Текст книги "Love Me Back"

Автор книги: Michelle Lynn

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Текущая страница: 4 (всего у книги 21 страниц)

Chapter 7 – 16 years old

Maybe Mackenna was right about Trent and me.  We couldn’t stay away from each other but we couldn’t stay together either.  Trent broke up with Chloe the day after I returned to school.  Although we didn’t start dating right away, Chloe never sat at our lunch table again.  We started our friendship where it left off three years earlier.  Soon the four of us were joined at the hip.

Freedom came when I turned sixteen.  I passed my drivers test on the first try and with my dad still feeling guilty from the divorce and the move he bought me a car.   I decided on a Red Jeep Wrangler.  My dad wanted to get me a car but I had my heart set on the Jeep.  Since I was his little girl that missed her daddy so much, he bought me the Jeep.

Mackenna didn’t turn sixteen for a couple months so I would be her chauffeur.  Bryan’s parents bought him a brand new FJ Cruiser.  Trent inherited Gabe’s Chevy Silverado.  Gabe had put custom rims with big mud tires and a muffler you could hear five miles away.  It was Gabe’s most prized possession so we were stunned when Gabe agreed to let Trent have it while he was at college.

Trent and Bryan didn’t follow in their Big’s footsteps playing football, they were on the soccer team, both starters on varsity in their sophomore year.   At first I thought Trent was wasting his arm.  Everyone assumed he would be the all-state quarterback when we were younger but when I saw his first soccer game I knew he found the sport for him.  He was the lead scorer of the team; the other teams couldn’t keep up with him.   With Bryan making saves at goalie they were an unstoppable team.

Mackenna and I would go to their games on Saturday afternoon and we would go to the Bassos after to hang out.  Sometimes we would go to my house but since my mom was never home and there was never any food in the fridge, we all preferred Trent’s.

Trent and I flirted but nothing went any further until the middle of our junior year.   The Belcrest soccer team won the state championship.  The Bassos and Edwards said they would watch Kenna and me so our parents didn’t have to go.  We shared a room that adjoined to the Bassos.  Jack, Doug, Gabe and some other Bigs met us at the stadium to watch the boys play.

We were sitting down cuddling together under blankets waiting for the boys to come out to the field when a young kid walked up to us asking for Madeline.  The kid couldn’t be more than middle school aged.

Everyone turns around at me and I just shrug my shoulders.  “That’s me.  Who are you?”  I skeptically ask.

The kid looks at our big group and starts stuttering.  “Um...TR…TR…” he stutters.

“It’s alright kid, calm down.  What do you want with Maddy?”  Gabe stands up putting his hand on the kids shoulder.

“Um…” he takes a deep breath.  “Trent Basso wants to talk to her.”

“Ok, we can do that.”  Gabe motions over to me to come over.

“Where is he at?”  I ask the young kid.

“Fo…Fo…Follow me.”  He waves his hand down the stairs.

“Do you want me to go with you?”  Gabe asks me.

“No, I’ll be back soon.  I am sure it’s nothing.”  I reassure everyone.

I descend the stairs behind the boy and see Trent bent over in the hallway that leads out to the field.  I notice the rest of the team is already out there.  He is dressed in his blue shorts with his shirt tucked in along with his shin guards and matching blue cleats.  He looks incredible in his uniform.  I rush over to him.

“What’s the matter Trent?”  I bend over to look at his face.

“I don’t know Mad.  I can’t stop shaking, I feel nauseous.  This has never happened to me before.”  He sits up putting his head in his hands.

I feel his forehead it seems ok but he is sweating.  “You feel ok, no fever.”  I inform him.

“What if I mess up?  You know how good that other team is?  Scouts have already come to see their star player and he is only a sophomore.”  He confesses the real reason he doesn’t feel good.

“Are you kidding me Trent?”  I get in front of him putting my hands on each shoulder.  “Trent Basso is afraid he won’t play well?”

He looks at me like how could I not agree with him.

