The following weekend I took Blake back to the bridal shop. I started off by showing him my particular favorites, trying to gauge his reaction to them. It was all going great until I heard Phyllis’s austere voice directly behind me.
“Really, Blake. You should have told me you two were dress shopping today. I must insist that I help in the selection.”
I spun around, facing the disapproving look on my future mother-in-law’s face.
“Mother…How did you know we were shopping today?” Blake asked, concern and a hint of fear evident in his eyes.
“I was simply trying to get a hold of you, and when you didn’t answer your cell phone, your father traced it through his work computer,” she answered nonchalantly.
“Company phone…” Blake muttered under his breath.
“Shall we continue with the dress selection, my dears?”
“Yes, of course,” I stammered. I was indeed raised by my mother to be different than everyone else, to know how to stand up for myself, but for some reason this woman always seemed to intimidate me. I looked down at the mermaid style dress that I was wearing. It had a deep V-neck, but didn’t dip down to my navel, like my mother would have liked. It didn’t have many embellishments, but relied more on the draping of the silky fabric and the sensuous way it clung to my body. I felt amazing in this dress, but knew that Phyllis would never approve of it. How would I ever convince her that this was the right gown for me?
“Did you think you could start this party without me?” Another familiar voice sounded from behind me, and I groaned as I spun around to see Brenda marching into the shop. She got one look at me and stopped dead in her tracks, “Mmmm hmmm Girl, you are rockin’ in that dress!” Then seeming to not be able to control herself, she did another booty jiggle dance. Her cheetah print spandex pants showed every possible jiggle, and she teetered a little in her bright red stiletto heels. “That’s my girl!”
“Mom!” I cried. “How did you know we were here?”
“I followed you, of course, Honey! You didn’t think you could fool your own Mamma, did ya? I knew you would be here again before long.”
“Mom!”
“I am loving what this dress is doing for your body, but don’t you think you could, you know, free up the girls a little?” she pushed on, pointing to her own well-endowed chest. “I think they need a little air.”
“I think that I need a little air,” interjected Phyllis, eyeing Brenda with an obvious look of distaste.
“Mother, please, can we just act civilly?” asked Blake.
“No, no,” Brenda huffed, “You go right ahead. I think that I know what is best for my daughter.”
“And I think that I know what is best for my son,” Phyllis countered.
The two women were glaring at each other, Brenda had her hands on her round hips in full mother-bear mode, while Phyllis looked like a venomous snake looking for the next vulnerable place to strike. Finally she shook her head in exasperation.
“This is never going to work. Come along, Blake, let’s go home.”
“Really, Blake. You should have told me you two were dress shopping today. I must insist that I help in the selection.”
I spun around, facing the disapproving look on my future mother-in-law’s face.
“Mother…How did you know we were shopping today?” Blake asked, concern and a hint of fear evident in his eyes.
“I was simply trying to get a hold of you, and when you didn’t answer your cell phone, your father traced it through his work computer,” she answered nonchalantly.
“Company phone…” Blake muttered under his breath.
“Shall we continue with the dress selection, my dears?”
“Yes, of course,” I stammered. I was indeed raised by my mother to be different than everyone else, to know how to stand up for myself, but for some reason this woman always seemed to intimidate me. I looked down at the mermaid style dress that I was wearing. It had a deep V-neck, but didn’t dip down to my navel, like my mother would have liked. It didn’t have many embellishments, but relied more on the draping of the silky fabric and the sensuous way it clung to my body. I felt amazing in this dress, but knew that Phyllis would never approve of it. How would I ever convince her that this was the right gown for me?
“Did you think you could start this party without me?” Another familiar voice sounded from behind me, and I groaned as I spun around to see Brenda marching into the shop. She got one look at me and stopped dead in her tracks, “Mmmm hmmm Girl, you are rockin’ in that dress!” Then seeming to not be able to control herself, she did another booty jiggle dance. Her cheetah print spandex pants showed every possible jiggle, and she teetered a little in her bright red stiletto heels. “That’s my girl!”
“Mom!” I cried. “How did you know we were here?”
“I followed you, of course, Honey! You didn’t think you could fool your own Mamma, did ya? I knew you would be here again before long.”
“Mom!”
“I am loving what this dress is doing for your body, but don’t you think you could, you know, free up the girls a little?” she pushed on, pointing to her own well-endowed chest. “I think they need a little air.”
“I think that I need a little air,” interjected Phyllis, eyeing Brenda with an obvious look of distaste.
“Mother, please, can we just act civilly?” asked Blake.
“No, no,” Brenda huffed, “You go right ahead. I think that I know what is best for my daughter.”
“And I think that I know what is best for my son,” Phyllis countered.
The two women were glaring at each other, Brenda had her hands on her round hips in full mother-bear mode, while Phyllis looked like a venomous snake looking for the next vulnerable place to strike. Finally she shook her head in exasperation.
“This is never going to work. Come along, Blake, let’s go home.”
