Jessica's Story - Part 29 / Michelle's Story - Part 26 free porn video

Jessica's Story - Part 29 / Michelle's Story - Part 26 Wednesday morning, and the Brook family were very much busy getting ready to go out. Their cases had been packed the previous day, and now, it was just getting the things that they needed at hand ready. John was busy putting the suitcases and pram into the boot of the car, while Liz was busy getting the children ready. "Now, since your younger brother will need looking after on the way, I'll be sitting in the back," she told the older children. "So, that means you can take it in turns to sit in the front." Since they would be stopping at least twice along the way, it meant that all 3 would have a chance to sit alongside John in the front of the car. It was simply a matter of deciding who would get the front seat first. Emma go the nod, with James second, and Michelle third. Once they had eaten their breakfast, they all stood in the entrance hall, awaiting the moment when they could head for the car. "Ok, you can carry these to the car," said Liz, handing James a carrier bag full of food and drink. "Remember, we'll be having dinner with your aunts this evening. Now, are we all ready?" Michelle and Emma were both wearing t-shirts and trousers, and had got their teddies, while James was wearing a Newcastle home shirt, and carrying his Nintendo DS. All were ready, in their opinion, but got an inspection from Liz all the same. "Ok, lets go to the car," she said. She was carrying Andrew in her arms, and hoping that John had got the baby seat fitted. "Ok, who wants the back seat?" While the children would willingly fight for the front seat, they were far from eager to do likewise for the seat in the back. These back seats were usually lowered, so as to make the boot bigger. One had been raised to allow one to sit in the back. So, with the luggage and pram on board, Michelle got in the back seat, meaning that James joined Liz and Andrew in what were now the middle seats. Emma sat in the front passenger seat as planned. Soon, the car was heading towards the A1 on the long journey south. At their eventual destination, 3 girls were getting ready to meet their cousins. Despite the knowledge that it wouldn't be until late in the afternoon when they arrived, Sandra and her two younger sisters had got up early. They then found it hard to pass the time due to their impatience. "Lets watch a DVD, shall we?" said Julia, who was the only adult in the house apart from Helen. Anne was at work as usual, and was doing her last full day before the wedding. They watched one of their own, which didn't get the approval of their brother. Edward had just happened to enter the room, and when he noticed the film that the girls were watching, he walked straight out again. "You can have one of your Thomas DVDs on afterwards," said Julia. But Edward was already heading back up to his room. He did come down again later, and Julia kept her promise to put one of his Thomas DVDs on. The girls headed upstairs and decided to play with their dolls, though their excitement continued to make time appear slow. Julia called them down for lunch at midday and they opted to watch Thomas with Edward. Edward was sitting on the floor, close to the television, with his plate of sandwiches on his lap. On the A1(M) motorway, John had made the first of his 2 scheduled stops. It was just to give the family a chance to stretch their legs and go to the toilet if needed. Michelle was wearing her gaffe as always, and felt confident going into the ladies toilet. Even so, Liz went in with them, leaving Andrew with John for a short while. Once she had been to the toilet herself, she decided to check Andrew's nappy in the mother and baby room. The journey continued with Emma sitting in the back seat, Michelle in the middle, and James in the front. It remained this way even after an unscheduled stop forced by Andrew actually needing a nappy change. At the final scheduled stop, they had the sandwiches that Liz had prepared for them the night before. After over a hour of eating, drinking and resting some more, they set off on the final leg of their journey. James was now sitting in the back seat, with Emma now in the middle, and Michelle in the front. It was the more complicated part of the journey, as it required more turn offs. Leaving the M1 for the M69, then onto the M6. It was approaching 4pm, and their destination was now close. "Ok, James," called John. "Theres my football club." They had left the motorway and were on the outskirts of Walsall. John had deliberately taken a slight detour just to pass by the Bescot Stadium, home of Walsall FC. James looked out of his window and was clearly unimpressed. He started singing "My garden shed is bigger than this!" to the tune of "When the saints go marching in." "Have you got a garden shed?" asked John. "No," said James. "But if I had, it would be bigger than that." John ignored him and continued towards Walsall. "We should be there pretty soon," he told everyone. For Emma and Michelle, their hearts rose at this. They would be seeing their cousins again shortly. As the day drew on, the girls were continuing to get impatient. Anne was not yet back from work, though she wouldn't be for another 2 hours. "I'm getting fed up!" sighed Jessica, who had resorted to lying on her bed. "Do you think they will come early or late?" "Mommy or our cousins?" asked Sandra. "Our cousins," replied Jessica. "Does anyone want to help me play with the dolls house?" asked Kelly. Jessica got up and went over to join her. Sandra was reading a book. Downstairs, Julia and Helen were running over the dinner. It