The bell above the boutique door chimed softly as Helen stepped inside, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. The air smelled of lavender and freshly steamed fabric. White lace dresses shimmered under crystal chandeliers. For a moment, Helen forgot her worries, imagining herself walking down the aisle in one of those gowns.
She’d dreamed of this day since childhood — not the luxury, but marrying the man she loved. Six months pregnant now, her rounded belly was visible beneath a loose floral dress. When she and her fiancé Caleb got engaged, the plan had been to marry the following spring. Life, however, had other ideas, and when Helen discovered she was expecting, they chose not to wait.
“I just want to look beautiful,” she had told her best friend. “Even if I can’t fit into the perfect dress, I still want to feel like a bride.”
Her friend smiled. “You will, Helen. You always do.”
At Ivory & Lace, one of the city’s most prestigious bridal boutiques, Helen had saved for months to find a gown that made her feel radiant, not self-conscious. A tall, slender saleswoman approached with polished charm. “Welcome. Do you have an appointment?”
“Yes,” Helen replied. “Under Helen Marshall. One o’clock.”
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