* * *
"Maddy! Did you hear me?" Lori prodded her sister. "I want you to
try your gown on one more time before we go to make sure it fits right.
This is it, you know. The wedding's in less than two weeks."
"Sure," she complied, obediently taking the two-piece fuchsia formal
into an available dressing room. When she emerged a few minutes later,
Lori offered her hearty approval. The dress, with its sleeveless, scalloped
portrait collar, three rhinestone buttons up the bodice and sheath skirt
with a tasteful front-slit expertly flattered Maddy's curves, while
elongating her frame. And its vibrant shade complemented her fair
complexion and auburn hair.
"Perfect!" Lori proclaimed. "You'll be the prettiest one in the bridal
party!"
"And the only one without a date," Madeline added in a mixture of
sadness and disgust.
"Don't worry baby girl, between Vince's friends and co-workers, I'm
sure there'll be some single guys there. And you know, Lyle's always a
great dance partner, as is Louis. We'll all have fun, don't worry!"
Maddy returned her sister's warm embrace, all the while pondering
her next move. Very soon, her final obligation would be fulfilled, paving
the way for her to finally honor the voice within, which had grown
incrementally louder with every passing day over the course of the
preceding 18 months.
In an idea gleaned from one of her motivational tapes, Maddy had
taken to creating "dream albums," a pastime to which she'd devoted
countless, pleasant hours. Per the expert's advice, she'd painstakingly cut
out photos from various magazines-vivid images of all that she wanted
her life to include, from a beautiful, waterfront home in South Florida
surrounded by palm trees, to a healthy, 115-pound figure, as displayed by
a current supermodel or actress. On those photographs, she would
sometimes glue a picture of her face in order to more effectively drive the
point home to the Universe.
During the long, dreary winter, this activity raised her spirits and
helped her solidify her decision; by the time Indian summer rolled around,
and with it, Lori's precious milestone occasion, Maddy's mind had been
made up. She'd overcome her own reticence about leaving; the only
remaining obstacle would be helping her family to do the same.
At work, she'd begun to drop hints to Betty in this regard, procuring
a promise for an excellent recommendation to a business contact she had
in the Sunshine State. And though Madeline planned to get out of the
employment industry for good, she recognized the value of having a job
waiting for her when she arrived. It would pacify her parents as well as
provide needed income for expenses while she plotted what to do next.