Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 83368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Mila had thought her brother was being a big drama queen when he’d told her she had to talk Tessa out of wearing a thrift-store dress, but Tessa was serious. Mila could totally get behind the whole notion of thrifting, but she did think Archer had a point about the media frenzy that would ensue if it got out that his bride was wearing a secondhand dress to marry him.
Erin, who was munching on a slice of cantaloupe, looked puzzled. “If it was me, I’d make him take me to Paris and get a designer bridal gown from Dior. Or London for an Alexander McQueen number. I mean, it’s your wedding. Why not have a little fun with it? You only get to do this once.”
“Hopefully,” Mila joked, not being able to help herself.
But when Tessa looked truly sad, Mila realized she and Erin had accidentally ventured into sensitive territory.
Tessa said quietly, “But it’s not my first wedding. The first time I got married, I had the big poufy dress, and I let myself be talked into something that wasn’t me. I don’t want to do that again. With Archer, I’m truly myself, and I need to start that very important first day of our marriage showing the world who I really am.”
It was hard to argue with that. Mila wouldn’t compromise herself for any man either. She glanced at her mom, and saw an expression on Betsy’s face that made her think Arch had also confided in his mother his fears about this thrift-store dress.
Betsy sliced the frittata. “I have an idea. Instead of wearing a thrift-store gown, what about a family one?”
Once again, Tessa’s blue eyes turned sad. “I’d have loved that, but my mother didn’t keep her gown. My sister’s much smaller than I am…” She trailed off and then quietly added, “Besides, I can’t imagine wearing her dress.”
In the most casual way possible, Betsy said, “I was thinking about my wedding dress. I’ve kept it all these years because it was so beautiful, and I’ve had a very happy marriage. Would you like to see it? I think you’re about the same size I was when I got married.”
Who was she kidding? Her mom was trim and worked out almost daily and was probably the exact same size she’d been in the eighties. Dad always told Mom, and anyone else who was around, that she looked as beautiful now as she had on their wedding day, and he really wasn’t exaggerating.
As she watched Tessa absorb this offer, Mila was impressed at her mother’s tact and smarts. Trust Betsy to find the perfect solution. She could also see that Tessa was quite thrilled by the idea, but she immediately looked at the two sisters.
“What about Mila and Erin? Surely one of you should wear your mother’s gown.”
They glanced at each other and shook their heads. “It’s a great dress, but I don’t want it,” Mila said.
Erin agreed. “It’s just not my style. But even though it’s from the eighties, it’s classic. It could look really good on you, Tessa.”
Mila looked at her mom. “You would never let us play dress-up in that gown, no matter how much we begged. I guess now I know why. Because it was meant to be worn again in a real wedding.”
Betsy put down the muffin she hadn’t even taken a bite of and said, “Why don’t you take a look at it, Tessa? Absolutely no obligation, of course, but it would be an alternative to thrifting. You’d be wearing a dress that’s been worn before, which suits your ethics, and if anyone asks, you can tell the truth—that it was my wedding dress, and it has sentimental value to the family. That gives it a whole different kind of cachet. At least, I think so.”
Tessa nodded, looking both scared and excited.
Betsy excused herself to fetch the gown, and Mila took the opportunity to say in a low voice, “If you don’t like it, use the word butter in a sentence, and I’ll say I don’t like it on you.” Tessa would struggle to turn down Betsy’s offer even if the dress looked terrible on her.
“Oh, good idea,” Erin agreed. “One mention of butter, and I’ll back Mila up. You don’t have to wear it if you don’t love it.”
The three of them fell quiet then and tucked into breakfast. It was pretty obvious each of them was waiting to see what Tessa would think of the dress. And if she liked it, would it fit?
A few minutes later, Betsy returned with the dress bag that Mila remembered always seeing in the back of her closet. Before Betsy even unzipped it, she said to Tessa, “No pressure. I mean it. If you don’t like it, that’s fine. It’s just one option, okay?”
Tessa nodded and gazed, almost transfixed, as Betsy unzipped the bag. Mila got up and pulled the bag away so that her mom could reveal the dress in all its glory. It really was a beautiful gown, simple and elegant. Betsy had been smart enough to stay away from the huge shoulder pads and flounces of the eighties and had chosen something that was timeless. The dress was ivory silk with tiny silk-covered buttons down the back, a drop waist, and a fairly full skirt.