The Wedding Dress


Part One: May, 1985: Christina

"It's beautiful!" she cried out as she passed the shop window. 
She rushed to the door, and walked into the vintage shop.  Her
friend smiled as she followed.

"It" was a wedding dress. Old, very old.  It's once white satin
had aged to a beautiful cream color.  The satin was heavy,
heavier than you can usually buy today. The lace-she fingered it
gently-the lace was obviously hand made.   

"But Christina, it's cream. You said you wanted a white dress. 
It's not everyone who can wear white and mean it."

"Oh, Kelly, I look HORRID in white. I look like a ghost. This
cream would make my skin look so warm. Look at it, it's perfect!
Look at this beadwork! Those would have to be real pearls...they
didn't have plastic back then!" she whispered.

The store clerk came up to her.

"It is beautiful, isn't it? We had gotten this from an estate
sale.  Not sure why she had this, the woman had never married."
She looked into Christina's glowing face, "Would you like to try
it on?"

The clerk pulled the heavy dress out of the window, while Kelly
held up the short train.  Instead of heading for the changing
room, the clerk headed to the back room.

"You'll have more room here. I don't think the gown would fit
in the changing room, much less able to get into it.  Holler if
you need any help!" she said over her shoulder as she went back
out front.  

Christina stepped into the dress pulling up the skirt, before
unsnapping her jeans and wiggling out of them.  She pulled her
shirt off then realized that she wouldn't see the dress properly
with the bra she was wearing.  She pulled the sleeves up before
unsnapping her br and, pulling it through the sleeve of the
dress.   Kelly stepped behind her and carefully did the small
pearl buttons running down the entire length of her spine.
"Christina, you should see the size of these stitches. They're
so tiny.  I certainly couldn't sew like that. Whoever did this
was a master seamstress. There. That's the last one."

Kelly gasped as Christina turned around. Christina was right;
the gown's color seemed to create a flush in her cheeks, and her
skin nearly glowed alabaster against it.  The full sleeves drew
the attention to the neckline.  Christina looked down startled.

"Kelly.  I have cleavage!" She looked in marvel. "I've never
ever had cleavage. How?" she wondered. For the dress lifted her
breasts high, pushing them together, creating the great crevice
upon her chest.  "Oh, I can't wear this, it's far too...too..."

"Sensual?" Kelly supplied.

"Not me," she exclaimed. "I don't show this much at any time,
much less my wedding!" But she stopped herself. "But it does
look glorious, doesn't it?"  She stepped in front of the mirror
on the back of the storeroom door.  The satin melded with her
body.  Her waist was cinched, and appeared small beneath her
breasts. The satin flowed out over her hips, emphasizing her
feminine curves.  The beading and lace all seemed to highlight
her shape.

She looked again. "This really isn't that bad," she said.
"Kevin would get an eyeful. It might be fun."

Kelly looked at her friend, shocked. "That doesn't sound like
you. Are you okay?"

"Fine," she said, moving to see the dress from different
angles. "Fine. I mean, wouldn't you think I should start
considering it? After all, we are getting married.  I need to
consider sex sometime."

Now Kelly was concerned. In all their 20 years as friends, she
had never heard Christina utter the word "sex".  If she was
forced into it, she'd say intimacy. But NEVER sex.

"Chris, why don't we take this off...we'll get you home. I think
wedding plans are addling your brain."

"No, I'm fine." She smiled, "Truly. And I think this dress will
be perfect. Just perfect."  She smiled widely, still admiring
how the dress hugged and accented her curves.