Besides, eventually—probably next spring as planned—I’m sure Jesse and I will have the ‘real’ wedding. And my mother can boss her way through that one all she wants. Who cares? Jesse and I get this one crazy day all to ourselves.
They lead me into a spa. I’m talking there’s half a dozen mani-pedi chairs, all of them filled with my new female family members, and a massage table—empty at the moment. But boy, what I wouldn’t give for a thirty-minute massage right now. Four ladies doing hair, and yes! A room with a huge circular bathtub filled with bubbles and steam flowing up into the overly-cold air-conditioned room.
I am peeling my clothes off as I walk, that’s how good that bath looks. And by the time I get to the other side of the room, I’m naked. In front of strangers. And I don’t even care.
One of them—a woman about my age—says something cheerful in Italian and then ushers everyone out and closes the huge double doors behind her.
I dip one foot in the water and groan with happiness. Then climb all the way in and sink down into the hot water with a sigh.
I might never get up.
Everything is wonderful. This whole mess of a day just fades away as I duck my head under and get my hair wet, then reach for the bottles of shampoo off to the side. There are several to consider in pretty, unmarked bottles. I sniff them all and choose one with a faint scent of cherries. It’s not overpowering and when I lather it up on my head, the bubbles feel luxurious and thick.
The tub has a handheld sprayer so I rinse and then use a conditioner in a matching bottle. Once that’s done, I spend several minutes scrubbing the theatre make-up off my face. And that’s when I feel like myself again.
There’s a knock at the door almost in that same moment. The same young, pretty woman who ushered everyone out earlier pokes her head in and says something quick and cheerful in Italian.
I have no clue what she’s talking about, but this is a wedding and I’m the star attraction. So I assume she’s telling me to hurry. She points to a thick, white robe hanging on a peg near the tub and yup. It’s time to get out.
As great as the bath felt, I’m ready to get this show on the road. I really think Fingers will come through for us and even though I have a feeling the dress will be a little more… full than I imagined in my dream wedding, I’m also confident it will be gorgeous.
This whole place is pretty. And I caught a glimpse of some of the bridesmaids as I was ushered into the bathroom. The dresses were a pale yellow. Very tasteful. Very sophisticated.
Who knows? Maybe I’ll love the dress?
I get out, wrap the robe around me, and then step out of the bathroom. The cheerful woman points me over to a chair for hair and four mani-pedi women appear in a swarm and get started on my hands and toes.
I sigh as I look in the mirror, listening intently to the hairdresser as she explains what she’s going to do in Italian. Luckily, she uses a lot of hand gestures and I get the gist.
Updo. Nice.
A hair dryer whirls into action as I smile down at my hands and toes, and then close my eyes and enjoy it, thinking, If Fingers keeps this up, I might have to tip the man.I doze a little, still pretty worn out from our crazy adventure. This time yesterday we were just getting ready for the street party.
Shit. I wonder where my family thinks we are? We’ve definitely been missed at this point. It’s nearly four in the afternoon. Note to self: Once the wedding is over, I will call home and explain everything.
My mother will be livid. But she’ll get over it. And besides, we’ll be home by tomorrow for sure. We have to be home by tomorrow because I have to give Jesse his Christmas present.
Let me tell you, buying presents for a man who has everything? Not easy. I could get him anything he wants. But he could get himself anything he wants too.
So the trick is to get him something he wants, but won’t get himself.
I figured out exactly what that was months ago and tomorrow, on Christmas Day, he will be surprised.
I wonder what he’ll get me? I’m the same as Jesse. I can afford to buy myself any present I want. But is Jesse clever enough to come up with something I want, but can’t buy with money?
We’ll see, I guess.
But even if he does get me something material, like a piece of jewelry or a car, or a trip—I don’t care. This day, even with all its faults and disappointments, it’s one in a million. There’s no way we could’ve planned this crazy adventure.