–So how are you feeling? —

+Nervous. I can hardly sleep at night+

–Have you seen a dress yet? —

+Funny, you should mention that. Picked it up this morning+

–Tell us! Tell us! What is it like? —

+Well its white…+

–Most wedding dresses are, silly. Go on what else —

BODY:

+It is a bit more daring than your average dress and I have still to choose a veil and shoes+

–Have you tried it on yet? —

+Apart from the original trying on and fitting, no+

–I have to see it! —

+Well, I do need to send some pictures to my sister in Australia+

–Have you anything planned for the rest of the day? —

+No, not really+

— I am coming round. I will bring my digi camera. You can send the pictures to your sister over the net–

+That sounds like a good idea+

–Sorted. I’ll be round in minutes few —

+See you soon+

Tanya heard the click as her best friend since school, Iona, hung up. She slowly returned her own handset back to its cradle. She could not wait for her friend to come round. She was dying to show her dress off. She could hardly wait. It would be a few minutes before her friend arrived and she fidgeted restlessly in front of the phone. God, they never mentioned how nerve racking your wedding was. She used to scorn all those brides that faint at the alter. Now she knew why. She had not a decent nights sleep in weeks. The closer to the big day, the less sleep she got.

She started to pace up and down the hallway. She had been doing that a lot lately.

Frustrated, excited, nervous, worried, she climbed the stairs to her bedroom.

The dress lay across the top of her bed. Concealed beneath the protective cover. She stood in the doorway, hands restless. The opaque wrapper hid the dress, but she already new it’s every tuck and fold. Her nervousness returned ten fold. Was it too revealing? It was virginal white but was not that chaste. Maybe she was too hasty in her choosing. She hadn’t intending on going out to look at dresses, but had seen it and decided in a spur of the moment that it was the dress for her. Now under the cold light of reality in her house, she wondered.

A car pulled up outside. Tanya all but ran back down the stairs and to the front door. She opened the door as Iona all but burst threw it. Tanya opened her arms as Iona embraced her. Iona’s car engine plinked under the bonnet as it cooled in the driveway.

“Didn’t spare the horses on the way over then?”

“Uh? No. I think there is a little old lady and her trolley under there somewhere. I heard her scream every time I hit a bump.”

They laughed together, and then Iona slipped from the embrace. “Come on then. Don’t keep me in suspense. Where is it?”

“Upstairs in the bedroom”

“Well what are we waiting for? Let’s get our arses into gear and up those stairs in a most un-lady like fashion.”

They laughed together again and raced up the stairs.

As Tanya looked at the wrapped dress across her bed, her fears rose anew.

“Well come on. I’m dying of suspense here.”

With shaking hands and equally shaky legs, Tanya jittered over to the bed. Keeping her body between Iona and the dress, she carefully and methodically, extracted it. Holding the hanger to her chest, she turned round. Iona’s eyes went as wide as saucers.

“God. It’s beautiful.”

Tanya steeled herself and turned the dress round. Iona’s jaw dropped.

“It looks a lot better on, plus, I was thinking, if I a got a veil that was long at the back, maybe down to the waist. It wouldn’t look so brazen.”

Iona did not answer. She was gob smacked. Tanya was not sure if that was a good or a bad sign.

“Did you bring your camera?” Tanya was desperate to break the silence.

“Camera? Oh yes.” She gesticulated towards the dress, “Sorry it’s thrown me somewhat. I don’t know what to say. Camera” Iona shook her head as if to clear it “is in the car. How about you put the dress on and I will meet you round the back next to the pool? The light will be better.”

“Okay, I’ll meet you down there.”

Tanya watched her friend depart. So what did she think? The dress did look better on; maybe when she saw it worn, she would understand the choice. She hastily slipped out of her jeans and t-shirt. She removed her Bra as well.