was going to be steak and kidney pie, and a choice of chips or boiled potatoes. With Sandra and Emma both disliking peas, there was a tin of baked beans available if they decided to have chips. Three large pies had been bought, just to make certain that there would be enough for the large party. Not only were John and his family having dinner with them, but Sally and Carol too. "The best thing is to offer the choice of chips or boiled potatoes to the children," said Julia. "The adults can have boiled potatoes and vegetables." "We still need to wait for the guests to arrive though," said Helen. "I hope they haven't hit any traffic." Her answer came sooner than she thought, as the doorbell rang just over a hour later. "Here already?" asked Julia. "Lets hope the girls give them a chance to get in." Helen was heading to the front door, and opened it to find her eldest son standing there. "Hi mom," said John, taking her in a hug. "Long time no see." He was soon followed by his family, all of whom warmly greeted Helen. But there was no doubt that his two daughters were looking for other members of the household. Not that they had to look far. Jessica, Sandra and Kelly had all heard the doorbell go, and had quickly headed out of their room and downstairs. They soon were exchanging hugs with their girl cousins. James was unwilling to hug them, but said hello. "Great to see you again cuz!" said Michelle, giving Jessica her biggest hug. "Same here. Still wearing your wig?" replied Jessica. "Yep, as my hair is still too boyish, even if it is long," sighed Michelle. "Your hair is nice now." "It's growing, but its still not long enough," replied Jessica. Jessica and Sandra did have to tell Emma and Michelle about Kelly now living with them. "She got my name right!" said Emma, referring back to Kelly's mistake on their previous visit. "Jessica and Sandra have been telling me loads of times that Emma has darker hair than Michelle," replied Kelly. "So, I couldn't get it wrong, could I?" By now, Julia had introduced herself to John and Liz, and Andrew had been introduced to his grandmother. "So Anne won't be here for a hour perhaps?" asked John, "She finishes at 5:30," said Julia. "So, expect her about 6:00." "Oh, you don't mind steak and kidney pie, do you?" asked Helen. "Not at all," said Liz. "That's good," said Helen. "Now, we are planning on having boiled potatoes and vegetables, but the children can have beans and chips if they like." Thankfully, the girls had not yet disappeared upstairs, so were able to answer. Emma and Sandra both opted for beans and chips, as expected. James and Kelly did likewise. Michelle, Jessica and Edward opted to have boiled potatoes and vegetables instead. With the orders taken, it was now possible to prepare the vegetables and potatoes. The chips and beans would take less time and thus would be prepared at a later time. * * * While they waited for Anne to come back, plus the arrival of Sally and Carol, the girls went upstairs to their room. Edward was wondering what the badge on James' shirt was all about, and the older boy was keen to tell him. "Don't listen to him, Edward," said John. "If you decide to support a football team, choose one that is local, and not over a hundred miles away, like a lot of people." Edward was not interested in football for the time being. James was quick to understand that his dad wasn't putting him down either, and that he was referring to the type of fans he hated. Michelle and Emma had got their teddies with them, and were now introducing them to their cousins' teddies. Michelle was surprised but really accepting of the fact that she shared her name with a teddy. Being Jessica's teddy made it all the better. However, it was the news that Michelle brought, that was brought up first. "So, after I finished school for the summer, I was taken to this building and my name was changed to Michelle!" said Michelle. "I really am a girl now, even if I still have that horrible boy part." "But you have those special panties though?" asked Jessica. "I still have them," replied Michelle. "Don't like removing them though." Jessica smiled understandingly. "So, what have you done so far?" asked Sandra. "Seeing our friends, going to museums, getting new clothes," said Emma. "And enjoying having a baby brother." "So, wheres your mommy?" asked Michelle. "At work," said Sandra. "She should be back soon, but we were waiting for you to come." Apart from discussing their exploits since breaking up for the summer, they talked about everything that had transpired since their last meeting back in March. "And so we're not going back to that shopping centre in case we see Robert," said Michelle, upon telling the story of how they had encountered her friend in Gateshead, and how it meant that she had to be a boy for half the day. "What will you do if you do see him again?" asked Kelly. "I don't know," said Michelle, concern on her face. "Robert was a good friend, and I don't want to upset him. But I'm a girl now, and I'm staying that way." Michelle then mentioned how she was already showing signs of being a good swimmer, and in turn got Kelly talking about how much she hated back stroke. Time was soon passing now, and it wasn't long before Anne was back home. She just didn't count on John opening the door. "Oh, hi John. When did you get here?" "Just over a hour ago," he replied. "Nice to see you again." "Me too," she replied, hugging him. "Just let me go and changed, and have a quick shower." "No problem." "Hi girls!" she said, deciding to stop at the girls room enroute to the bathroom. "Hello Aunty Anne," said Michelle and Emma. "Hi mommy!" said the others. Sally