Chapter 7 Finally Coming Together

                The weeks seemed to fly by with Uncle Dave and right in front of Rich and my eyes our wedding was planned. Before we knew it I was going back to my job of teaching music at the high school, Rich was getting ready to go back on tour with Backstreet to finish the European leg of the This Is Us tour, and Uncle Dave was getting ready to go back to California to return to his job planning weddings for celebrities and filming his TV show. The day before he left though my best friends, sister and I went dress shopping with him.               

                The last Friday night Uncle Dave staid with us, Stephanie, Jess, Kelshie, and Carly all came over for an impromptu engagement party and all I can say about that was there was a lot of drinks, food, and laughter. We even were able to chat with Melina for a little bit on Skype and she happily agreed to be my bridesmaid along with Carly, Jess and Kelshie.

                “The timing for your wedding is perfect Heather! I will be moving to the states the month before and working in Jess’s hotel!” Melina exclaimed.

                “No way! That’s awesome! I didn’t know you were moving here!” I responded.

                “I have always wanted to live in the states so I decided to try it out for a little bit at least.”

                “When did you decide this?”

                “A few months ago,” Jess replied.

                “And you didn’t tell me?!” I said in mock shock.

                “We wanted to surprise you when she actually moved out here but we weren’t planning on Rich proposing,” shrugged Jess.

                “Well now I am even more excited! This is going to be so much fun! I wish you were here to go dress shopping with us tomorrow though,” I pouted.

                “Go out and get whatever dress you like best. You are the bride and I will wear whatever you want me too,” she smiled back.

                “I promise I won’t pick a hideous dress.”              

                “Oh honey I won’t let you pick a hideous dress!” Uncle Dave nearly screamed.

                The room was filled with laughs before we said good night (or good rest of the day because of the time change) to Melina.

                The next morning Rich made everyone pancakes for breakfast then we left him and the Pups at home while the rest of us went dress shopping after Diane came to pick us  up with her SUV.  

                “So where are we going for the dresses?” Kelshie asked.

                “Do you remember Shawna’s Bridal Shop?” I asked.

                “Yes the one on the Boulevard?” Jess questioned.

                “Yeah. I figured we could check that place out at first and then hit David’s Bridal if we can’t find anything.”

                “But those places are so bland and boring!” Uncle Dave said dramatically, “I’m taking you girls to New York and Heather you are getting one of my bridal gowns.”

                “They are gorgeous dresses but I can’t afford one Uncle Dave, even with Stephanie’s help.” My sister said that she would help Rich and I pay for the wedding. So did Rich’s parents but I couldn’t ask them to pay so much for a dress I would only wear once.

                “Honey,” Uncle Dave looked at me before he sat in the passenger seat, “I’m the freaking designer! I’m not going to promise you that I can get you a dress for free but I can get one discounted. Besides it has been my dream to see you and your sister walk down the aisle in one of my dresses and well since your sister decided to get married at the court house and wear a summer dress all hope is lost on her and you are the one left to fulfill my dream.”

                I chuckled at him and Steph said, “You never told me that you wanted to see me in one of your dresses! I would’ve worn one just for you!”

                “No you wouldn’t. I know you too well Stephanie Lee. I know you never wanted the grandiose white wedding. But Heather, I know you always have.”

                “It’s true and I would be honored to wear one of your dresses, but can we at least take a look in the first two places and then we can go to New York to look at your dresses? Ok?” I gave Uncle Dave my puppy dog eyes that I knew he couldn’t resist.

                “Ok. You are the bride after all.”

                We first stopped at the family owned bridal store in my hometown  but the only one who found a dress was Diane, my honorary mother-of-the-bride. She got a very pretty lavender, tea length dress that she looked absolutely gorgeous in.                 We moved on to David’s Bridal and after looking at three different bridesmaids dresses, we finally agreed on a violet a-line dress with a straight, sleeveless top line, and a brooch on the side. It fit each of my bridesmaids perfectly and I loved the color. I searched through the entire store for my bridal gown and tried on three of them that I thought I liked but none of them made me feel like the bride I dreamed I would be.

                “I’m ready to go to New York Uncle Dave,” I said rather disappointedly.

                “Oh honey don’t be discouraged,” he wrapped his arms around me and gave me a warm hug, “I promise you that we will find you the perfect dress today. You have my word.”

                We stepped into the bridal shop in New York City and I felt my jaw drop as I looked around the three story building filled with wedding dresses and the luxurious waiting and dressing areas. After getting all of our formalities with the bridal shop owners and other people Uncle Dave knew there he announced as the rest of us sat down on the comfortable couches, “Today consider yourselves to be on an episode of My Fair Wedding because this appointment is going to be set up just like it is in the show. I will pick out three dresses that I think the bride will fall in love with and at the end of the appointment the bride will finally have her dress.”

                I was led into a dressing room where the head bridal consultant helped me try on the dresses Uncle Dave picked out for me.

                The first dress was a little too over the top for my taste and everyone laughed at the look on my face when I stepped out to the waiting area in front of my entourage.

