what, as soon as I get dressed, we’ll forget all about me and I’ll concentrate on being your own personal fashion consultant.”
Carrie nodded, her lips pursed. “Marvelous, absolutely marvelous,” MaKayla said, making dramatic gestures of her own with her hands.
“Okay, I’ll be right back,” Paige called as she ran back to change.
“Oh, do hurry,” MaKayla answered her.
“The next time you need money to go to the movies, the answer is no,” Carrie said when Paige was out of sight. “In fact, just don’t ask at all.”
“But, Mother, we need to be supportive of Chase and his decisions, remember?”
“That was before I knew that statement was going to come back to bite me in the ass.”
“Don’t worry, Mom, it will all be over in a few weeks.”
*****
“Pink. Man, why do your colors have to be pink?” Trey lamented. “Seriously, are you getting any say at all in this wedding, or is Paige steering the entire ship?”
“Life is all about picking your battles,” Chase said. He opened the door to the Cedar Hill Mall and entered its unusually dark interior. “In the grand scheme of things, arguing over two different shades of pink seemed silly. Besides, Paige has been planning this day since she was four, so I’m letting her run with it.”
“It seems like she’s been running with everything since the relationship began.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I don’t know.” The pair walked into the mall, the inside of which seemed all but deserted, save for those who worked there and a few cautious shoppers who’d ventured into the few shops that remained open. Bars covered entryways to shops long forgotten, like prison cells. They outnumbered the viable businesses that still existed in the heart of the dying building. “Man, I remember when businesses were put on a waiting list to rent retail space here,” Trey said, trying to change the subject. “Now you’d have to pay people to bring their business here.”
“Fear is the most powerful form of control that exists. And the world we live in now is rife with it. No one wants to take the chance of becoming the next casualty reported on the evening news,” Chase said.
“So instead of living their lives and taking the chance that they may die in some horrific manner, they’d rather board themselves up in their homes and end their existence that way instead? It makes no sense to me either way.”
“Me neither, man,” Chase sighed. “At least the tuxedo rental shop is still in business. The next closest one is two hours away.”
“Must be no one is in the mood to celebrate these days,” Trey laughed. “I can’t imagine why not.”
They entered the shop, which was barren except for a lone employee passing the time on her cell phone, her fingers texting furiously. She looked up as Chase and Trey entered, seemingly shocked that she had customers, and tossed her cell phone aside. “Hello,” she greeted them. “Can I help you with something?”
“Yeah, I’m getting married in June,” Chase answered her. “And I’m told by my future wife that a tuxedo is the only form of acceptable attire for the event.”
“And not just any tuxedo,” Trey added. “Their colors are pink and pinker, so we’re going to have all kinds of fun here today.”
“Congratulations,” the cheery brunette said. “Pink is certainly a popular color choice for weddings. I’ll grab one of our catalogs to show you the different shades we have for our vests. I believe we may even have some samples in the back I can show you.” The woman raced to the back of the store excitedly and disappeared through a doorway. “Oh, I forgot to ask,” she said, reappearing. “How many groomsmen are there going to be?”
“Two,” Chase said. “The other one is going to come for measurements later.”
“Perfect,” she said, disappearing again.
“What are we, like the first customers you’ve had all week?” Trey called after her.
“No,
Carrie nodded, her lips pursed. “Marvelous, absolutely marvelous,” MaKayla said, making dramatic gestures of her own with her hands.
“Okay, I’ll be right back,” Paige called as she ran back to change.
“Oh, do hurry,” MaKayla answered her.
“The next time you need money to go to the movies, the answer is no,” Carrie said when Paige was out of sight. “In fact, just don’t ask at all.”
“But, Mother, we need to be supportive of Chase and his decisions, remember?”
“That was before I knew that statement was going to come back to bite me in the ass.”
“Don’t worry, Mom, it will all be over in a few weeks.”
*****
“Pink. Man, why do your colors have to be pink?” Trey lamented. “Seriously, are you getting any say at all in this wedding, or is Paige steering the entire ship?”
“Life is all about picking your battles,” Chase said. He opened the door to the Cedar Hill Mall and entered its unusually dark interior. “In the grand scheme of things, arguing over two different shades of pink seemed silly. Besides, Paige has been planning this day since she was four, so I’m letting her run with it.”
“It seems like she’s been running with everything since the relationship began.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I don’t know.” The pair walked into the mall, the inside of which seemed all but deserted, save for those who worked there and a few cautious shoppers who’d ventured into the few shops that remained open. Bars covered entryways to shops long forgotten, like prison cells. They outnumbered the viable businesses that still existed in the heart of the dying building. “Man, I remember when businesses were put on a waiting list to rent retail space here,” Trey said, trying to change the subject. “Now you’d have to pay people to bring their business here.”
“Fear is the most powerful form of control that exists. And the world we live in now is rife with it. No one wants to take the chance of becoming the next casualty reported on the evening news,” Chase said.
“So instead of living their lives and taking the chance that they may die in some horrific manner, they’d rather board themselves up in their homes and end their existence that way instead? It makes no sense to me either way.”
“Me neither, man,” Chase sighed. “At least the tuxedo rental shop is still in business. The next closest one is two hours away.”
“Must be no one is in the mood to celebrate these days,” Trey laughed. “I can’t imagine why not.”
They entered the shop, which was barren except for a lone employee passing the time on her cell phone, her fingers texting furiously. She looked up as Chase and Trey entered, seemingly shocked that she had customers, and tossed her cell phone aside. “Hello,” she greeted them. “Can I help you with something?”
“Yeah, I’m getting married in June,” Chase answered her. “And I’m told by my future wife that a tuxedo is the only form of acceptable attire for the event.”
“And not just any tuxedo,” Trey added. “Their colors are pink and pinker, so we’re going to have all kinds of fun here today.”
“Congratulations,” the cheery brunette said. “Pink is certainly a popular color choice for weddings. I’ll grab one of our catalogs to show you the different shades we have for our vests. I believe we may even have some samples in the back I can show you.” The woman raced to the back of the store excitedly and disappeared through a doorway. “Oh, I forgot to ask,” she said, reappearing. “How many groomsmen are there going to be?”
“Two,” Chase said. “The other one is going to come for measurements later.”
“Perfect,” she said, disappearing again.
“What are we, like the first customers you’ve had all week?” Trey called after her.
“No,
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