Chapter 2: When the last panty falls

            When the remaining boxes were piled into her mother’s car, Callie, having changed into an adorable cocktail dress trimmed in yellow and blue, slid into the front seat while Evie told them she would follow in her own car.  Mrs. Remington had smiled warmly and said she would see her at the church.

            Evie cranked her own car as her mother and sister backed out of the driveway beside her.  Callie was chattering away in the passenger seat while her mother, always classy and soft spoken, gently smiled and said something back until they were driving off and Evie could no longer see them in her rearview mirror.

            This wedding had been in the making for such a long time, and Evie couldn’t be happier for her sister.  Callie and Nathan had begun dating in high school.  When graduation came, they made plans to attend the University of North Carolina in Asheville together.  They had dated all four years with only one break-up.  In their Junior year Nathan had proposed and, naturally, Callie had said yes.  Nathan had a B.A. in Accounting and was starting a job working at a small firm in Belgrove.  Callie had earned a degree in Art Education and would be starting her student teaching in the fall.

            Their relationship was as pure as new fallen snow.  They had done absolutely everything right.  They each had money saved up, their lines were lined up ready and waiting for them, and they had even saved their sexual encounters for their wedding night.

            Evie pushed a pang of jealousy aside as she drove through the picturesque neighborhood toward the church.  This day wasn’t about her and her failures.  It was hardly a failure.  Near-miss is more like it, her mind scolded her.  This day was about Callie’s happiness.  This was about celebrating with her sister on finding her very own Mister Right.  Evie shook away the bad feelings and willed herself to smile.  She glanced into the rearview mirror and checked to see if it appeared genuine or not.  Your mouth is smiling, but your eyes aren’t.  That’s how you can tell whether a person is truly happy or not… you better figure out a way to make your eyes happy and fast!  Instead of thinking about all the reasons why it should have been her marrying first, she focused her mind on Callie and Nathan.  They had played by the rules, done everything in order, and this was their reward… two perfect people getting to spend the rest of their lives together.

            After a quick drive across town, she pulled into the virtually empty parking lot of Belgrove Baptist church and parked next to her mother’s car.  Callie and her mom were pulling boxes out of the trunk and piling themselves up.  Evie jumped out and grabbed a few of the gift bags that were sitting in the floor boards of the backseat.

            “Oh, Evie, don’t worry about those.  Those are going to Ms. Cora for the shower.  Just leave them there and I’ll get them to her this afternoon,” her mother called to her.

            Evie pushed the door closed and hurried to catch up with her mother and sister who were already a few steps ahead.  “Can I help carry anything?”

            Mrs. Remington shook her head and continued her quick steps, “No, but would you open the door, please?”

            Her mother was a little bitty petite thing with dark hair she almost always kept pulled back in a Gibson Tuck.  She always looked put-together and today was no exception.  Even though they were here to decorate, she was wearing heels and a pencil skirt which accentuated her naturally small stride.

            Jackson Nole was talking with Nathan’s mother when the trio stepped into the quiet interior of the sanctuary.  Yellow light was sparkling in the beveled glass of the windows and casting little rainbows across the pews.  The entire room felt warm and welcoming.

            Evie had seriously questioned her sister’s judgment when Callie had insisted on a morning wedding even if there were rainbows, but seeing it in person once again made her heart smile.  It was going to be perfect.

            “Donna, Jackson and I were planning on putting flowers out at eight tomorrow.  Is that too late?  I know they are wanting to do pictures, but I was thinking if we got the front finished first they could start pictures while we finish everything else.”

            Nathan’s mother, Regina, finished speaking with her husband and began heading up the church’s aisle toward them.

            “It’s incredibly convenient to be marrying the son of a florist,” Evie muttered out the side of her mouth to Callie.

            “They have been so wonderful to Nathan and me.  Did I tell you they are donating all of the flowers for both the ceremony and the reception,” Callie chimed dreamily.

            “I’m pretty sure Mom mentioned it.  That’s incredibly generous of them.”

            “It really is,” she said as she dropped the box she was carrying onto a pew and combed her hair out of her eyes as she took in the room’s interior.

            Regina Nole reached an arm around Callie and gave her a hug.  “Are you happy with what we’ve done so far?  We can change anything you don’t like.  Well,” she grimaced apologetically, “maybe not quite ANYTHING because the flowers have all been ordered, but if you want any of the arrangements moved just let me know.”

            “It looks so lovely I wouldn’t dream of changing anything!”  Callie looked down at the sticky note stuck to the end of the pew that said, “Hydrangea.”  The sanctuary was covered with the little notes; each one labeled with what was to be put where in the morning.

            Regina reached out to hug Evelyn as well, “Hello, Evie.  How are you?”  Two of Callie’s friends who were going to be bridesmaids in the wedding had arrived and chatted and giggled behind Evie and Regina.