“Trent, you are the best soccer player I have ever seen.  You are better than that kid.  You were born to play forward.  That team won’t be able to keep up with you.”  I point out to the field.

“I don’t know Maddy.  I took a chance leaving football behind to pursue soccer.  What if it was a mistake and I can’t bring the championship back home?”  He shakes his head back and forth.

“Trent, don’t think like that.  I am so sure you can and WILL bring the championship back to Belcrest, I am willing to make a bet.”

“A bet?”  He raises his eyebrow at me.

“Anything you want” I say.

“You are that confident?”

“I am that confident in you Trent Basso.”  I guarantee him pointing my finger into his chest.

“If I win the championship, I want us to go out on a real date, just me and you.  No Kenna and Bryan.”

“Here I thought you were going to ask to feel me up.”  I laugh.

“I am confident enough that after the date I might get that too.”  He winks.

“We’ll see.”  I hit him in the shoulder.  “Now go out there and kick some ass Trent Basso.”  I hug him.  When I step back he pulls me harder against him.

“Thanks Maddy, you are the best.”  He looks down at me and we feel the pull between us.  Bending down his lips graze mine.  I taste the orange Gatorade he must have just consumed.  His tongue licks my bottom lip begging to enter.  I open my mouth meeting his tongue before allowing it in.  He moans into my mouth and I fall into him more.  His hands come to the back of my head keeping me against his lips while my fingers grasp his jersey.

“Oh Jesus, you guys pick now to make-out?”  Bryan calls out to us.

I pull away fast but Trent grabs my waist.  “See you after the game.  Every goal is for you.”  He gives me a short kiss on the lips.

I lean against the wall trying to catch my breath.

“Maddy?”  Trent stops at the opening of the field.

I pick up my head.

“What if I lose?  What do you want?”  He asks.

“You won’t” I say.

Trent smiles and runs out to the field.

I was right.  Trent brought the championship back to Belcrest that night being the lead scorer six to three.  After the game, we all went back to the hotel including the Bigs to celebrate.   We ate pizza and discussed the highlights of the game.  Trent was gleaming from ear to ear making me ecstatic for him.   He was so excited and happy that he would be bringing the first soccer state championship trophy back home.

The adults grew tired and wanted to relax.  They allowed us to go down to the pool to soak in the hot tub.  We use the boys as an excuse to relax their muscles.  Mackenna and I went into our room and changing into our swimsuits.  We both wore our bikinis and I couldn’t help but think how different it is this time.

We walk into the poolroom with our cover-ups on.  Some of the boys are in the pool and others in the hot tub.  Kenna and I are used to being the only girls since it has been like that most of our life but I am nervous to take off my cover up.  Trent and Bryan are in the hot tub so we make our way to a table by them.  Kenna takes off her cover-up sauntering into the hot tub showing her black and white bikini.  A couple of the boys look but don’t make a big deal of it so I have high hopes it will be the same with me.

I take off my white linen cover-up displaying my pink and blue polka dot bikini.  Looking at the hot tub Kenna has a huge smile on her face staring up at me and Trent’s mouth is open in awe.

“Man, what a difference from last time.”  A little screams from the pool.

“Shut the fuck up little.”  Jack yells back at him.

“Sorry man” the little apologizes to my brother.

The noise makes me look towards the pool and I notice the boys gawking and my brother scowling.  I rush into the hot tub next to Kenna hiding under the bubbles.

“It’s like they’ve never seen breasts before” Bryan exclaims making me turn redder.

“Let’s not talk about it.”  I request to him.

“Yeah, let’s talk about how next Saturday you two are on your own.”  Trent points from Mackenna to Bryan.

“Why?”  Kenna looks over to me and I shrug even though I know where Trent is going with this.

“Cause we won the championship.”  He says matter of fact.

“Is there some special celebration I don’t know about?”  Bryan asks.

Trent scoots closer to me putting his arm behind me.  “You could say that, right Maddy?”  He grazes my shoulder with his fingers and my body racks with goose bumps in the ninety-five degree water.

