The Dream Dress

  “I-I don’t know if I could.” Mimi Carmen’s eyes flooded. “I’m not exactly . . .” She pointed at her round midsection. “Television material.”

  “And I am?” Rosa laughed as she gestured to her ample physique and graying hair. “That’s what makes it so perfect. We’re two real women, women who love to feed our families. And we care more about good quality homemade food, so . . . so there.” She slipped an arm around Mimi Carmen’s shoulders. “Besides, the important thing here isn’t how we look, it’s how we bless others with our cooking.”

  “She’s definitely a blessing. That’s for sure.” These words came from Jordan, who swallowed another bite of the enchiladas and added, “Mmm.”

  “I say you go for it, Mimi Carmen.” I gave her an encouraging smile. “Maybe you’ll become a big TV star too.”

  “Big being the key word.” She giggled and patted her belly. “Well, maybe I will. Let me think about it, okay?”

  Rosa waved her hand and filled her fork with more enchiladas. “Don’t think too long. Laz and I need to incorporate more guests. Ever since his heart attack . . .” She paused and her eyes filled with tears. “Anyway, we’re slowing down, and that’s a good thing.”

  At this point the Splendora trio began to share about their upcoming gigs, and the conversation shifted. I watched as Jolene carried on about an offer they’d had to travel to Italy, and once again I saw sadness in my mother’s eyes as she offered to arrange the trip.

  Bella shifted my attention to a quiet woman across the table. “Gabi, did you meet my sister-in-law Marcella? She runs Patti-Lou’s Petals.”

  “Oh, wow. I had no idea.” With a nod of my head I acknowledged her. “We’ve ordered from you several times. My boss loves to send his brides flowers.”

  “Your boss has more than one bride?” Marcella gave me a curious look until Bella explained who my boss happened to be. Then her eyes widened. “Ah. Demetri Markowitz. A name I know well.”

  She hesitated at this point and I laughed. “It’s okay. I can only imagine your impression of him. Probably similar to my own.”

  “Well, let’s just say he’s very picky.” She rolled her eyes.

  “Tell me about it.”

  Marcella shared a detailed story of Demetri’s last visit to her shop, and I groaned. Apparently my boss had quite the reputation, and not just among brides and alterations specialists.

  “I know his type,” Marcella said. “But that’s okay. I won’t have to deal with it much longer. I hope to be selling the shop soon.”

  “Really?” This got a shocked look from Bella’s parents, who ceased their conversation at the opposite end of the table to hear her explanation.

  “Yeah. The boys are growing up and they need us now. And you know how busy little Anna keeps me. She’s a handful.” She directed the next part to me. “Our oldest is in sports and our second son is active in theater—at the Grand Opera Society, in fact. He’s got quite a gift.”

  I couldn’t imagine a young boy having the courage to stand on the stage and sing, but apparently courage ran deep in this family. So did talent.

  “I feel like I’m missing out on everything,” Marcella added.

  “So what will happen to the florist shop?” Bella asked.

  “I’m hoping someone will make me an offer on it.” She shrugged. “I’ve been thinking of asking Alex Rigas if he knows someone.”

  “Alex Rigas?” Bella looked surprised. “The guy whose family owns the nursery in Splendora?”

  “Yes.” Marcella nodded. “They’ve been in the business for years and have the best flowers in the state. He’s bound to know someone who might be interested.”

  “Well, yes, but someone outside of the family?” Bella’s mother looked astonished by this news. So did her father, in fact.

  “Sure, why not? Getting someone new on board will give the place a fresh face. It really needs that.”

  “I hardly know what to think.” Bella’s father still looked shocked by this news.

  “You’ve done such a great job with the flowers, but I completely understand.” Bella looked my way and sighed. “It’s always such a dilemma when you have children.”

  “I stayed home with my babies, and they all turned out well.” Bella’s mother looked at Armando, who was seated to her right, and then slapped him on the back of the head. “Well, most of them.”

  This got a laugh out of most in attendance.