            Evie smiled and recited her the “I’m great,” small-talk… the same one she had given Ms. Mildred not an hour before.

            “That’s so good to hear,” Regina said as the church’s door opened again and Nathan stepped through.

            “Baby!” Callie squealed, breaking off the conversation with her friends.  She took off running down the carpeted aisle and met her fiancé at the back of the sanctuary.  Nathan wrapped her petite frame in a bear hug that lifted her off the ground and then he kissed her with such passion that Evie felt she needed to glance away.  They need a little privacy for that one.

            A light chuckle echoed through the room as everyone turned to look at the happy couple.

            They are so freakishly perfect together, Evie couldn’t help but think.

            Regina made a quick scan of the room before patting Nathan’s arm.  “I hate to interrupt, but where are your brothers?”

            “They were right behind me, I thought,” Nathan replied.  He was over six foot tall, and with Callie being a modest 5’2” she had to crank her head back to see his face from deep inside his embrace, but crank she did.  She was smiling dreamily up into his eyes and once Nathan had finished speaking with his mother he leaned down to kiss her again.  Nathan was about as all-American as you could get: tall, blonde, ruggedly handsome, and polite.  Now, he could add ‘Perfect Wife’ to his list of achievements.

            Not a second later the church door pulled open again and three guys, all laughing about something, made their entrance.  Kyle, Corey, and Matthew were all blond like their brother and blessed with the same ruggedly handsome good-looks.  Kyle slapped Nathan on the back and smiled ‘hello’ to Callie, but she didn’t notice.  She was still wrapped in Nathan’s arms and lost to the world.

            “Well, since almost everyone’s here, how about we go ahead and have the rehearsal instead of waiting until after we decorate?” Donna Remington asked to no one in particular.  “Evie, would you call your dad, and let him know we’re thinking of starting early?”

            The mothers of the bride and groom discussed more details about tomorrow’s ceremony while Evie pulled out her phone and dialed the store’s number.  It was one of the part-time weekend girls who answered.  Evie’s father was at the post office but she would give him the message just as soon as he was back.

            Evie relayed the information to her mother.

            “Well, then Bill shouldn’t be too much longer.  Shall we go on and get organized?” Mrs. Remington asked Nathan’s mother.

            The two women agreed and wrangled up the three Nole boys who had drifted toward the front of the sanctuary.  The mothers paired them up with their corresponding bridesmaids in the vestibule.  Evie, being the maid of honor, was told to stand with Kyle who was Nathan’s best man.

            Evie smiled at her tall partner.  Kyle grinned back.  The three new couples chatted quietly while Regina tried to coordinate with the gentleman who would be running the sound for the ceremony.

            Kyle was standing quietly with his hands clasped in front of him and Evie felt a bit awkward.  It’s not like she had never crossed paths with Kyle before, they just hadn’t traveled in the same circles in school.  She thought it very strange how this handsome guy who wouldn’t have given her a second glance in high school as now paired up with her in her sister’s wedding, and he was smiling at her!

            Evie wasn’t quite sure what to do with herself so she leaned toward Kyle and asked, “So, are you the one who messed up Ms. Mildred’s door?”

            Kyle laughed and turned his cool blue eyes toward her.  “That’s a strange thing to ask.”

            “I’m trying to make conversation.”

            “I can see that.”  He chuckled again.  “But, no.  I was not the Nole boy who messed up her door.  That would be Matthew, but he did what he thought was best.  That spring was completely shot.  It should have been replaced years ago.”

            Matthew, being home from his first semester of college, was probably just looking for odd jobs around town.  He was the youngest of the four Nole boys.  Kyle was the oldest.  He and Evie had graduated together.  Next was Corey who was married and now lived in South Carolina, or Georgia somewhere.  Nathan was the third in line, followed by Matthew.

            “Ms. Mildred’s not one to let go of things easily.”

            Kyle smiled brilliantly as the music finally started playing in the sanctuary, “No, she is not.”

            The door at the back of the church opened and all three couples, including Callie, turned to see who it was.  Mr. Remington stepped through in a rush and hurried to Callie’s side.  He wrapped her in a giant hug and kissed her on the cheek.

            “Bill’s here,” Evie heard Corey call out in front of her.

            Evie’s father leaned in close and was whispering something in Callie’s ear.  She couldn’t hear the exact words but she smiled to herself as she guessed their meaning.  He was telling her how lucky she was and that he couldn’t believe his baby girl had grown up.

            “Shall we?” Kyle asked offering his arm to her and tugging her away from the happiness she was witnessing behind her.

