Yazzy and the Yeti

I got to my shop, having my new mantra for the day in my head. 'Don't kill the bride... don't kill the bride' since today had been on my calendar since the huge public engagement. It's what I hate about a small town. My high school sweetheart had moved on after 6 years apart and was getting married to a woman who not only hated me, but hated the town. And since I owned the only bridal shop within a 50 mile radius I was the Bride to be's first stop. She had called the morning after, bragging about her 'man' that chose her over me, and how she hoped that it wasn't too much of an inconvenience for me since I was the only shop that could 'maybe' do the work she wanted. And today, after 3 weeks, she was coming in for a consultation. She wanted to get her silhouette down and we would work on her 'perfect' dress from there and what she would want. I would need a timeline of her wedding plans to make sure I didn't have to rush any kind for things she could want on her dress. I set my coffee down, moved around to turn on the 'open' sign and moved around the counter again to hit all the lights. I opened the shades and checked the time before counting down the minutes until her appointment. When she became late I moved to get some dresses out so she really wouldn't be here longer than she really needed to be. As it is I want her here less than two hours. Twenty minutes after her appointment was scheduled I heard the front door open and it didn't close for a while. I was lugging one of the biggest ball gowns from my back closet and set it on a hook as I called through a "Hello." "Hey there." I jumped at Jason's voice and turned to see him, and 6 other men. "Is Clary not here?" He asked and I shook my head. I had long lost feelings for Jason Martins. Yes he was still as hot as ever, and he was taller than me by so much I would never need a hat on a hot day, he would block it out for me. Yes Jason was sweet and lovely but the feelings I had once thought was true love turned out to be nothing more than infatuation for a long time friend. But we were some kind of friends still. We weren't close, but he was one of the few people who helped me out when my mother died a couple years ago. And that kind of friendship never goes away. At least not for me. "No, I guess she ran into some trouble or something. She's about 20 minutes late." I told him and moved closer to the railing to put up the heavy dress. I knew some of the men standing around as I turned back to face them all I decided I had no idea why they were here. "How can I help you all?" I asked and focused on him instead of all the men secretly cowering in fear of all the dresses and wedding attire. "Well Claire has picked out the wedding colors and has ordered some Tuxedoes from some place in New York... but they need sizes and I know that sometimes you take sizes for the men-" "Do you all need sizing done?" I asked as I cut him off and he nodded with a sigh. "Okay, well, I guess I can get started. Do you have the number or fax or email of the place she ordered from?" I asked and he nodded before digging into his pocket and handing over the paper. "Jay- dude, are we getting sized or not?" I heard one of his men and I just sighed. "Yes, you all can get into your plain shirts, no jackets and please take off your shoes before you stand on any of my carpets." I called out as I went towards my computer. I grabbed a measuring tape, a blank paper on a clipboard before a pen. I grabbed my glasses and moved towards Jason. "Groom first. Go and stand and I will do shoulders and arms first. He got on the pedestal and he knew he was way too tall so he only smirked as I grabbed my step stool. Height had not always be a problem, but it was one of the best qualities that I liked about him for some reason, just having someone taller than me made me feel protected. And as a half pixie with only limited magic my mother told me that it was almost instinctual to have my 'someone' or my chosen mate to be a predator or someone powerful. I shook off the memories of us and simply took his measurements down as quick as possible, making sure that he would be comfortable and that it wouldn't be too tight. "I need the best man next." I called to the men who had all started to talk as they sat on the couch. "That would be my cousin Charlie. You remember him right? He's coming into town tonight. So I guess he will come in whenever you have time." Jason told me as he pulled on his sweater back on. I remembered Charlie alright. Last time I had seen him was when we were all 12 and he told Jason that he shouldn't be friends with a sprite because I was weak. "OK, then lets start with the next one. I will go by names for the groomsmen." I told them and as I was halfway through the 4th man I heard the door open as I was getting some of his waist measurements. "I thought you said you didn't have any other appointments today." I heard Claire call out before she giggled and kissed Jason on the cheek. "But I have to say that this is a pleasant surprise." "They came in asking for measurements, and since you were late I said I would do it as fast as possible." I told her and she narrowed her eyes. "Sorry about being late I guess. But I was to finish getting my other decisions made. You will know if you ever get married to anyone." She finished off with a sarcastic tone and a fake giggle. "Well, let me finish up with these guys and we can get on with your appointment." I told her and moved to kneel to start with the leg measurements. "How long is this going to take? Is he the last one? I don't want to just be waiting." I bit my tongue and made myself chant the mantra from this morning and I heard Jason telling her that he and his friends would leave us be after I was done with Maxx's fitting and that the rest that needed it would come back tomorrow when Charlie was in town. I did little notes as I finished with the last male fitting for the day and I moved to put the notes away as the men filed out. "You should be nicer to me. I am probably going to be your biggest purchase in years." Claire snapped at me as soon as they were out and I was alone with her. "Yes. I should be, but shall we get on with finding your silhouette." I offered out and showed her the dresses in different shapes and sizes I had pulled for her. "Yes." She snipped and I sighed as she walked towards the fitting room and I pulled the ball gown first. We went through every dress 3 times almost, her going from the ball gown to the mermaid to the trumpet the most. I had offered to get someone like her sister Darcy in to help her make a choice but she had scoffed at the name and said, "Darcy wouldn't know style if it was the only thing to buy in the store." She pulled her boobs up to create more cleavage before sighing. "I should just ask Jason if I could get three dresses." "Well, I can give you a moment to call and see-" "No, this is a conversation to have face to face... like in bed or something." She rolled her eyes, passed me and smiled. I held back my gag and turned. "Okay, so when would you like to come back and talk about all of this?" I asked her she and smirked before looking back at me instead of just in the mirror. "I will be back by tomorrow. But first, lets plan the three dresses and you can give me a figure to give to Jason." She told me and I simply nodded before going to get my sketch pad. I let her get out of the dress by herself since she knew how by now. I got the three simple silhouettes drawn up and waiting for her input as she got dressed in her own clothes. She went for the 'expensive' fabrics just like I assumed she would and the round about price was going to be well in the 40,000 dollar range. I gave her that quote and she didn't bat an eye. "Jason will say yes before midnight so go ahead and send for the best of fabrics and get to work okay?" She ordered before getting up and basically skipping out of the shop. I took a deep breath and moved to get these dresses started. I did the basic lining in her size on a mannequin and just sat there working for what felt like days before my usual timer went off to close the shop. I had skipped lunch like most days and I moved towards the diner for a large dinner. I got a club sandwich, paid, and headed home. I climbed the stairs and walked in. I would need a new mantra for tomorrow. Maybe 'Don't roll your eyes' or 'Just nod and smile', yeah that would work. I just had to keep that up. Keep that up and get things done. Hopefully she would just call in tomorrow and tell me a yes or no on the budget. I laid in bed and thought about all the things I would need to get started tomorrow, and then I remembered that not only would Claire be back tomorrow, but Charlie would be there too. I was used to be called names and have harsh remarks from her, but to be called weak in my own town would push my buttons all over again. And Charlie could have only gotten meaner with time.