Two months before the wedding
"Malishka you know I adore you. BUT WHY AM I WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING WITH YOU?" Gerald huffs from the front seat as we pull up to the bridal shop.
"Oh hush up Gerald, I very well can't bring Nadei with me can I? Plus Jillian is at the point of her pregnancy where she wants to claw Ale's eyes out. Nikolai is fucking Nikolai and you're my best friend so suck it up buttercup." I slide out of the back seat pulling Betty and Jillian out with me.
I try to keep a straight face as we walk into the store, but my heart is beating out of my chest. This is the moment that everything starts to feel fucking real. As I enter white taffeta, lace and sequins are all I see, Gerald notices my discomfort and quickly gives me his hand to squeeze.
"Nicole-breath someone is approaching us"
I snap back to reality as I noticed a consultant hurrying her way to us.
"Hi, I'm um Nicole Ramirez here for"
"Oh yes, the Romanoff party!" The consultant cheers up and I know where this is going. "Come right this way darling we have a private section set up for you and your party."
"Of course you do," I mumble as Jillian laughs beside me.
"Come on babe it's your day enjoy it." She links her arm with mine and we follow the woman.
"Ok, so we pulled all these dresses especially for you from the ideas your fiancé gave us. We also have champagne and some hors d'oeuvre for your guest. We also have bridesmaids dresses pulled for your girls."
"Yes Please, mama needs food." Jillian and Betty happily plop down on the couch seated facing the dressing room.
"And for you sir?"
"Just pretend like I'm not here." Gerald stands behind the couch with his arms crossed.
The consultant blushes at Gerald, I can't help but roll my eyes. Pretty sure she's not his type and Coni wouldn't hesitate to slap her.
"Can we get this over with?"
I open the dress room door and a wall of beautiful dresses stares back at me. God this dressing room is bigger than my childhood bedroom, there are racks of dress covering the wall. I run my hand over the different fabrics, some organza, some with satin overlay, and beautiful expensive lace.
Speaking of expensive a price tag grabs my attention and the wind is knocked out of me.
"Holy fuck that's a down payment for a fucking car."
"Mr. Romanoff said to only pick the best of the best." She quickly pulls a dress off the hanger and motions for me to undress.
Mr. Romanoff is going to hear my mouth when I get home later. I think to myself as I undress and climb into the big poofy dress.
I already know it's not for me but I should go show the girls. The consultant opens the door Jillian and Betty already have their heads propped up waiting for me.
"Babe—you look so—" Jillian already breaks into the water walks.
"Jill it's the first fucking dress relax" Betty hands her a tissue with a hint of annoyance.
"I'm carrying two fucking Romanoffs in me excuse me for being EXTRA emotional"
"Let's pray it's two girls I don't know if I could handle Nikolai and Alek 2.0"
"Oh god no." Jillian quickly recovers herself and I turn to look in the mirror. I try stretching the dress out a little, it's a beautiful ballgown but that's just it is a ballgown a giant poof cupcake fucking ballgown. The consultant is going on and on about the details of the dress, the fabric, and why it looks beautiful on me but my mind is not connecting with it.
"She doesn't like it." Gerald quietly chokes up.
"Excuse me, sir?" The consultant sass back I can't help giggle a little. Gerald knows me pretty well by now.
"It's simple she doesn't like it. It's too much for her, the skirt is too wide, she won't be able to dance all night, and imagine if she has to wear that heavy-ass dress in fucking heels all night. I will bet money she'll dance naked if she had to then wear that dress all night!" Gerald scuffs back to the consultant who doesn't look too pleased with his claims.
"He's right actually." Gerald playful winks at the consultant who tries hard not to roll her eyes.
"Very well then onto the next one."
She quickly shuffles me into the dressing room and another expensive gown is covering my body. It's not as bad as the last one but my heart just isn't in it. The satin is too clingy in all the wrong places, the fit is perfect but the fabric and plain Jane of it just doesn't do it for me.
"Ok now this one is a show stopper...." the consultant trails off and again I find myself staring in the mirror tugging at the dress wonderful about what if's.
"Oh god no take the shit off!" A light voice echoed in the distance. I turn to find Jillian holding up her phone with Veronica on the other line.
"GITANA!" I shout and jump off the pedestal grabbing the phone from Jill.
"Hey, babygirl. Did you think I would miss a chance to see you play dress up?" She playfully winks back and I hear the consultant snicker.