  When the meal ended, most of the kids headed outside to play. All but the little ones, who went upstairs to nap. The older folks—including Rosa, Laz, Mimi, and Daniel—retired to the living room. My mother offered to help Bella’s mother in the kitchen. The menfolk, as Bella’s father called them, headed out to look at the vegetable garden in the backyard.

  I found myself alone at the table with Bella, Scarlet, and the Splendora Sisters. Bella decided this would be a good time to sing my praises to the ladies, who seemed intrigued with my life as an alterations specialist. With a wave of my hand I dismissed the idea that I led a glamorous life.

  “It’s anything but,” I said, laughing. “Trust me.”

  “I still think she should do her own dress designs,” Scarlet said. “That’s her real gift.”

  I tried to shush her, but she would not be shushed.

  “Well, why don’t you do that full-time, honey?” Twila asked.

  Great.

  I shrugged and chose my words with care. “I’ve joked a lot about coming out of the closet.”

  Jolene’s right eyebrow elevated slightly. “Beg your pardon?”

  Bella laughed so hard that she made a funny snorting sound. Before long Scarlet joined her. The trio of ladies still looked perplexed.

  “I mean, I feel like I’ve been hiding this big secret, afraid people would find out what I’m up to after the rest of the world goes to bed at night.”

  Ack! That certainly didn’t come out right.

  “Sounds like we need to pray for you, honey. God can deliver you from that life if you want him to.” Twila’s smile radiated both playfulness and a hint of concern.

  Bella got control of herself. “Ladies, it’s not what you’re thinking. Gabi here is afraid to let her boss find out that she secretly designs wedding dresses. At night. When everyone else is sleeping.”

  “Afraid?” Bonnie Sue looked astonished at this news. “Why afraid?”

  “Are you a beginner?” Twila asked. “Is that it? You’re not sure of yourself?”

  “I’m sure you’ll get better with time,” Jolene said. “That’s always how it is. Practice makes perfect. Take our singing, for instance.”

  She went into a lengthy story about how their little—er, big—singing trio started out as novices but developed over time. She lost me when she got to the story about one of the ladies falling in love with a cruise director on a ship. What that had to do with singing, I couldn’t say. And what it had to do with my dress designs was a bigger mystery still.

  “Oh, it’s not that, Jolene,” Bella said when the story drew to a close. “Gabi here is a brilliant dress designer.”

  “The best,” Scarlet added. “Light-years better than that guy she works for.”

  “Well, what’s your holdup then?” Twila gave me a pensive look.

  Before I could respond, Bonnie Sue chimed in. “Ooo, I’d love to see your designs. When can we do that?”

  I knew my sketchpad was in the car but didn’t offer up that information. Unfortunately, Scarlet knew me well enough to figure it out. She asked for my keys and returned from my car moments later with my prized possession in hand.

  From the moment the women saw my designs, they gushed. And gushed. And gushed some more. Their opinions differed on which one was the best, but they all agreed I had talent. Their kind words really built me up.

  I finally took the sketchpad back and thanked them for the high praise.

  “Give honor where honor is due,” Jolene said. “That’s what the Bible says. And you definitely deserve it,
girl.”

  “Yes, you do.” Twila wiggled her index finger in my face. “But it’s more than praise we need to give you. I’m ready to reach into my pocketbook right now.”

  “Pocketbook?” This really threw me.

  “Yes! You’ve got to become our personal seamstress. Can you make dresses in plus sizes?”

  “Of course,” I said. “But what do you need dresses for?”

  “Well, for one thing, we’re going to be performing at Dickens on the Strand again this year, and we’ll need Victorian dresses. Those aren’t so far removed from wedding gowns, right?”

  “Right.” I nodded.

  This led to a lengthy discussion about their singing schedule, which somehow led Bella back to the song they’d performed this morning. The one about God being our Father. Great. Just what I needed.

  Still, with the confident chatter coming from these ladies and all the praise for my designs, I almost found myself believing I could rise above the pain of the past and start fresh today.

  Almost.

  Second Chorus

  The higher up you go, the more mistakes you are allowed. Right at the top, if you make enough of them, it’s considered to be your style.

