Roman a Clef by Jessica Thompson (ereader android .TXT) 📖

and the sun sits in the shadow of a few clouds. There is a small pumpkin patch on the side of the church. Inside the sanctuary burgundy tulle is draped on the outside of the pews and red and orange leaves line the borders of the aisle. The ladies quarters are on one side and the men’s quarters are on the other side. Chrissie arrives and begins finishing the flowers in the sanctuary. The boys are dressed and are taking pictures outside. Ashley arrives with the rest of the bridal party and begins dressing in the ladies quarters. Kelly and I go and assist Chrissie since the ladies will be taking their pictures next and we are already dressed. Kelly is called outside for pictures and as I wait for the last two bouquets Ida walks pass me with a distressed look upon her face. “Jessica, are you not taking pictures?”
I am standing in between Chrissie and Ida with one finished bouquet in my hand “I am. I am just getting the last two bouquets.”
“So you are not taking pictures?” she responds with a more puzzled look.
I look at Ida sternly “After I grab this last bouquet, I am going to run out there.”
“So you are not taking pictures?”
Chrissie stands in between me and Ida. “Here Jessica, that is the last one.”
“Thank you Chrissie.”
I walk pass Ida feeling annoyed that I realize I am angry and become even angrier when the tone shifts when I come outside for the photos. The photographer poses us in place. The Pickett family is outside as well, so the flower girls and ring barer are playing. As we are gather together for the group shot Sierra mentions that we should have been at the hair salon this morning they served mimosas.
Kelly smiles and replies “It’s okay we had mimosas and breakfast this morning too.”
“Alright smile ladies, 1. .2. .3. great!
Kelly looks over at me and notices that I am not smiling. “You aren’t smiling”
I partially turn to look at her and mumble, “The sun is in my eyes”
“Liar.”
I turn back to face the camera. “Fine, my face hurts.”
Kelly smirks at my response. “So you are not going to smile?”
“I wouldn’t be able to do it even if you used gorilla glue.”
Kelly shakes her head. “You know she is going to say you ruined her pictures”
I roll my eyes. “If she is smart, she won’t order any with me in them; it will be like I wasn’t even here.”

As time passes the vodka in the flasks become helpful to ease the tension. Ashley’s nerves send her on a complaining tangent. She complains the flowers aren’t correct and they look horrible and have the wrong floral pieces in them. She complains about the decorations in the church weren’t done to the expectation she desired. I have to break away. I walk around and mingled with the guests coming in. I run into one of my dearest friends Gwen Wernersbach, Sasha’s sister who is in town from New York. Seeing her is like taking in a breath of fresh air. My smile miraculously returns. I feel completely different afterwards. I am ready to return to the bride’s quarters. On my way there, I see Ashley Marlow sitting next to a framed matted photo of the bride and groom. I remember Ashley told the bride she would make sure people signed the matte. Ashley’s greeting guests as they come in and instructing them to sign the matte. I notice Ida is about to reach Ashley before I will and I turn completely around to walk in the other direction. I pause when I realize Ida is fussing at Ashley for allowing people to sign their message too big, as if Ashley has control over people’s handwriting. I turn around again and Ida walks away when she sees me coming toward them. I lay my hand on Ashley’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”
Ashley has a stunned look on her face. “Did you hear what that bitch just said to me? I don’t believe it! I don’t have to do this shit. I agree to do this because Ashley asked me to but I will be damned if I am going to take abuse for something I have no control over! I can’t believe Ashley grew up with that Psycho as her mother. I now realize that Ashley has it fair.”
I laugh. “Don’t let her get to you; Ida is on a roll today to make everyone miserable.”
I walk towards the ladies quarters, but I notice that Ashley’s greeting to the guests has become lifeless and flaccid.

Ashley is sitting alone and there is no one to be found. I sit in a chair across the room. Silence. We sit silent for 5 minutes before she looks at me and says “I have to use the bathroom”
I pop out of my chair. “Oh Okay, let’s go.”
While I am holding up her dress, all the bridesmaids storm in to the bathroom with a camera threatening to take a picture of the bride on the potty. Ashley’s face is bloodshot red and an anaconda size vain is about to pop out of her forehead. “Lacy, I swear to God, don’t you dare!”
We all go back into the main room and wait for the wedding coordinator to come and get us. I notice the flailing hands first.
“It’s show time ladies!”

