were brought up.
"It's was almost two years ago, now. We lived in the same town, though I had only recently moved in with my father; he needed help around the house. One night I was taking a walk and someone grabbed my bag, causing me to loose my shoe too. I didn't know what to do until, out of the blue, Jack caught the robber and got my bag back. I didn't think I'd see him again, but the next day, he stopped by my father's house to return my lost shoe. From there we became good friends, and over time, I started to fall in love with him... It wasn't until Christmases that he told me he loved me, and we were engaged just this year."
Sally's smile grew as her thoughts turned to Jack, her heart fluttering as she inadvertently gushed about her fiancé. "He's absolute wonderful! I never met anyone so passionate and considerate towards anyone. He's like the king of our town and he's always trying to treat me like his queen, but to me, he's Jack. The man I love and my dearest, dearest friend." She sighed dreamily, a soft blush on her cheeks that even appear on her disguise.
"He sounds like something." Randy's smile seemed to get even brighter. "Okay, now what about your wedding? Is there any specifics you would like to incorporate into the dress?"
"Umm, well, to be honest," Sally confessed, "maybe some fall colors would be nice. We first wanted to plan it in October or December, but those are rather busy times for us, so we chose the summer instead."
"Hmm and why were we looking at those times?" he asked.
"Oh, well, it was Christmas Eve when Jack and I first admitted how we felt, and started courting."
"And October?"
"That's probably the most important month for us," Sally added, her smile even bigger and her eyes sparkling a touch mischievously. "See, you could say Halloween is rather… important in our town. Jack always puts on a spectacular display every year. He lives for it! Why, it's pretty much our favorite holiday." She couldn't help laughing a little. If only he knew the truth, she quietly thought to herself.
"So, I'd love to have a little coloring in my dress. I think just white might be too much."
Randy nodded his head in thought. Suddenly, he was headed for the door. "Wait, I think I have just the dress. Just give me a moment!"
When Randy returned, he had a large smile on his face and a dress bag in hand. "I had to hunt it down, but I just knew you had to try this particular dress."
He set it up on the hanger and unzipped the bag. As he pulled it out, Sally was surprised to see something she never expected.
"I didn't think wedding gowns came in black."
"Oh yes. Many of our brides prefer to take a less traditional route for the wedding gown," Randy explained. "This particular dress is a satin, full-length A-Line, with strapless sweetheart neckline, and ebony beading, appliqué and embroidery along the bodice and chapel train; and it has a natural waistline with a lace up corset back."
Sally fingered the dress, unable to keep her eyes off of it. "You said this was ballgown? But it looks like an A-line."
"That's true. Some tend to confuse the two dresses. The key difference between them is that an A-line gown is close-fitting at the bodice, and flows down to the ground with an unbroken line," Randy explained, "whereas a ballgown is completed by a fitted bodice along with a full, bell-shaped skirt that flows down to floor length."
Randy left so Aubrey could help her with the dress. This one was the most formal of all the gowns she tried. The gown was also a little heavy and large, having multiple layers of fabric and was supported with a bustle. She was grateful, which was rare on her part, that she had been designed fairly tall or she would have been overwhelmed by the full skirt. Once it was on, Sally expected it to be uncomfortable, but it fit just fine. She turned to look in the mirror and gasped.
"C-Can we show this to everyone, please?"
"Oh course." Aubrey lead Sally out of the room, but stayed behind her to help with the train. What Sally didn't see was her whispering to Randy before he disappeared again.
When they arrived out into the viewing area, everyone seemed to still be distracted with their discussion. It wasn't until Jewel spotted Sally that the conversation died down. Everyone turned and while she was nervous about how they'd react, Sally couldn't stop from smiling.
"Holyrabies!" Will shouted. "Sally, you look AMAZING!"
"Damn doll! That was made for you," Al added.
Sally couldn't stop blushing even as her smile grew wider with the feedback.
"Sally, honey, you look like a true queen," Jewel proclaimed, sniffling as she took a tissue from her pocket purse. "I'm sorry, dear. It's just… You just look so beautiful!"
Sally started tearing up; she couldn't help it. "You all really like it?"
"Sally, this dress is perfect for you," Mary Beth said. She walked over and took Sally by the hands. "I may be more traditional, but even I couldn't think of anything better." She pulled Sally closer and whispered in her natural voice, "From one queen to another, you truly look like royalty, cariña."
That finally broke the damn, and Sally couldn't stop as the tears fell. Mary Beth pulled a satin handkerchief from her sleeve and gave it to Sally. It was while she was dabbing her eyes that Randy returned. Will and Al immediately spazzed out at the sight of their favorite TLC star in the flesh, but the designer/consultant was more focused on the bride.
"I'm seeing a lot of smiles. So, are we thinking this is the one?" he asked excitedly.
Sally finished drying her eyes, and smiled eagerly at him. "Oh, it's just perfect. I don't think I could find anything better."
"Well just a moment, because I think it's time we jack you up."
The two girls squealed again, but Sally wasn't sure to what the man was talking about. At least not until he revealed something he had concealed behind his back: a veil and jewelry. He had her close her eyes as he put them on, and then he turned her around. When she opened them, Sally couldn't believe it! She had on a one-tier chapel bridal veil with a pencil edge. She had also been adorned with crystal drop diamond earrings and necklace set. Now she really looked like the future Pumpkin Queen. More importantly, she looked like the future Mrs. Jack Skellington.
"So… Are we saying yes to the dress?" Randy asked.
Sally smiled and nodded. "Yes, yes I am!"