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The Wedding Dress - Chapter
5
Two weeks flew by and wedding plans were
laid aside as graduation took precedence. Final
exams, graduation practice, final club meetings
for the seniors, and sadness mingled with
excitement, filled the air around Riverview High
School. Matt was glad it was going to be over
but Betty had mixed feelings. Being born in
Riverview and going to the same school, it had
been her safe place for so long and now things
were changing. Matt would soon be her husband
however and the elementary school felt there was
a place for her there so things wouldn’t be too
different. They would live next to her
grandparents and her life would somehow work.
Ms. Granger would come tomorrow with details
about the dress.
Anyway, tomorrow was graduation and she
had final practice to go to, Betty thought as
she looked at her watch. She was sitting in her
chair on the porch waiting for Matt to pick her
up. Homer was somewhere working on the farm and
Martha was making some cookies for tomorrow
night after graduation. They had invited Matt
and his parents and some of their friends over
for refreshments afterwards.
At her desk in Bentley’s, Angeline was
sorting through an enormous stack of papers,
frantically looking for the one that Francine
said she needed now. Francine was not in good
humor today and she did not want to get on her
bad side. Glenda had been extremely snippy and
Angeline had a headache that would not stop.
“There it is,” she said, aloud.
Grabbing her notepad, pen and the invoice,
she headed toward Francine’s office only to see
her throw up her hand for silence. She was on
the phone.
“Yes, Mrs. Upton, yes ma’am. We have the
invoice right here,” Francine said, motioning to
Angeline to hand her the invoice and pointing at
a chair for her to sit in.
Sitting gingerly on the edge of the chair,
she wondered what Francine wanted now.
“Yes, ma’am, it’s right here. Yes, the
dresses will be here tomorrow. Yes ma’am.
Please be here at ten o’clock. Yes, I will have
several girls to help get all the bridesmaids
fitted and your daughter’s dress will be ready
for the final fitting. Yes ma’am, I am sorry
for the delay in the bridesmaid’s dresses. Yes,
I will speak to the company’s president you can
be assured. Thank you, ma’am. We will see you
tomorrow.”
Francine hung up the phone and sighed
deeply. For just a fraction of a second she let
her guard down, seeming to forget Angeline was
in the room. Looking down at the invoice, she
massaged her temples with her fingers and for a
moment Angeline thought she looked teary eyed.
“Ahem.” Angeline cleared her throat. “Did you
need something, Ms. Davis?”
Francine looked up quickly, pulled her
cloak of aloofness back over her shoulders and
asked sternly, “Did you say you needed off work
at five o’clock tomorrow? Why?”
“Yes, ma’am tomorrow is graduation and my
Cousin Elaine’s daughter, Sandra is graduating.
It starts at six o’clock and I…”
“Fine, fine. Five o’clock is fine but
don’t leave any earlier. Mrs. Upton’s daughter
and wedding party will take up a lot of time and
we don’t want to get behind now do we?”
“No, ma’am. I understand.”
“That is all.”
Walking back to her desk to finish the
paperwork, Angeline thought about graduation and
Sandra’s mother, Elaine. Her cousin Elaine was
her father’s oldest sister’s daughter and they
had always gotten along well though she was ten
years older than Angeline.
It had only been two years since her
father had passed away and Angeline still missed
him terribly. Shaking her head to stop any
tears, she concentrated on the stack of order
forms and immersed herself in her work. She had
spent her whole adult life pursuing money and
position and success was in her grasp. She did
not need to get lost in emotion. Tomorrow
would be a break in her perfectly ordered life
because of graduation but then life would be
normal again.
Thursday arrived and Homer was up early.
He was determined to drive to the feed store for
farm supplies and to do a few chores before
graduation later that evening. Martha had been
worrying over Betty all week, helping her
prepare and getting the house ready for the
party afterward. She had borrowed a couple of
tables and chairs from the church to put out
back. Other parents that were coming would
bring sandwiches, chips and soft drinks. The
weather was supposed to be beautiful,
seventy-two degrees, so it should be a pleasant
night to be outside.
“Hey Homer,” the man behind the counter at
the feed store called out. “You about ready for
graduation?”
“I reckon so, Adam. What’s that son of
yours thinking about it?”
“Ah you know Bob. He just wants to get out
of school so he can go to the junior college to
play baseball. Sports, that’s all he thinks
about.”
“Ya’ll are coming by tonight aren’t you?
Martha said to make sure and ask.”
“Yeah, we’ll be by. Bob’s not staying
long. He’s going to get ready to go to
Florida. You know, they’re leaving real early
in the morning.”
“Just come by for a while. You have to help
us eat up all the food Martha’s fixed.”
