Kiersten pouted at Peter over the wine. "Honestly, who holds a masquerade ball before their wedding?"
Peter laughed, rubbing her hand. "I know it's not your kind of thing. David and Vanessa are ... well, they're more like me. They're extraverts, instead of introverts, like you. They think it'll be fun, having people just ... socialize. And they both love to dress up." He sipped at his wine, and smiled at Kiersten again, his delightful grey eyes twinkling. "And I think it was very touching for Vanessa to ask you to be a bridesmaid."
"Touching?" Kiersten said. "I barely know her! She's your brother's wife. Bride. Whatever. We have
nothing
in common. And my dress is supposed to match hers? Have you
seen
her?" Kiersten sipped her wine as angrily as she could. Kiersten was willowy and sleek, with chestnut hair and mahogany eyes and an athlete's body which she was proud of. Vanessa was generously curved, looking divinely soft and touchable, with glittering green eyes to match David's, and luxurious, cascading black hair. There was no way a dress could ever manage to have one woman be mistaken for the other.
Peter had his ways to sooth Kiersten's irritations, though. Peter had much in common with Vanessa and David; all three were charming, outgoing, boisterous and the life of any party. In comparison, Peter and Kiersten were the odd couple. Kiersten preferred nights spent in the comfort of home, watching movies or reading, while Peter preferring to socializing, dancing, and the company of others. Somehow the two had negotiated a peace between the two extremes, finding each other's company worth the occasional excursion outside their comfort zone. And David and Vanessa's masquerade wedding was well outside Kiersten's comfort zone.
By noon on the day of the wedding the wine was already flowing freely. The five members of the bride's wedding party had their hair, nails, and makeup done together, while sharing laugher, tall tales, and embarrassing stories of past boyfriends, past girlfriends, and other sexual adventures. Kiersten listened far more than she talked. Compared to the vivacious Vanessa, Kiersten's own past seemed boring. When Kiersten did speak, Vanessa listened attentively, the consummate hostess, making sure to make a big deal out of the few sexual adventures Kiersten chose to share and boasting to her other friends about Kiersten's hidden "wild side" on her behalf.
The whole thing was far from what Kiersten would normally do in a day. There wasn't a book or TV screen anywhere to be seen. The music was loud with a heavy bass, and the people were even louder than the music. There was a festive atmosphere to the room, while Kiersten treasured her quiet comforts. Yet, while it might have partially been the wine, Kiersten would have had to say she was enjoying herself immensely. She might be interested in such a party every day of the week, but she was starting to think that occasionally getting out and socializing might not be a terrible idea.
As noon rolled around, and the second (and third) batch of wine bottles were emptied, the bridal party began to get dressed together, bridesmaids first, then the beautiful bride. Like the others, Kiersten smoothed her dress endlessly, checking and re-checking herself in the mirror. She wasn't used to wearing something so low-cut. Or to wearing a dress at all, let alone a gown, or anything so ...
showy
. She was hesitant about how it looked on her.
From behind her, as she examined the dress' hem in the mirror, she heard Vanessa's voice, murmuring, "You look
great
."
Kiersten turned to look at Vanessa. Her eyes sparkled, slightly glazed over from the wine. "It looks
fabulous
on you. You're really overly modest of your body, you know." she smiled, and sipped from her wineglass again. She giggled as she pointed at Kiersten and then poked the slimmer woman's sternum. "With that body,
you
could be out having adventures of your own, if you wanted."
Kiersten laughed nervously, taking Vanessa's remark as a compliment. "I don't think Peter would approve." she replied, with a timid smile. Vanessa's comment warmed Kiersten. Vanessa was the most sensual person Kiersten had ever met, and a compliment from her was flattering.
"Oh, you never know." Vanessa said, with a wink. "From what David's told me, Peter's enjoyed a little adventure in his time, too."
With that, Vanessa was off again, like a princess holding court among her handmaidens, leaving Kiersten to wonder what she could have meant. Did Peter have a more exciting history than she knew? He was certainly more outgoing, more expressive than she was. He was much more of an extrovert. She looked at herself in the mirror again, smoothed her dress, and tried to put the thought out of her mind.
Everything was coming together well, but with only an hour to go, the traditional "something borrowed" had not yet arrived. Kiersten was sent on an important mission at the Maid of Honour's request. Kiersten had to retrieve a set of pearl earrings that once belonged to Vanessa's grandmother from the glove box of Vanessa's sister's car. Kiersten accepted the responsibility perhaps a little too eagerly, but she was craving some air that didn't contain hairspray and a chance to walk to clear her head of some of the wine.
What Kiersten hadn't factored in is that the hooped skirt of her dress made navigating the narrow gaps between cars in the hotel parking lot risky if not impossible. She walked slowly to be careful not to rip her dress, but there would then be no room for her to slide in to the Maid of Honour's car for the treasured ring! Kiersten stood for a moment to clear the fog of wine from her mind and deduce a solution.
"Anything I can help with?" asked a familiar voice from behind her. Kiersten turned with her eyes wide. She couldn't help but smile at seeing Peter there. Then, she squealed and covered as much of her dress as she could with her hands.
"Peter! What are you
doing
down here? You're not supposed to know which one I am!" Kiersten said with a laugh. "I'm supposed to be
indistinguishable
from the others!" Peter laughed back.
"I'm just grabbing my cufflinks; forgot them in the car.", Peter said, holding up a small box. "And, I dunno." he continued. "I think I could probably tell the difference. Wow! Look at you! I have to say ..." he paused, holding her hands up and away from her body. His eyes roamed up and down her, and then came to rest on her bosom. "... I have to say. Corseted dresses suit you."
She swatted at him playfully. She said nothing, but couldn't help but notice a green handkerchief in his pocket.
Green
, she thought with a smirk, looking forward to telling her boyfriend apart from the others at the ball. "Oh!", she said, cutting off her own thought. "There's something you
could
help with. Could you help me out by getting something out of that glove compartment for me? I can't get in alongside there, in this skirt...", she said, sweeping her dress back and forth.
"It's a dress, love.", Peter said, patting her hip as he walked past, slipping in easily, opening the door, and retrieving the blue jewelry box. "There you go!" he said, handing it to her.
With a quick kiss, the two parted and Kiersten hurried back upstairs with her treasured delivery. Kiersten's arrival was accompanied by applause and cheering, and her spirits were raised enough by her visit with Peter to accept it with a bow, to Vanessa's raucous laughter.
Just over an hour after Kiersten's triumphant return, the bridal party arrived at the ball. Kiersten's face was hurting a little from smiling so much, which was a matched set with her sides that aching from laughing so much. She was going to miss the small-group feel she'd gotten into with the rest of the bridesmaids, as their group disappeared into the party. She was also definitely feeling the effects of that last glass of that lovely fruity red that Vanessa had insisted was 'for the road'. As soon as the opportunity presented itself, Kiersten made a beeline for the buffet, the better to avoid conversation and all the eyes that she felt watching her dress.
