A/N: Wedding Preparations are in full swing! With it being that the 1940's sizes were much different nowadays, I am just going to be sticking to more modern measurements :) Big thanks to Meowser Hotchner (who is probably my only dedicated reader that I know for sure of) and all over her. Enjoy xx Mariah
Katherine had somehow talked her mother into taking her dress shopping. It probably had something to do with her big eyes or the fact that Melinda can hardly ever say no to her daughter, but the smile on her daughter's every time her upcoming wedding to Ned Banks made it all worth it.
Her little girl was in love and who was she to deny her a brand new dress.
After parking the family car outside the town's dress shop Melinda and her daughter walked inside, the air-conditioning that cooled them both off immediately. The locally owned shop gleamed inside and out, an open, bright space filled with dresses and fabrics of all the colors in the spectrum. Although it was a small shop, it made the most of the space it had, with dresses packing the shop but not overflowing it or to the point where it would feel tight or cramped.
The sunlight shone brightly through the windows giving the space a lovely natural light.
"May I?" Katherine spoke up and ran her fingers over a rack of blue dresses.
"Of course. I'm going to talk to the seamstress about where we should find your size," Melinda told her daughter and smiled at her.
Katie disappeared rather quickly as Melinda made her way to the counter.
"How can I help you?" A woman with measuring tape asked. "Is there something you are looking for specific?"
"A wedding dress for my daughter," Melinda explained. "Price isn't much of a worry, but the measurements obviously are."
"Of course," the seamstress shared a laugh. "Do you need me to take them?"
"I took her measurements before we left home," she said and pulled out a small piece of paper.
"And they are?" The seamstress asked, grabbing her clipboard with the inventory.
"Her bust is thirty-five inches, her waist is twenty-three and a half inches give or take that half an inch, and her hips around thirty-eight inches." She explained. "If you'd like this you can have it."
"Are you sure you measured correctly? A waist that small with such large hips and a bust is not commonly heard of," the seamstress asked and took the piece of paper as she came around the counter. "I'd like to remeasure just to see for myself."
"I'm positive," she laughed. "I used to be her size before I had her. I gained a few inches afterward as most women do. She ran off this way."
"Well just to be sure I'll remeasure her," the seamstress said as they looked through the rows of dresses. "How old is she, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Seventeen," she answered. "She and her fiance are worried about him being drafted to war before they have the chance of being married, so the process is on a high pace."
"I'll try to make sure you leave here happy and with a beautiful wedding dress, ma'am." The seamstress said with a smile. "I think I see her."
"Oh mama, I think I've found the one mama." Katherine came running up to her with one dress on her arm. "I just hope it fits."
"The first dress is hardly ever the one the bride chooses," the seamstress said. "Let's go get you remeasured and see if this dress is even an option."
Katherine nodded and the woman escorted her and her mother to a fitting room. Melinda settled on the large vintage blue couch and waited.
The seamstress helped her out of her yellow suit. The yellow jacket was easily removed, and the matching skirt slid off next because the green decorative top was tucked in. The seamstress quickly wrapped the measuring tape around her bust.
"Thirty-five inches," the seamstress muttered and went to her waist. "Twenty-three and a half," and moved to her hips. "Thirty-eight. Wow. You have a lovely figure."
"Thank you," she blushed. "Do you think I could try on the dress now?"
"Oh, right." The seamstress reached for the dress that was now hanging up and read the measurement tag. "It'll fit a little tight around your hips, but I can let it out a bit if we need too. You'll need to remove your brassiere to put this on so the fabric doesn't rip. and because the shoulders are lace."
"Alright," she muttered, her cheeks blushed and she reached around her back to unclasp the contraption, mentally reminding herself to never let Ned leave a love bite on her chest again.
"No need to be nervous. I've fitted half of this town for dresses, seen many figures in this very fitting room." The seamstress chuckled as the undergarment was shed. "Now step in here."
Katherine did as she was instructed and felt the fabric slide up her stomach and over her chest. She slipped her arms into the sleeves carefully not to rip the fabric.
"Oh, it fits you like a glove." The seamstress asked smoothing out the dress. "Any uncomfortable places?"
"No," she said looking at herself in the mirror. "It's very beautiful. How much?"
"Sixty-five dollars," the seamstress said and slowly buttoned the back up. "It's your skin tone very well, my dear. And your hair looks beautiful with it too, have you decided if you're leaving it up or down yet?"
"I was thinking about pinning it up with a braid," she said bundling her hair up on her hair.
"That would suit you very well, should we show your mother?" The seamstress asked reaching for the door.
"Yes," she said and let her hair fall down.
"After you," the seamstress says opening the door slightly.
She pushed the door open and stepped out. "So?" She asked and smiled at her mother softly. "What do you think?"
The dress was perfect, it sat on her body as if it had been made for her. Its lace fabric hugged her figure following her curves and the white was gorgeous against her olive skin. The open neck was waved with lace and covered her ample cleavage, a light pink bow was tied around and sat on her waist, and it's tight skirt flowed out over her black pumps. Her ash brown hair hung perfectly over her shoulders and down past her chest in its natural curls.
