The Wedding Dress

Toni drove into Coffs and parked the Rover there were three things on her list to accomplish today. She checked off one, Andy was going to do the food for the wedding; now to tackle the tent and chairs.

She stopped for a coffee, putting off the next thing on the list a wedding dress. It would have to be something completely different from the last one she bought, the one packed away in a box in her mother’s attic…

Seven years ago Toni was engaged to be married to Gerry Williams. He was just graduated from VMI. They had dated for three years and his father was the pastor at her mother’s church. A big wedding was planned, bridesmaid dresses bought, flowers paid for, caterers were catering, the country club all set for the reception, everything was ready. It was raining the night of the rehearsal and the wedding party was gathered at the church, Toni and her maid of honor were sitting in the back on a pew laughing and poking fun while waiting on the groom and his groomsmen to arrive.

Instead of the groom walking through the church doors it was a highway patrolman. There had been an accident two injured and two dead, one of the dead was Gerry. Toni went into shock and was unable to function for nearly a month before her father finally took her to England to her grandmother, a place where there were no sad memories to haunt her. She stayed there for six months before coming back home and trying to pick up her life. By the end of the year she moved to New Jersey to room with an old college roommate and a couple of other girls. Virginia held too many memories of Gerry.

Toni passed by the bridal shop and walked into a boutique to ask about a dress she saw in the window. It would do for a wedding, for someone past the blushing bride stage, for a different kind of wedding. She buttoned the silk and net dress and twirled around, it was perfect and Richie would love it. She bought shoes to match and loaded her purchases in the back of the Rover.

"What I really need is a drink," she thought and headed out for The Glen to meet Richie at the Tavern.

He turned when she came up behind him and placed her hand on his neck, "there she is, get it all done?"

"Yes, I bought the dress, now it’s up to you."