Mackenna and Bryan stare at me confused.

“Oh for heaven’s sake, Trent and I are going on a date.  From what I gather it is next Saturday.”  I divulge the secret.

“Finally,” they both shake their heads back and forth.  We all start laughing.

The next Saturday I wait outside my house for Trent to pick me up.  I don’t want him to come in since my mom is getting ready for one of her ‘dates’.  He pulls up at six thirty parks the car and comes walking up the driveway.  He is wearing jeans and dark Henley thermal with his Adidas soccer shoes.  I always love the way his jeans hung low on his hips.  I walk up to meet him.

“You look beautiful like always.”  He leans in giving me a kiss on my cheek.

“Thank you.”  I look down at my jeans and sweater not thinking much of it.

“You ready?”  He takes my hand leading me to the house.

“Yeah, let’s go.”  I start pulling his arm towards the truck.

“Hey” he brings me closer putting a hand on my face.  “I have to talk to your mom before taking you out.  It’s only right.”  He looks into my eyes trying to reassure me.

“You don’t understand Trent.  She’s getting ready for a date.  Its fine, she doesn’t care.”  I plead.

“I do Mad, come on.”  He starts walking up the walkway to the front door.

I reluctantly follow him.  I open the door to my house thankful I cleaned it today.  I call up to my mom in her room but she doesn’t answer.  I leave Trent in the living room and run upstairs to get her.

She is blow-drying her long blond hair.  She turns the dryer off.  “What do you want?  I thought you left.”  She snaps at me.  I cross my fingers hoping Trent can’t hear her.

“Trent Basso is here to take me out on a date and is asking to talk to you first.”  I whisper to her.

“Isn’t he Mr. Proper?  Just like his daddy.”  She says loudly putting liquid black eyeliner and five coats of mascara on.

“Please Mom, it will just take a second.”  I beg.

“Alright, give me a second.  I have to get dressed.”  She shoos me out of the bathroom.

I go downstairs to wait with Trent for my mom.  Trent has never seen her like this.  He is used to Jack’s mom version, which was more toned down than Madeline’s mom now.  My mom frequents bars out of Belcrest city limits meaning a lot of people in town don’t know her extracurricular activities, making me happy.

My mom strolls down the stairs fifteen minutes later and my head falls when I see what she is wearing.  Her skirt is barely covering her ass, she has red high heels on and a tight black blouse showing her bra.  Her bleached blond hair is damaged and stringy.  I bite my lower lip in anticipation of what is to come.

Trent gives me a despairing look and turns to my mom.

“Hi Mrs. Jennings.  I just wanted to let you know I am taking Madeline out for the night.”  He puts his hand out for her shake.

Thankfully she shakes it back.  “It’s Ms. Jennings now.”  She corrects him.  “Have fun you two.”  She nods her head towards both of us.

“I will have her home by midnight Ms. Jennings.”  Trent assures her not knowing that she could care less.

“Ok, but I won’t.”  She giggles and then straightens up quickly.  “I just mean I won’t be waiting up for her.”  Did her motherly instincts kick in thinking she just told two hormone crazed teenagers they had the house to themselves tonight?

“Well we should get going.”  I pull on Trent.

“It was nice seeing you again Ms. Jennings.”  Trent waves goodbye as I drag him to the door.

“You too Trent.  Give your dad my best…and your mom.”  She adds.

Finally we are out of the house and my body relaxes.  I can’t get to Trent’s truck fast enough and away from my mom.  He opens my door helping me to get in walking around to his side.   When he climbs in he takes my hand in his squeezing it tight.  He always has subtle ways of telling me he understands and is there for me.  The tears in my eyes are in danger of falling and that is the last thing I want on our first date.

“So, where are you taking me?  If you expect to cop a feel your date better be good.”  I joke changing the mood to fun instead of serious.

“After what I have planned, you might give up the whole package.”  Trent smirks at me.

“Uh huh.  Tell me?  What is going to make me want to strip my clothes off and scream take me?”

