Flash Entries

Abbey's Transformation (ID#1696615)

Abbey's Transformation

Abbey showed up in her typical uniform. She had her baseball cap pulled down low, ponytail hanging out the back. Her jeans looked like she’d been rolling in the mud all morning. Her face was sweaty with streaks of dirt rubbed over her cheeks. You’d never think that this tomboy of all times was going to get married today.
Her father, Brian, shook his head, “Where have you been? They’ve been waiting upstairs.”
Abbey flew past him, “I told you the girls had a game this morning. Hey Pops, we won three zip.” Abbey bounded up the stairs.
“I guess that’s a good way to start your day?” Brian went to the den and sat down with a tall iced tea and prepared for the waiting game. Waiting for his wife and waiting for his daughter. He knew he could be ready in five minutes. He had time to watch a game before his girls would come downstairs.
Abbey’s mother was standing at the top of the stairs, hands on her hips and a ‘how could you’ look on her face. “Abbey!”
Abbey flew past her, with the same nonchalant attitude, “Hey Mom, Sally hit her first home run today, isn’t that great!”
“Abbey Marie! Stop right there, you go straight to the showers! Everyone is waiting for you!”
“Gee Mom, where did you think I was going?”
Abbey hit the shower, hot water soothed her aches, sloughed the dirt away. She scrubbed, shampooed, lotioned, and towel dried her hair. In less than 20 minutes she was back in her bedroom, squeaky clean and prepared to greet her entourage.
Her bridesmaids were sipping mimosas. They all knew Abbey would be late just like always. So they had already started the party. Makeup artists and hair stylists were working their magic on the bridal party. The bride was the last to arrive. By the time the girls were all dolled up, Abbey strolled through the door in her ratty old bathrobe.
“Hi, everyone, we won the game! Sally hit a home run. Angie set up a great triple play. It was great…”
The girls cut her off, handed her a drink and sat her in the chair. The hair stylist started working on drying her hair. Meanwhile, Sara started on one foot, Michelle took the other. Ginger took the drink and started on one hand and her mom to the last. Abbey strongly objected, but whenever she tried to say something her mother shot her a look that closed her mouth in a heartbeat.
Fingernails, toenails all lacquered, and hair dried and rolled, she was ready for the next step. The makeup artist opened her potions, lotions, foundation, concealer, mascara, shadow, fake eyelashes….
“Now wait a minute,” Abbey protested. The protest fell on mute ears.
The artist handed Abbey the mirror, and passed the torch back to the hair stylist, who finished his work while Abbey stared at herself in the mirror. Her mind was trying to make sense of what she was seeing. Gone was the young coach that had watched her team win their first game today. There was a beautiful young woman looking back at her. The excitement, the nerves, the emotions started to build. She flapped her hands trying to stop herself from crying.
Ginger teased, “Abbey, you’ve got to start fixing yourself up more often. You’d be the best looking coach in town.”
Abbey’s mom left the room, her eyes clouding with tears of pride, joy and memories. When she returned, she was carrying her wedding dress. She was so honored that Abbey wanted to wear it, relieved when it didn’t need altering, and proud that her mother’s handy work was going to be worn once again.
Abbey’s bridal party helped her with her foundations, and getting the dress over her head without messing her hair up too bad. The forty-two buttons took a while to fasten. Standing in front of the full length mirror, Abbey looked like a princess, definitely not a baseball coach.
Abbey’s grandmother lightly rapped on the door. Ginger opened the door, as Abbey turned to look at her new guest. Tears glistened in her grandmother’s eyes as she remembered her daughter’s wedding day, like it was yesterday. She’d brought the veil, her wedding hankie, and a Bride’s Bible that she had carried at her wedding. It was time to pass it on to the next generation.
Abbey was ready. Mom was ready. Grandmother was ready. The bride’s maids were all ready. The photographer was downstairs, ready. Brian stood in his tuxedo at the bottom of the stairs, he was ready.
Grandmother, Mother, bridesmaids all descended the stairs in their order as the music played.
Brian thought he was ready, until he saw his daughter. He’d never realized how much like her mother she was. Where was his tomboy that bounded up the stairs? His heart overflowed with pride and joy. His little baby girl was a beautiful young woman. He offered her his arm. “Are you ready, Baby?” He smiled at his daughter.
They started the trip down the aisle. The tomboy, the baseball coach, the beautiful young bride all rolled into one special package for her groom.
867 words
kph