Rod, again - Chapter 21, Debbie prepares

Debbie looked at two dresses spread across her bed and picked up the blue one. It shouldn’t be this difficult to choose an outfit for a wedding, she thought. After staring at herself for a few minutes in a full-length mirror, she tossed the blue dress back on the bed and grabbed the yellow one and repeated the exercise. Uninspired, she put the dress down and went to her closet. Somewhere in her vast wardrobe, she hoped to find the perfect dress, the perfect look.

She was still a little surprised to be invited to the wedding. She liked Cindy, but they didn’t know each other well and that whole ex-girlfriend of the groom thing usually ensured exclusion from the event. She took the invite as a sign that Cindy really believed that she was over Rod. Debbie paused as she thought about this; she was finally, completely over Rod. He had changed so much. He seemed like a better person, but also a different person, not the guy she once dated. She was glad for him and for Cindy. They seemed happy together.

Debbie realized she was excited about the wedding - not so much because of the event, but because she would be seeing Rico again. They’d spoken often since she’d returned home, but he hadn’t yet come for a visit. He was still working for Nina, whose unpleasantness grew with each day she was unable to find a replacement cook. Rico was unhappy at work, but he stayed out of a sense of obligation to Nina. Debbie aimed to get Rico out of the situation while she was in Phoenix.

Debbie thought about the telephone conversation she’d had with Cindy earlier that morning. Cindy had called to let her know that the dress had been delivered intact and undamaged. The dress reportedly fit perfectly and Cindy was pleased with every aspect of it. Debbie wondered if Cindy had noticed the little decorative pit pockets that she’d added at the last minute. They weren’t part of any of the design drawings, but Debbie just couldn’t resist including her unique signature.

As she idly flipped through dress after dress, Debbie wondered if she would ever find the right one. There was always a certain pressure, as the head of a design firm, to look stylish. Plus, she wanted something that would make Rico take notice. She pulled out a deep orange dress with a bold flower print. Perfect, she thought. She knew the dress accentuated her best features. Rico would see her now, she thought. And he’ll come back to Minnesota with me.