                “David what were you thinking with that dress?” Diane scolded.              

                “Ok dress number one is out,” Uncle Dave laughed.

                The second dress was too plain and I was starting to feel like I was never going to find my dress.   

                “It’s pretty and the shape fits you well but you want something a little more, don’t you?” Stephanie asked.

                I nodded my head and tried to hide my disappointment.

                “Oh honey,” Uncle Dave came up to me and cupped my face with his hands, “I promised you we will find your dress today and I am not going to stop until we do find it. There is a whole store of dresses and you still have one more dress in round one to try on. Now go try on the third dress and if you don’t fall in love with it then we’ll go to round two ok?”

                I grinned at him and nodded my head, “Thanks Uncle Dave.”

                “It’s my pleasure sweetheart.”

                I walked back to the dressing room to try on the third dress. I looked at it on the hanger and thought, This is really pretty! And then I looked at the price tag, Crap that’s really expensive. I felt my heart sink in my chest.

                There was no mirror in the changing room so I had no idea how the dress looked on me until I stepped out to the waiting area.

                I was greeted with a chorus of, “Wow!”, “You look beauty!”, “That is such a pretty dress!” , “Heather that dress is perfect!”

                Before I looked at myself in the mirror, I looked at my sister, Diane, and my uncle. They each had a little glimmer in their eyes and the start of tears.

                I slowly turned around to face the mirror and my eyes went wide at the image I saw. The dress was absolutely beautiful! The fitted, full length gown with the soft net skirt, and sweetheart bodice accented with beading was exactly what I wanted. I felt gorgeous in it. I couldn’t say a single word even though I heard Uncle Dave ask, “I’m guessing the silence is a good thing Heather?”

                I was about to answer him but what felt like a thousand emoticons came rushing to me making me weep.

                “Sis what’s wrong?” Stephanie asked.

                “This dress is gorgeous but I can’t afford it, and I’m just so happy that all of you are here to share this experience with me but I really miss Mom!” I sobbed.

                Stephanie came up to me and placed her hand on my shoulder, “I miss her too.”

                Diane engulfed me in a big hug, “Honey, I am so happy to be here with you right now but your mom is here also. She’s looking down at you right now and smiling. You look beautiful in this dress.” Her eyes sparkled with a mix of happy and sad tears. Diane had basically adopted Stephanie and I when our mom passed away and the year prior she lost her own daughter Melissa, who was my age, in a car accident. Diane loved Stephanie and me like we were her own. I knew she always wanted to watch Melissa grow up and have her be the one looking for a wedding dress but in a way I was kind of filling Melissa’s place and Diane was filling Mom’s. Melissa and I were good friends and a lot of the time people confused the two of us because we looked alike.  

                “I love it but it’s too expensive. I could never afford it but I could never ask Rich, or his parents, or you, or Steph to help me pay for it. And I hate being emotional!”

                Uncle Dave took a hold of my hand and with his other one wiped tears from my eyes. He smiled as he looked into my eyes, “It’s ok to be emotional. Look at me I’m tearing too for crying out loud.”

                I chuckled, “But Uncle Dave you have always been a cry baby.”

                He grinned widely, “That’s beside the point. Now let me ask, how much do you like this dress?”

                “I’m in love with it. It’s absolutely gorgeous Uncle Dave. It’s everything I have ever dreamed of.”

                “How does it make you feel?”

                “I feel…beautiful in it.”

                “Is it your dream dress?”

                I wiped another tear off of my cheek and answered, “This is my dream dress Uncle Dave.”

                “Then consider the dress as my wedding present.”

                “But you are already planning the wedding for nothing! I can’t let you buy the…”

                “Stop right there,” he interrupted me. “Heather, you know that I love you dearly and that I will do anything to make you happy and you are happy in this dress! Let me pay for it so you can be the beautiful bride you have always wanted to be.”

                I squeezed his hand and replied, “Uncle Dave you are the best. I don’t know how to thank you enough!”

                “So does that mean that this is your dress?” Stephanie asked.

                “Yes, this is my dress,” I smiled my response turning to my sister.

                The room exploded with excited shouts. I then looked at Uncle Dave again and asked, “Can I ask you for one more favor?”

                “Of course my dear.”    

                “Since Mom isn’t with us to do it, and Diane is going to be the one to marry Rich and I, will you walk me down the aisle?” I could see tears forming in his eyes and his lip start to quiver as I continued, “You have always been the father figure in my life and I could never ask for or imagine a better one. So will you do it?”

                Tears escaped his eyes as he exclaimed, “Heather, baby girl, I would be honored to walk you down the aisle!”

                I flung my arms around him and we held the embrace for a few seconds until our tears stopped.

                The next day Stephanie and I drove Uncle Dave to the airport and Diane and my friends all went home to prepare for their weekly routines. When I got back home and had dinner with Rich, my sister and her husband I still couldn’t believe that my wedding was practically all planned and I had just found my dress.  This whole wedding thing was finally coming together.