Chapter Twenty-Two - Joey's P.O.V.
"Joey? Hello earth to Joey anyone home?" Jen asks waving her hand in front of my face.
"What?" I ask a little confused as to why Jen wants my attention.
"Jo, I just asked what you wanted to do now?" Jen says finishing off the last of her third cup coffee that morning.
"Oh, um, I guess we should start at the dress shop?" My mind isn't really on this mornings activities. I pushed my breakfast around my plate for nearly half an hour before I just gave up and told the waitress I was finished. I can't stop thinking about last night. When Dawson was talking to me I was scared that he might try to hurt me, and then I got angry that he thought he could just come back into my life and pretend like he never left, like everything was how he always imagined it should be. It's become clear to me that he's lost his grip on reality, thank god that I have Pacey; I don't know what I'd do without him. Dawson might not listen to me but he certainly can't ignore Pacey.
"Great, I'm going to run to the washroom and then we can walk over, its not far." Jen slides from the booth and disappears across the small restaurant.
"So Jo, how are you really this morning?" Bessie asks.
"I'm doing better than I was last night. Dawson really freaked me out, but I decided I'm not going to let him ruin my life again. I've worked too hard to get Pacey back. I;m not going to risk my happiness for someone who obviously has a few screws loose."
"Jo, do you think he wanted to harm you last night?"
"I think he was capable of it, and that's what really scared me. I used to know him, but now when I looked in his eyes everything that I used to see in them is gone replaced by something I can't even describe."
"What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to continue with my life, plan my wedding, and hopefully have limited contact with him."
"Okay Girls lets go spend some money!" Jen says returning to the table, a little too perky for my liking.
"Jen you're starting to sound like Andie, I think you need to cut back on the caffeine." I growl.
"Jo, be nice or I'll get Bessie to move Pacey out of your room." Jen teases.
"Fine, lets go get this over with." I pout, before grabbing my purse walking out of the restaurant.
We walk in the bright morning sun towards the small bridal boutique a few doors down, as we reach the storefront I feel like someone is watching me and turn around quickly expecting to find someone there but not seeing anyone. I shrug off the strange feeling and walking inside.
"Oh my god, there are so many beautiful dresses in here." Jen gasps, as she looks around at the various mannequins.
"Jo are you going to wear white?" Bessie asks.
"I was thinking about it, after all I'm only going to get married once." I say smiling thinking about what an amazing man my fiance is.
"Good morning ladies, my name is Joanna and I'll be more than happy to help you today." The sales lady says coming over to us, as we look at dresses in a bridal catalogue on the counter. She's a little older looking, with dark hair pulled back into a loose bun and glasses hanging around her neck from a gold chain. She has a warm inviting smile.
"Morning." All three of us say at the same time.
"So which one of you is the Bride?" she asks.
"That would be me." I say.
"So what did you have in mind?" she asks.
"Well, it's going to be an outdoor wedding, and I'm not really into anything fancy. Other than that my only other thought was that I want white."
"Well, I have a few dresses in to store that are simple, and suitable for an outdoor wedding. When is the big day?"
"June." I reply.
"Let me show you what styles I have, and then you can decided from there what you like." She says. She begins pulling dresses off the racks and folding them over her arm.
"Jo?" Jen calls from somewhere in the store.
"Yeah Jen, what is it?"
"You have to see this dress, it is so you."
"Oh, really and how do you know that?"
"Just come and look at the dress."
"Fine." I say walking over to where she is standing.
"Look at how beautiful this is." Jen says holding the dress up for me to look at. It's very elegant. The dress has delicate spaghetti straps, the bodice appears that is would pool loosely revealing just a hint of cleavage, and the skirt portion falling straight to the ground, with a long slit up the side. The dress is simple enough that I wouldn't feel uncomfortable wearing it. While I may have matured over the last couple of years I'm still not that comfortable in dresses.
"Jen, that dress is gorgeous." Bessie says waking up behind me.
"Thank-you Bess, so Jo what do you think?"