            Evie politely took it while they waited for their cue to walk down the aisle.  She glanced over her shoulder once again at her sister who was sucking in deep breaths and grinning from ear to ear.  She was clutched to their father’s arm while she was busy mouthing ‘I love you’ to Nathan down at the front of the church.  Evie felt a tug on her arm as Kyle stepped forward in time with the music and began guiding them down the aisle.

            Evie couldn’t help but feel warmed by the closeness to Kyle’s body.  His strong arm was linked around her own, and for a fleeting second she longed to feel comforted knowing that the man beside her was her own.  He smelled clean and musky.  He was a good head taller than her too.  She wasn’t tall by any means, only an average 5’4”, but if felt nice standing next to a guy she had to look up to.  The walk down the aisle was a short one, and when it came time to part ways she and Kyle locked eyes.  Oh, those eyes!  Kyle gave her a nod before releasing her arm.

            What was that?

            Evie spent the rest of the rehearsal entertaining a warm feeling in the pit of her stomach.  Twice more they had to walk down the aisle until her mother was satisfied with the timing, and each time Kyle offered out his arm and smiled at her with a charm that Evie couldn’t help but notice.  The love between Callie and Nathan was infectious.  Every time they were close they wound their fingers together, or Nathan gently kissed her lips, or they stared longingly into each others’ faces.

            Regina Nole taught him well!

            Once the rehearsal was finished, the women all piled into cars and left the little stone church.  They hopped across town to Ms. Cora’s house where the bridal shower was to be hosted.

            The brick house was fairly large by Belgrove standards, but then again Cora’s husband had been a banker before his retirement.  He had obviously done well for himself.  Donna Remington clicked her way up the brick steps leading to the door at the end of the house where the garage had been converted into a family room.  She politely knocked before cracking open the glass paneled door and poking her head in.  “Cora?  May we come in?”  The blinds against the interior of the window danced and beat against the glass.

            Cora had been in the kitchen and hurried through the family room to open the door the rest of the way.  “Come in!  Come in!  How was the rehearsal?”  She held out her hand to take the gift bag Donna was carrying.

            “It was wonderful.  Everything is ready,” Donna said as she gave up her clutch on the bag.  “Those are some extra paper plates and cups, Cora.”

            Cora cocked her head to the side and began shaking it.  “I told you not to worry about that.  I have plenty.”  Cora’s voice had become lightly raspy with age, but with the booming power behind it you never had to worry about hearing her.  She sang in the choir at Belgrove Baptist and there was absolutely no mistaking her clear soprano voice that rang out above all the others.  She always kept a smile on her face, but she had a funny habit of shaking her head ‘no’ whenever she talked that made her mop of brunette permed curls shake around her face like water in a fish bowl.

            Evie had always admired Cora’s house.  Not a thing was out of place!  The entire place had been decorated in the Victorian fashion with elegant furniture, lace doilies across every table surface, puffy valances above elegant curtains, and the most amazing thing… the family room had been painted a dusty rose color.  Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined one entire wall of the family room which held numerous books, porcelain dolls, and antique music boxes.

            “There’s the blushing bride!” Cora boomed.  “Isn’t she the most beautiful bride you’ve ever seen!?”  She grabbed Callie and squeezed her, pinning Callie’s arms to her sides.  “I’m so happy for you two.”

            Regina Nole stepped in with a brightly wrapped package and reached out an arm to greet Cora with a hug.

            “Come in!  Come in!  Everyone, make yourselves at home,” Cora called out.  “The bathroom is straight through the kitchen, down the hall on the right.  Punch and snacks are in the dining room.  Help yourself!”

            The room hummed with the voices of women.

            “Hello, Evie!” Cora boomed in her raspy voice as she grabbed Evie and hugged her neck.  “You’re still in Knoxville, right?”

            “Yes, ma’am,” Evie replied.

            “And what is it that you’re doing?”

            “I’m in advertising.”

            “How wonderful!  Are you doing television commercials?”

            Evie was just about to explain what exactly it is that she does when the door pushed open again and a group of women stepped in.  Bessie was among them.  Bessie was about as round as she was tall, but she was a spit-fire of bubbling joy and cheerfulness.  She was the first to find Callie and hug her after Cora.

            All of these women had been people Evie and Callie had known since childhood.  Some of them had been her Sunday School teachers, some had been teachers to one or both of them, some were neighbors, some were fellow shop owners, and others were simply family friends.  Every single face was like coming home all over again.

            The women mingled with silver plates printed with “His and Hers” on them piled high with mini sandwiches, mints, and cake.  All of the gifts had been placed on the light-colored wood grand piano that had been pushed into the corner of the family room where it would be out of the way.

            When it came time to open gifts, Callie sat next to the piano with Evie at her side to keep a record of who had given what.  Donna had originally stepped up to carry gifts from the piano to Callie, but Cora wouldn’t hear of it.  As the hostess of the shower she insisted on doing it herself.  Donna resigned to seating her elegant frame on the other side of Evie where she could throw the torn paper and empty bags into the trash.