“It’s a surprise.”  He finally starts the truck backing out of the driveway.

Twenty minutes later Trent pulls up to a pumpkin farm.

“Why didn’t we just go to Ghords Pumpkin Farm in Belcrest?”  I ask

“I didn’t want us to be bothered.  I knew if we went there we would end up hanging out with our friends.”  He gets out of the truck and I wait for him to come and get me out.

He grabs my hand leading me towards the haunted hayride.

“Oh no you don’t” I pull away trying to walk the other way.

“Come on” he tugs me back to him.

“Trent…” I sigh at him.  He knows I hate anything scary.  Sitting on a barrel of hay in the pitch dark waiting for people to jump out at me making me scream is not my idea of fun.

“I won’t let go of you.”  He puts his hand up placing his other like it is on a bible.

“Promise?”  I ask him.

“Promise.”  He responds.

“And you won’t try to scare me either?”

“Promise.  Now come on.”  He puts his arm around my waist bringing us closer.  I love his smell of cotton and soap.

I begrudgingly follow him.  Trent knows I don’t live on the edge like him.  I never enjoy scary movies or roller coasters.  Even the high dive at the park district pool is too much for me.  I like to feel in control and those things make me feel anything but.

Trent has pushed or in his words persuaded me to do all of these things our whole life.  I did them willingly as long as he was there and he always was.  He held me tight during the horror movies, held my hand on the Eagle when we went to Great Adventures and always waited at the bottom of the pool when I jumped off the high dive.  It all terrified me but with Trent there to hug me after made it worth it.

I walk up the wooden steps to find my own barrel of hay death wish.  I tuck myself in one of the corners close to the tractor in the front.  Trent sits next to me squeezing my hand reassuring me.  I smile up at him, how could I not.  Those eyes alone make your lips turn up.

The trailer is full of high school kids from a nearby school.  I don’t know any of them and they don’t know us so Trent’s plan worked.

I jerk forward when the tractor starts to move forward and my heart starts beating faster.  Trent automatically pulls me closer to him.  As all the people swing from trees coming at us I clinch harder to him and he pulls me closer so by the time we get back to the start I am in his lap.  His arms are firmly wrapped around my waist with my face in his neck.

“I assume this is why you wanted to take me on a haunted hay ride?”  I lift one eyebrow at him.

“Maybe” he shrugs his shoulders.

“Uh Hum.  For that you owe me some apple cider.”  I slap him on his muscular shoulder prancing in front of him to get off this hell on wheels.

He catches up to me fast wrapping both his arms around my waist again pulling me back to him.  “I will buy you whatever you want as long as you ride me again.”

I push him away with my hand. “Remember the bet, only a date.”  I laugh.

“Hey I can hope can’t I?”

We sit down on a hill with our apple cider and kettle corn.

“So tell me why you quit football and went for soccer?  I ask.  Since I wasn’t around when he made his decision I had been curious to know.

“I don’t know.  I played my freshman year and it just wasn’t there.”  He looks down sipping his cider.

“What wasn’t there?”

“My arm, I didn’t have it.”

“Ok, I am so confused, didn’t have what?”

“The Basso arm.”  He tosses some kettle corn up in the air catching it in his mouth.

I knew what he meant.  Doug and Gabe had been quarterbacks for the Belcrest football team earning both of them scholarships to state.  It was a running joke that between the three Basso brothers there would be a Basso starting quarterback for ten years at State between all three of them.  Trent stopped that once he switched to soccer.

“Maybe you needed more time?”

“It wasn’t there for me.  I always had the speed so they moved me to running back but I hated it.  My friend asked me that winter to play on an indoor soccer team.  I fell in love with it and to my surprise was pretty good at it too.”

“Pretty good?”  He was better than pretty good.

He flushes red shrugging his shoulders.

“I bet you still have the arm” I lean back on my elbows extending my legs.

“I don’t throw anymore Maddy.”  He picks at some grass tossing it aside.

