Free Nuptials for Sale by Virginia Jewel

“Then you have your answer.”
    Before we took the dress off, she took a few pictures on her cell phone and sent them to my dad. 
    “I think you should take the dress home with you, just in case Josh tries to sneak a peek when I’m not around.” I said once the dress was carefully zipped into the garment bag that had come with it.
    “I think that’s a good idea.  We know how mischievous that boy can be.” She laughed and grabbed the hanger as I picked up the bottom of the bag.
    As we walked past Josh’s room my mom said nonchalantly, “Mel, dear, why is that bedroom such a mess?  It looks exactly like it did when Josh was staying in it.  Don’t tell me that you won’t give up any of the space in your room for him?  You’re such an only child, Mel.  Marriage means that you have to share everything.”
    “We’re still working out all those little details.”  I covered my tracks as best as I could, but filed that away as one more thing we had to figure out about the whole fake marriage thing.
    “Not all the little details, I hope,” she raised an eyebrow at me.
    I rolled my eyes at her and she laughed.
     
    Monday evening Josh and I met Sam, from Wake up America, and Nathan, the suit from SuperMart.  They took us to dinner at a restaurant that neither of us had ever been able to afford.  They spoke giddily about numbers and ratings while Josh and I sat in silence with fake smiles plastered on our faces. 
    “So, any pre-wedding jitters for the two of you?” Nathan asked us over dessert.
    Josh laughed, “Not at all.  We’re as solid as a rock.”
    I swallowed hard and forced a smile to my face. 
    Nathan must have noticed the hesitation on my part, “What about you, Mel?  Solid as a rock?”
    I nodded, “Of course, it’s just all very overwhelming.  That’s all.”
    Josh looked at me, “We’re both just ready to get our normal lives back.  I’m sure it’s like that for every couple planning a wedding.”
    Sam and Nathan, who were both wearing wedding bands, laughed. 
    “Nothing changes a woman more than a wedding.” Sam said dryly, held his glass up and pointed it towards me.  “No offense meant.”
    I raised a glass of my own, “None taken, I assure you.  I can not even begin to imagine how difficult this process would be if I were actually the one handling all the details.”  I finished the rest of the wine in my glass and placed it back on the table.
    Josh watched me and took a sip of his own drink.
    Nathan jumped right back into business.
    “I’d like for you all to come to the store after we leave here.  I’d like to go over some of the details of the ceremony and reception if you’ve got time.”
    We all agreed and the conversations continued around me.
    “Are you okay?” Josh had pulled my arm to slow me down as we followed Sam and Nathan into the store. 
    “I’m fine.” 
    I pulled my arm out of his grip and kept walking. 
    Nathan stopped us in front of the women’s dressing room.  “Mel, you’ll be waiting in here,” he pointed at the dressing room.  “Then you’ll walk up this little aisle here, turn and walk up this main aisle to where Josh will be waiting for you here.”  He walked the path as he spoke.
    The beeping of the registers rang loudly in my ears as I followed behind him.  I pictured myself walking through the store wearing the elaborate and formal wedding gown that was currently hanging in my mom’s closet. 
    I must have made a strange face because Nathan smiled and spoke, “Don’t worry. The registers will be closed completely.  We’ll have chairs set up along the sides here so that there will be a little aisle here for you to walk down.”
    “How will the rest of the people in the store get around or get their shopping done while this is going on?” Josh asked him.
    “There won’t be any other people in the store.  We’re planning on closing the store for a few hours while this is going on.”  Nathan responded