and Carol didn't arrive for another hour, but their excuse was simple enough. Just like Anne, Sally was keen to shower and get a change of clothes after coming back from work. So, eventually, the house was full of people, with the adults paying plenty of attention to Andrew. The baby was finding himself being cradled a lot, and only getting a break when Liz took him to the bathroom to get his nappy changed. Anne and Julia were soon focusing on the dinner, and with the pies cooked, it was just a case of waiting for the vegetables. "Can I have your attention, please," said Anne, entering the living room. "The kitchen table has been laid for 10, and I cannot get any more chairs around it. This means that some will have to eat in here." Liz decided to eat in the living room, just so she could keep a better eye on Andrew. Helen also stayed, with Edward and James being the other two. Everyone else would be eating in the kitchen. "We can eat out tomorrow," said Anne. "I'm sure you want to look round Walsall and other places too while you're here?" "We want to make the most of it," said John. "I think Liz might want to put some flowers on her parents grave, and I might want to visit dad's grave too." Sally looked and nodded. She felt forever bad that she had been unable to say goodbye to her father. She didn't often visit his grave due to the memory it stirred up. Dinner was soon served, and those gathered at the table were soon talking about the wedding plans, and the first major step: the dress fittings. "So, Sally and I are working just half a day tomorrow, so we can visit the bridal store in the afternoon," said Anne. "The girls are due at the store in the morning, along with myself and Carol," said Julia. "We can always spend the rest of the day in Walsall afterwards." "So, are we getting the dresses tomorrow?" asked Emma. "We're having them fitted," said Anne. "They just need to make sure that they fit you properly. If they don't, then they can adjust them." "James and Edward can hang around with me, while you're in there," said John. "Be nice to take a walk around Walsall." "It's changed a bit since you lived here," said Sally. "Theres a new retail area around the back. I won't mention the large toy shop that is around there." Emma and Michelle were not listening carefully, but Sally's last words had certainly reached their ears. "A toy shop?!" asked Michelle. "Did anyone mention toy shop?" asked Sally, knowing well that she did. "Ok, yes there is, but you can go there later in the day, providing you're good." "We've never had to be good to go in a toy shop," said Sandra. "Time to change the rules then," said Anne, trying not to smile. "And what about Friday?" asked Julia. "Make sure the catering is going to turn up on Saturday," said Carol. "But one of us can do that on Saturday morning." "Just tell me where it is, and I can go," said John. "You'll be too busy getting ready, I imagine." "So, where are you thinking of going?" asked Anne. "I suppose we could head into Brum, and show the children around there," said John. "Though Liz does want to visit Witton cemetery." "You could do that on the way there, or back," said Sally. "Plus you wanted to visit dad." "We could do that too," said John. "We don't get much time to do it." "I don't do it often either," said Sally. John said no more. He was still sorry about the part he played in that episode of Sally's life, and felt bad that it couldn't be mended. The girls were wondering what the talk was about. Kelly decided to ask on behalf of her sisters to be. "What is Witton cemitry?" she asked, again getting a word wrong. "It's a large graveyard," said Sally. "When people die, they are buried there." Kelly fell silent. The subject of graves always reminded her of ghosts. She had been to churches and noticed the many gravestones surrounding the building. The thought of loads of graves made her feel uncomfortable. "There are no ghosts in there," said John, noticing the look on her face. "But if you don't want to go in, you don't have to." "I'd rather go in toy shops," said Kelly. "We want to find a baby teddy for our teddies," said Emma. "My teddy has been having a baby for ages." "Your teddy is pregnant?" asked Anne. "Teddies with rolled up socks under their dresses, are pregnant," smiled John. "We have told them to wait till the holiday before they can get one. Providing we can find a teddy that is small enough." "And I thought arranging weddings was tough?" smiled Julia. "Aunty Anne. Where's your teddy?" asked Michelle. "My teddy?" asked Anne. "Oh, Paddington. Ok, I'll go and get him." Emma and Michelle had been told about him by their cousins, and were keen to meet him. Anne soon gave them their chance, but took him back upstairs before starting on the dinner. * * * The evening saw John and Liz wishing to speak with Julia and Kelly. It was the first time that Julia and Kelly had met John and Liz, and since they would be becoming part of the family in a few days, it was a good chance to introduce themselves. "So, you come from around here originally?" asked Julia. "Yes," said John. "I'm from Walsall, and Liz is from Birmingham." "Which part of Birmingham?" asked Julia. "Aston," said Liz. "You a Brummie then?" "Yes, but from the south side: Kings Heath," replied Julia. "I moved up here just to get away from my parents." "Because you're gay?" asked Liz. "Long story, but correct," said Julia. "But that is in the past. I'm happy, and so is my daughter." "I've got 2 sisters!" grinned Kelly, emphasising the best part of the deal in her opinion. "I've got the perfect partner," put in Julia. "So, Anne? How did she convince you to swap sides?" asked