Nat's POV
Steven, Jere, and I paraded around the kitchen, dancing and twirling to Come Inside of My Heart by IV of Spades as we cooked breakfast. I was on pancake duty, Jere was on hangover smoothie duty, and Steven was on annoy the twin's duty. "You know you're very lively this morning for someone who was absolutely plastered last night," Jere commented, "Conrad over there looks like he just came back from the dead."
We all laughed as Conrad groaned for us to be quiet, "You know I bounce back fast, hangovers just aren't my thing," I said shrugging, "kinda like how being useful isn't Steven's thing."
Jere and I lost it as Steven put his hands up in defense, "Hey that's not fair, I set the table."
I scoffed, "Yeah, yeah, whatever," I paused smiling to myself, "Hey, on second thought Jere could I have a smoothie, I'm gonna need it if I have to continue listening to Steven's whining all day." We lost it again, Jere high-fiving me. I think I would've been content sitting there all day with those two boys, making stupid jokes at the dispense of their feelings, it felt just like old times.
But it wasn't old times, and not just because of the obvious reason. We were growing up, Jere and Steven are working at the country club, and me- while I'm a debutante. God, my mom is lucky I love her.
Just then Belly came in. I grimaced before reaching to touch the bruise that was forming on her cheek."It's not as bad as it looks," she assured me, "and hey, I never got the chance to thank you for punching that dick wad in the face for me."
I smiled, "No need, no one gets away with hurting me Belly." I said as I threw my arm around her. She laughed before leaving my embrace to get some breakfast.
I was sipping on my hangover smoothie when Mom entered the kitchen in a clearly excited state. She was holding an envelope and squealed saying, "Belly's gonna be a debutante." Everyone looked at her in shock, myself included. Like I said, Belly tends to do the right thing without even being aware of it, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit surprised.
Just then Laurel spoke up from where she had been quietly sitting at the table, "Belly, are you sure? This isn't like you."
"That's because it's not," piped up Conrad from the couch. Of course he would protest, when I agree to do the deb ball he's proud of me, but when Belly does it, 'it's not like her'.
I roll my eyes, "Don't listen to them Bells, I'm glad you're doing it, now we can suffer through it together. Which means it might, just might, actually be fun," I say, hooking my arm through hers. Laurel comments on how pricey it'll be, but Mom promises to cover it all as she's the one who dragged Belly into it in the first place, leaving Laurel no chance but to agree.
Mom starts getting carried away and asks which one of her sons is going to be Belly's date. They both protest and I laugh saying that she's gonna drag us all down. Mom scoffs and tackles me in a hug, ruffling my hair, doing so until I take it back. By the time I do, I'm out of breathe from laughing so hard.
Belly pipes up saying she'll find her own date and it hit me like a rock, I need a date, fuck. I took a deep breathe, no worries. How hard can it be, Mom said one girl was bringing her girlfriend which meant I could bring a girl, doubling my options. Yeah, it'll be easy, right?
Mom interrupted my thoughts, "Alright ladies, let's get to it, we've got shopping to do!" she cheered. I internally groaned, this was going to be a long day.
----
Two stores in, and it is so much worse than I had imagined. I've now tried on twenty something outfits, and my mom acts as if we're not even half way done. "Mom don't get me wrong I love spending time with you, like I really, really do, but I don't know how much more of this I can take," I said, exasperated.
"Come on honey," my mother said urging me to hurry, "we have to get you and Belly some fascinators, they're all the rage this season." Belly and I shot each other a look that said 'oh boy'. My mom ran into the store, excited to explore.
Laurel stepped between Belly and I, throwing her arms around us, "alright ladies, let's brave the storm." we all let out a universal sigh and entered the store. Immediately we are met with the sight of Mom loading up a workers arms with all the possible different options. I look over to Laurel as she lets out an exasperated laugh, "Classic Laurel," we all laugh. She's a handful, but we love her.
We spent a good hour sitting in the store while my mother debated with the stylist on which fascinators were the most 'in season'. I mean, really though, how can a hat that looks like it's meant for those 80 and above be in season? Nonetheless, we all remained silent and allowed my mom to toy with Belly and I's heads as she tried out different fascinators on us until she was satisfied.
Laurel used each of her hands to massage our sore heads as we walked down the street after finally leaving the store. "Alright, now that we've got the fascinators settled we can move onto the best part- dresses!" When Mom's squeals weren't met with ours she turned to look at us with a confused look on her face only to be met with our exhaustion "Everything alright girl's?"
I piped up, "We need a break, Mom, we're exhausted. I love spending time with you guys but this is a bit intense," I held my thumb and pointer finger close together, "just a smidge." I finished, awkwardly laughing to ease the situation.
Mom looked at us with understanding and a look of apology, "Ugh, I'm sorry girls, this is supposed to be fun and you're stuck following me around," she paused, thinking, "but, it's not too late to change things up." Now she has a weird grin on her face that causes the rest of us to share an alarmed look.
"Oh no, I know that look," Laurel chimed in, "Beck's got an idea."
"Laur, look, we've got about four hours before Nat and Belly have to be at the deb teaparty. Dress shopping should take about two hours and an hour for them to get ready, sooo we have an hour to spare in the meantime."