“Come on, you choose the bet?”  I coax him.

“That’s tempting.”  He raises his eyebrows cocking his head to the side deciding my fate.  “Alright, if I can throw this piece of popcorn in your mouth you have to kiss me.”

“Ok, I guess I should start licking my lips to get them moist.”  I know he will get it my mouth.  “Do you want to me to stand up or lay down?”

“Stay just the way you are.  You look comfortable.”  He stands a little away from me getting ready to toss the popcorn down towards my mouth.

“Come on hot shot” I urge him on.

“Hot shot?”  He questions.

“Well…”

“Open up Maddy.”  He practices throwing the kernel a couple times.

I open my mouth as big as it can go.  I might want this kiss more than him at this point.  He throws the kernel and it lands smack dab in the middle of my tongue.

A smile comes across my face not only because I get to kiss Trent again but I knew he could do it.  He has the infamous Basso arm but he also has something unique, the speed of a cheetah.

“You ready to pay up Jennings?”  He cocks his head.

“I’m ready Basso.  Remember, only a kiss, keep those hands to yourself.”  I joke while Trent leans down crawling up my body until his lips touch mine briefly.  I close my eyes in the expectation and he kisses me firmer and more urgent.  Our lips open and he grazes his tongue across my bottom lip.  We groan into each other’s mouth as our tongues mingle together.  Trent slowly stops the kiss by lingering over my lips until his lips are off of mine.  I lay on the grass hill full of goose bumps and longing for another bet.

Chapter 8 – Present Day

The cell phone beeps waking me up from a surprisingly blissful sleep in my new bed.  Reaching for my phone I am awed again at my newly decorated bedroom.  My phone reads seven thirty in the morning making me wonder who on earth is interrupting my ‘vacation’ on the first day.  Seeing whom it is I should have known.

Good morning Madgirl!  Hope you had a good nights sleep.  I will be there at nine.  Gabe

 

Nine? – Maddy

 

What?  No good morning? – Gabe

Yes Nine.  Dress fitting today. – Gabe

 

Why would you be going to the dress fitting? – Maddy

 

Tux fitting at the same place.  All groomsman and bridesmaids going together. – Gabe

 

I can meet you there no worries. – Maddy

 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I have the truck from last night. – Gabe.

 

Shit.  I forgot Trent drove Ian and me home last night.  Thank god Ian was with us to keep things platonic.

I am assuming you just realized you have no option here.  So, see you at nine.  – Gabe

 

Uh…

See you at nine. – Maddy

 

I roll over for another half hour sleep only to be interrupted by a knock on my door.

“Go away, this is my vacation.”  I scream, throwing my pillow at the door.

“Madeline?  It’s mom.”  My mom says from the other side of the door.

“Come on in.”  I sit up against my headboard.

My mom walks in smiling while she looks around my room.  “Do you like it?”  She asks.

“Mom, I love it.  It wasn’t necessary though.”  I say hoping she doesn’t hear the lying in my voice.

“Yes it was Maddy.”  She sits on the edge of my bed.

“Thank you mom.  How did you afford all of it?”   I ask playing with my comforter.

“As much as I wish I could say I did all this for you.  I couldn’t have afforded it.  It was a gift from someone.”  She stares down at the ground.  Since she can’t face me I know it is some new guy in her life, probably a married man cheating on his family.  Although it makes it bearable for me to stay here this week, I don’t want my mom to owe anyone much less a male who I am sure already called in his payback.

“Whoever did this, please tell them thank you.  It helped me a lot coming home.”  I confess.

“Well, I better get off to work.  Have fun at the dress fitting.  Will I see you tonight for dinner?”

“Sure mom.”  She is going to make dinner again.  Who is this woman and what did she do with my mom?  “Um…Mom?”  She turns around in the doorway.  “Thank you”

She nods her head shutting the door behind her.  She knows what I am grateful for.