John. "To be honest, I made the first move," said Anne. "Something about Julia appealed to me, and when I learned that she was gay, things moved on from there." Anne and Julia were sat side by side, arm in arm. They were making no attempt to hide their feelings for each other. James was back to playing on his DS, and requiring the plug attached. His hours of playing meant that the battery was constantly needing charging. Edward was sitting by him, interested by what was happening on both screens. James was content to let him watch, but hoped that he didn't want to have a go. While Kelly had been speaking to her aunt and uncle to be, with her mom, Jessica, Sandra, Emma and Michelle were watching the television, or more to the point, a DVD of their choosing. This was partly why Edward was watching James playing on his handheld games console. Once again, Michelle and Jessica were sitting next to each other, as they had done during dinner. There was no denying why they had become close, for they had something in common, but Michelle was indebted to Jessica for helping her come into being. "You'd think they were sisters, not cousins," whispered John as he looked at them watching the television. "They are first cousins, on the paternal side," said Anne. "Both from the same gene pool." "Indeed," said John. "Uncanny." "So, how is Michelle?" asked Anne. "Loving her new life. Just impatient for her hair to grow at the front," said John. "See you've been letting yours grow a bit?" "Just say I've rediscovered how nice, long hair is," she smiled. "Plus I'm keeping the colour." John and Liz were sure that Anne's relationship with Julia was the real reason. Anne had begun a new chapter in her life, and that this was just one way of marking it. Sally and Carol decided to leave slightly earlier than planned, but before going, just made sure of the plans for the next day. "So, I'll meet you by the shop, Julia," said Carol. "10:00, wasn't it?" "10am, it is," replied Julia. "So any reason for the early exit?" "This is our penultimate night before the big day," said Sally. "We did discuss this." "But of course!" sighed Julia. "See you tomorrow then." There were a few goodbyes to be said, as the children said goodbye to Sally, reminding her once more how she remained deep in their affections. The plan was simple. Friday night would see Carol sleep over at Anne's house and Julia sleep over at Sally's house. It was just to allow them to get ready at those houses as was the plan. But whatever, Saturday morning was going to be BUSY! Emma and Michelle had to be reminded that they were not stopping the night with their cousins, and that they would be sleeping over at a motel. It was still a fair distance, and so, they left with their parents and brothers just a hour after Sally and Carol left. "So James, you can have a look round the shops tomorrow with me," said John as he drove towards the motel on the outskirts. It wasn't on the motorway, but close to the junction with it. As always, John had booked a large family room. It was equipped with double bed, single bed, and a sofa bed. James had been told to have the single bed, while Emma and Michelle would have the sofa bed. As they explored their room, John told the children about getting up early each morning. "Tomorrow and Saturday, we need to be up early," he told them. "So, I don't want any fighting in the bathroom, and no taking the time eating your breakfast. Saturday especially." The reason for hurrying up at breakfast, was that it was a buffet breakfast, and they could eat what they liked. So, for the remainder of the evening, they watched the television that was in the room, before going to bed early. It was one way to ensure the children got up early too. Jessica, Sandra and Kelly were also sent to bed early, along with Edward. The girls were looking forward to wearing their dresses for the first time. Their mothers were feeling just as excited, for the wait for their big day was almost at an end. "Well, just two more nights together before we exchange vows, my love," smiled Julia. "I still can't believe that I'm marrying another woman," said Anne. "But you are the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. I know that for sure." Soon, they were kissing passionately, and making the most of their penultimate night together as an unmarried couple. The next morning, operation: get up early, was put into action. Both Anne and John had set their respective alarm clocks for 7am, and soon, their families were up and getting ready. "You should be ok," said Anne. "Carol will meet you by the shop as planned. I'll see you all later then. Bye kids!" Anne was soon heading off to work, leaving Helen and Julia to get the children ready. The girls were eager to get going, much to Julia's relief. It was Edward who seemed hesitant. "What am I going to do?" he asked. "You can walk around Walsall with your Uncle John and I," said Helen, who had decided to get out of the house for once. "Now, Jessica. If you feel uncomfortable undressing in front of someone else, just say. No one is going to find out," said Julia, addressing Jessica. Jessica understood, though any worries were bound to be dispelled by the fact that she was wearing her gaffe. She rarely took it off, and then, it was for baths, going to the toilet, and whenever it needed washing. At the motel, Michelle was getting a similar lecture, though she too was wearing a gaffe. The only concern was her wig. Liz was going to come into the store just to make sure that no problems came about there. They were all ready, and waiting in line at the restaurant, for their breakfast. Though the children were having