"But girl that is not the one!"
"Back to the drawing board." the consultant lets out an annoyed sigh and I hand the phone back to Jill.
"No no, take me with you. We need to talk.....in private."
Jill shrugs her shoulders and hands me back the phone.
Once in the dressing room I prop the phone up on a mini shelf and begin to undress.
"So what's up?"
"Um.....It's about Franco.....he.....my god Nicky how the fuck did I manage this!"
I burst out laughing because I know exactly what she means. Vee and I are pretty similar in the love department, we were never looking for love and enjoyed the freedom of single life. We also enjoyed the freedom of our sexuality, I'm bisexual but Vee is pan.
In short, it means she attracts to who she's attracted to, regardless of their gender or identity. So when it came to love she never really cared for it, she's not a one-person woman. And I think that's what always attracted me to her friendship-wise and the amount of respect I had for her.
I was so hooked on the fairy tale life and she always reminded me of the importance of loving myself. But there's something about these Romanoff men.
"Oh Vee I'm not going to lie I felt that shit the minute you two saw each other. The banter back and forth, the way Franco expresses his sex life so freely, and how he's just so fucking lovable it's ridiculous. I swear these Romanoff men they just-" I take a deep breath thinking back on my own Romanoff man. Nadei, he's truly something special. He's someone I didn't know I needed, he can read me like a book and I've never felt so safe in a man's presence before.
"Girl you don't even know the half of it!" She pauses for a second gathering her thoughts. "So after I left New York I was straight up with Red. You know me I was like listen we had our fun but I'm going back home but I just couldn't stop myself. He was fine with the one and done but then I have been texting him nonstop. It's like we're in high school again talking on the phone until morning."
"No shit?"
The consultant is lost in finding the perfect dress for me, I nod off every choice so far and continue talking to Vee.
"I'm telling you I'm fucked up! So—I like an idiot caved and asked him what we are!"
"No, you fucking didn't!!!"
The consultant jumps from my excitement but she quickly goes back to rummaging through the rack of dresses.
"Yes, and you want to know what the fuck he told me!"
"Dime dime Mujer!!"
"And I quote 'We can keep this simple when I'm around you belong to me and only me unless we play together with others. And when I'm not around you're free to do whoever you want.' And scene."
"My fucking god. The universe perfectly sculpted that man for you!"
"Right? Like part of me is so hyped up but another part of me wants to wife him ASAP!"
I can't help but laugh I've never seen Vee so worked up over someone before. She has some feelings for Franco and I know it's mutual on his part.
"Vee don't lose something because of your insecurities. Franco isn't going away so don't try to push him, he's my sweet little dumpling!"
"Barf. Moving on.....so have you thought about your bachelorette party yet!"
"Bachelorette party?" For a moment I completely forgot about that whole thing, I guess because Nadei isn't a strip club kind of guy I didn't want to have a party while he had nothing. "Um honestly no?"
"Well leave it to mama."
"I don't know whether to be excited or terrified."
"Both. Always both."
I roll my eyes as Vee laughs, knowing her it will be a weekend full of drinking, bar hopping, and guaranteed I'll be dancing on tables again.
"Ok this is it I'm 100% confident!"
I look up to see her holding a beautiful sweetheart neckline dress with a mix of fabrics. It's light beaded over vintage-style lace and button details down the back.
"Shit" I whisper.
"What what show me!" Vee yells from the other end. But the consultant excitedly takes the phone away.
"Sorry miss you'll have to wait like everyone else!" She walks out of the room and returns without the cell phone.
"Ok let's get you in this!"
I'm completely speechless as she begins to pull the dress over my curves. My heart pounds as the dress slips over my waist and I place my arms into the delicate straps. It fits perfectly.
I think I'm having one of those moments.
The moment people have on those bridal tv shows when they start crying because they found the perfect dress.
As I walk out of the dressing room all eyes fall on me and there's nothing but silence. I step to the pedestal staring at myself in the mirror in almost disbelief. The consultant proudly stands by my side with her arms crossed.
"So this dress-" she begins to talk but is quickly cut off by everyone's excitement.
"OH MY GOD NICOLE!" Veronica screams from the phone.
Jillian reaches for a tissue quickly wiping her tears away.
"Wow. Nicole if you don't buy this dress I will!" Betty's eyes run over every detail of the dress.
