Part 12
Cassy opened the curtain and stepped in front of the mirror. "How about this one?"
Frannie's eyes welled up with tears. "Oh Cassy, you look beautiful. You
really do."
Cassy eyed the dress with a critical look. "Isn't it a bit much for an
informal wedding?"
"Cassy, honey, there is no such thing as an informal wedding, especially
when you're the bride."
Cassy focused on her image in the mirror. "You know, when I
was a child, I always wanted a huge wedding and an elaborate wedding dress
to go with it. But my supportive mother told me I would be lucky if I ever
got married."
"With a mother like that, I'm amazed you turned out as well as you did.
What time are you meeting with her?"
Cassy glanced at her watch. "In an hour. I get the thrill of telling her my
great news. Considering how she feels about Tom, I'm sure the meeting will
be short and not so pleasant." She placed her hands on her stomach. "I'll
say this for the dress. With all the material, you can't tell I'm
pregnant."
Frannie walked over and gave Cassy a hug. "I couldn't be any happier for
you if you were my own daughter."
"Thanks." Cassy wiped away her tears as the sales lady approached. She
placed a veil on her head.
"Miss St. John, you look wonderful. You will make a beautiful bride,
won't she Mrs. Lipshitz."
"Yes, my Cassy will."
Cassy looked at herself in the mirror. She looked just like the bride she
always wanted to be. She could see Frannie and Ms. Lacey beaming behind
her.
"Ms. Lacey, could you please show my friend here something from your
Mother-of-the-Bride collection?"
Harry patted Tom on the back. "Tom, my boy, you look like a million bucks."
Tom stood in front on the mirror and surveyed the result. The man can fill
out a tux, he thought to himself. "I do, don't I."
"I'm sure your fiancee will think so too."
Tom looked over at Cindy, the young sales girl, and smiled. "Thanks."
"Will you be needing shoes, Mr. Ryan?"
"No thanks, Cindy."
"If there is nothing else I'll go get my dad to finish up."
As Cindy headed off to find the manager, Tom straightened his already
straightened tie.
"Getting nervous, Tom?"
"Yeah, I am. I keep thinking about our first marriage and how disastrous
that was. I don't want to make the same mistakes again. I can't put my
child through that."
"You won't. You are two different people this time. You are committed to
each other and this baby."
"I wish I had your confidence, Harry."
"Confidence, shmonfidence. It's a fact. You three are going to be just
fine."
Evelyn opened her front door. "I expected you an hour ago."
"I'm sorry, Mom, I got tied up."
"Well, don't just stand there, come in."
Cassy entered her mother's home in the marina. "You got new carpeting."
"Yes I did, last year."
"I guess I haven't been here in a while."
Evelyn poured two iced teas and carried them to the
kitchen table. "Cassandra, I know you didn't come here to discuss my
redecorating, so why don't you tell me what this is all about."
Cassy sat down opposite her mother. "All right. I'm getting married."
Evelyn placed her ice tea on the table. "Married? I see."
"I see? Is that all you can say to me?"
"All right, Cassandra. Congratulations. Who is the lucky man?"
"It's Tom, Mom. I'm marrying Tom."
"Tom Ryan? That's who you're marrying? Why on earth would you want to make
the same mistake again? The only thing you ever did right was getting rid
of him. Of all the men in Palm Beach, why Tom Ryan?"
"Because I love him. I never stopped loving him. He makes me happy." Cassy glanced
down at her ice tea. "Mother, do you have any mineral water?"
"Mineral water? Since when do you not drink ice-tea?"
"I had to cut out my caffeine."
"Why? Are you pregnant too?"
"Yes, I am."
Evelyn stood up and walked into the kitchen and returned with a water bottle. "So on top of everything else, you're pregnant. Unbelievable."
"Can't you for once in your life be happy for me? Yes, I'm pregnant.
Yes, I'm marrying Tom again. This is my life, Mother, and I'm doing what
makes me happy."
She grabbed her purse off the couch and opened it. "The wedding is next
Saturday at The Chapel of Hope."
"Next Saturday? As in a week from today?"
She handed her a piece of paper. "Yes, next Saturday. Here are all the
details."
Evelyn took the piece of paper and glanced at it. "I see you went for the
expensive invitations."
Cassy ignored the comment. "You are welcome to come but your comments and
opinions are not. So if you can't be supportive of me on my wedding
day, then I don't want you there."
Cassy waited until she was outside and in her car before bursting into
tears.
To Part 13
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