  Fred Astaire

  We wrapped up our conversation with the Splendora Sisters, and the trio of ladies headed to the living room to join the others.

  Bella took me by the arm and led me out to the veranda, away from the crowd. “You’re upset about something today.”

  “I-I am?”

  “You are.” Her nose wrinkled. “Was it the stuff Jolene was talking about in church? About fathers, I mean?”

  I’d never been very good at lying. Why start now?

  “I guess. It just stinks not to have a great dad. Doesn’t seem fair.”

  “You’re right. It’s not fair. You of all people deserved an idyllic childhood. You’re the sweetest person I know.”

  “Then you need to get to know me better. I’m not that sweet.”

  “Please.” She gazed intently into my eyes. “But you know what? I really believe God is going to give you a husband who will be a great dad to your kids. I know it won’t exactly make up for what you’ve missed in your life, but it will be a great way to start a legacy. A godly legacy. And that’s worth far more than any other gift you could pass on.”

  I shrugged, unable to speak over the lump in my throat.

  “It’s obvious your life hasn’t been easy. I know you and your mom and grandma have had a rough time.”

  I managed a nod and swiped at my misty eyes with the back of my hand. She had to go there, didn’t she?

  A look of genuine compassion flooded Bella’s eyes. “You’ve worked hard, and God will reward that. The poster in your office says it all, Gabi. The only way to enjoy anything in this life is to earn it first.”

  “I know, but . . .” My words drifted off. Seemed like I’d worked extra hard. Without a dad to fill in the gap.

  “When things are handed to you on a silver platter—when you do nothing to earn them—you don’t appreciate them. Sure, some people seem to have all the luck. Things seem to come to them more easily. But just because they appear to have it all doesn’t mean they appreciate what they have.”

  “I guess.”

  She pointed at the house. “My family came to America from Italy, but I still remember the stories of how hard life was back then. Just getting the food to feed all the kids was difficult. My dad and my uncle worked so hard to build Parma John’s and the wedding facility. I’ve worked hard too, and—”

  I never let her finish. “See? That’s the difference between us. You had a father, for one thing. And he got the business rolling for you. You’re successful, Bella. But it doesn’t hurt that you’ve had the support of your dad and your uncle.”

  Ugh. Had I really said those words out loud?

  I pinched my eyes shut and muttered, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

  “It’s okay. I totally understand. And you’re right. I did have a leg up because my parents started the wedding facility then passed it off to me.” She paused and her eyes filled with tears. “It’s still hard, Gabi. I work a lot of hours and don’t get to be with my kids as much as I’d like. That’s why I sympathize with Marcella for wanting to sell the flower shop. But I’m not ready to give up my life as a wedding planner either, so I have to find a balance in all of it. God fills in the gap. And as for any success we’ve had with Club Wed, well, that’s the Lord’s doing, not mine, trust me.”

  “You’ve built something great here, Bella. I . . . I want that. I want to be successful, and I don’t want to have to ride on any man’s coattails.”

  “A man like Demetri, you mean?”

  “Right.”

  “Well then, define success. You want what he has? A shop? Lots of money? Material possessions? Or do you really just want to get to do the one thing you love, surrounded by people you love?”

  “That’s it.” The sigh that followed on my end was louder than I’d planned. “I want to do what I love. And having the people I love—my family, you, Scarlet, Hannah—all cheering me on.”

  “Then ask God for that. But still be prepared to work hard. It doesn’t get any easier, no matter how long you’re at it. And remember that true success isn’t about how much you earn in a year or how many times you get a write-up in Texas Bride magazine. It’s measured in the heart. In the soul, really.”

  For a moment, neither of us said a word. We watched as the guys—Jordan, D.J., and the others—played basketball in the driveway nearby. The sound of the children’s voices rang out as they played tag in the yard. And I could hear people laughing and talking inside the house. But I could tell, based on the expression on her face, that I’d lost Bella to her thoughts.

