Chapter 36: Once upon a Bridesmaid 002

So with some initial reservation I agreed to accept the invitation, with my own understanding that it would lead to absolutely nothing. But even if I wasn’t on the make, I decided if I was going to do it, I should do it right. I’d gotten enough experience back on the dating scene to know how to keep the upper hand, and showing up looking like I needed to be placed on a pedestal was step number one. Get the jackals fighting amongst themselves for my attention, and the advantage always stays with me.

I didn’t see Ariel at all before the ceremony, and only briefly afterwards at the start of the reception, but she had the same laugh out loud reaction I did. “Holy shit, mom! You look incredible!” Even my friend Linda’s eyes popped when I saw her in the receiving line, as did her husband’s unfortunately, and for a moment I thought maybe I’d overdone it with the pearl choker and my up-do. But it was basically just a playful little ensemble that I happened to look spectacular in, so I let the worry wash and allowed myself to bask a bit.

Being without a guest, I was put at the singles slash awkward table, and I did my best to get through dinner without being too encouraging or distracting to my male companions. This unfortunately meant I had my glass to my lips a little more often than I otherwise may have in repeated attempts to forestall certain conversations, and I was already feeling it once the toasts and speeches began. Finally, after the first dance was out of the way, I made a somewhat wobbly beeline over to sit with Ariel and her fellow bridesmaids at their table, most of whom it turned out I actually knew. There was Jackie, another childhood friend of hers, and two of her friends from college, Paige and Becca who I’d met when I took them all out to dinner during a visit her senior year. But since Ariel and Jackie had both brought dates, I soon found myself alone with Paige and Becca, who seemed perfectly content to sit on the sidelines.

“You look spectacular, Ms. Evers!” Paige said with a big smile as soon as my daughter had flitted away. I smiled my appreciation and sat up in a playful display of pride, twirling my shoulders a bit.

“Why thank you!” I beamed, “and might I say you ladies look lovely in your maid’s apparel.” They both rolled their eyes for a second before realizing the impropriety of it, then bowed their heads in an equally impish expression of gratitude. Becca glanced at Paige and said in a low voice, “I can’t wait to get out of it.” I just smiled and gave her a maternal wink of understanding.

“I have to thank you for letting me join you,” I said in equal confidence, “I’m pretty sure my invite was intended to serve as a potential match-making opportunity by the bride’s mother, and quite possibly my daughter as well. But as wonderful as I feel in this get up, I’m not, as they say, on the prowl. It is sanctuary I seek among you.” I raised my glass, and they joined me, my new-found allies.

“We kind of feel the same way,” Paige said. “I mean, we’re happy for Stacy, and glad to be a part of it, but this isn’t exactly our scene.” We all three scanned the room for a moment or two, looking out over the dance floor and the surrounding tables. Most of the younger crowd were out on the floor, and a few of the next older generation as well. Across the way I could sense if not actually see several sets of male eyes on me, and I did my best to avoid any sort of bodily cue of interest.

“They’re looking at you,” Paige said, with a hint of curiosity, perhaps wondering if I really meant to hide.

“I know,” I said, “and I’m doing my best to ignore them.” Turning back to the table I confided, “I wanted to look so good tonight, you know? Because I really haven’t done this in a while. I just, I forgot what a pack of wolves they can be.”

“You really aren’t interested in them, are you?” Paige asked, adding, “Despite how gorgeous you look. I kinda feel sorry for all those men over there.”

I just smiled and started to giggle. “I feel so amazing in this dress! But I don’t really know why I’m doing it. I guess I just wanted to be one percent woman again.”

“Ms. Evers,” Becca said before I interrupted her. “Please, girls, feel free to call me Jess.”

“Okay,” she continued after a pause, “You’re more experienced in these sort of things…” I interrupted again.

“Honey,” I said in mock offense, the drink beginning to dictate my sense of humor, “Are you calling me old? Now I insist you call me Jess!” I think I caught her of guard with my jest, and felt a little bad when I she stammered an apology.

“Oh my gosh, no! Not at all!” she blurted, “My god, you’re beautiful! I mean, I’m sorry, I just was going to say, or ask I guess, um, Jess…” Paige put a cautious hand over hers and tried to catch her eye. “I was just going to ask, how long is appropriately long enough for us to stay here before we can maybe slip away?”

“You’re reading my mind, sweetheart,” I said, “I was thinking the exact same thing.” They gave each other a slightly odd look, and somewhere in the back of my blurry mind I was beginning to put two and two together. It was a pretty conservative crowd here, and maybe these two were here without dates and weren’t dancing because they were actually together. I gave it a little think and made a suggestion.

“Maybe if you two ease out onto the dance floor and make your way over to the bride, you could give your final congrats for the evening and quietly ease away. I mean, you know, not together, but you know, together.” My turn to be embarrassed, and they both smiled at my insinuation. “I’m gonna get up and do the same with the bride’s parents, and try to sneak myself out of here unscathed. Sound like a plan?”

They nodded and started laughing. As a way to cover my gaff I said, “Tell you what. If you can make it to the hotel bar in ten minutes I’ll buy you a drink. Probably just a small one for me, though.” I wasn’t ready for the night to end quite yet, but I was ready to get away from all the eyes on me, since the longer I stayed the hungrier those eyes would get. We all agreed and stood up, smoothing our dresses. “And we’re off!”

It took me longer than I expected to give my best to Linda, having been intercepted along the way twice by insistent if not harmless hounds, but I was eventually able to say the proper words and make a proper exit, somewhat to her surprise. But fifteen minutes later I was heading across the lobby for my rendezvous when I encountered the girls heading my way in the opposite direction.