I did not want to spend a lot of money on a dress that I'd wear for one day. Geez, my dress to marry Killer was only eleven dollars! But the church wedding dictated what I could or could not wear. Tina Marie and I went dress shopping. I had not even considered the colors for the wedding party. As we browsed through the boutique, we found this beautiful dress on the clearance rack for the Maid of Honor and brides maid. This one was on clearance as some one didn't pick it up or wanted it and I loved it! It was black and I love black and white, it would be perfect!
The dress fit Tina Marie like it was made for her and it was only $50.00! So she bought it. That was it, the wedding party would be black and white. The men would wear black tuxes and the women would wear black dresses.
The other thing I do not understand is big wedding parties, especially if you are in your thirties. Min thought Chappy had to have certain people in the wedding party and of course that meant I had to have that many as well. I expressed my concern about having a parade of people standing up there with us, but, "this is the way we do things."
Of course, Sissy had to be in the wedding party of her baby brother! She was going to walk down that aisle in the church one way or another. I went over to ask her if she would like to be one of my brides maid. I had not really spoken to her much since the incident with her husband. She was elated! She just couldn't wait to be a part of the festivities. She wondered if Wes could be in the party as well and I informed her that was up to Chappy, I wanted nothing to do with that decision, but he knew how I felt.
We sat and talked that night. Wes was out working and Sissy wanted to know more about me. I guess I had not given her the opportunity to interrogate me, this was after all her baby brother that I was marrying.
She wanted to know if I knew her neighbor, Webby. "Why?" She surprised me by saying that eighteen months ago, she was home with family, sitting on the front porch and saw me, getting out of my car at Webby's house and she wanted to know how I knew him.
"Are you sure it was me?"
"Yes, we all commented on how well dressed you were and the car that your drove. Webby never had people over to his house and we noticed you went inside with him, but you didn't stay long."
Well, aren't you the neighborhood crime watch dog! As a matter of fact, it was me and I knew Webby from working downtown. He had invited me over to see his home, which I did. She was very interested in my relationship with him and I was not interested in sharing as I knew it would go straight to Min. Chappy knew of my relationship and that was all who needed to know. Perhaps she was curious since Chappy had been over several months ago, returning gifts, but she did not have a dog in this hunt so she was not in a position to question me.
I had mentioned her trip with Chappy the Labor Day before up to Traverse City when they went biking. She was quick to inform me that was not her, it was "Vicki." Sissy didn't ride a bike. I knew that after I met her, but some thing inside suggested I bring it up and I got answers to the mysterious man I had known just a year ago.
Sissy had sung like the canary, thinking I must have known all this. Chappy had been dating Vicki for over four years. Vicki wanted to get married, but Chappy was not in love with her, she was just a nice girl, but had many problems that Chappy did not find attractive.
"Didn't Chappy tell you, she was the one that called after the two of you were in Saugatuk that one weekend?" She laughed at the memory saying that Vicki sure was a sly one pretending to be the representative from the Chamber of Commerce! I had to swallow hard on that one, as I had no clue "she" was the person who called. I had told Chappy back then about the call and he didn't let on that he knew who the real caller was.
"So, you didn't go with Chappy to Traverse City?"
"No, he and Vicki went to try and reconcile their relationship, but Chappy knew he would never marry Vicki, he had been in love with you for a long time, but wasn't sure how you felt as you had, oh, I don't remember, disowned men, or didn't want to be in a relationship. So Chappy kept Vicki in the picture hoping you would change your mind. He broke up with her that weekend in Traverse City and we met you a couple weeks later."
"Oh yes, how could I forget." That dirty little scoundrel! I knew nothing of this woman, so I dug deeper.
"Is she from Westphalia?"
"No, she was from Fowler. She and Chappy met at Mac's wedding. He was dating Julie at the time and couldn't decide between the two of them, but Vicki won out. Didn't you know she lived in the same apartment complex that Chappy lived in over in Grand Rapids? Chappy didn't know, but she rented an apartment directly across from his, in the building facing his. They could watch each other from their living room windows."
Well, this just kept getting more and more interesting. I wonder what else I would discover in this free for all conversation! I have to admit I was a bit steamed that he had not shared any of this with me! But it all made sense, why we never went to his apartment before that Labor Day that he went biking with his "sister." Why he always backed out of plans at the last minute because he didn't want to tell Vicki. Why the Chamber of Commerce knew I was in town that Sunday. Oh yes, it was all making perfectly clear sense to me now.
We talked a little more, I had to make sure she did not realize she had just ratted out her little brother. I had told her about the dress and where it could be found. I was on my way home to have a little discussion with Chappy.
The thoughts that wander through my mind. Some have suggested I write a book. I think I'll blog first
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