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dressed?”
    “Not really, but I guess it beats getting my dad angry.”
    Mom made some of her minestrone soup. She always keeps extra containers frozen in the basement. It felt good to eat something hot after being in the cold rain, even if I was warm being near Rob.
    “I hope it doesn’t rain on Saturday,” Mom said in between spoonfuls of soup. “I don’t want the wedding to be ruined.”
    “The forecast says it’ll be a sunny, beautiful day.” Dad tried to be a positive part of the conversation , even though his tone was flat and even.
    “Well, you know what they say about April showers.” She continued to worry.
    “It’s just the ceremony that’s outside,” Bryan said. “Then we’ll be inside for the reception.”
    “Still, I want it to be perfect for you and Jennifer,” Mom said.
    Rob helped clean up as usual, and then we spent the next hour saying good-bye.
    “I’ll call you at nine.”
    “I wish it were nine already.”
    I tried to busy myself with school projects until it was time for Rob’s call. I answered the phone on the first ring. It was even difficult to say good-bye over the phone. I finished my homework and went to bed thinking of Rob.
    My hair was heavy with water as the rain beat down on me. I walked through the forest until I saw Rob. He was waiting in the middle of four large evergreens, wearing nothing. As I walked closer to him, I began to remove my clothes, tossing each garment onto the plants and growth on the ground.
    When I was out of clothing, his strong arms opened for me to walk into.
    The trees did little to protect us from the rain. But, I was uninterested in the weather. His mouth found mine and we kissed. The rain splattered on the rocks and plants surrounding us.
    He took my hand and led me to a small cleared patch on the ground. I l aid down, and my wet hair clung to my neck. He reclined beside me and brushed my curls away with his soft hands. His kisses started where he moved my hair. They traveled. One thing led to another, and…
     
    Stupid alarm clock. I woke up before I could finish my dream.
     
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Nine
     
     
    The limousine picked me up at eight o’clock. The chauffer put the garment bag with my dress and accessories in the trunk , and we drove around to pick up the other girls.
    “I called him,” Courtney said.
    “Who?”
    “Eric Bowman.” Her face beamed with happiness.
    “So, what happened?” Liz asked. Each girl was focused on Courtney. We were all dying to know.
    “We’re going to go out next Saturday. He asked if he could dance with me today.” She bit her bottom lip to contain her giddy excitement. The other girls and I congratulated her and wished her luck.
    As we drove up to the reception hall, I saw tons of white flowers arranged in small vases along the masonry walkway.
    The Maitre‘d ushered us to a room where a cosmetologist and hairstylist took turns working on each of us. Mrs. Sutton came in, wearing a form-fitting, magenta evening gown. Diamonds dripped off her from every possible place. Her hair was perfect, as was her makeup and nails. Expensive slut.
    “Okay, girls. Who can I help zip up?”
    Courtney, Michelle and Tanya formed a line. The cosmetologist was still working on Liz. And it was my turn to be tortured by the hairstylist.
    By ten o’clock , we helped Jennifer get into her wedding gown. It was made of a beautiful fine satin, with a sweetheart neckline. The corset pulled tightly at the waist, and I could see that Jennifer could barely breathe.
    “It fit perfectly last week,” she whispered to me.
    “Well, you are eating for two these days,” I whispered back. I loosened the laces in the back, and Jennifer thanked me.
    The photographer pushed into the room where we were waiting and took several hundred pictures of us in various poses, including us helping Jennifer put her veil on. The florist distributed our bouquets of bunched pink roses before she excused herself to hand