She looked stunning.
"You were so right about finding the right dress," Melinda stood and touched her daughter lightly. "You look perfect."
"It's a bit expensive mama," she said softly and wiped her mother's falling tear.
"The price isn't a worry, your father and I want you to have the best." Melinda smiled.
"Oh alright," she sighed and smiled. "Let's get me out of this then and get home before daddy and Ned get too restless."
She disappeared and came out in her yellow suit a minute later, the seamstress coming out with her dress.
"I'll have this wrapped up for you in a jiffy. Meet you at the counter," the seamstress smiled.
"Ned's going to love your dress," Melinda added and locked her arm with her daughter.
"He loves anything that hugs my figure," she snickered.
"Very true. Remind me to make sure to cover up those marks," her mother reminded her. "I'm glad to see you so happy, sweet pea."
"I'm going to marry the man of my dreams. Of course, I'm happy," she said as she leaned on the counter.
The doorbell dinged to reveal Edna and Betty Davis snickering as they saw the pair at the counter.
"Why on earth are you two here? Not like you have any Fourth of July bash to go to," Betty said sharply.
Katherine knew better than to converse with one of the Davis'. It would only be another gossip story for everyone to spread around until it as nowhere near the truth.
"Your total is sixty-five dollars," the seamstress brought the dress out in a clear bag.
"Is that a wedding dress?" Betty questioned.
"Betty," Edna warned. "No need to start something. She already knows you're better than her."
Melinda quickly wrote a check and gave it to her.
"Thank you for everything," Melinda said with a smile.
"Of course. Have a wonderful day," the seamstress smiled and slid the check under the till.
"Who'd marry you after you wrongly-accused my brother?" Betty stood in front of Katherine, who calmly looked at her. "Come on, we both know you want to say something to me."
"My business is none of your damn business. Go stick your nose up someone else's ass," she said and pushed past her.
Melinda bit in her laughter and both women turned their rage to her.
"Are you just going to let your daughter spiral out of control?" Edna gasped. "I'm so sorry that she's not marrying my William. She's marrying that poor mechanic, isn't she?"
"I think you and your daughter should follow what my daughter said and mind your own business," Melinda said softly. "Have a nice day, you two." Melinda followed her daughter out and met her with a smile and they both laughed. "You really shouldn't talk like that to them, even if they deserve it."
"I'm sorry," she laughed. "I'm so sick of Betty Davis stickin' her nose where it doesn't belong."
"I know, sweet pea," Melinda said as she laid the dress out in the back seat. "Let's go get some milkshakes before we go home."
"Ooh, milkshakes!" She exclaimed. "I want a strawberry one."
"Me too," Melinda said winking as her hand graced over her small bump. "Your little brother or sister insists on it."
Katie laughed as they pulled out of their space and sped off toward the milkshake place across town.
Meanwhile, Ned and Jim were back at home on the couch watching a game show.
"What's on your mind, son?" Jim asked as he took a swig of a beer. "You've been staring at that envelop since before my wife and Katherine left."
"Would it be possible for me to live here before the wedding?" Ned asked.
"You were drafted," Jim sighed. "I'm sorry, son."
"I have two weeks left with her," he muttered and fiddled with the envelope. "Then they send us off for training for two weeks before shipping all us eighteen and seventeen-year-olds out to Germany."
"I wish there was something I could do for you. All I have is some advice," Jim answered and Ned simply nodded and settled back into the couch. "Keep a leveled head. Don't do anything stupid to get yourself killed because Katherine, she'll never recover if she loses you like that. Don't try to be some hero. Heroes get themselves killed."
"Yes, sir," he answered.
"At least you've got the sir part down," Jim patted his back. "I think you'll be fine if you follow what I said. Just do as your told by your Lieutenant." Jim paused and stood up, motioning for Ned to walk with him. "That's what I did and I came back in one piece, didn't I? Let's go get your stuff. You deserve to spend every waking moment with her. I'll make sure you're married before you leave, just in case..."
"Yeah. I hope so," he sighed. "Not many return from being drafted over there unharmed."
Jim grabbed his car keys and they left quickly before Melinda and Katherine had even returned.
"What do you want to bring?" Jim asked as he backed out of the driveway.
"Just my clothing and a few other things." He explained.
"Alright. I think Melinda and I decided what your wedding gift would be," Jim said softly.
"You have given us too much already, Jim." He said softly. "There's no need for more gifts."
"We just want you to be happy, and you won't really get it until you get back," Jim answered. "But Melinda and I have decided that we'd help you purchase a house of your own. No need to pay us back or anything, just live your life together when you get home."
"What if I don't come back?" He sighed. "Please still let her get that gift. It'll help her."
"I have a strong feeling you will return home, Ned. You need to go over there thinking you're going to come back or you won't," Jim said and parked in front of Ned's home. "Do you need any help gathering your things?"
"No," he said. "I don't have much. I'll be out quickly."
The older man settled into his seat and turned the dial on the radio, closing his eyes as the music of Tommy Dorsey flooded his ears. He'd make sure his little girl was happy before Ned left if it was the last thing he did.