cereals, they had been told to make the most and have a cooked breakfast too. John and Liz helped them fill up their plates, making sure that there wasn't too much for them. "Ok, I know we are keen to get to Walsall soon, but don't rush too much," said John. Liz was taking it in turns to eat her breakfast and watch over Andrew. She had already opted to give him a clean nappy first thing, and so, the only thing he wanted now was his bottle of milk. She also had to lend Emma and Michelle a hand with their bacon. They were trying to get the fat off the side. "Don't worry if you eat some of it," she told them. "Leave that bit though." Once they were finished eating, they headed to the car park. They had one slight delay with Michelle needing the toilet. Liz had to help her find it. But after that, they were on their way. * * * For Julia, Helen, and their children, it was a case of waiting for buses. With it being during the week, Helen's pass wasn't valid until after 9:30am. Thankfully, a bus came not long after that time, and they were in Walsall town centre before 10:00. They quickly made their way to the bridal store, and waited outside. It was just a case of waiting for the others to show up now. But it wasn't a long wait. Carol arrived moments later, and only after spotting them looking lost (and Helen calling over to them), did John and his family arrive. "Hi mom. Come to get some fresh air?" asked John. "Just here to look after Edward for a while," said Helen. "Well, see you later." "Where shall we meet you?" asked John. "Meet us outside McDonalds," said Julia. "Ok," said John. "You've got Liz helping you." Liz walked over, leaving John with the pram. Helen walked over towards John, Edward holding her hand. Emma and Michelle were already alongside their girl cousins, having made a bee line towards them upon seeing them. "Shall we go in then?" asked Carol. "It's gonna be a packed shop now." "I imagine they'll be used to this," said Julia. "The fitting room should be big enough." With John and Helen heading off to look around the shops with the boys, Julia, Liz, Carol and the girls headed into the bridal shop. "Good morning," said the assistant. "Here for fittings?" "How did you guess?" smiled Julia. "Note in diary," replied the assistant. "So, names please?" "Julia Brier and Carol McAllister," said Julia. "Plus 5 bridesmaids." "That's correct. We have Anne Smith and Sally Brook arriving this afternoon, correct?" "Thats right," said Julia. "Follow me. The dresses are here, and ready to be tried on." The party followed the assistant to the back of the shop and were joined by another assistant. A third assistant remained in the store. "Ok, lets see," said the first. "We'll have the bridesmaids in here, and the brides next door please." Liz and the girls entered the one room, while Julia and Carol went next door. "Just wait here and I'll get the dresses," said the assistant. Liz and the girls were in a spacious room, with two large standing mirrors. Over to one side was a trolley with sewing accessories. There was a clothes rack beside it. In one corner was a curtain rail, for people to change behind. Finally, there were chairs along the opposite wall. The assistant was soon back with two of the dresses. They were in plastic bags, with hooks on them. She put them on the clothes rack and then went back for the others. She also brought along 5 small boxes. When she came back, she spoke to Liz. "My name is Susan by the way. My colleague is called Beth," she said. "I assume you are not a bridesmaid?" "No, I'm not," replied Liz. "I'm just here looking after my two daughters. The other three are my nieces." "Ok, so who wants to go first?" Susan was now looking at the group of girls. They stood and looked at her impatiently, and appeared unable to decide who would go first. "Lets just take the first dress, shall we?" she smiled. She went and took the first dress from the rack and looked at the paper attached. "Sandra Smith." Sandra's face beamed as she stepped forward. Susan was already taking the dress from the bag and showing it off to her. The other girls were wishing that they had spoken out when given the chance. They eventually noticed that the dress was only one of the items in the bag. A pair of white tights, and the headband were the others. Sandra was led to where the curtain was. Liz followed and for a short while, the other girls could only wait. They were eager to see Sandra in the dress. For them, it seemed like ages. But eventually, Sandra appeared from behind the curtain. She was being taken to a small stool, on which she was told to stand. Her dress needed some adjusting. Even so, she looked at the others and smiled. Even if the dress was yet to fit perfectly, she felt really happy in it. "You look really pretty, sis," said Jessica. "I want to be next!" said Michelle. "What are in the boxes?" asked Kelly. "Shoes," said Susan, even as she was placing pins in the dress. "Liz, can you just take the next dress from the rack, please. I won't be long." Liz went along and removed the next bag. She read the attached paper. "Jessica." Jessica was all smiles, but the remaining girls felt bad at seeing their wait prolonged. Jessica followed Liz behind the curtain and started to change her clothes. "I presume you're wearing something?" whispered Liz with a smile. Jessica just nodded, but gestured towards her crotch. Liz just smiled back, and helped her get undressed. Soon, Jessica was standing up, wearing her dress and feeling really good. Soon, Susan was with them and checking to see if the fit was ok. "Just follow me," she said, leading Jessica to the stool. Sandra was now standing to one