I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at the door. The sounds of the innocent knocking echoed through the small apartment and signalled my doom. It was Sandra and Charlene. I knew this thanks to the beautiful people at reception who - thanks to my quick thinking - have now been instructed to call me when ever any one of these two women were in the building.
I didn't know what I was expecting but I did know I should dread what ever they have planned.
Taking a deep breath I thought it best to get this over with. Opening the door I smiled at the annoyed looks of the waiting women. "Sorry," I apologised. "I was in the shower."
"Then why is your hair dry?" Charlene spat as she pushed her way into the apartment and began her inspection, looking around.
You didn't think that through did you Sky?
Not really.
I don't know what she expected to find. The only evidence that remained of my moving in where the three coloured candles and one small candle I was actually allowed to keep after Anthony had spotted them and began adding 'colour blind' to the list of disabilities he was accusing me of.
Hercules was also allowed to stay but I had decided to keep him in his cage when Anthony was home to prevent giving him cause to throw him out the window.
"I half expected to find a pile of dirty clothes and an elephant in the lounge room." She smiled pleased that she didn't see any of those things.
I licked my lip. She would find both of those things in the bedroom with my teddy elephant scatted somewhere on the messy bed and a pile of dirty clothes in both the bathroom and the wardrobe - and lets not forget the shoes in the middle of the room.
"How are you settling in Sky?" Sandra asked me as she too began a quick look around.
"Good." I smiled not really knowing what else to say. After all, I did spend the morning locked out on the porch with a bird pecking at my arm.
"I know my son can be a little hard to live with at times. He can be very stubborn when he wants to be."
"We've developed an understanding." I assured her. Yes, I got to keep my rabbit, he would do all the cooking and we were going to attempt to share the bed. What could possibly go wrong?
Don't say that. Every time someone says that in a movie, everything goes wrong.
Well, life isn't a movie inner self.
You're right. Your life is more like a train wreck with the occasional car crash.
"Skylar?"
I blinked hearing my name.
"Are you alright dear?" Sandra expressed her concern.
"Yes I'm fine." I assured her.
"We should be on our way, with the traffic we are probably already running late for our appointment." Charlene butted in, saving me from Sandra's looks of concern and calling us to action.
If there was one thing Charlene was good for, it was distracting people from my lack of attention during one of my 'moments'.
I followed the two women down to the car and kept quiet for most of the drive not really knowing what to say or caring too much about the topic of conversation - the wedding.
I was beginning to get a little uncertain about this whole endeavour. Sure, I could put up with Anthony for a time and he seemed willing to compromise with me on matters of importance. We were both acting like adults in the situation to achieve our ultimate goals, using each other for our own means while respecting each other at the same time.
But, still, I was getting nervous about the prospect of the wedding. It has only been not even two full weeks since the prospect of marriage was bought to me and even then, only a week and a half since I met the man I intended to marry - that is, if you exclude the interview, which, according to my mind, never happened.
I guess it was to be expected. Everyone goes through it right? That is why they have that saying 'getting cold feet'. Maybe that's all this is? Just nerves that puts doubt in my mind.
Maybe you should buy a foot spa to warm up those feet?
I'm ignoring you now.
You can never ignore me Sky. Not matter how much you try. She spoke in a really creepy voice that left me shivering.
"We're here." Roy spoke from the front seat as he pulled the car to a stop just outside a shop. I didn't care to look up at the name of the store or even inquire what we were doing here as I saw my answer staring at me in the front window.
Wedding dresses.
"You have to be kidding me right?" I whined at little as we pulled ourselves out of the car.
"Not at all!" Sandra smiled at me. "We can hardly do this for you so stop being lazy and this will be over soon."
I was beginning to see more and more of Anthony in this woman. He was defiantly a Mumma's boy.
Walking into the store we were greeted by a very chirpy staff member who seemed a little to eager to help us. I proffered the help to be more sloth like, sit there and sleep until I ask for help and not pressing me to buy something or pissing me off by their 'recommendations'.
I wondered off from Charlene's fussing and had a look through the racks myself. I didn't really know what I wanted but I knew that I didn't want one of the mermaid styled dresses and I didn't want the dress to weigh more than me either.
"See anything you like?" Sandra asked me after a small time.
"I don't know." I sighed. "I don't really know what I'm looking for."
"Just look for something you can see yourself wearing. Maybe try a few things on so we can figure our what you like and what you don't." She suggested very wisely.
I nodded my head in agreement and passed by another dress.
"Thank you by the way," she began again. "For letting me do this with you, I know your step mother and I can get a little carried away."
I giggled and look at her. "Just a little?"
"Well a lot." She smiled in agreement. "I've just never had a daughter to dress up or dote on."
"You could have always dressed Anthony up as a girl. That would have made a great photo."
