June 15, 1985
Lindsey was participating in a charity swim event so Stevie was home alone with William getting him ready to go pick out dresses with Lori. Stevie was in the nursery on the floor getting William ready to go when Lori walked in.
"Appointments in an hour and you're still in your bathrobe." Lori states out breath, almost like she had been looking sporadically throughout Amalfi for her.
"My hair and makeup are done, but when babies are involved there isn't a set time for anything." Stevie coos to the baby scratching his little stomach. He was naked, only in his diaper the dirty one she just changed off to the side.
"I can get him dressed, go ahead and get ready." Lori sighs crouching down next to her.
"Jeans, dress pants, a skirt or a dress." Stevie looks Lori up and down. She simply couldn't gage what Lori was wearing. it was like a pair of leggings, but a nice blouse and a blazer so she was confused.
"We're just going to the mall. You can wear jeans. I think the people would freak out if they saw the Queen in jeans." Lori explains.
"Dave and Rick are coming with us, I hope you know." Stevie points out.
"I expected, they're your security people and we are going to the mall on a Saturday." She nods.
Stevie sighs and pushes herself off of the floor and heads to her bedroom. Her hair was braided down the side, so she looked at her options of dress for the day. She decided to go semi-casual and the side braid would look really good with her chambray blue denim maternity dress. It was t-shirt style so it landed at her mid-thigh. She was still losing the baby weight and she still had pudge so it wasn't like she was drowning in it. Then she put her feet in her brown clog sandals.
Walking back into the nursery, Lori had dressed William in one of the outfits that she picked out for him when they went shopping. It was a short sleeve light blue onesie with a navy blue elephant in the middle of it. It came with navy blue pants with little light blue elephant outlines on it and an identically patterned little hat with ears on it.
"Hi Cutie." Stevie smiles ticking his little belly. Lori was holding him up right against her chest, her arm holding him between the legs and they were looking in the mirror.
"Tell mama that's not jeans." Lori states.
"No, but it's a jean dress. I've got extra bottles made up for him, and I've got my Moby wrap and some extra diapers and outfits in his bag are we ready to go?"
"Yeah we are, let's head out." Lori nods.
***
Walking into the bridal shop at the mall. Whispers immediately started to stir. Stevie wasn't carrying the giant baby carrier, it was a nuisance. She had the Moby wrap, but she was opting to hold William. As they walked in he was sleeping against her sternum, loosely covered by a blue, white, and grey waffle blanket.
"Your Majesty, Ma'am." One of the consultant curtsey's to Stevie and Lori. "Is there anything I can help you with."
"Yes actually, Stephanie isn't paying for my wedding and I can't afford the royal dress maker so I decided I was going to get my wedding dress here at the mall." Lori states.
"Well, absolutely. Let's sit and talk about what we're looking for. I'm Carrie Euler."
She leads them over to a secluded set of couches and when they all sit, Stevie moves the baby so he's sleeping in the crook of her arm and adjusting the blanket.
"He's so precious." Carrie grins.
"We love him." Lori coos placing her finger by his little hand and he grabs onto it in his sleep.
"Yes we do." Stevie agrees.
"So what are we looking for?"
"Well I'm getting married in the fall so I was thinking something off the shoulder, but maybe like 3/4 length sleeves. I'm not picky about fit or anything." Lori shakes her head.
"What are your thoughts your majesty?"
"It's not my wedding, I'm just the maid of honor. I had three wedding dresses." She shrugs.
"You had three?" Lori gasps looking at her.
"Mhm...I had a wedding dress for official engagement photos. I had my actual wedding dress, and then I had a reception dress." Stevie explains.
"Should I get one for engagement photos. We take them next week." Lori wrinkles her eyebrows.
"If you find one that doesn't need any alterations and you'd like to get it for engagement photos I can buy it Lori. As long as you wear white in the photos it doesn't matter what type of dress you have. But if you do find one that fits you perfectly and you've fallen in love with, I will buy it for you."
"I can't ask that of you I..."
"Lori, you're my family now and I love you. It's the least I can do." Stevie states.
"I appreciate it." Lori looks down sheepishly playing with her hands.
It was at that moment where Stevie leaned over with her free arm and hugged her.
"Alright, so shall we begin." Carrie clears her throat separating the two women.
"I have to feed him, you guys go look and I'll be waiting to see the first dress." Stevie rubs Lori's shoulder as William starts fussing.
"Sounds good." Lori nods standing up and following Carrie to a different part of the store.
William starts crying drawing even more attention to them and then Stevie quickly coos at him while she digs out his bottle.
"Oh, I know, it's coming peanut." The bottle shushes him and Stevie falls back into the couch
They look at dresses for about three hours and Lori settles on two separate dresses. The first one is a form fitting gown with a slit from her hip down. It's a rough almost gritty texture, but it's elegant and gorgeous. The neck is a halter neck and collar is silver gems. That was going to be her engagement photo gown. The wedding dress itself was not what she originally intended. Instead of off the shoulder 3/4 length sleeves it's a ball gown with a tank top corset top. The skirt and the top are connected with a band of silver gems and the skirt flows down in elegant tule and chiffon. There are flowers on the skirt as well making it almost look feathery.
But as they were leaving, with the picture dress draped over Lori's arm, the wedding dress needing alterations, Lori gasps.
"What?" Stevie inquires swaying back and forth. William was sleeping on her shoulder.
"That's your dress." She points.
"My dress?" Stevie asks.
"Yeah, it's perfect it's the color scheme and it's simple. You have to try it on." Lori cheers, Carrie was still relatively close to them.
"Carrie, what size is that?" Stevie asks. She looks at it and then turns back.
"It's a four."
"That was my dress size before I got pregnant. It wouldn't fit me if I try it on now. I gave birth a week ago, but if you hold it and it fits me when we come back to see your dress' alterations I would wear it for you." Stevie nods.
"I can absolutely hold it for you." Carrie nods.
The dress was elegant looking. It was periwinkle colored and a ball gown. It was plain silk with absolutely no detailing. But it was bling-y. The cap sleeves were jeweled much like the neck on Lori's engagement photo dress and the band on her wedding dress. But intermingled with the silver jewels there were purple jewels that almost created a flower. There was an identical band around the waist.
"Alright, so shall we get food and head home?" Lori inquires a giant smile on her face.
"Yeah, let's go." Stevie nods.