"Jen, its amazing." I say, awed that she knows me so well.
"Try it on, please!" she begs.
"Okay." I smile taking the dress from her, and adding it to the others that Joanna has now hung up in one of the dressing rooms. "I'll be right out." I say closing the curtain and taking the dress from the hanger. I slip the silky material over my head, since it has no zipper. I had pulled my hair up into a twist this morning and a few stray hairs are now hanging down around my neck and framing my face. I look at my self in the mirror and smile, maybe wearing a dress wont be so bad after all. I find a pair of shoes that fit and walk out of the room to show Bessie and Jen what the dress looks like on.
They both gasp when I clear my throat to get their attention.
"Oh my god Jo, wow!" Bessie cries.
"Jen? What do you think?" I ask, wanting her opinion.
"Jo, I think Pacey is going to have a heart attack when he sees you in that dress."
"You think?" I ask, starting to feeling a little uncomfortable in the dress as everyone else is just in jeans and sweaters.
"I know. Pacey once told me he thought you have amazing legs and that dress proves it. Look at you, you're stunning."
"Excuse me?" Joanna asks walking up to us
"Yes?" I ask.
"I have to agree with your friend. I've had that dress in stock for quite some time now, and I've had quite a few brides look at the dress but none of them ever did it any justice, in-fact I forgot that I even still had it; but that dress was made for you."
"Well, it is in my price range, and while I feel a little silly standing here with all of you in jeans, but I love how it makes me feel. I feel like a Princess." I say twirling to look at the dress in the three-way mirrors seeing it from every angle.
"This was almost too easy." Jen pouts. I know she was hoping to have to spend days looking for the perfect dress.
"Cheer up Jen, we can spend days shopping for your dress." I say laughing at her.
"I'm going to need shoes to go with this, what do you have?" I ask Joanna.
"I have a lovely satin sandal, how tall is your fiance? You don't want to be taller than him in heals."
"6'2"" I tell her.
"Come with me dear." She says leading me over to where the shoes are displayed. "Try these." She says handing me a pair of simple white satin sandals with a 2 heal
"Thanks." I sit on the small bench and strap them up around my ankles.
"You make a beautiful bride Joey, mom would have been so proud of you."
"Thanks Bessie." I say hugging my sister, smiling I feel tears start to form in my eyes. I really do wish that she could have been here to share in all of this with me.
"Pacey's one lucky guy."
"Aw, Bess he's no luckier than Bodie. You guys both did a wonderful job with me, and I know I don't say it enough but thanks." By now both of us are crying while we hold onto each other.
"So Joey, you're taking the dress?" Jen asks hopefully.
"Yes, Jen. I'm taking the dress, and the shoes."
"Yeah!" Jen says clapping her hands lightly.
I change back into my street clothes; hang my dress back up ignoring the other dresses in the small room. I grab the rest of my things and carry them along with my dress and shoes up the counter.
"Will this be all then?" Joanna asks as she carefully puts the dress into a long dress bag for safekeeping.
"Yes, thank-you." I say digging into my purse for my wallet.
"Jo let me get this, Mom would have wanted to do this for you, it's the least I can do. Bodie and I want to do this for you." Bessie says placing her hand over mine, before handing her Visa over to Joanna.
"Thank-you Bessie, I love you." I say again hugging my sister.
"You're welcome."
"Well, now what?" Jen asks.
"I think I really just want to head home. It was a long night last night, and I just want to relax."
"Okay."
We walk back to Jens truck, laughing all the way. Jen was telling me about some crazy guy in one of her classes that never fails make a fool of him self all the time. I hang my dress up on the hook in the back of her truck and climb in letting Bessie sit up front. As she pulls out of the small parking lot I catch a glimpse of someone ducking into a store quickly before I could see who it was. Odd thats twice today I've felt like someones been watching me, oh well.
"I wonder if the guys will be home?" I ask to no one in particular, thinking that I just want to be in Pacey's arms for a little while.