side, still wearing her dress, though it was pinned back in places. Jessica was applauded by the others as she stepped onto the stool. As Susan checked the dress over, she asked Jessica if it was too tight, or too loose in places. As with Sandra's dress, it needed some adjustment. While Jessica was being seen to by Susan, Liz was given the go ahead to deal with the next girl. This time, it was Emma's turn. The girls were also getting to try on their shoes, which were very much ok for fit. Liz was also making sure that the clothes that they had arrived in were kept apart, and piled them neatly on the floor. With it now clear that she could help the girls get changed, she was particulary glad when it came to Michelle. The main worry had been about the wig, and whether or not it would come off in the process of putting the dress on. Susan didn't notice Michelle and Liz taking turns to hold the wig in place, and by the time she was ready to check Michelle's dress, she was none the wiser. Soon, all 5 girls were fully dressed in their bridesmaid outfits, and feeling absolutely wonderful. They all needed minor adjustments to their dresses, but nothing that would cause serious delays. Susan and Liz stood and admired them for a few minutes. Susan had dressed a good many young girls in bridesmaid outfits, and was accustomed to seeing how much they enjoyed it. She just didn't know that two of the girls before her, had a common secret. The time would come for them to remove the dresses, and put their other clothes back on, but before that, they were introduced to Carol and Julia. They had made the very short trip from the room next door to see the girls. They were wearing their dresses, which were also in need of slight adjustment. "Mommy, you look very pretty!" said Kelly, running over to Julia. "Thank you so much. You look pretty too. You all do," replied Julia. "Don't you agree, Carol?" "I'm going to feel so proud to have them following us on Saturday," said Carol. Carol and Julia had both gone for dresses with full length skirts. Neither dress was too fancy, nor too plain. Both were showing signs of excitement and anticipation, even if the day itself was still more than a day away. "You look really good, ladies," said Liz. "Anne and Sally are going to love you." "I'm half expecting Sally to breakdown in tears," said Carol. "This means so much to her, and..." Even Carol was becoming stuck for words, and becoming emotional. Susan and Beth were now standing and watching as the party continued to admire each other. But soon, they were all prepared to remove their dresses and change back into their other clothes. Julia and Carol went back next door with Beth, while Susan helped Liz with the girls. The girls were, understandably, less keen to take off their dresses. But they did so, and Susan carefully put them to one side, so as to ensure they didn't get mixed up. Liz made sure that she helped Michelle at any rate, just to keep her wig from accidently coming away. "So, if you care to come back later, or perhaps tomorrow, we can have the dresses ready for you," said Susan, as they prepared to leave. "Tomorrow morning?" asked Julia. "If that suits you, then by all means," said Susan. "Bye then." Soon, they were all heading out of the shop, wearing their original clothes, and feeling more excited about Saturday. * * * They had been in the shop for almost 3 hours, so by the time they arrived at McDonalds, they found John, Helen, James, Edward and Andrew waiting for them. "Well, how did it go?" asked John. "The dresses are absolutely wonderful," said Julia. "They all need adjustments, but nothing serious. Got to come back in the morning." "But what about going to Birmingham?" asked John. "We can do that too," said Julia. "You go and visit the cemetary while we're here. I don't think the children want to go there." "Sounds fine to me," said Helen. "Just hope Anne and Sally don't need their dresses adjusting." "Now, seeing that we're here, can we go inside and get something to eat?" asked Carol. They found some neighbouring tables inside and sat down at them. Helen wasn't too keen on McDonalds, but had a meal nonetheless. John and Carol bought the meals between them. "So, what did you do, love?" asked Liz to her husband. "Just browsed the shops," said John. "The club shop has gone." James just sniggered. "That's it. I'm stopping off at the Bescot to get James and myself shirts," said John. "You what?!!" exclaimed James. "I don't want to wear that rubbish!" "Ok, I'll just get myself one then," said John. "Show some support for my local team." "But we don't live here!" sighed James. "I used to," said John. "And we still have family here." James just fell silent and continued eating. "I hope you still like visiting us?" asked Helen. James smiled and nodded. Following their meal break, they headed off to look round the shops as a whole. Emma and Michelle were keen to find this toy shop that Sally had told them about. It turned out that John and Helen had yet to explore this area, and that Julia, Jessica, Sandra and Kelly were the only ones who knew where to find it. This was new for John and Liz, who had moved north before this set of shops had appeared. Seeing that this toy store was big, certainly pleased Emma and Michelle. James was also interested too, especially when he noted that they had a games section. He was keen to build up a collection of games for his Nintendo DS. Emma and Michelle were quickly looking for the soft toys, in the hope that they could find a baby teddy for their teddies. The other girls were keen to help, but they found that most teddies were far too big. "Never mind," said Liz. "I'm sure