It had been a long day of shopping. All she wanted was a simple little wedding with family and friends. He was not cooperating in any of the preparations. Once again he repeated that they didn’t look to him like men wedding bands. He did the same thing in every jewelry store they went to.

She asked him for the third time why they looked too feminine for him. He repeated for the tenth time that he just thought they looked girly. It was impossible to understand why a gold band should be feminine or masculine. When she gave up on this jewelry store she asked him what else he wanted to do to find a manly one. He looked at her blankly.

She thought of her parents and their original evaluation of this boy-man she wanted to marry. Comments like will he get a better job and what’s his IQ were their first reactions. Oh, she didn’t want to admit it, but she simply loved the way he looked. Blond curly hair and seductive blue eyes made up for his slightly less than genius mental abilities.

Sometimes she wondered how smart their children would be if they had any. But, after analyzing the situation she decided her higher IQ would compensate for his lower one. The problem of him finding a better job could be worked on after the honeymoon. She didn’t often plan ahead anyways.

She did plan for them to sleep in a massive, carved cherry-wood sleigh bed. He turned toward the low cost modern furniture. But, she was going to have the one she wanted. Actually, she would have enjoyed sleeping with him in a loft bed. In fact, it sounded quite romantic. They could always use it later for the children’s room.

They talked to the salesman in the store and he said the bedroom set she wanted would be open stock for several years. She could buy the bed today, and return for the other matching pieces at a later time. She wasn’t completely sure he was telling the truth, but they ordered the new bed and left.

Now she had to steer him back to the jewelry department. As they stood in front of the display case, she asked the salesman which were the most masculine wedding bands for men. Then she gave her fiance her most appealing smile. She told him she thought the entire first row looked like masculine most masculine wedding bands they had seen all day. He bought it. They picked out one of the gold bands, paid for it and took it home.

Her smile was bright as she asked the clerk at the make-up counter for directions through the department store. As the clerk was showing her how to find the lingerie department, she commented on the gorgeous antique engagement ring on her hand. She smiled at the clerk and went off to shop.

On the third floor the lingerie was displayed on mannequins. She walked over to the stacks on the tables and began going through them. White garments in her size were on the third table. She was searching for just the right stuff for her wedding trip.

Thinking of the honeymoon in Jamaica she stopped to check out the bikinis. I deserve two, one white and one green, she thought to herself as she stepped into the dressing room. She loved the pale green one.

I am so glad I worked out at the gym she reminisced as she thought of how she would look in her swimsuits. She had more shopping to do. Everything fit perfectly she thought. She paid for the bikinis she chose and went to the lingerie department. She thought of John and the wedding as she went through the piles of white garments. She bought a long white gown and two short ones after trying them on in the dressing room.

She walked away with bags filled with lovely garments. She sees some purses and stops to look. Although she already has a white evening purse for her wedding day, she purchases a hobo bag that is appropriate for the beach. She paid for the bag.

She bought white jeans, blue jeans and some shorts. These will be cool on the honeymoon she thought. Now she needed some blouses to wear with them. She went over to the ladies department and picked out some shirts for girls. She bought three to match pin shorts, plaid shorts and the jeans. She left the ladies department with her new purchases added to the bag.

Now she was thirsty. There was a restaurant right across from the department store. Plopping into a booth she sat back and enjoyed the air conditioning as she looked at the menu.

She ordered a tuna sandwich with no mayo and promised herself a cheeseburger after the honeymoon. She was watching her waistline till then. Her diet was a strict one but she stayed on it.

She was a perfect size four and did not want her wedding dress to be too tight. She smiled to herself as she thought of the big day ahead. John would love her gown and the bikinis an nightgowns she had bought too. The waitress told her what was available for dessert. She said she was full and thanked her and got up to leave.

Da da da da she hummed inside her head as she carried all her bags to the car. She drove home with her purchases. There was still so much to do before the big day. She gazed at her antique engagement ring glinting in the sun as she stepped out of the car. She called out to her mother as she walked into the house. ‘Hi mom, I found everything.’