There Goes The Bride

Chapter 1

“I went into the dressing room and Joaquin, the limo driver, was kissing 
Lorraine in a passionate embrace,” I blurted out as soon as I walked in the house.

Al put down his newspaper and said, “but Estella, you see that kind of stuff all the time with young couples now a days.” 

“The problem is Lorraine is marrying Henry Liston the richest man in town. She shouldn’t be hugging the penniless driver like that.”

“I’m sure it's nothing. Don’t jump to conclusions before you get more facts.” He went back to reading his paper.

“I don’t like the idea Henry is paying out all this money and his bride is disrespecting him in public.”   I didn’t look back at Al and headed into the kitchen to start dinner.

Al and I were newlyweds even though we are both approaching fifty. It was the second marriage for both of us. Al was a widower and I was a divorcee. We met online through a dating network and now we are in business together. He owned the tuxedo shop and I recently bought the bridal store next door. As a matter of fact, the previously mentioned Henry Liston is the venture capitalist who helped me finance my purchase.

We didn’t talk about work again even though I was still agitated by what I had seen.

I waited until Al was asleep before I allowed myself time to think about it.

I tried to recall what happened before I came into the room. When I saw them I stepped back then called out before I reentered by then Joaquin was sitting on the chair near the front door while Lorraine was waiting for me on the platform in front of the large mirrors. 

I kept my mind on my business and opened the box to let Lorraine see the custom ordered shoes. I pointed out the exquisite beading and crystals that matched her dress. Lorraine followed me into the dressing room where the dress was hanging. 

I pulled back the plastic  to show her the gorgeous detail with the low cut back and let her finger the bodice with embellished embroidery of Swarovski crystals and beads. Then I held out the skirt so she could see the full skirt and chapel train. “You'll be the most beautiful bride of the season,"

I reminded Lorraine to close the curtain then strip down and replaced her lingerie with a backless bra and some slimming underwear. When she was ready I stood on a stool to be tall enough to help her lift the dress over her head.

The dress slipped perfectly on to her curvaceous body but the tops of her breasts spilled over the top. “This isn’t right,” she said trying to push her flesh back into the bodice.

I tried to calm her but she kept tugging at the dress I was afraid she would tear it.

"I’ll call in the seamstress and we can make adjustments, but with your diet, I don't advise it until closer to the wedding."

“I am marrying Henry Liston, the richest man in the county… I am not going to look like an over stuffed burrito. This has to be done right.”

Al was probably right, Lorraine was just nervous about the upcoming wedding and was overwhelmed with the people she had to impress to convince them she was the right choice for Henry, but that didn’t explain why she was kissing Joaquin. 

Maybe like many famous people, the "Help," becomes their confidants. I have to give this a rest because I have too many things to do without worrying about details that are none of my business.