I take a deep breath before I turn and face my audience. They're all waiting for me to respond but I can't seem to put words together.
"Malishka." Gerald's voice pulls me from my thoughts and my eyes meet his gaze. "You look beautiful. And Nadei is a very lucky man."
"Nash is so lucky he scooped you up before I did!" Vee playfully winks calling Nadei by the random nickname she gave him.
"I—I don't know." My mind is running a thousand miles a minute, it's all becoming too real too quickly. Is this the dress I want? Am I ready to commit?
Gerald pulls out his phone a quickly dials a number.
"Ale I need your help," Gerald mumbles into the phone.
"Shouldn't you be dress shopping? You need me to help pick you out some heels too-oh.....oh my god." Gerald rolls his eyes and turns the phone to face me, Aleksander nearly drops his when he sees me in the dress.
"Ale....."
Gerald walks closer to me so I can see him better.
"What's wrong babe? Are you having second thoughts? Is this when you confess your love to me and we run off together into the sunset? because I'm ready!" He jokes.
"Fuck off asshole!" Jillian chokes up.
"I just—is this?"
"You look breathtaking. My uncle loves you beyond fucking words and you love him. No one on this earth loves you more than Nadei and that's a fucking fact." I take a deep breath and my nerves slowly calm.
"Forget the price, forget everyone else in this room, Nicole. It is about you and Nadei. Do you love the dress?" Gerald and Aleksander, my two boys they know exactly how to talk to me.
"I do. I do."
"Then it's final! you found the one love! I see you, girls, soon kiss Jillian's belly for me. Bye!" Aleksander quickly hangs up the phone and Gerald nods his head agreeing with Aleksander.
"Ok ok. This is the one!"
Everyone begins to clap and the worries finally wash away.
"Hey, Gerald I don't appreciate you and Aleksander trying to step on my territory. That best friend role is MINE!" Vee yells over the phone and Gerald just brushes her off. "Anyways I have shit to do before Esmeralda beats my ass. Love you see you at the wedding!"
I turn to the consultant who is already pulling up paperwork for me to sign.
"So.....how much is this dress?"
"Oh Um. Mr. Romanoff requested we didn't tell you the exact price."
"Excuse me? Listen here hun you either tell me the price or I'll walk out right now and you'll lose my future husband's business."
"$10,000. The base price that's with no alterations, veil, garter, and now you're chugging champagne in it ok."
"Yeah she's going to freak out in a second just give her-" Gerald jokes
"$10,000 fucking dollars for a fucking dress I'm going to fucking wear for 5 fucking hours. Fuck is this made of gold? Dio. Que loca! No soy rica!"
"And now she's speaking Spanish well time to get her out of the dress before we lose her completely." Jillian and Betty quickly get up and hustle me to the fitting room.
"$10,000!!!!!"
••••••
"Where the hell is my fiancé at!" I rush into the apartment and Franco points me in Nadei direction.
"Hello printsessa did you pick put a-"
"Nadei Mikhailovich Romanoff! I just spent so much money I could've bought myself a new fucking car. I could've fucking put money in my savings account. Hell, we could've gone on a fucking vacation in the middle of nowhere for how much I spent!"
I throw my bags on the floor and inch my way closer with each word. A devilish smirk comes across Nadei's face, this little fucker thinks he's so charming and funny.
"Money is not a worry for us Nicole."
"Money is not a worry for YOU."
Nadei lets out an annoyed sigh as he walks closer to me, I try to hold my position with my arms crossed but I'm instantly weak when it comes to him. He pulls me into his chest and I wrap my arms around him.
"Whatever is mine is now yours. You are Nicole Romanoff, everything that belongs to me belongs to you. That includes all my money." He softly plays with my hair kissing my temple. "I love you moya printsessa."
"I love you too Nadei"
"Who says I'm taking your last name maybe I'll just hyphenate?" I tease back poking his chest mocking his tone.
Nadei lets out an angry sigh before pulling me closer and tilting my chin up.
"There is a lot of shit I will give you. But I am a traditional man, you will be Nicole Romanoff. And the world will know you like that because you are MINE you are MY wife."
The way he said that sent a shiver through my body, his wife. It was the hottest, purest, and most possessive thing I have ever heard Nadei said.
"How about you prove to me I'm yours and we can negotiate on the last name."
"Cheeky I see." Nadei tosses me over his shoulder patting my ass while walking out of his office and carrying me off to our bedroom.