After the door clicks shut I lay in my bed staring up at the white ceiling thinking about last night.  Gabe enters my mind and chills run through my body.  Trent is always my Basso brother.  We are meant to be together or so I thought once upon a time.  From the way Trent acted last night I know he wants us to rekindle whatever we had but how many chances are we supposed to give this fated love?

That word fate rang in my ears.  I jump from my bed looking through my new dresser drawers finding nothing.  Running over to my closet, I fling the doors open in a panic.  All I find is a closet full of my old clothes, things I will never wear again.  Bending down I look at the floor crawling on my hands and knees searching for it praying no one threw it away.  Accepting defeat I push myself back leaning against my bed looking into my closet.  I knew I should have taken those things with me but I left in such a hurry.

Then I see an outline of the box in the top right hand corner of the closet.  Standing on my tippy toes I reach with my hand as far as I can get it barely getting a corner.  My fingers find the top edge enabling me to scoot it closer to me until I can get it.  The flower box with stickers all over it is lighter than I remembered.  It takes me back to my innocence.  Walking over to the bed I sit Indian style hesitant to open my past.  My hands rest on either side of the lid as I contemplate if I should open this Pandora’s box.  Before I can second guess myself I rip it off and I can’t stop the smile from forming on my face.

My MASH book is on top.  Mackenna and I had filled so many but this is the only one I kept.  It was my last year with her.  Flipping through the pages, Trent’s name fills every page.  Mrs. Trent Basso is written on the cover, the back and I imagine pages in between. Picking up the book, I notice the loose-leaf paper under it.  It has been folded and refolded at least ten times.  I put it in my hands holding it against my heart.  My eyes close remembering that day in the driveway when Mackenna handed it to me, saying it was a good one.  When I drove away with my parents reading the MASH she gave me I was speechless.  I wondered then as I am now, is there something as fate?  Or is it all coincidence and luck of the draw?

A half hour later Gabe rings my doorbell.  Since I took a trip down memory lane, my hair is wet.  Pulled back in a ponytail and I threw on capris and a t-shirt with my favorite flip flops.

“I guess you don’t want to impress that Basso brother.”  Ian smirks at me from the kitchen doorway as I walk by him.

I flip him off while snatching the granola bar from his hand.

“Hey Madgirl.”  Gabe looks me up and down.  I can’t tell if he is disgusted or pleased. “Hi Ian.”  He waves walking into the house.

“Gabe.”  I state.  He is wearing a pair of khaki shorts with a tight fitting blue tee and a pair of sneakers.  The shorts show off his muscular, long tanned legs.   When he walks by me the tee shows off his tapered waist. I shake my head knowing I should not be thinking of Gabe nonetheless checking him out.

“You heading over with us, Ian?”  Gabe asks him, making himself comfortable at the kitchen table.  Not even paying attention to the remodeled house.  I figure either he doesn’t care or has already been over since it was done.

Ian looks down at himself dressed in his pajama pants and shirt shaking his head.  “No, since I agreed to take this as my vacation to help out my girl in crisis, I am taking at least one day to lie around.”

“Sounds nice.”  I sneer at him.  “I get to go try on some hideous bridesmaid dress hearing people tell me I can wear it again sometime.”

“Don’t sound so bitter.  It’s your brother’s wedding.  Now go put on your happy face and be that cheerful bridesmaid I know you can be.”  Ian smacks me on my ass walking out of the room.

“Whatever Sleeping Beauty.  Please enjoy your day of leisure.”  I sneer back at him.

“Don’t hate Madeline Jennings.  It isn’t becoming of you.”  Ian remarks walking back upstairs.

“Let’s just go get it over with.”  Gabe says hopping off the stool putting his hand on the small of my back leading me to the door.

I turn my head over my shoulder but he never removes his hand until I am safely in the passenger seat of the blue machine.  Once in the car my heart starts beating faster and my breathing is erratic.  Does Gabe have this effect on me?  I don’t know what has happened in the last twenty four hours but he has weaseled into my thoughts and I can’t shake them.

