“I don’t...”

“If you really don’t want one, then you don’t need to fear them,” Pansy said, maddeningly logical. “The only problem seems to be that you don’t want to want one.”

“You don’t know me,” Sammy grumbled.

But on that grumble the four of them walked into the bridal store.

There was a young woman behind the counter in the front, who treated them to a smile. The whole place was oddly polished for this part of town, and so was the attendant.

“Welcome,” she said. “I’m Miriam. Are you looking for a wedding gown today?”

“Actually,” Pansy piped up. “Two of us are.”

It was as if her friend knew that somehow it would be more acceptable if the two of them did it together. And that was how Sammy found herself only a few moments later stuffed into a dressing room with an endless parade of gowns being brought to her by Miriam and Iris and Rose.

When she emerged in the first one, Pansy was already standing there, boosted on a stool. The dresses were cut for women who were even taller than Sammy, so Pansy herself was swallowed up by the length. Without the stool, the fabric ballooned around her and it was impossible to tell if the dress looked nice or silly.

“All of it can be hemmed,” Miriam said. “It’s sort of cut in a default state. But all wedding gowns are made to take any number of alterations.”

“I don’t have a lot of time,” Sammy said, looking at herself in the mirror. “So it’s okay if I can’t make one work.”

“Nonsense,” Miriam said. “I’m sure we can find something for you.” She looked at her enigmatically. “You don’t like this, though.”

Sammy looked at herself, and the insane, princess-like confection of tulle around her body. “No,” she said.

“Do you know what you like?”

“No,” Sammy said. “In fact, I was absolutely opposed to having a wedding dress until we walked by your window. And now I’m not really sure what I’m doing. Considering that I’m just getting married in two weeks and it’s a whole backyard shotgun situation.”

“I see.” Miriam looked her over and then went into the dressing room for a moment. It took Sammy a second to realize that the other woman was looking at the clothes that Sammy had come in wearing.

“Just give me a minute,” Miriam said, and she disappeared back into the racks of dresses.

She reappeared shortly after with three other gowns in bags, and thrust them into Sammy’s hand.

“It’s okay,” Sammy said. “I probably won’t find one. You should help Pansy. She’s much more likely to walk out of here with the full meal deal. She’s having a real wedding.”

“Isn’t yours real?” Miriam asked, her voice low.

“Well. Legal.”

“That sounds...”

She cast a glance over at Iris, Pansy and Rose. They weren’t paying attention to her. They were too busy putting veils on Pansy’s head, and she was grateful for it.