A Twist of Fate (Complete)

Ch. 57 - Picking the Dress & Bachelor Party

The next three months before the wedding went by really fast. They hadn't heard anything from Keaton's Dad so that was a good sign. Everly's Mom had talked with her several times and was finally on board and being supportive, but her Dad still refused to even talk to her about the wedding. Every time she tried, they just ended up in a screaming match and hanging up on each other. It was sad because she used to be so close to her Dad before her and Brad broke up.  

Over those three months Brad had started texting now and then to see how Everly was doing and he apologized for the way he reacted to the news about the wedding. He said he really missed their friendship and actually congratulated her on getting married and said he was happy for them. He also asked Keaton to start sparring and working out with him again. He slowly worked his way back into the friend zone with both of them, enough that Keaton actually suggested they should invite him to their wedding. She hesitantly agreed and was surprised when Brad accepted. 

As the wedding got closer it felt like Everly and Brad were back to being old friends again, like how they were years ago before they started dating in high school, but she was taking things slow, setting clear boundaries and making sure Keaton was with them when they hung out. She never hung out with Brad alone and she let Keaton make the plans for them so he was in charge of how much or how little they saw Brad. She was surprised how close the two of them had gotten, but then again, Keaton made friends fast and usually kept them because he was fun and had a charisma and charm that drew people to him.

Cami was invited to be a bridesmaid and Monroe was the maid of honor. The other bridesmaids were Everly's cousins and Hannah, a friend from high school. Henry was Keaton's best man and Everett and a few of his other friends she had met in England were his other groomsmen. He had made the last minute decision to make Brad a groomsman too which had also surprised Everly, but she didn't argue. 

A month before the wedding Keaton paid for Everly's Mom to fly out to New York for a couple days to help her make some final last minute wedding decisions, like picking out a China set for the reception, fresh flower bouquet arrangements, cake flavors and the most important thing, a dress. Everly picked a trendy little wedding dress boutique in downtown Manhattan and talked Monroe into tagging along with her and her Mom. 

"Here try these on. I think this cut would look good on you," Monroe said, dropping four heavy dress garment bags into Everly's arms. 

"Wait, add these three to the pile," her Mom said, throwing more on top. 

Everly struggled to hoist them up and took them into the large dressing room, hanging them up and pulling the curtain closed.

She tried on several that just didn't feel special. They didn't wow her or make her excited. Then she walked around the shop browsing and a dress hanging on a mannequin on display in the boutique's window caught her eye. It was a floor length, very light pink dress with spaghetti straps and tulle that flowed out at the bottom and it had lots of diamonds and sparkles. It was absolutely perfect and she asked the clerk if she could try it on. 

She was so excited to find out it was her size and when she came out of the dressing room every bride that was there trying on dresses gasped and Monroe and her Mom's eyes widened.

"That's so beautiful on you! I love it," her Mom smiled tearing up.

"I love it too," Everly said, stepping up onto the pedestal in front of the tri-fold mirror, turning and looking at her reflection. "Do you think it's bad that it's not white?" Everly asked them. 

Both of them shook their heads. 

"No it's absolutely perfect," Monroe said with a smile. "That dress looks like it was made for you."