Everything is done now, except the dress. In a few days, I will finally be Mrs. Troy Harrison Jorgensen. It seems like I have been dreaming of this forever. When I met Troy, I was in ninth grade, I knew one day I’d be his wife. Sure, I thought it would be years ago, but better late than never, I suppose.
My mother, Nancy, is like a completely different woman without the albatross of my dad hanging around her neck. She smiles more, breathes easier, and isn’t so “on” all the time. I’ve never seen this version of her, but I like it. Enid, my mom, and I are wedding dress shopping.
I come out of the dressing room and stand on the platform with mirrors all around me. I really feel like this is the one. It has a sleeveless dress with a form fitting bodice. The skirt is tulle heaven. So much tulle. It’s floor length with lots of poof. The train is my favorite part though. It’s about ten feet of fabric. I feel like a princess. It’s been so long
“What do you think?” I ask when neither of say anything. They just wipe their tears daintily.
“Yes, no, maybe?” I ask pulling the skirt out even further.
“Yes,” they both whisper quietly. The look on their faces doesn’t tell me anything.
“Oh good,” I say. We’ve been here for almost five hours. I am exhausted. I must have tried on thirty different dresses, but I am so glad this is the one. My mom was excited when I told her I was pregnant, though I know we were both thinking that because of a monster we missed this the first time around. Though I was young, too young to be pregnant, I was very happy at first. Then I wasn’t. I hate that I was so miserable, lonely, and scared that I missed out what should have been one of the happiest times in my life. I am determined to enjoy this pregnancy and I want my mom and Troy to be with me every step of the way. This time is going to be totally different.
I step down and I am engulfed with hugs. God, how I have missed hugs.
“This should have happened years ago,” Enid says.
“And it would have too. If I had known what your father was up to, I would have stopped him.”
“I know, Mama. I know.” She had tried to get me out of there, but my aunt refused to let her in. She regrets not going to the cops, but it’s all over now. I am free and happy for the first time.
“You look beautiful, dear. Troy will love it,” Enid says.
“You think?” I ask her.
“I know my youngest son. He’ll love it, I promise.”
“I hope so. He’s not giving me much time, but I want to be his wife more than anything.”
“You will be, Lisette. Have no fear, my boy will get you to alter one way or another.”
“I know. I can’t believe he never wavered in his feelings for me.”
“Not once. He put his everything into his work with his brothers.”
My mom buys the dress for me. Apparently, my father was a penny pincher and left my mom quite a tidy sum. She is also selling the house I grew up in. Too many bad memories. I don’t blame her. Personally, I would have burned the damn thing to the ground and started over, but that’s just me. I spend the rest of the day with them picking out shoes and the veil. It’s great to spend this time with them.After I get home for what I hope is the day, my phone rings and it’s Taryn inviting me out for drinks with my future sisters-in-law. Not that I can drink, but it sounds like fun. Excited, I get dressed quickly in a sundress and some boots. Troy is with his brothers and Kari is with my mom, so why not? Last week, I finally got my driver’s license and my GED. Troy bought me a new car, a Dark blue 2019 Suburban. It’s huge, but since I plan on filling it with kids, it will be perfect for our family. There is a hole in the wall bar in Bleak near Queen of Hearts Ink that we are going to. Twenty or so minutes later, I pull into the parking lot. It looks packed.
My new cowboy boots stick to the floor as soon as I get inside. It’s dark and dingy and I fucking love it. I spot Taryn and Missy first, they are sitting at five tables pushed together. Looking around, I spot Migan and Daisy, who I actually know. She is a couple of years younger than me, but we were in the same tap class at Ms. Lola’s Dance Studio in Moosehead. Lanie, Erika, Cymion, Hailey, Tabitha, Portia, Carrie, Kitty, Elizabeth, Jacquie, and Kensi are seated around the tables.