“Don’t worry we will.”
Adam carried the bag of feed for Homer and
threw it in the back of the old pick up. Homer
climbed in and started the old truck and slowly
drove through the gravel parking lot toward the
highway. Something didn’t sound right though as
his gears made a grinding noise. The truck
jerked once, stopped dead, and refused to move
another inch. Homer climbed out of the truck,
shaking his head with disgust.
“What’s wrong with her?” Adam asked as he
walked out the open doorway, over to the truck.
“That sounded bad.”
“The gears locked up, I reckon. I knew
this old truck hasn’t been acting right. Why
today?”
“You want me to call Kenny at the garage?
He could be here in a minute to check her out.”
“Tell him to bring the tow truck, just in
case. I’ll call Martha.”
Homer walked back in the store and picked
up the phone. He dreaded calling Martha, as he
knew how upset and nervous she tended to get.
“Martha, this is Homer. Is Betty still
there? She’s already left with Matt for the
school? Good, my truck’s tore up and I need you
to come get me at the feed store. I don’t want
Betty to know and get upset. Just come get me.”
Slowly he hung the phone up and walked back
outside. Adam had called the garage on his cell
phone and he could see the tow truck was almost
here.
“Hey Homer, having trouble with the old
truck?”
“Yea, Kenny. She just locked up. Now she
won’t budge.”
Kenny, a young man with a knack for fixing
cars crawled under the truck and looked around.
He came out with a serious expression on his
face.
“Looks like the rear axle is stripped.
I’ll have to haul her in and check her out
better at the shop. I’ll let you know what it
will cost to fix her later this evening.”
“Just do what you have to. I’ve got to
have the old truck fixed. Let me get the feed
out first.”
He pulled the bag of feed and set it beside
him in the parking lot while he waited for
Martha. Soon Kenny was hauling his truck toward
the garage and Adam left to wait on some
customers.
Homer stood by the feed, staring into space
and wondered what they would do. There was no
extra money to fix the truck but with the farm
he couldn’t do without it. Normally he had a
little extra money but they had planned to use
that for the wedding expenses and he had hoped
nothing more would come up before the crops came
in. He would make money on the corn and a
second cutting of hay later on always helped.
The winter wheat would go in after the corn but
that wouldn’t help him now. The few calves he
was raising weren’t big enough to sell either.
Five o’clock came quickly and Angeline was
glad the day was over. Mrs. Upton had been a
real pain and all the giggling, snooty young
ladies in the wedding party had grated on her
last nerve. Talk about being hard to please!
It was not Bentley’s fault that Mrs. Upton’s
daughter had gained weight since they first
ordered the gown and would need it altered
again. One would think the world was ending the
way she went on and on.
Angeline calculated that she would have
time to drive through Burger Time and grab
something to eat before driving to the high
school. This morning she had placed Sandra’s
graduation gift in the car because she figured
there would be no time to go home beforehand.
The graduation ceremony was on the football
field and as Angeline parked her car, she could
see the bleachers were filling up. She hurried
through the gate to get a decent seat.
Nearing the bleachers, Angeline stopped
suddenly as she saw someone standing by the
steps, talking to Bob Reed, the school’s best
baseball player. It was that old man, the one
that had come into Bentley’s. Although he was
dressed in khaki’s and a plaid shirt without a
ball cap, she still knew him and did not want to
have to speak.
“He might beg for me to help him again,”
she thought to herself, “And I can’t handle that
right now.”
Changing directions, she purposely walked
behind the bleachers to go up the steps on the
other end.
“Hey Miss!” she heard someone yell so she
stopped, every muscle tightened up.
It was the old man. He was coming toward
her so she just stood and waited.
“Just wanted to let you know that we found
someone to make Betty the dress. Thank that
other lady for giving me the address to the shop
in Central City.”
“You’re welcome,” Angeline said, relieved
that he was not upset and going to make a scene.
He turned and went up to bleachers to the
parent/grandparent section. She followed him,
and then sat by herself on the bottom row
waiting for it all to be over. Only then could
she see Sandra, give her the present and go home
to unwind.
The seniors were gathering on the football
field taking their seats and Angeline was trying
to spot Sandra when she saw Betty. She assumed
it was Betty, such a tiny girl in a wheelchair
being pushed by a fairly tall, plain looking
boy.
So that’s who she is marrying.
Angeline thought to herself. It must be
a strain pushing her across the grass. I wonder
how long that will last before he gets tired of
dealing with her.
Graduation was boring as most were, with
too many songs, speeches and words that wouldn’t
be remembered tomorrow. She looked up when she
saw the boy pushing Betty next to the speaker
stand and watched the principal hand her a
microphone. They introduced her as Betty Smith,
the class historian. She read the names of her
classmates and the year they came to Riverview
in a soft voice with a pronounced southern
drawl. She seemed so happy as she read the
names with the boy beside her, and Angeline
suddenly felt very jealous.