there are other places that sell teddies." "We can try again in Birmingham," said Julia. "Where's Carol?" asked Julia, now noticing that they were a woman light. "She popped into TK Maxx. Likes looking for bargains, but don't we all?" replied Liz. "Asda is next door. She can get some clothes out of there," said Julia. "Isn't Asda at the other end of town?" asked Liz. "It is, but this one doesn't sell groceries. It just sells household and clothes," replied Julia. Anne and Sally were by now, finishing their day at their respective jobs. Having both agreed to work half days to get their dress fitting done, they were now making their way to Walsall, where they intended to meet. They were not aware that the rest of the family were still in Walsall, though they were now finishing their visit and heading back to Anne's house. "Ah, there you are," said Sally, noticing Anne by the shop window. "Time to fulfil a dream." "The dream is on Saturday," said Anne. "You know my story, and how most girls dream of wearing a wedding dress. Today is the day I do that," said Sally. "I've got goosebumps." "And this is just a fitting," said Anne. "Come on, lets go inside." They entered the store, and met up with Susan. She was with the third assistant from last time. Her name was Melanie. "Afternoon ladies," said Susan. "Let me guess, fittings?" "Good guess," said Anne. "Anne Smith and Sally Brook." "The other half of your party were in earlier," smiled Susan. "Theres a room free for you. Mel, can you watch the shop please?" "Sure thing," said Melanie. Susan took Anne and Sally to the one fitting room. Beth was next door seeing to some more customers. "Well, here they are," said Susan, bringing the dresses in. "Now, if they need adjusting, we will want you back to try them again." "Did the others have that problem?" asked Sally. "They did, but they've agreed to come back tomorrow," said Susan. "They're just small adjustments, nothing bad." Anne received her dress first, and with Susan's help, she changed into it. Sally was already feeling nervous about her turn, but was relieved to see that Anne had chosen a different dress to the one she had chosen. "You look wonderful, Anne," smiled Sally, as Anne came from behind the curtain. "Thanks. I just hope Julia will like me in it," replied Anne. "It shouldn't matter what you wear. Love is on the inside," said Sally. "I know." Anne stepped onto the stool and allowed Susan to inspect the fit. "If there is any adjustments to be made, can they be done immediately?" asked Anne. "Minor adjustments can be," replied Susan. It turned out that Anne's dress did just need some minor adjustments, but so few as only would take several minutes to do. Susan was able to do the adjustments while Anne was wearing the dress, making things easier still. "There you go. How does it feel?" asked Susan. "I feel wonderful," said Anne, now posing in front of one of the mirrors. She then turned to Sally and smiled. "It's your turn now." Sally took a deep breath and took the bag containing her dress. She needed help removing it, as it was big in the skirt area. She had opted for a bigger dress than the one that Anne had gone for, but not too showy. Anne didn't say a word as the dress was revealed. She felt happy for her sister-in-law, and wasn't going to deny her the chance to enjoy her big day to the full. Sally looked at the dress in awe, though her nerves were beginning to show. She headed behind the curtain and began to undress. Susan was once again required, this time to help put the dress on her. She could sense the nerves in Sally, and couldn't help but ask. "It's my first time," said Sally. "I just didn't think this day would ever happen." "Why would that be?" asked Susan. "My partner was gone for 10 years, and I never thought she would come back," replied Sally. "I've wanted this day so much." Sally was starting to get emotional, and tears were emerging from her eyes. When the dress was finally on, she walked to a mirror and looked upon herself. She was completely lost for words, though her face expressed absolute joy. That one childhood dream of wanting to be a princess had finally come true. The tears did pour now. "Let it all out," said Anne, taking her in a hug. "You look really beautiful." "You sure?" "Positive," smiled Anne. "Carol is going to be bowled over." Susan was happy to just stand to one side as Sally let her emotions out. But soon, Sally was relaxed enough to let Susan take a closer look. * * * Sally's dress just needed a few adjustments, which Susan was ready to do there and then. "Do you think I should put my hair up on Saturday?" asked Sally, as she waited for Susan to do the needed work. "That is entirely up to you," said Anne. "But an updo would go well with that dress." "I'll think about it," said Sally. "Oh, this dress is so much better than it looked in the catalogue." "Perhaps its to do with the fact that you're wearing it," suggested Anne with a smile. Sally just smiled back. It was a shoulderless dress, and the fact that it allowed her hair to flow across her naked shoulders had given her reason to wear her hair down for the wedding. Thanks to her early transition, her shoulders were not very broad. But though she had always felt and dressed feminine, she felt more feminine than ever with this dress, and she loved it. With their dresses now adjusted, they could take them off and head home. They would be collected Saturday morning, along with the other dresses. James found that his dad was going to adhere to a promise. Having promised to meet up later with Julia back at the house, John took his family to the Bescot Stadium. Parking in the car park, John led