The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else

Chapter 17. Candy's Wedding Gown

“I’d consider a lace clotch, but I don’t think that will work well with your long hair,” says Mrs. Haley.

“That’s so thoughtful of you, Mrs. Haley,” says Annie. “Candy, I wish you would cut your hair short.

Your curls can so easily be made into a beautiful finger wave style.” Annie herself has cut her luscious long hair into a stylish bob cut for quite some time now.

Candy smiles apologetically. She looks at Mrs. Haley who is so happy, and feels ashamed.

“Come look at yourself,” says Mrs. Haley leading her to the full length mirror by the side of the room. Candy looks at her own reflection. She looks not at herself, but the exquisitely made dress that Mrs. Haley must have spent hours sewing. She feels a sense of uncertainty tapping at her mind.

I don’t want to do anything that might hurt this woman. I can never!

“Mrs. Aaron Haley.” Candy hears Annie says, teasing her. “How does that sound, Candy?”

Candy looks up at Annie, as if Annie has just said something entirely incomprehensible to her.

Mrs. Aaron Haley…..

Annie comes behind Candy and hugs her. “All women of the entire town of South Haven will be crushed in just a few weeks.”

Candy turns to look at Annie, and forces a smile. Behind her, Cecilia watches her with pondering eyes.

Mrs. Haley takes Candy into her coach for their short ride to town to Mrs. Haley's tailor shop for ladies' dresses. On their way, Mrs. Haley excitedly talks about the wedding plans – the cake, the flowers, the food. A cloud of guilt falls on her. It is so heavy. She feels that she cannot move.

They reach the tailor shop. Inside, Cecilia is putting some fabric materials away, and Candy is surprised to find Annie there.

“Annie!” Candy exclaims.

“Mrs. Haley invited me,” Annie smiles at Candy. Candy is glad that Annie has come, for she does not want to be alone with only Mrs. Haley and Cecilia at the moment. “I wouldn’t want to miss this!”

“Cecilia,” Mrs. Haley hustles her daughter, “bring out Candy’s gown. Let’s see her try it on.”

“Sure mother,” Cecelia replies. No one detects the tightness in her voice. She goes into the room behind the shop front and brings out the dress.

“Go on, Candy, try it on!” says Mrs. Haley.

Candy takes the dress from Cecilia and goes into the dressing room. She is amazed by it. The dress is beautiful. It is the new flapper style that is all the rage among young women everywhere. Herself never worn a dress like this before. The dress is sleeveless, with lace sewn across the neckline. The front of the dress is shorter than the back, with beautiful embroidered hemline. The softness of the fabric is astounding.

She changes into the gown and goes back to the storefront. Mrs. Haley sees Candy in her dress and cannot contain her excitement. “Oh Candy!” she exclaims.

Candy returns a smile.

“Candy! You look gorgeous!” even Annie exclaims. Her eyes become teary.

“Cecilia, what do you think?” asks Mrs. Haley.

Candy turns to Cecilia. Cecilia looks directly into Candy’s eyes, like she was challenging her to

something. She has never seen Cecilia look at her this way before.

“Let’s put on the headpiece,” Cecilia says and does not answer her mother.

“Yes! Yes!” Mrs. Haley says. She takes out a lace headband that has a flower patterned lace ornament on the side, above which feathers sprout up playfully, and below which dangles strings of beautiful beads and rhinestone ornaments, some in shape of small stars. Mrs. Haley ties the headband around Candy’s head. Two long satin ribbons flow softly from the knot of the headband onto her left shoulder.

“I’d consider a lace clotch, but I don’t think that will work well with your long hair,” says Mrs. Haley.

“That’s so thoughtful of you, Mrs. Haley,” says Annie. “Candy, I wish you would cut your hair short.

Your curls can so easily be made into a beautiful finger wave style.” Annie herself has cut her luscious long hair into a stylish bob cut for quite some time now.

Candy smiles apologetically. She looks at Mrs. Haley who is so happy, and feels ashamed.

“Come look at yourself,” says Mrs. Haley leading her to the full length mirror by the side of the room. Candy looks at her own reflection. She looks not at herself, but the exquisitely made dress that Mrs. Haley must have spent hours sewing. She feels a sense of uncertainty tapping at her mind.

I don’t want to do anything that might hurt this woman. I can never!

“Mrs. Aaron Haley.” Candy hears Annie says, teasing her. “How does that sound, Candy?”

Candy looks up at Annie, as if Annie has just said something entirely incomprehensible to her.

Mrs. Aaron Haley…..

Annie comes behind Candy and hugs her. “All women of the entire town of South Haven will be crushed in just a few weeks.”

Candy turns to look at Annie, and forces a smile. Behind her, Cecilia watches her with pondering eyes.