As Lacy walks down the aisle the men take their places on the steps of the pulpit. Lacy’s has a petite full-size figure and the sleekness of her dress flows like the wind as she walks. She has long wavy dark brown hair that go with her brown eyes to give her a warm look. She has soft angelic facial features and people constantly tell her she could easily make it as a plus size model. I begin to walk down the aisle I pause for the photographer and then keep walking. As I approach the front pews there is a loud CLINK! I am thinking to myself “Oh my God the flask!” I have two seconds to drop my eyes to find it and kick it over to the side and hope that no one trips on it. I get to my marker and I realize that all the groomsmen are chuckling to themselves but luckily enough no one else noticed what happen.

I am safe. So far Sarah, Sierra, and Kelly have made it down the aisle without tripping or dragging the flask out into the open. I await the biggest test of all: the bride and her train. As Ashley and Dan pass the front pews I wait with big eyes to see if the train of the dress reveals my wedding blooper. The train makes it way up the steps and with sweet victory there is no flask in sight. I take a deep breath of relief. I realize that as I am staring at Ashley’s dress I am zoning out again. The gown is gorgeous. Ashley is wearing a cream spaghetti strap Princess Silhouette gown with a princess-line bodice featuring vertical lines of swarovski crystals along the top. There is a satin red sash going through the top border of her dress. Her bodice is super slimming and gives the illusion of extra height; not that Ashley needs the assistance, she is 5’11 and weighs 145 pounds. Ashley’s hibiscus hair pin glistens with red and clear swarovski crystals on top of her strawberry blond hair which she has pinned back into a bun. Ashley has very structured facial features like a super model whom has had plastic surgery. Her appearance on any other day is charming, but today it is especially beguiling. I remember when we got that dress.

Day dreaming:

It is dark and the air is crisp and cold. Ida drops Ashley and I off at the corner and goes and parks the car in the garage. Ashley and I walk to the end of the line which is already wrapped around the side of Filene’s basement. Ashley and I open up our lawn chairs and take a seat. I am looking at the line in disbelief. “I can’t believe that it is 5-o-clock in the morning and there are this many people here.”
Ashley nods in agreement. Ida comes walking up, “Ashley did you see the girls camping out in there tents in front of the store? I need to go get some coffee; all the stores around here are already open because of this event. You guys want anything?”
We both say in unison, “coffee.”
Ashley turns to give me our special headbands we are to wear in order to spot each other in the crowd. “Thanks for coming Jessica; I am really excited that you are going to do this with me. Can you believe we are at the Running of the Brides event?”
I laugh, “I can believe we are here but I can’t believe it is 5am. You think we will find the dress?”
“I hope so. I don’t like to think I am shivering out here for nothing.”
Three hours pass and the line has gone from a spacious single file line to a huge crowd squeezing together. Two radio stations are here broadcasting live all the excitement. Ashley and I work out our strategies and make alliances with two other groups. The radio station begins a countdown: 10. . 3 2 1! Pandemonium breaks out. We are running through the store grabbing what we can and leaving all the clothes racks empty within the first fifteen minutes. There are people everywhere and brides are trying on dresses wherever they stand. I lost Ashley and Ida when we first get inside the store, but I find them after standing on some shoe racks. Ida has five dresses, Ashley has five dresses and I have three. Ashley begins trying on gowns. Out of the 13 there are only two that work. I immediately go back out into the wild to begin bargaining and trading. I come back with five more gowns. I find Ashley and Ida arguing over style.
Ida recommends Ashley go with a more Victorian look with a corset bodice and princess Silhouette “Ashley, you look so pretty in the other dress. You look like Princess Diana.”
“I don’t want to look like Princess Diana, mom! I want a dress a little more modern and delicate than that, something with beading on the bodice.”
“Ashley, look at that girl. You looked way better in that dress than she does. She doesn’t look like a queen at all.” Ida laughs
“No mother! Hey Jess, what did you find?”
I hand the dress over to Ashley to glance over and try on and take the discarded one to put back on the rack. By the time I put the dresses on the rack and grab five more I hear the ladies in our corner squealing. I run over. “What is it?”
Ida shouts, “Oh, Ashley!”
The crowd of ladies breaks away from the huddle and I am finally able to see. Ashley is crying. “Snif, Snif, Jessica what do you think?”
I smile and say, “I think that you have found your dress! It is breathtaking and you look amazing in it.”
Ashley nods while Ida brings over three more Victorian styled