James over to the shop. James was wishing that he had worn one of his Newcastle shirts, but had been told to wear another shirt altogether. Emma and Michelle decided to go in the shop too, and both wondered whether they should get something, if just to tease James. There were items for girls on sale, so they went over to have a look. John was looking at the replica shirts, and his intention to buy one for himself was clear. James could only watch as his dad found a shirt that fitted, and headed off to the counter to pay for it. But before he could do that, the girls called him over. "Can we have him, daddy?" asked Emma. She was holding a teddy bear with the club badge on its one foot, and a red scarf with white trim around its neck. "Ok, you can have him," smiled John, taking the teddy. James felt embarrassed, especially when John decided to wear his new shirt straight away, and Emma tried to introduce him to her new teddy. After that slight detour, they headed back to Anne's house. Julia, Helen and their children were there. Carol had gone back to Sally's house. "No Anne yet?" asked John. "Not yet," said Helen. "Are you trying to wind someone up with that?" She was pointing to his shirt. Then she found a teddy being shown to her, courtesy of Emma. James just brushed past them and sat in the living room. He was not in the mood to argue, and kept silent. Meanwhile, the Walsall FC teddy was being introduced to the other girls. "I imagine Sally will be off home after getting her dress sorted," said Helen to John. "I'm looking forward to seeing her in it." "Me too," said John. "I'm really proud of my little sister." With the girls playing upstairs, Edward stayed in the living room, along with James (now back to playing on his DS) and watched one of his DVDs. Julia, Helen, Liz and John were all in there too, but were busy talking over cups of tea. Anne arrived back just after 4pm, and discovered that she needed to cook herself some dinner. "So, you need to go back tomorrow?" she asked Julia. "Yes," said Julia. "Bit of a bummer, but Carol and I are willing to take the girls with us in the morning, while the others go to the cemetery." "What about Birmingham?" "Straight afterwards," said Julia. "So, how did you get on?" "Slight adjustments needed, but they were done there and then," said Anne. "I won't say anything about my outfit, but Sally has chosen a nice one. She did have a bit of a breakdown." "Is she ok?" asked Julia, sounding worried. "She's fine," smiled Anne. "Just overcome by the moment. I can say though, that she has really blossomed into a woman. I'm proud to have her as a sister-in-law." "I'm glad she is your sister-in-law," said Julia. "I'd swear I'd got competition otherwise." "You're the woman for me," smiled Anne. "But not Friday night," said Helen. "We're all aware of that plan." "Well, its Thursday today, so one more night for us," smiled Anne, looking at Julia. It all seemed ok for the next day, with the return trip to the bridal store and the trip into Birmingham, but the girls put a spanner in the works, and something had to be done. "I can't wait for us to show our dresses to our friends," said Jessica. "When we get them," sighed Sandra. "They're coming tomorrow too." "These are the friends you had over for your birthday party?" asked Emma. "Yes, thats right," said Jessica. "And they're coming to visit tomorrow?" added Emma. "And we're going out?" "What will we do?!" exclaimed Jessica. "We'll have to tell mommy!" They all rushed downstairs and told Anne and Julia. Even they had to admit that this was a tricky situation. They had to explain things to John and Liz. "So, can we collect the dresses tomorrow instead of Saturday morning?" asked Julia. "It will save us the bother on Saturday, and give us more time to prepare," said Anne. "But we'll just have to forget about going out in the afternoon." "Can't you arrange for them to come on Sunday?" asked John. "We're not going back until Monday." "Thank you so much!" said Anne. "I'll get in touch with them right now." "The bridal store won't want the dresses back until Monday, so it will work," sighed Julia. Anne was busy over the next few minutes, calling Yvonne and Pam, and telling them about the change of plans. "Yvonne, sorry to bother you, but can Lisa come over on Sunday instead? It's just that we're busy tomorrow." "Sure. I suppose its planning for Saturday?" replied Yvonne. "Yes," replied Anne. "Ok, I'll tell her. See you then. Bye." Anne had no problems with Pam either. The "we're busy" reason was suffice. The mini crisis was solved. After doing that, she got back to doing what she had doing prior: preparing dinner for herself. Julia and Helen were willing to prepare some smaller snacks for the others. "So, the plan for tomorrow remains the same," said Julia. "Carol and I take the girls to the store in the morning, while John, Liz, Helen, Sally and the boys go to the cemetery. We then meet up in Birmingham?" She had to go and ask John about the meet up, and the answer was that they would meet up in Walsall instead. They could then catch the bus into Birmingham. "I'll just get a day ticket at the car park," said John. "Plus, we won't be spending too much time at the cemetery." For James and Edward, the morning was set to be slightly boring. The afternoon promised a few more shops to look around. John and his family returned to the motel later that evening, leaving the house a lot emptier, even if there were still 7 people there. Jessica, Sandra and Kelly were all relieved that the situation with their friends was resolved, and it also meant that they would be wearing their bridesmaid dresses more than originally planned.