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Bridal Shop Hopping
I waved as I noticed Lisa Marie pull up to the curb in front of my house. She was in her swanky red Mercedes convertible and honked as if she were a guy trying to get the attention of a beautiful woman pedestrian.
"Morning, honey," she called as she smiled at me with her dark sunglasses perched up on her head. "Get in."
As I climbed around to the passenger's side and wished her a good morning back, my friend slid her shades down her eyes. She had the top down on the car, the radio tuned to Q104.3, the local classic rock station, and we took off. Next stop was Park Avenue West to pick up the bride to be, Trish, and then to the Upper West Side to get Candice. And we were then heading out to the Island - Long Island, of course - for a day of shopping and lunch.
It was a known fact that, in New York, all the best bridal shops were located in Nassau County. Well, at least this was true according to Trish. She had done a ton of research over the internet. She'd explained to us over breakfast at Mom's on Park Avenue sometime the previous week that the most authentic mom and pop bridal shoppes resided in that area. She wanted to scope them out for her wedding gown as well as our dresses.
"Hey! Isn't this exciting?" Trish herself quipped as she got into the backseat behind Lisa Marie.
"Well, it's understandably exciting for you," I said, offering her a smile.
Lisa Marie didn't concur with my remark, but then again, she wasn't a firm believer in the institution of marriage.
"Randy surprised me with this last night!" Trish was suddenly sticking her hand over the seats and just between us.
"Wow," I said, taking a look at her brand new engagement ring. It was a standard, very cliche round diamond, probably about three or four carats, on a gold band. I personally found it boring and nothing special - and I hoped I would get something a tad more imaginable and exotic if I were ever to get engaged - but I didn't want to spoil the blonde's fun.
Lisa Marie took a look as we waited at a red light. She really didn't have much to say, either.
"Uh huh... Very nice."
Fortunately, Trish didn't notice or mind our curt responses. We didn't have much farther to go and were outside Candice's building minutes later.
"Hi, ladies," she greeted as she stepped over to the car. She let herself in behind me, beside Trish. And once she was buckled in safely, we were off, heading to Long Island.
The ride was pleasant, the wind whipping through our hair. There was little traffic at the early hour, and we all sang along to a few of the songs on the radio.
"Carry on my wayward son... There'll be peace when you are done... Lay your weary head to rest... Don't you cry no more!"
Lisa Marie and I both burst out laughing as we belted out the chorus by Kansas. It was a beautiful day and was shaping up to be loads of fun.
In the back, Candice craned her neck as she snuck a peek at one of the bridal magazines Trish had brought. The page was currently open to an ad filled with bridesmaid dresses.
"Please tell me you're not going to make us wear that," the brunette said, wrinkling her nose for emphasis. Her slim index finger pointed at a model who was clad in a tangerine orange chiffon nightmare.
"No," Trish said, giving her a slightly sour look, "of course not. Orange bridesmaid dresses are just tacky. I was thinking more along the lines of eggplant purple or wine red."
"Now you're talking, honey!" Lisa Marie put in. "Those are classy colors!"
"Or maybe powder blue... We'll see."
About an hour later, we reached bridal boutique territory. I sensed Trish's excitement as we began to pass various stores. And then I could hear it as my friend squealed.
"Stop here! Rose's Brides," she cried. "This place got an excellent review in Modern Bride magazine!"
Lisa Marie pulled into the small parking lot and quickly found a spot. We all got out, and I was relieved to stretch my legs.
"Do you have any idea of what type of wedding dress you want?" Candice asked as she walked alongside her.
"Um... not really. I've been going through the magazines, but I haven't found the perfect one just yet."
"Well, don't worry," I told her. "I'm sure you'll find your dress today."
We entered the store through a glass door that had windchimes hanging above. They dinged, signaling our arrival.
"Well, I just hope I'm not being too picky," Trish worried.
"Oh, honey, you have every right to be picky," Lisa said, putting an arm around her. "I mean, this is your wedding we're talking about."
Candice and I each cast her a surprised look.
"Well, don't look at me like that. I do have some sentimentality, you know."
A woman headed our way. She looked very posh and was smiling.
"Hello, I'm Rose. I assume one of you is getting married?"
"Yes - I am," Trish spoke up. She smiled and held a hand up as though we were students in a classroom and she wanted the teacher to pick her to answer a question.
"Well, congratulations!" the woman said cheerily. "What is your name?"
"Trish Stratus... soon to be Trish Orton." The mere sound of that made her grin like the Cheshire cat.
Rose seemed to ignore the rest of us as she doted on Trish. Lisa Marie rolled her eyes.
"I guess we should just check the racks for bridesmaid dresses," she said. "Come on, ladies."
The three of us went off on our own as the bride to be chatted on and on with Rose. She didn't even seem to notice we were gone.
"Ick," Lisa Marie said. "Don't they have anything cut above the knees?"
I turned to see her staring at a pink gown that reached down to the floor.
"For a wedding?" I asked, elbowing her in the side.
"Let's just look for something in..." Candice scrunched up her face as she tried to remember exactly what colors Trish had mentioned earlier. "... eggplant purple, wine red or powder blue." Furiously, she began to rummage through gowns at another rack nearby. Eventually, she came across a very short, tight-looking red backless thing that seemed more like something a stripper would wear than would a woman in a wedding party.
"Candi, let me see that!" Lisa Marie rushed over to tear the hanger containing that particular dress out of Candice's hand.
After about an hour, I was getting tired of dress shopping.
"Guys!" We were interrupted by the excited squeal of Trish's voice. The three of us turned to look over at her. She was holding a satin and lace wedding gown in her hands. "This is the dress... This is the dress!"
"Did you try it on yet?"
"No! Rose just got it for me out of her stockroom. Come on, come with me!" She grabbed hold of my hand, yanking me with her to the fitting room area.
"We'll just keep looking, then," Lisa Marie called as she exchanged glances with Candice.
"No! You two come, too!"
"Okay... Coming, your highness," Candice quipped.