Rescue Me

more than a few minutes, and she’d never realized the dress was so low across her breasts. The other girls in the wedding party didn’t seem to think anything of it, but Sadie had never been a fan of short and tight. It just wasn’t comfortable or, in her line of work, appropriate. She wasn’t used to anything that pushed her up and out, but she supposed if she were still in her early twenties, she’d think the pink taffeta dress was cute. The other wedding attendants looked cute, but she was thirty-three and felt ridiculous.
    “If there is anyone who can show just cause why these two should not be joined in holy matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace,” the minister said as he neared the middle of the ceremony.
    Directly behind Sadie, bridesmaid number three, Becca Ramsey, whispered something, then sniffed softly. The night before, Becca’s boyfriend, Slade, had been caught cheating with “that slut Lexa Jane Johnson,” and Becca wasn’t taking it well. She’d arrived at the Sweetheart Palace Wedding Chapel with puffy red eyes and runny nose. As they’d all sat in salon chairs getting their hair and makeup done, Becca had cried and carried on until Tally Lynn had had enough. She’d stood, big hot rollers in her blond hair, one false eyelash freshly glued into place, and white “I’m the Bride” robe around her skinny shoulders.
    “You will NOT ruin my day, Becca Ramsey!” she’d said in a voice so scary even Sadie had pushed back in her chair. Tally Lynn’s eyes narrowed and a vein popped out on her smooth forehead as she pointed one perfectly manicured finger at her bridesmaid. “This is MY day, not yours. Everyone knows Slade’ll hump any hound that’ll hunt. He’s been skirtin’ around on you for two years. You’ve been puttin’ up with that no-good dog, so shut the hell up about Slade. And if any of the rest of y’all are thinkin’ of ruinin’ my day, you can follow Becca out the dang door.” Then she’d sat back down and motioned for the makeup artist to continue as if she hadn’t just turned into a female Satan. “More eyeliner, please.”
    Sadie had smiled, proud of the fierce little cousin she didn’t know very well. Proud despite the fact that Tally was making her wear a mini prom dress and big Texas hair. The kind she’d never even worn when she’d considered herself a Texan.
    “You may kiss your bride,” the minister announced, signaling the groom to grab Tally Lynn, bend her over his arm, and lay one on her. A little twinge of something fluttered across Sadie’s heart. It wasn’t envy. It was more like a reminder that someday she’d like to find someone who wanted to stand in front of a minister, promise to love her forever, and bend her over his arm.
    “Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Hardy Steagall.”
    Sadie turned and prepared to follow the bride and groom back down the aisle and into the foyer. Maybe mixed with the little twinge was that tiniest dab of melancholy.
    She moved from the arbor and wove her free hand through Rusty’s arm. She wasn’t quite sure why she felt even the tiniest dab of melancholy. She wasn’t sad about her life. She liked her life.
    “Ready to party?” Rusty asked out of the side of his mouth as they moved down the aisle.
    “Yeah.” She could use a glass of wine. Maybe it was seeing her cousin and Aunt Bess and Uncle Jim so happy. Maybe it was her bubble gum dress and the small bouquet of pink and white flowers in her hand. Maybe it was being back in Lovett where the purpose in life was to marry and have children. She wasn’t quite sure of the origin of her sudden mood, but felt very single and alone. Even Rusty was on loan to her. His girlfriend was in the crowd somewhere. As far as she knew, she and newly single Becca were the only solo girls at the Sweetheart Palace. Even her cougar aunt Charlotte had managed to find herself a date.
    Sadie took her place in line for pictures. She smiled for the photographer and pretended that her mood hadn’t flatlined. She was happy for her cousin. Truly. But she couldn’t wait to get back to her real life where she didn’t feel like quite the manless loser.
    After the pictures were taken, they all moved to the dining room swathed in pink and gold and white. Tally Lynn grabbed Sadie in a tight hug against her white meringue of a dress. “I’m so glad you could come.” Her face all lit up with love and plans of a happy future ahead of her, she added, “Gosh,