Why? she asked herself. Why haven’t
I found someone to marry? This little crippled
girl is getting a husband with people doing
everything for her and I have nothing.
Bitterness and jealousy overwhelmed her but
she did not care. Every relationship she had
was short. Sure, she was busy with work and
trying to get ahead but the guys never lived up
to the standards she had anyway. Nobody wanted a
serious relationship and it had been two years
since she had even dated anyone. Guys had asked
her out but weren’t they just all after one
thing?
The principal asked everyone to stand for
the Alma Mater and Angeline realized that she
had missed the presentation of the diplomas
while she was caught up in her thoughts. Oh
well, she thought, you walk, smile, shake hands
and sit back down. Tears of frustration flowed
down her cheeks as the Alma Mater played. She
furiously wiped them off hoping no one would
see.
Stop it!
Angeline told herself. You are successful.
Just look at the townhouse and the car. You
don’t need a man.
The seniors threw their caps in the air and
it was over. The people piled out of the
bleachers and onto the football field and, with
present in hand, Angeline joined them, scanning
the crowd for Elaine or Sandra. Off to the side
she noticed that Channel Seven News out of
Central City was set up. She also observed that
Latoya Cower was pulling seniors out of the
crowd to interview them for the ten o’clock
news.
“Angeline!” she heard Elaine call out then,
and hurried over to where she and Sandra stood.
“Excuse me, Miss,” Latoya Cower said to
Betty. “Do you mind if we interview you?”
Matt wheeled her over to where the cameras
were set up and Latoya smoothed her skirt and
readied herself for her cue. Latoya had
noticed Betty’s bright smile and Matt’s devotion
and thought they had story potential. Quickly
jotting down some relevant information, she
began the interview.
“This is Latoya Cower live from the
Riverview High School graduation and I am
talking to some of the seniors about their plans
for the future. Joining me are Betty Smith and
Matt Jansen. Tell me what you are feeling now
about graduation.”
“I’m just glad it’s over,” Matt said,
honestly. “School was okay but I am ready to go
to working full time.”
“I am going to miss school a lot,” Betty
said. “I have so many memories here at
Riverview.”
“What are your plans for the future Betty?”
Latoya asked.
“Well, I’ve applied for a job at the
elementary school here in town and Matt and I
are getting married in August.”
“Congratulations!” Latoya said, turning
back to the camera for the final shot. “Well,
you see that there are a lot of happy seniors
here at Riverview tonight. For more on the
graduation at Central City High, here is Brett
Myers.”
Homer and Martha came up to where Matt,
Betty and Latoya stood.
“That was so good!” Martha said. “Will this
be on the ten o’clock news?”
“Yes, ma’am, it will.”
“Oh good. Homer, remind me to turn on the
television at ten and anybody that’s left at the
party can watch it with us. We’ve got to go now
and set things up so we’ll see you kids in a
little bit,” Martha said, and they started for
the car.
“So you two are getting married in August.
You must be excited,” Latoya continued, off
camera.
“Yes, we are getting married at our farm in
this beautiful spot near the woods. This lady
is coming out tomorrow that is going to make me
a dress. It’s been hard to find one, me in this
chair and all,” Betty said, eagerly.
“Who would that be? Someone from
Bentley’s?” Latoya asked.
“No ma’am,” Matt said, quickly. “This lady
is Estelle Granger from Central City.”
“I don’t think I know her,” Latoya said as
she jotted down the name on her notepad.
Latoya also added Matt and Betty’s names,
thinking there may be a human interest story in
the future with the wedding. People were
walking up to talk to Latoya, so Matt and Betty
excused themselves to head back to the house.
Homer and Martha made it back to the house
right before the Jansen’s drove up and together
they spread out the tablecloths and brought out
the food.
“Homer, could you get the gift that Mildred
dropped off for Betty and bring it out here?”
Martha asked. “It’s on the end table by the
phone.”
Homer walked into the living room and
picked up the neatly wrapped gift, noticing the
blinking red light of the answering machine.
There was one missed message. He pushed the
button and recognized the voice of Kenny at the
garage.
“This is Kenny and I just wanted to let you
know that I have checked your truck over and I
believe I can fix it. However it will be around
five hundred dollars.”
The voice went on with other details but Homer
had blocked everything else out. He stood in shock
as the extraordinary figure of five hundred dollars
circled in his brain like a vulture circling its
prey. He had never considered that repairs would
cost so much, and with the wedding, how could he fix
the truck and get the dress?
