“Yes Maddy.  This is the best wedding shop in the county.  A lot of girls come here from all over.”  She challenges my why look.  “Now, go in there and try on the dress.”  She pushes me into the fitting room.

“Alright Lindsey.  When did you become so bossy?”  I stop myself short of running into the mirror from her push.

I cringe looking at the long emerald green satin gown hanging in front of me.   There are beads sewn on the top half falling into an A frame over the stomach and hips.  It’s a beautiful dress for someone else.   I look at my pale post winter New York skin wondering how fast I can get a spray tan before Saturday.

“Let’s go Maddy.”  Lindsey knocks on the door impatiently.

“Just a minute Linds.”  I scream through the door.

Five minutes later after numerous knocks and yells from Lindsey I walk out of the room in the Irish bridesmaids dress to the main area.  All the other girls are sitting down bored and annoyed.  I am pretty sure they are annoyed by me, the groom’s little sister who is ruining the dress fitting by showing up late and taking forever.  I notice instantly I am the only one in a green dress.  The other girls are in red, yellow, blue, orange.

“Oh you look beautiful like I knew you would.  Green is your color Maddy.”  Lindsey rushes over to me.

“How come we are all in different colors?”  I ask her. This is my first time being a bridesmaid except for Mackenna but they eloped in Jamaica and all I needed for that was a sundress.

“It’s a rainbow wedding.  Every bridesmaid wears a different color.”  Her smile showing how exciting she is.

“Oh, I’ve never heard of that.  Interesting.”  I didn’t really care what Lindsey wanted; it was her day and her wedding.  I just wish I could trade my Irish prom dress for the blue one.  Maybe then I could wear it again one day.

“Go up to the pedestal so Marge can do the last minute alterations since you haven’t been here yet.”  She pushes me forward again.  You would think she was my naturally born sister the way she treats me.  I love it though.  Lindsey didn’t have any sisters either so we were both equally excited when we found out we would be sister-in-laws.

“Jeez Linds, calm down.”  I say walking grudgingly up to the pedestal so Marge the shop seamstress can molest my body.

“Hey, don’t be talking to my fiancé like that.  She is technically going to be your older sister in a couple days.”  Jack’s deep voice carries over the store as he and his groomsman come into view behind me.

Now I am going to have the boys as an audience to my humiliation of being poked and pulled.

“Wow Little Jennings” one of the Bigs says.  “What’s that phrase?  An ugly duckling turning into a swan.”

“She was always a swan.”  Gabe whispers.  I pretend I don’t hear him but the smile that forms across my face might have given me away.  My eyes meet his from the mirror making him instantly look down.

“Whatever, now she’s a smokin’ hot swan.”  The guy bellows.

“That’s my sister Edwards.”  Jack hits Bryan’s older brother.

“It doesn’t change the fact.”  He says shaking his head.

“Enough boys, get out.”  Lindsey looks directly at Jack pointing towards the door.

“Sorry Linds, gotta stay it’s like she’s on display for all of us to observe and appreciate.”  Edwards sits down making himself comfortable.  It is hard to believe he is brothers with Bryan.

“Listen Shawn Edwards, I know your mom and dad.  They wouldn’t like you disrespecting a girl like this.  I suggest you go with your friends.”  Marge looks him square in the eye.

“Alright, alright Marge.  Calm down.”  He stands up pressing his hands down to the ground.  “Maddy, we can catch up later.  If I am lucky you will be the one I will be escorting to your brother’s funeral on Saturday.”  He winks at me through the mirror.

“Enough Shawn!”  All the girls scream as well as Jack.

“Ok, ok.  I’m leaving.”  He backs up still checking me out in the mirror.

I roll my eyes in disgust but once they meet the right side of the mirror my eyes lock with Gabe’s again. This time I notice him staring at me and when he sees me staring back he moves them across the room towards Jack.

“Let’s go Edwards.”  Jack grabs the back of his neck leading him out of the store.  “Linds, we will meet up after at Taps?”

“Yeah baby.  I still have to try on my dress and you cannot be here for that.”  She lovingly looks at Jack.

I wave good-bye to Gabe and my stomach drops when he winks back at me.  Why does it keep doing that?

After Marge finishes pinning me making a zillion little holes in my skin I get my reward and take off the dress.  Changing back into my capris and flip-flops I feel back to normal.

I hear loud oohhs and ahhs from the fitting room and I assume Lindsey has her wedding dress on.  I don’t really see what the big deal is. She is going to wear white even though if old rules still prevailed she should wear ivory or something other than white.  She probably spent more than her months salary on this dress that she will wear one day.  I truly don’t see the point in the whole big wedding thing.

I slowly walk down the hallway following the compliments ringing at the end.  Don’t get me wrong I am sure Lindsey looks beautiful.  She could look drop dead gorgeous in a burlap sack.  Maybe I am just cranky today.  Turning the corner I see Lindsey in a Cinderella style dress.  It’s form fitting through the top and flares out at the waist into layers of tulle and satin.    She was more than gorgeous; she should be a model in a Brides magazine.  It isn’t just her in the dress.  Her smile is pure and honest lighting up her face.  Lindsey is genuinely ecstatic to be marrying my brother.  Her eyes are sparkling not being able to turn herself away from the mirror.  I can’t imagine what is going on in her mind but she isn’t paying attention to all the flattering remarks from behind her.  Her mind is somewhere else.  I never wanted to experience something as much as Lindsey was at that moment.  I desire stirred through me to know what Lindsey was thinking to make her face appear as if her life ended tomorrow she would die happy.

It is a short walk over to Taps after we finished.  I assume we will have lunch and then I can go home and lounge.

“So, are you with Gabe?”  A girl’s voice comes up alongside of me as we are walking.

I think her name is Caroline.  She is Lindsey’s college roommate or something.

“Um…No.”  I look her way.  I think she was in the orange dress.  She has short strawberry blonde hair.  She is shorter than me by a couple inches and attractive in that make-up model kind of way.  I would like to see her cosmetic drawer or drawers in this instance.

“You guys drove together so I figured.”  She raises her shoulders as though it made sense.  “So, you don’t mind if I go after him?”  She asks.

“No I don’t mind.  Thanks for asking.”  I say even though I want to say different I can’t.

“Great, thanks.”  She excitedly skips over to some other girl pointing her thumb my way and then pointing it up letting the girl know I gave her the green light.

Taps is a bar and restaurant that has been in town for decades.  It has been passed down for generations so their customer base is young to old.  The restaurant has limited windows except for the front entrance so it is dark with heavy oak tables and booths with black leather making it cozy and quaint.

We notice the boys in the back at a table waiting for us. Making our way Caroline scoots her way to the front I assume to get a seat next to Gabe.  She glances at me one more time before taking a seat while Gabe narrows his eyes at me in confusion.  I shrug my shoulders.  I don’t know why he cares, we aren’t a couple and she is cute.  Not really Gabe’s type but cute nonetheless.

I sit a couple seats down from them.  I don’t really want to see their flirting.  Trying to divert my eyes from them, I fail to realize who sat next to me.