"Ok, but that doesn't explain your I have an idea- probably a bad one- face."
"Well that depends on your perspective, are you in mom mode or girls day mode."
"You're scaring me, Beck."
"Let's just say this: isn't it best to have our girls try out 'certain substances'," she said this through gritted teeth as if that made it so Belly and I couldn't hear, "with us rather than with some sketchy drug boys."
"You aren't really suggesting-," a look from my mother said that she was really suggesting, "Beck, no! Absolutely not! We are not getting our daughters high!"
Belly and I looked to each other in a shocked laugh, "Mom, please?" Belly spoke.
"Isabel Conklin, why on earth do you want to get high?"
Belly put on a puppy dog look, "To bond with my mommy," Mom and I tried weakly to contain our giggles.
Belly and I disappeared, there was now a Laurel and Beck stare down happening, and we didn't dare interrupt. It was looking as if Laurel was going to win when Mom gave the look that I've grown to recognize as the cancer card. And just like that, we had Laurel right where we wanted her, she had on her 'I'm pretending like I'm considering it when I already know I'm going to give in' face. At least stage four terminal breast cancer is good for some things: pot and the 'I'm dying' card. I was about to start overthinking life without Mom again when Laurel's face shifted; she gave in. Just for today we were going to be normal. No, not normal, the epitome of best friend goals; two best friends that got pregnant at similar times and gave birth to two more best friends, creating their very own friend group. Is it a stupid and cheesy ideology, yes, but did I need it right now? Definitely.
Well fuck, we're high as shit and have to be at the dress shop in ten, Uber it is. Mom managed to do it, she got us high enough to be excited to go dress shopping, even Laurel. Hell, we'd be excited to go to a funeral right now- shit, high thoughts act too fast. But it doesn't matter, because right now I'm with my mom looking at white dresses- shit, that's sad. Fuck, I'm bad at being high. Nevermind that, the dress Mom just showed me shocked the sad right out of me. It actually shocked me how ugly it was. "Right? Don't you just love it, hun?"
I snorted, like really snorted, "Jesus, Mom, how high are you?" Now we were both snorting. We tried to compose ourselves to appear sober, likely failing.
Laurel found us cackling over the horrid dress again, "Alright you two, I don't want to know what it is, but let's round it up," then she did something I never expected her to do, she squealed- about dresses, "It's try on time!" Mom got up to jump up and down with Laurel while I watched in shock.
Belly and I tried on a few dresses each, taking somewhere between twenty minutes and an hour. Each one, pretty or not, was a laughing stock. I took a break and plopped down on Laurel's lap in my white, puffy dress. She grunted and I went into a fit of giggles. Just then, Belly exited the dressing room in a lace, off-the-shoulder dress. Mom gasped, "It's perfect." Belly seemed unconvinced, as did Laurel and I based off her body language. Yet, her body language seemed thrilled when the worker suggest a classic, silk dress. However Mom intervened saying, "No, that's much too simple." Laurel and I gave each other a knowing look, sometimes my Mom went a little overboard. Belly remained silent and offered a smile to my mom, she always wanted to please her, and who could really blame her, we all did.
With Belly having 'found her dress', that just left me. My mom and I had differing personalities in many ways, but we both share a very specific taste. That's why as I continued to try on dresses, my high began to fall and my frustration began to rise. Right when I was prepared to give up and comeback another day, my mom knocked on my dressing room door. I opened it to be met with her beautiful, understanding face- it broke me. I was tired, sad, and frustrated: the perfect combination for an angry cry. As the tears fell my mom closed the door behind her and held my face, "Oh, honey, what's wrong?"
I sniffled and gave a weak smile, "I'm just tired, really tired."
"Alright that's ok then, we'll try this one last dress and call it a day."
I cried more, "I don't want to call it a day, I don't care if I'm tired, I just like spending time with you."
"Oh, sweetie, I love spending time with you, but guess what, we've got all Summer for that."
I pretended not to notice the reasoning behind her saying Summer and just hugged her, "I know," I wiped away my tears, "now how about we try this dress on?"
She gave me one of her gorgeous smiles that Laurel always says that I got from her, "Ok hun, I'll let you be."
"Wait- no. Can you help me? There's, there's lots of buttons up the back, it might be difficult for me-"
She cut off my nervous rambling, putting her hand on my face, "Of course I'll help you."
I slipped into the bodice of the dress and pulled the sleeves over my arms. One by one, my mom buttoned up the back. Together, we turned to the mirror. We both gasped as tears filled our eyes- it was perfect. She put her arms around me and pulled me to her chest and rocked us from side to side, we both knew this was so much more than a dress. She kissed my temple before whispering in my ear, "My beautiful, beautiful girl."
This time it was a happy tear falling down my face, "I love you, Mom."
"I love you more, my sweet, sweet Natalia."
I turned to face her now, smirking, "I love you mos-"
"No, no, no! Stop right there, not possible, I love you the most!"
I broke into a fit of giggles. Just then Laurel burst open the door to find my mother and I clinging to one another, laughing so hard we couldn't breathe. Laurel gave us her best stern mom look, "And this, Belly, is why we don't smoke pot."
I let out a small laugh as I lay my head on my mother's chest, listening to the sound of her heartbeat.