Work Text:
Sabina's phone buzzed. She let out a sigh. There were a bunch of new messages and all of them were about the same thing.
Fiona: "Hey babe, just wanted to remind you to schedule that dress shopping appointment! We need to find the perfect dress for you!"
Caroline: "Darling, have you thought more about your dress? It's such an important decision, and I want to make sure you have plenty of time to find the perfect one."
Mom: "Sabina, I hope you're not procrastinating on dress shopping! It's such a special moment, and we want to be there to support you every step of the way."
Fiona: "I know dress shopping can be overwhelming, but trust me, it's worth it to find the perfect dress for your special day!"
Caroline: "I saw the most beautiful dress in a bridal magazine today and it made me think of you. Have you found anything you love yet?"
Sabina sat nervously in the coffee shop, staring at her phone as it buzzed with text messages from Fiona, Caroline, and her mother. This was getting to be overwhelming. There was a reason that she hadn't gone dress shopping yet. She knew that all of them meant well.
"Have you found your dress yet?" Fiona's next text read. "We really need to get this sorted out."
Sabina sighed. The truth was, she wasn't sure she wanted a wedding dress at all. She had never been one for traditional wedding dresses, and the thought of spending thousands of dollars on a dress that she would only wear once made her stomach churn. It was just so wasteful. And the dresses weren't always ethically made.
"Hey," a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts. Sabina looked up to see Callista standing in front of her with a smile. Her niece was being nice about the dress thing, at least. "Mind if I join you?"
Callista asked, sliding into the seat across from Sabina. Her hair was starting to darken. She was going to miss the blonde curls.
Sabina shook her head, grateful for the distraction. "No, of course not. What's up?"
Hopefully, it would be a distraction from the dress situation. Callista took a sip of her iced coffee before speaking. "So, I hear you're getting nagged about dress shopping?"
It must have spread to her adopted sister, then. She was just trying to have a peaceful afternoon. With no dratted dress shopping. Sabina rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you could say that. It's all anyone wants to talk about these days."
Callista leaned forward. "Look, I know you're not really into the whole wedding thing, but maybe you could compromise? Like, wear a dress, but not a traditional wedding dress."
That was…an interesting thought. Her work had a formal each year. She considered it for another moment. "I guess that could work. But where do I even start looking?"
All of the magazines had very traditional designs. Sabina hated white after the amount of time that she had spent in hospitals. Callista grinned. "I have just the place. Follow me."
They finished their coffees and made their way to a small boutique in a trendy part of town. Callista led Sabina to a rack of colorful dresses, all with unique designs and styles. Sabina knew that her niece was into certain fashion scenes. "These are all dresses that you can wear again,"
Callista explained. "They're not specifically wedding dresses, but they're still special enough for your big day."
They were colorful. They were nice. They were not so elegant that she couldn't wear them to a work function. And, best of all, they didn't remind her of the hospital. She could work with that. Sabina perused the dresses, trying on a few and twirling in front of the mirror. She had to admit, it was nice to have options that weren't the typical white lace and tulle.
"This one is perfect," Sabina said, holding up a deep blue dress with intricate beading. "It's elegant and unique, but I could wear it again."
The beading had caught her eye. It was almost shaped similarly to the styles of kimonos. Callista clapped her hands in excitement. She was practically bouncing off the walls. It was nice to just have Callista there. "I knew you would find something! Now, let's go show the others."
Sabina took a deep breath as they made their way to David's estate, where the others were waiting. She knew they might not be thrilled with the idea of a non-traditional dress, but she was determined to stick to her guns. It would be time to get dressed in the dress soon.
As they walked into the living room, Caroline, David, Elizabeth, and Edward all turned to look at them. Fiona's eyes widened in surprise as she took in Sabina's dress. None of them seemed repulsed by it. "It's not a traditional wedding dress," Sabina said, feeling a bit nervous. "But it's special to me, and I think it's perfect for our day."
There was a moment of silence as everyone took in Sabina's words. Then, to her surprise, Caroline smiled warmly. "I think it's lovely," she said. "And it's important that you feel comfortable and happy on your big day."
That was almost condescending. Ah, well. Sabina didn't care. She glanced at her fiancé. Fiona gave her a soft smile. "Sabina, you look breathtaking."
Elizabeth chimed in. Sabina was grateful for the support everyone was giving her. "And the flowy skirt is so dreamy and romantic. It's perfect for a garden wedding!"
That seemed to drive away any doubts the others may have had. Callista was giving her a thumbs up. Everyone seemed to be nodding in agreement, and Sabina felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She had been worried about disappointing them. It was hard to gauge how people would react to a non-traditional dress, but in the end, they were all being great about this.
Everyone seemed relieved that she had finally picked something. Sabina let out a laugh as Edward went for the champagne. She wasn't that bad.
Fin