Sandra gave me an evil smirk. "I'll send them to you."
I gawked at her with pure amusement. "Oh my god yes, you must!"
"What about this one?" Charlene called to Sandra and I as she pulled out a dress out of the racks.
Going into the change rooms I decided to start attempting to find a dress. The first dress I tried on was absolutely gorgeous, it was more clinging with lacy and glitter scattered everywhere and did not at all puff out like a classic princess dress. Stepping into the dress I pulled it up and pulled the zipper up.
It had a lower back that was nice but looking at me in this dress was like looking at a hippo attempting to wear a bikini - it just didn't work. The parts of my back seen in the dress looked very unnatural and not at all flattering, my curves looked like lumps of fat as the dress highlighted all the wrong areas of my body and felt like if I dared to bend down, my butt was going to pop out and say hello.
"Not a chance." I called out to Charlene and Sandra as I pealed myself out of the dress.
"Maybe we need something more classic." One of the women suggested although I could hardily tell who was talking anymore.
The next dress to be thrown over was, well big. It hugged my breasts nicely and didn't at all make my butt look big or show off any unnecessary muffin top, which I was grateful for - that is if you could even find my butt in this dress. I opened the door to show the two women but fell the moment the door was no longer supporting me.
"Oh dear god." Charlene stepped back. "Are you even in there? All I can see is dress."
"It's too puffy."
"It's a wedding dress there is no such thing as 'too puffy'."
Waving my hands around like an idiot I finally got the dress out of my face and managed to stand up with the help of the wall. I couldn't move in it.
They both looked over the dress and nodded. "Too Puffy."
I rolled my eyes and turned back around ready to crawl out of this challenging dress.
"Shall I grab another?" Sandra asked.
"No," Charlene quickly tuned in. "I have a better idea. Sky, get dressed."
I frowned in confusion, but still did as I was told. Slipping back into my clothes I followed them both out of the store and back into the car.
We drove through familiar streets until the car began to slow at a familiar pair of gates. "Why are here?" I frowned looking out the window at my father's home.
"I want to try something else." Charlene said as the car crept forward.
We walked into the house and made a beeline for my old room. "I still don't understand why we're here."
Charlene walked into my old wardrobe leaving both Sandra and I very confused and a little awkward standing in my old room.
Charlene and my father hadn't changed my room much - if at all. My old toys, posters, bed covers and even my teddies were exactly as they had been when I left. I liked the idea of them not changing anything; it made me feel as if I still had a place here despite the fact that I hadn't lived here for years.
"Got it!" Charlene called out triumphantly. She walked out of the wardrobe with a large box in her hands.
"What is that?" I frowned not recognising it.
"It's your mother's wedding dress, it's in perfect condition I got it pressed and cleaned only last year." She spoke as she placed it on the bed and took off the lid.
I took a deep breath in slight shock. She had kept my mum's dress?
"It's absolutely gorgeous." Sandra leaned forward to get a better look at the dress.
"I've seen pictures of your mother, we will probably have to alter it in some places but I think this would be a better dress for you than those other dress'" Charlene continued as she stood back and looked down at the dress.
"I'll go call a friend, he can work wonders with any form of clothing, he'll be able to help." Sandra excused herself as she pulled out her phone and left the room.
I turned to Charlene still shocked. "You kept my Mum's dress?"
Charlene turned to me, the slight flicker of fear and uncertainty in her eyes. "Yes," she spoke a little hesitantly. "I thought you might want it."
I rapidity blinked my eyes trying to keep them from tearing up. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet. Try it on." She smiled at me before leaving the dress and me alone.
I ran my fingers lightly over the dress, feeling the material under my fingers. I grabbed the dress and gently pulled it out of the box, letting the material fall downwards as I looked over it. I stepped into the dress and pulled it to my shoulders, looking at the dress as it hung off my shoulders.
It didn't necessarily fit, the back was a little tight since I have a bigger bust than my mother did but it seemed to fit everywhere else. The dress was beautiful, patterns of lace over silk material with just the right amount of sparkle on the bodice of the dress. The rest of the dress didn't cling and had just the right amount of puff to it that made you feel like the centre of attention but whilst also being practical and flexible enough to move in.
It was perfect.
The knock on the door signalled the arrival of my stepmother and soon to be mother-in-law. They walked into the room until they were standing in the corner of the mirror, their eyes on the dress.
"I want to wear it." I nodded my head. I wanted to feel close to my mother, I wanted some part of her there on the day I got married, regardless if I knew she wouldn't approve. I wanted to feel like she was there, watching me.
Sandra stepped forward and looked at the back of the dress. "I say end the zip about here." She pointed on the dress. "And then patch the back up with some lace but I think we should leave the back open a little more."