  “What do you want to leave behind when you’re gone, Gabi?” she finally asked. “Besides a lot of beautiful dresses, I mean.”

  I pushed aside my emotions and managed to squeak out a response. “Never really thought about it.”

  “I think about it all the time. The wedding facility will stand for years—maybe hundreds of years, if God allows—but it will eventually crumble. And all of the dresses you design will last for years too, but not forever. There’s really only one thing that lasts forever, Gabi.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean your relationship with your real Father. It can last forever if you accept his invitation to the ball.”

  Now she’d lost me entirely. “The ball?”

  “Speaking symbolically here.” A tiny smile tipped up the edges of Bella’s lips. “He’s extended a special invitation to you, Gabi, whether you know it or not.”

  “He has?”

  “Yes.” She nodded and her eyes pooled. “I’m talking about the very best sort of happily ever after you could ever imagine. But it all hinges on one thing—you have to accept.”

  “Accept . . . the invitation?”

  “Accept the one who offers it.” We sat down, and in the gentlest way, she shared a story about a Father who loved so much that he gave his only Son . . . for me.

  I’d been stirred to tears many times in my life, but not like I was in that moment. For whatever reason, it all made sense to me now. God the Father. The invitation to dance, not just for now but . . . forever. That silly Cinderella story really was a Bible tale. Who knew?

  Bella offered to pray with me, and before long I was whispering the sweetest prayer of my life—accepting my own personal engraved invitation to the ball.

  Mama joined us on the veranda just as we wrapped up the prayer. “There you are, Gabriella.” I could read the concern in her eyes as she watched Bella give me a big hug. “Are you all right?”

  “I am.” A little sniffle followed.

  “You sure?”

  “Yes.” I smiled and reached to take her hand. “I’ll tell you all about it on the way home.”

  “That’s why I came to get you,” she said. “Mimi Carmen has fallen asleep on
the sofa. It’s rather . . . embarrassing.”

  Bella chuckled. “No doubt Rosa and Laz are asleep as well. If not, they will be soon. That’s a Sunday afternoon ritual around here. Most of the family naps.”

  “Still, I think we’d better get her home,” Mama said. “Daniel looks pretty weary, and he still has to drive himself home.”

  “True.”

  We walked into the living room, where we found almost every person sleeping—Rosa, Laz, Mimi, and the three Splendora ladies. Only Daniel remained awake, but he looked pretty groggy.

  “That’s what love looks like when you get to be their age,” Bella said and giggled. “One day that will be D.J. and me.”

  “Today.” D.J.’s voice sounded from the door. “I’m wiped out, Bella. Let’s get these kids home so we can take a nap.”

  “All right, babe.” She walked over to him and gave him the sweetest kiss on the cheek, her eyes lit by love. Together they headed off to gather the kids.

  Mama tapped Mimi Carmen on the shoulder. She didn’t budge, so I called her name. She jerked awake like a jack-in-the-box springing free from its confines, sputtering the whole way.

  Until she saw Daniel, who looked on with a smile. Then she slapped herself on the forehead and groaned. “Well, there I go making a goober of myself.”

  “Not at all.” He extended a hand to assist her.

  With his help, she made it off the sofa, and we convinced her the time had come to go home. Bella’s mother gave us back the enchilada dish, now sparkling clean, and we walked across the grand foyer, out the front door, and onto the veranda, prepared to say our goodbyes.

  I hated for this day to end, but I didn’t regret a moment of it, not even Jolene’s passionate words this morning. They made more sense to me now. Thinking of them reminded me that I needed to say goodbye to Jordan as well. If I could find him, anyway.

  Daniel trudged along behind us to the door, and I could tell he looked exhausted. Scarlet must’ve picked up on that too. She leaned my way.

  “Daniel lives right around the corner from me,” she whispered. “So I’ll follow him home to make sure he gets there okay.” After a moment’s pause, she added, “He’s an amazing person, Gabi. I’ve known him for years. He and his wife were my Sunday school teachers during a very vulnerable time in my life. Since she passed away, he’s been so . . . lonely. But he’s a good man.”