“So, I want to talk to you about the dance.”  He glances over to me.  I probably look like I am coming down with something.  My face pale when he brings up last night.

“Oh Gabe, its fine.  Just a dance with your little sister right.”  I want to play this off.  One Basso brother had torn my heart to shreds on numerous occasions.  I wasn’t going to let another one get to me again.

“What?  Little Sister?”  He questions looking confused.

“I know you and Doug have always thought of me as Little Jennings.”  I confirm.

“Well…yeah…when we were younger.”  He confirms.  “But now…”  His phone interrupts him.

“Hello?”  He answers, giving me an apologetic smile.

A pause while he listens.

“I will be back next Monday.  Can’t this wait until then?”

“Absolutely not.”  He seems angry at whoever is on the other end.

“Listen.  I am here for a good friend’s wedding.  There are events planned all week long and I don’t have time for this right now.  We can discuss this on Monday night when I get back.”

Monday night?  I assume it isn’t business must be personal.  Girlfriend?

“I don’t know how much clearer I can make this for you.”  He is curt.

We turn down the downtown area towards the dress shop.  He parks along the diagonal parking spots that line the street on either side.

“I have somewhere I have to be right now.  It is Monday night or never, you decide.”  He gives them an ultimatum.

“That’s what I thought.”  He hangs up the phone with no goodbye.

I have never seen Gabe act like this to someone so I can’t imagine what or who it is that would make him have such a personality change.

“Sorry about that.”  He smiles over to me.  He gives me no explanation, not that he has to give me one.

“It’s ok.”  I smile back.  “Let’s get this thing over with.”  I can’t get out of the car fast enough and away from Gabe.  I leap out of the car walking into the dress shop.

“Hey hold up.”  Gabe grabs my elbow bringing me back to him before I can open the door.  “Is something the matter?”  His face etched with concern for me.

“No, I just want to get this dress thing over with.”  I lie.

He looks at me hard and long eventually accepting defeat letting my elbow go.

The dress shop is small and quaint with the tuxedo shop through a little walkway to the right.  I notice all the guys already in the tuxedos since we are late.

“What the hell Basso?”  Jack is screaming to Gabe.  “Maddy, the girls are waiting for you in the dressing room.”  He points me in the right direction.

Gabe and I raise our eyebrows at each other walking away from each other like school girls that just got in trouble but don’t care.

“Finally Maddy.”  Lindsey comes out from the dressing rooms urgently waving her hands at me to meet her.

“Are we really that late?”  I ask checking my watch realizing I was in such a hurry I forgot to put it on.

“We only have an hour before the next bridal party.”

“Are you serious?”  I say in disbelief.  They couldn’t spread out the whole two weddings that happen in this town a year.

“Yes Maddy.  This is the best wedding shop in the county.  A lot of girls come here from all over.”  She challenges my why look.  “Now, go in there and try on the dress.”  She pushes me into the fitting room.

“Alright Lindsey.  When did you become so bossy?”  I stop myself short of running into the mirror from her push.

I cringe looking at the long emerald green satin gown hanging in front of me.   There are beads sewn on the top half falling into an A frame over the stomach and hips.  It’s a beautiful dress for someone else.   I look at my pale post winter New York skin wondering how fast I can get a spray tan before Saturday.

“Let’s go Maddy.”  Lindsey knocks on the door impatiently.

“Just a minute Linds.”  I scream through the door.

Five minutes later after numerous knocks and yells from Lindsey I walk out of the room in the Irish bridesmaids dress to the main area.  All the other girls are sitting down bored and annoyed.  I am pretty sure they are annoyed by me, the groom’s little sister who is ruining the dress fitting by showing up late and taking forever.  I notice instantly I am the only one in a green dress.  The other girls are in red, yellow, blue, orange.

“Oh you look beautiful like I knew you would.  Green is your color Maddy.”  Lindsey rushes over to me.

“How come we are all in different colors?”  I ask her. This is my first time being a bridesmaid except for Mackenna but they eloped in Jamaica and all I needed for that was a sundress.