"Does it feel tight or too loose anywhere else?" Charlene asked me as Sandra started typing instruction into her phone.
"No, its perfect."
Charlene smiled at me in the mirror. "Then we better get busy."
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I walked into the apartment and started sniffing the air. Walking into the kitchen, Anthony was nowhere to be found. The oven was on with a small roast slowly cooking that smelt absolutely amazing.
I grabbed a biscuit out of the cupboard to tie me down until dinner was ready. Turning the corner I leaned against the arch way that separated the lounge room and kitchen and smiled that the scene in front of me.
Anthony was seated on the couch, a book leaned on his lap as he looked down, reading it through a pair big black glasses all the while he patted Hercules who was cuddled in his side.
Don't like pets, yeah right.
And that asshole threatened to throw him out a window.
I know right. Lying bastard.
I smiled and silently crept up behind him. Leaning against the back of the couch, I leaned into his ear and clicked my tongue sending a loud sound echoing through the air.
"Fuck!" He screamed as he jumped up, his book falling to the ground and poor little Hercules jumped over to the other side of couch. "Shit Sky, what'd you do that for?"
I smiled and picked Hercules up, giving him a quick cuddle. "So um, are you two friends now?"
Anthony narrowed his eyes at me. "This means nothing."
I smirked. "It's okay Hercules, I'm not ashamed to love you." I spoke in a baby voice to my pet bunny.
"He is a She."
I frowned. "What?"
"I took the over grown rat the vet today to make sure he wasn't bringing any diseases into my house and the vet said Hercules, is actually a Girl." Anthony smiled sure of himself.
I turned back to my rabbit. "Fine. Her name is Herculina now."
"Herculina?" Anthony frowned at the name.
"Yes, its much more feminine." I gave her one last cuddled and put her back down on the couch. "So when is my food ready?"
"My food, should be ready about now." He took his glasses off and sat them on the coffee table before he headed towards the kitchen.
"Good because I'm hungry." I turned to follow. "Oh and nice glasses."
"Don't talk Sky."
I watched Anthony as he pulled out the dish full of roasted vegetables and the succulent meat that smelt absolutely mouth watering.
"The fact that you know how to cook is really tipping things in your favour." I smiled and leaned forward to get a better look at everything in the dish.
I helped plate up the food - basically me holding plates and drooling while he put food on them - and we both sat down at the table. It was nice, the food was to die for and Anthony was surprisingly in a good mood, which meant conversation was light with the occasional joke.
If this was a date, I dare say I may even be interested in the guy.
"Where did you go with Mum today?" He asked me as I started doing the dishes.
"Dress shopping."
Anthony nodded and passed me the salt that I was struggling to reach. "Find anything?"
"No, I'm actually going to wear my mother's dress." I smiled fondly at the idea.
"It will be good for you." He spoke. "Having something of hers."
"Yeah it will be." I turned to face him. He was looking down mainly, as he fiddled with the cutlery. "So I was thinking," I beamed in hoping a change in topic would lighten the mood. "Since you love Herculina, we should get her a little play mate."
His eyes snapped up to met mine. "I let you keep one ball of fluff, that doesn't mean I'm letting you buy another fluff ball."
"You don't have to let me do anything."
"'All large purchases to be made together', remember?" He pressed.
I smiled innocently at Anthony.
"You put another loop hole didn't you?"
"You should really learn to read things before you sign it." I smiled triumphantly.
"I'm starting to think you may have your uses."
"I told you, you should have hired me." I smiled and picked up my plate and walked towards the sink as Anthony followed.
"Are you ever going to get over that?" Anthony asked me as he started to load up the dishwasher.
"Nope." I walked towards the bedroom and got changed, slipping out of my clothes and into my comfy shorts and baggy shirt.
Walking out of the wardrobe I hesitated as Anthony walked into the bed room.
We both looked at the bed, and then each other.
"I sleep on the right." Anthony was quick to lay down his territory.
"What a coincidence." I smiled. "I sleep in the middle."
Anthony rolled his eyes and took the first steps towards the bed. He took off his belt and removed his t-shirt that he was wearing. Pulling back the blankets he climbed into the bed and relaxed his head on the pillow. I twitched my nose a little and made my way over the left side of the bed. Climbing in I kept myself to the left side fighting the urge to kick him out and sleep in the middle.
I moved one pillow behind my head and built up a mountain of pillows between us.
"You're kidding me right?" Anthony stared at me in shock.
"No I am not kidding you. This mountain stays because I don't trust you or your hands, the more I start to trust you the less pillows will be between us." I explained as I patted the pillows one last time.
"Thank you for the very symbolic explanation." He chuckled at me.
"You're welcome." I threw my head into the pillow and snuggled into the bed.
"Good night Skylar."
"Good night Anthony."
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