Hey guys! Sorry it has been a few days since last updating. But I hope this chapter makes up for it! Enjoy!


The Return

Chapter 11 – The Perfect Dress

MattiePOV

I woke up to the soft movements of Ric breathing and the feeling of his heart beating in his chest. His arms were wrapped loosely around me, and I felt perfectly safe. I could happily lay there in his arms all day, but today was the day that Roo, Indi and I decided to start planning the wedding. She was coming over at 10.30 and we would go over details and start shopping around to get some ideas.

My head was brimming with ideas, and Indi text me late last night that she had already started making lists of things to do.

"Mattie?" I heard Ric mumble.

"Yeah." I replied softly

"Isn't Indi coming in an hour?" he asked. I glanced over at the clock. It was 9.30.

"Yikes!" I squealed

"She's coming in 40 minutes! I have to take a shower and find my notebook and eat breakfast and call Kit an-!"

"Hey, slow down!" Ric said.

"You're talking a mile a minute! Take a deep breath." Ric instructed. I did as he said and calmly collected my thoughts and figured out what to do. I swiveled out of bed and pulled my white satin dressing gown over my pajamas. I leant over and kissed Ric on the cheek.

"Morning babe." I said. I did an about turn and walked off to the bathroom with the hugest grin on my face. This was going to be a good day I thought to myself. I heard Ric chuckling as I walked through the door.

After I had gotten myself sorted, I found that Roo had grabbed a pile of bridal magazines and put them on the table to look over while I was eating breakfast.

"Want another piece of toast?" Roo asked as the toaster popped.

"Yeah, that would be good thanks." I said looking up from a magazine.

"Vegemite?" she asked.

"Yep, thanks Roo." I said. She slid the plate across the table and stated buttering some toast for herself. Ric came strolling in wearing some blue striped boxer shorts; he swiped a piece of toast from Roo and said

"Thanks Aunty Roo" and walked past giving me a kiss on my head.

"Ric!" Roo protested, laughing. He took a big bite of the toast and grabbed the newspaper. He walked into the living room and sat down on the coach with his feet up on the coffee table. I sighed and rolled my eyes as I turned back to my magazines.

"Hello?" I heard a voice call out. Indi's head popped around the door.

"Hi!" I said

"Come on in." She walked in and passed Ric who was sitting on the couch in his underwear reading the paper. She looked at him weirdly and he just sat there smiling like a dork.

"Excuse him." I said referring to Ric

"He is not great with visitors early in the morning." I said swatting him over the head with a magazine.

"Hey!" he yelled. Indi laughed

"Man, you guys act like an old married couple already!"

"I know." I grimaced and Ric just laughed as he pulled me in for a quick kiss. Roo waltzed back in the room, with her bag in hand and sunglasses perched on her head.

"Ready to go?" she asked looking at me and Indi.

"Yup, I just have to quickly call Kit and then I'm good to go." I said and looked over at Indi

"Ready when you are." She said

"Okay, we'll be off then Ric. Don't get into too much trouble." Roo said to Ric as she walked out the door.

"I'll be in the car" she yelled out. Indi walked out behind Roo after grabbing the wedding magazines off the table. She gave me a wink and said "later" to Ric.

"Bye" he yelled after her.

I jumped on the phone to Kit and told her about the wedding dress shopping, she said she would meet us there, she was going to get Kim to drop her off before he and Archie came over to the house.

"I'll be back later and then maybe we can go out for dinner or something, kay? And Kim and Archie are coming over soon too." I said to Ric.

"Okay sounds good babe." He said cupping my face in his hands and pulling me down towards him and slowly kissing me.

"I love you." He said

"Love you too." I replied blowing him another kiss and running out the door as I heard Roo tooting her horn.

"Took you long enough" Roo laughed as I breathlessly swung into the car.

"Oops." I said sheepishly.

"Okay! First stop dress shop!" Indi yelled as we pulled out of the driveway.

We pulled up outside the shop and the girls piled out of the car. I stayed inside with my seatbelt on. I was thinking about Mum. How she should be here with me, looking through magazines and helping me pick out a dress and look at endless bouquet arrangements. Tears started coming to my eyes.

"Mattie?" I heard Roo softly call out. I snapped out of my little daydream and wiped the tears from my eyes.

"Yep, I'm here." I said she popped her head back in the car.

"You okay sweetheart?" she asked

"Yeah, I'm okay." I said forcing a smile and nodding.

"Just needed a moment." I gulped. Indi subtly gestured to Roo that she was going to pop into the corner store. Roo nodded. She opened the door and slid in next to me.

"I know." She said and grabbed my hand.

"It was just as hard when I had to do it. It can all be a bit daunting and scary, and one of the most important people in your life isn't there. But Mattie, she would be so, so proud of you. You went to university and got a degree in law. You are engaged to a man that she approved of, and you are back home in Summer Bay. I am sure that Beth would be very proud of you. "

"Yeah, "I said

"She did like Ric. It took a while but she eventually got to know him better and she accepted him."

"And I am sure she would be glad that you are marrying him." Roo said

"And I know you always look beautiful, but if we don't go in a look for a dress you could be wearing a bathing suit down the aisle!" Roo said laughing. I laughed too.

"Okay, let's go!" I said. Indi was standing outside the dress shop with a chocolate bar in her hand.

"Thought you might need a little pick me up." She said smiling and handing the candy bar to me.

"Thanks." I said as I took it.

"So, who's ready to look at some dresses?" She asked as we walked into the shop.

Kit arrived a few minutes later, and having my sister there made me feel a whole lot better. We spent almost two hours trying on dress after dress. I think we had at least three glasses of champagne each.

"So I was talking to Robbie this morning," Kit said from the other side of the curtain as I pulled on yet another dress.

"And he, Tasha and Ella should be here in 3 days or so." She said.

"Wow, that's quick." I said

"Yeah I know." Kit replied

"But they really didn't want to miss anything."

"That's sweet of them, but I hope the trip will be okay, doesn't Ella get travel sickness?" I asked as I zipped up the back of the dress.

"Yeah, that's why it will take them three days. They are having a stopover before they arrive."

"That's a good idea." I said as I stepped out of the changing room. Kit looked at me with wide eyes.

"What?" I said alarmed.

"Does this dress make my butt look big or something?" I said looking behind me. Kit grabbed me by the arm and pulled out by the big mirrors where Roo and Indi were sitting. Indi's mouth opened wide and Roo broke out in a big grin.

"That's the one." Roo breathed softly.

"Mattie, it's beautiful." Indi said in awe. Kit pushed me up on the platform and I looked at myself in the mirror. It was perfect. It was a long strapless Vera Wang gown with a babydoll sheath lace bodice with a soft criss cross bow and a floaty tulle skirt. (*Picture on blog)

"Mattie sweetheart, it looks beautiful on you." Roo said and motioned for me to twirl. As I spun around I noticed a few tears run down Kit's face.

"Kit what's wrong?" I said steeping of the platform and walking towards her.

"Nothing Mattie, it's just that, I know Mum would have been so proud of you. I'm proud of you." She said wiping away her tears. I pulled her into a hug.

"Thanks Kit, I wouldn't have been able to do this without you." I said a tear slipping down my face too.

"Come on you two!" Roo said.

"This is happy moment! Come on let's have a toast" she said picking up her champagne glass. Indi handed me one.

"To finding the perfect dress!" Roo said raising her glass

"To finding the perfect dress" we all repeated and took a sip.


*To view a picture of Mattie's wedding dress a link to my blog is on my profile.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think off Matilda's Wedding Dress! Please R and R. Thanks for Reading! Elise x