Valerie checked on her sister who was peacefully sleeping in the guest room. She smiled a little knowing that no matter how much Sandy and her fought they always had each other’s back. She put on the earphones and quickly turned on her iPod as she walked out of her apartment. If she was to be forced to wear a bridesmaid she had to force herself to loose more weight. She smiled as she was hit by the rays of sun, she began to walk fast through the busy street and a few blocks later there was the park.
She began in a slow pace not wanting to accelerate her heart rate sooner than needed. “I have to loose this weight if I am ever going to be taken seriously by any man.” She told herself as she began to jog. So maybe she had lost a few pounds and now she was size 16 but that was still not enough.
Half an hour later she was back in the elevator going back to her apartment, she smiled when she saw Howie knocking on her door with Leigh and James as well. “Hey,” she told them removing her earphones.
“Oh my you had a workout didn’t you?” Leigh told her. “You’re all sweaty,” she smiled at her.
“Yeah I must look nice for Sandy’s wedding,” she told her as she stepped around her to open the door to her apartment. “Come on in,” Valerie told them. “Sandy!” she yelled to her sister.
“Relax Val we are in no rush,” Howie told her giving her a peck on the cheek to greet her. “Yeah you need to shower,” he told her giving her a smile.
“Hey Howie,” Sandy said interrupting Val and her mostly likely smart remark for Howie. “Leigh awe and little James,” said Sandy going for the baby. “He’s so adorable,” she told his parents as she began to rock him in her arms.
“Well while you state the obvious about baby James I’m going to go take a nice shower…” Valerie said as she walked away and disappeared into her room.
“Hurry Val cause we are going shopping today with Leigh, Howie is going to take care of James today.” Sandy yelled toward Valerie’s room.
************
“Hey well look who shows up in my house…” AJ said as he helped Howie with the baby’s stuff.
“Yeah well I didn’t want to be home alone with little James. So I thought I come by and see if you wanted to watch a movie or play pool,” Howie said putting sleeping James down.
“Yeah ok, where’s Leigh?” AJ asked as he looked at his watch.
“Shopping with Sandy and Val,” Howie said rolling his eyes. “She had to show Sandy where she could find the best bridesmaids’ dresses and then they were going to see about her dress. Man all this mess for a day…” he said remembering his own wedding day.
“Oh, come on it’s not that bad right? I mean I love shopping too and I always have fun doing it.” AJ said laughing at Howie’s facial expression.
“Wait till you get married then you will tell me I was right,” Howie said looking through AJ’s movie collection.
********
“You have to be happy I picked fuchsia instead of lilac,” Sandy told her sister who was pretty annoyed by the time they were heading home.
“It’s your wedding Sandy; I just can’t believe we have been out all day. Yet we have not found a wedding dress…” Valerie said looking out of the car.
“Well we have the bridesmaid’s dresses that’s a plus,” Leigh said as she parked. “Well we are here,” she said looking at both of the women.
“Are you going to come in?” Sandy asked Leigh.
“No I have to head home I miss my baby.” Leigh said leaning over giving both a warm hug and kiss. “When is your next day off Val so we can plan to go shopping again?”
“Oh no I’m done we found my dress you and Sandy can go alone to find her dress,” Valerie said pointing to her sister. “Yeah all this is making me think twice about marriage. Nope you two are on your own for the wedding dress.”
Sandy began to laugh, “That’s only because you aren’t in love yet. We’ll see when you are there right Leigh?”
“Yep well then I guess I’ll call you and tell you when we will go looking for your dress ok?” she told Sandy.
“Ok be careful on your way home ok?” Sandy told Leigh as she and Val stepped out of the car.
***********
“What is your problem?” Sandy asked Valerie once inside her apartment.
“Nothing I’m just a little tired,” Valerie said lighting up a cigarette.
“No that’s BS Val, you are so self centered. How rude of you to say that to Leigh. I mean she is being so nice to us,” Sandy said looking at her sister angrily.
“What? I was just being honest we saw millions of wedding dresses and yet none were suitable for you, your highness. What do you expect for me not to get annoyed? Why would I even put up with another day of torture? You are the only one taking this to another level Sandy she was fine.” Valerie said rolling her eyes at Sandy. She walked to the kitchen to get herself a glass of water.
“Your pissed aren’t you? That for once it’s about me and not you aren’t you?” Sandy said angry as she followed her sister.
“What the fuck Sandy? It has never been about me? What are you like ten? Look I am very happy that you are getting married that you are marrying your high school sweetheart, but don’t try to say that this is me being jealous of you? I am not jealous of you Sandy you are my sister… Even if you do give me many reasons to be angry at you!” she told her sister forgetting why she was in the kitchen she began to walk to her room.
“I knew you always hated me…” Sandy said following her.
“I never hated you Sandy… I wished you would understand that. I was clinically depressed back then. I was mad because you were pretty, skinny, and popular what I wasn’t but I never hated you!” Val said grabbing her purse and walking to the door.
“Yeah why does it feel like you’re still clinically depressed…” Sandy told her still following her.
“You know what just relax and I will pretend this argument never happened.” Valerie said walking out of her apartment.
“Where are you going?” Sandy asked Valerie following her to the hall.
“Don’t worry about it Sandy and don’t wait up,” Valerie said disappearing inside the elevator.
********
“Alright man well see you in the studio Wednesday then.” AJ told Howie as he helped him put little James in his car.
“Ok yeah, I am going home and just knocking out. Later…” Howie said getting in his driving away.
AJ smiled as he saw his friend disappear down the street. He walked in and instantly got what he had been craving but hadn't done because of little James. He lit the cigarette and quickly finished it, he was about to call it a night when the knocking on his door stopped him. “Who could it be? Maybe Howie forgot something,” he looked around but did not see anything left behind. He walked to his door and looking through the peephole he gasped.
“Hey can I come in?” Valerie said giving AJ a smile.
“Val,” AJ said staring at her.
**********
“Howie?” Leigh asked but was not surprised to find that Howie was not home. She smiled as she heard his car pull up.
A few minutes later in came Howie with James, “Hey you’re here already?” Howie asked kissing his wife.
“Yeah we didn’t find the “The Dress”” she said. “We made plans to go another day. Where were you?” Leigh asked as she took James out of the carriage.
“At AJ’s we watched a movie and chilled. Little James behaved superb not bugging us much.” Howie said kissing his sons forehead.
“Come on lets go to bed I’m tired.” Leigh told Howie.
“Great idea,” Howie told her as they both went to get ready for bed.
Chapter End Notes:
Ok a few more up I am trying to get all the chapters I had up again so you can finally enjoy a new chapter! Let me know what you think.. :)