            As Callie carefully opened each gift the women in the room ‘Ooohed’ and ‘Awhed.’  There were fluted champagne glasses engraved with their names, elegant picture frames, even a blanket with some of their engagement photos on it, “This one has to be from Ms. Bessie!” Callie cried as she pulled the blanket out of the golden bag and the room burst into ‘Awhs.’  Bessie still sat with her paunchy little hands clasped in her lap.

            “Isn’t that stunning!?” Cora boomed in her lightly raspy voice as the rest of the room agreed.

            “How did you make this?”  Donna was running her finely manicured fingers across the fabric as Callie held it out for Evie and her mother.

            “I found it in one of my magazines and got a few of their engagement pictures from Regina.”

            “I had no idea what she was going to do with those pictures,” Regina added with a grin.  “It turned out beautiful!”

            Callie had reluctantly handed the blanket across Evie and on down to her mother who continued passing it on down the line around the room.

            “That was a beautiful gift, Bessie,” Donna said.  Bessie flushed as her smile deepened the crinkles around her wide face and mouthed, ‘You’re welcome.’

            Cora handed Callie the purple and gold package with the crimson red bow around it.

            “This one’s from Ms. Mildred,” Evie said to her sister as Callie nodded and tore the package open.  There was a pause of silence as everyone waited to see what was inside.  Callie instantly flushed and refused to show the room what Mildred had given her.

            Cora leaned in to spy on the contents and threw her hand to her mouth and began shaking her head side to side as she laughed.  She leaned over to the white haired woman on the other side of the piano and whispered something in her ear.  The two women shared a laugh together before the white-haired woman whispered the news to the woman beside her.

            “Hold it up for everyone to see, Callie,” Donna said.

            Evie couldn’t help herself.  She laughed and fanned herself with the pad she had been keeping notes on.

            Callie’s face was ten shades of red as she reluctantly tore off the rest of the paper and exposed the box of edible underwear.  The room howled with laughter, and that was the end of the polite shower conversation.  Even without being physically present, Ms. Mildred’s corruption had found its way into the room.

            “Perhaps, we should put those back in the paper.”  The classy Donna Remington was mortified.  Evie didn’t want to even imagine her father and mother in bed together, but she figured their sexual adventures didn’t involve edible underwear.

            “What am I supposed to DO with those!?” Callie cried through embarrassed tears mixed with laughter.

            “You’re not supposed to DO anything.” Callie’s kindergarten teacher called out from across the room and all the women rolled in laughter again.  “You put them on and HE does all the work!”

            The room was virtually screaming with hackles.

            “Who gave those to Callie?” someone asked.

            “I think it was Mildred,” Cora yelled above the noise.

            “Who would’a known Mildred knew about such things!”

            “You can’t get anything like that around here.”

            “You have to go to Asheville or somewhere like that.”

            “Or order it from a catalog.”

            “They make catalogs for things like that?”

            Everyone wanted their chance at viewing the box of edible underwear, and in spite of Donna’s efforts to hide it away it didn’t take long before long it was floating around the room unchecked.

            The remaining unopened gifts were mundane after that one.  There’s nothing fun about His and Hers towel after a box of candy underwear has crossed your lap.

            When everything had been opened, Evie excused herself to the restroom.  She realized her ears were slightly numb from the noise as she walked down the cozy hall and the sounds of the women faded away behind her.  She found the bathroom easily.  It was decorated the same as the rest of the house with a wicker table in the corner supporting a pink Victorian globe lamp.  Plant vines draped down in front of the window with green, heart shaped leaves.  There was even a crocheted doily placed on the back of the toilet.  She marveled at the tolerance of Cora’s husband and what a wonderful man he must be to live in this Victorian dollhouse and still hold onto his masculinity.

            When she returned to the party the conversation had turned to Callie’s wedding night.  The older, obviously more experienced women were giving Callie their suggestions on how to make the night more pleasurable.

            The advice ranged from how to stroke Nathan’s manhood to what she should wear.

            “What do you have picked out?” Cora asked.  She had found a chair close to the kitchen door.

            “It’s a silk gown,” Callie said.  Evie pitied her sitting there so small, flaming red, and exposed to a brand new world of experiences.

            “I picked it up from a store the last time we were in Asheville,” Donna spoke up as Evie reclaimed her seat between her sister and mother.

            Callie rolled her eyes toward her with a desperate, ‘Help me!’ glance tucked away in a tight smile.

            “It will all be over soon,” Evie whispered in Callie’s ear.  “You’re going to come back knowing more than them.  Especially, if you try out those undies.”

            Callie playfully pushed her sister away and shook her head in exacerbation.