Just when I think I've totally adapted to being a woman and gotten everything else in my life lined up, my mom barges in on me while I'm in a dressing room stripped down to my bra and panties.
I should have been ready for the possibility; choosing a wedding dress with my moms was always going to involve a lot of stripping down and fewer boundaries than usual, but I've spent so much of my time with my parents and parental figures trying to be either a good girl or boyish - or ideally landing somewhere sexless - that is wasn't really prepared for what an outing focused on their daughter looking good for her wedding would be like at all.
It just happened this past weekend - my mom was ready to come back the weekend after her vacation, but Momma Kamen wasn't, and then there was Mardi Gras, so they all decided to save a little money and come in after. I'd done a little poking around various shops, sending emails back and forth to them and our wedding planner, and the place we found was relatively affordable and not afraid of what they saw as kind of short notice. Two months out for a dress doesn't seem that long, but then, I've never tried to make ilor alter one.
I didn't think I was feeling or acting particularly self-conscious in front of them at first, although I soon discovered that getting into a wedding dress isn't exactly a one-person job as I tried the first one on. I didn't like it much at all; it had seams that seemed designed to rub my nipples the wrong way, though i was glad the others didn't need to hear that before saying we should see some others. The second kind of had the opposite problem - it draped off me like a parachute - and I was in the dressing room about to put the next one on when Mom came in with my phone.
I actually did the thing where you try to cover your"breasts and groin with your hands. "What the heck, Mom?"
She held the phone up. "It's Moira."
Blushing, i took out and turned to the side. "Hey, honey... You okay?" She was, of course; she just wanted to know if she could go sharing with some of her friends, since I'd told her to call of she wasn't going to stay at Josie's house. I asked to talk to Josie's mother, who assured me it was a safe parking lot and she'd be watching. I thanked her, told Moira she could but to be careful, and asked if she had her key to get her skates because Gabe was out. I turned around and saw Mom still there, staring. "What? I'm a good mom!"
"I know you are! It's just... I don't think I realized you had all this going on under your clothes. Why have you been trying to hide it under a wedding dress that could pass as a white tent?"
"What do you mean you didn't realize... Oh, wait, you've only seen me a few times since I was pregnant, right? Mostly before I really started climbing, and I wasn't exactly wearing a bikini to June's graduation party." I turned to look in the mirror. "Yeah, I guess I look pretty all right, if you're into fit girls. Although, it's not like the original Krystle is the only person who thinks I should have tiny little smooth waist instead of some abs, and skinny legs. Other folks say my arms make me look mannish." I chuckled. "Not the compliment it used to be."
She snorted. "White folks, right?" I half-nodded; it's not just white guys but they do say that more often. "You look good. Anyway, get that thing on."
She stepped out of the room, I got changed, and then came out again. Momma Kamen nodded but Mom said to see if they had anything sexier. "Let's let Gabriel's family know he's done well for himself!"
I think my jaw actually dropped in surprise. "If the girls in Sunday School could hear you now!"
"There is a difference between a girl looking to get herself in trouble and making sure the groom's family sees you're a grown woman they can't push around!"
The staff of the shop had apparently heard it all, because they said nothing and just fetched me another dress. I went into the dressing room but soon saw there was no getting it on myself; part of it was a corset and while maybe the original Krystle knows her way around those, I sure don't. I poked my head out, saying I could use a little help, and Momma Kamen stepped forward, staring Mom back into her chair. She looked at the laces and started pulling. "Too tight?"
Surprisingly, it wasn't, although the way it pushed my breasts up felt odd, different even from a push-up bra. "No, that's okay, I think I can take a bit more."
She nodded, and pulled a couple strings tighter. "I apologize for Mrs. Glass's behavior. It was generous for her to get me down here, but that bit about getting into trouble was out of line."
"I mean, she's not wrong. The moment I found out I was going to have a baby, it sure seemed like I was in trouble." I took a breath, reminding myself that as far as Momma Kamen was concerned, I was her daughter and my mom was the one who was butting in to her family business, and the night she came to collect me must have been really strange and horrifying. "She and her husband, they didn't see any of this coming, and sometimes trying to help is a lot like taking charge for them." It was weird to talk about my parents as a "them", especially with Mom in the next room, so it was probably good that I didn't have both around that often.
I knew it was too much as soon as I looked in the mirror, but dutifully went out and made Mom realize we'd gone too far. It had this big ol' upside-down U cut out of the front which was nice for walking but also pushed the girls up way too aggressively and the lacy gloves were just weird. I pointed out that some of Gabe's friends might have gone to college in Boston and we didn't exactly want them to suddenly remember Krystle's stripper name in the middle of the ceremony.
We tried another couple before finding one everybody liked, which does show off some deep cleavage and clings to my butt, but is floor length and has got neat sleeves which show off my shoulders. Kind of a nice veil, which is a weird thing to say. I'm probably going to have to buy a couple dresses or skirts with the same sort of slit for my legs so I can practice walking in something like that, since it didn't feel totally natural. The shopkeepers had some ideas about the wedding-night lingerie which would match, but having my moms there for that was too much.
I've still got another few appointments at the place, both for fittings and to get bridesmaids' dresses sorted out, which is a heck of a thing when one is flying in from Hong Kong and two from Boston, and nobody local aside from "junior bridesmaid" Moira, who is a bit too old for traditional flower girl things.
The dress is apparently going to run something like $1800, which is below average, believe it or not, because Momma Kamen is a fierce negotiator who was able to make it look like I was reluctantly not having quite so many fittings and progress reports rather than being perfectly happy to just pick something off the rack.
We all went out to dinner that night, which wasn't as tense as I thought it might be - Mom and Momma Kamen apparently thought the whole thing was funny afterwards, and I guess I should be glad Moira was there so that Gabe didn't fully hear them roasting me. Both of them flew out the next morning on the same flight to Boston, though, I noted, on seats at the opposite ends of the plane.
Two and a half months to go.
-Jonah/Krystle
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