A few days later...
Daphne groaned as Roz handed her yet another wedding gown and gestured to the fitting rooms.
"Roz, how much longer do we have to do this?"
"Until we find the perfect dress for you! Now get in there and try it on!"
"But I'm exhausted, Roz! Me head hurts and if I have to look at another bloody dress, I'll scream!"
"Are you kidding? You've barely tried any on! Every time I show you something you find something wrong with it!"
Daphne's mouth fell open in disbelief. "Barely tried any on, Roz? I think I must have tried on a hundred different dresses in this store alone!"
Roz flashed yet another wedding gown in front of Daphne's face. "Well now it's a hundred and one! Now try it on for me, please?"
Daphne sighed deeply and snatched the dress from Roz's hand. "Fine. I'll be right back!" Angered even more than before, Daphne marched into the fitting room and hung the dress on the door. She had to admit it was beautiful, but when she slipped it over her body and glanced at herself in the mirror, she cringed at the sight. The dress was perfect… for a high school prom and if she imagined the dress in a shade of sea foam green she could hear the strands of her favorite 80's song.
Now fuming (for reasons she didn't understand… Roz was only trying to help, she supposed), she pulled the dress over her head and hung it haphazardly on the hanger. And then as her annoyance increased she pushed the dressing room door open so hard that it smacked against the wall. Her heart pounded as she stormed into the store, thrusting the dress into Roz's hands. "Here! Are you happy now? I tried it on!"
"Whoa, what's wrong with you? Why aren't you wearing it? I wanted to see what it looked like!"
"Well, nobody's going to see it, all right?" Daphne snapped. "It's hideous! How could you even think that I would like something so horrible?"
Roz's smile disappeared, replaced by a look of hurt. "Well, gee Daphne why don't you tell me how you really feel? Come on, it's beautiful! Look at this neckline! It's-."
"I can't wear that, Roz!" Daphne shouted, causing a few heads to turn. She was starting to feel nauseous and her throat was tight; a sure sign that tears were on the horizon. She hadn't meant to be so cruel to her friend, but she couldn't help herself. As a result of her outburst, Roz's smile disappeared and her cheery disposition was replaced with a strange calmness. Clearly Daphne had hurt Roz more than she realized. But she couldn't bring herself to apologize.
"Whatever." Roz snapped. She held the dress up to her chest. "What's wrong with it?"
"Well, it looks like a bad prom dress from the 80's for one thing!" Daphne replied. "And it's the wrong color!"
To Daphne's surprise (and annoyance), Roz laughed. "The wrong color? Daphne, don't be stupid! How can it be the wrong color? It's white! And isn't that what brides wear?"
Unexpectedly, Daphne's hidden tears began to fall. "I can't wear white, Roz!" she shouted. "And I'm not stupid! I-."
Roz softened if only in the slightest. "Sure you can wear white, Daphne! It's a wedding dress! What other color-."
"I can't wear that, Roz!" Daphne cried. She had no idea why she was so emotional but she simply couldn't help herself. The dress was hideous; that much was true. Bu more importantly the thought of wearing white just seemed... wrong.
"Well for God's sake, why not?" Roz demanded. "It's a perfectly nice dress. You'll look beautiful in it."
Daphne bit her lip to keep from sobbing, but it was no use. Her mouth trembled and she was fully aware of the tightness in her chest. "No I won't!"
"How can you say that? Of course you will!"
"I won't, Roz! I..." She couldn't bring herself to say what she wanted to say; that she was carrying another man's baby and that it didn't feel right to wear such a traditional color. It was like caveman thinking, but it bothered her just the same. And so she gave an explanation that she hoped would make more sense.
"I'm pregnant and I'll look like a bloody beluga in it!"
Suddenly she felt every pair of eyes in the bridal shop staring at her. Never had she been so mortified.