“Well, haven’t we arrived,” Stephanie snarked as the valet opened the car door of the black sedan sent by the First Lady to pick them up.
“What do you mean?” Sasha asked as she stood next to her mother on the sidewalk.
“Chauffeured car and a private dress fitting at the top bridal salon in DC is not something an everyday girl gets to do.”
“Aunt Tracy said she wanted to do this. You said you wanted to be a part of the dress selection. What’s the problem?”
Stephanie glanced at the irritation on Sasha’s face. If she was going to be successful at getting her share of dollars from these people, she had to watch her tongue. It seemed that her daughter was doubting her reasons for being there. Mind you, she wasn’t wrong, but Stephanie had to make her think that she was.
“Girl, there is nothing wrong,” she stated with cheer she wasn't really feeling. “It feels kind of good to be getting the royal treatment.”
“And it can end at any moment, Mother,” Sasha raised an eyebrow before walking through the door. “Keep that in mind.”
“Why so tense? We are going to pick out your wedding dress. Smile, child.” Stephanie looked around. “Why are these men standing outside this store like this? Don’t people around here work?”
“They are working,” Sasha replied. “It’s Aunt Tracy’s protection detail. They are probably inside the store, too.”
“Protection detail?” Stephanie looked at the men. “Why do she need protection?”
Sasha sighed, “She’s the President’s wife, Mother. They have to be protected at all times.”
Stephanie frowned. “Are they supposed to be protecting her from us?”
“Do they need to protect her from you?” Sasha asked pointedly.
“They don’t need to protect her from me. I’m as harmless as they come,” Stephanie replied. She watched as Sasha hesitated, then followed her inside. A woman approached them.
“Good afternoon. Which of you is Sasha Coles?”
“That would be her,” Stephanie pointed to Sasha.
“Then that makes you the mother of the bride, Stephanie. May I call you Stephanie?”
“Ms. Coles will be just fine,” Stephanie replied as she glanced around.
“Sasha.” She held out her hand. “Please call me Sasha.”
“Of course. My name is Karen. I will be servicing you today,” the woman replied.
“Karen … isn’t that special,” Stephanie muttered.
Sasha threw her a look.
“Your party is waiting for you.” Karen guided them through the store. “I’ve taken the liberty of pulling a few dresses to get you started.”
“Sasha.”
The woman Stephanie recognized as the First Lady held her arms out to Sasha. Her mind begin reeling with the realization that this was Sasha’s family. As much as she did not want to be blown away by being in the presence of The First Lady, Stephanie had to admit she was a little intimidated. Hell, it’s the freakin’ First Lady, her mind yelled.
“And you must be Stephanie, Sasha’s mother.” The woman hugged her. “It’s so nice to finally meet you in person. Sasha has told me so much about you.”
“And you still wanted to meet me?” Stephanie couldn’t stop the words before they flew out of her mouth. To Stephanie’s surprise, the woman took it as a joke, so she laughed along, “It’s nice to meet you too, ma’am.”
“Tracy, please call me Tracy. After all, we are family.” She turned and pointed to the two other people in the room. “I think you know my nieces, Kaylan and Monique.”
“We’ve met,” Stephanie smiled at Kaylan, then took a step back when she looked at Monique. While Kaylan returned her smile, Monique glared at her. The warning in the woman’s eyes was clear. Whatever she did, Stephanie knew it had to be away from the watchful eyes of Monique.
“Why don’t you all have a seat,” Karen suggested. “Sasha, why don’t you come with me? We can get started finding that dress to make your day memorable.”
Stephanie looked around and waited to see where Monique would sit before taking the seat next to Tracy. She noticed the woman’s eyes stayed on her. Stephanie exhaled, then looked over her shoulders to the men standing just outside the area. A different woman came into the area with a tray of food and glasses of champagne.
“Would you like a glass of champagne?”
“Hell yeah.” Stephanie took a glass, sat back, then crossed her legs. She could get used to this type of service.
Tracy took a glass. “Thank you, very much,” she said to the woman.
“Oh, yeah, thank you,” Stephanie added as an afterthought.
Monique and Kaylan took a glass, both thanking the woman.
“I am so excited to be here with Sasha,” Tracy beamed at Stephanie. “Can you believe we are here picking out a dress for your baby’s wedding?”
“I sure didn’t imagine a place like this for her. Now, me, I can rock this.”
“But it is Sasha, not you we are here for,” Monique stated.
Kaylan, who was seated in a chair to Stephanie’s right, reached over and touched her arm. “We all deserve the wedding of our dreams. You still look good, you could be the next one getting married.”
“Hell, I don’t need you to tell me I look good. I could pull any man I want,” Stephanie snapped before thinking.
“I think Kaylan was giving you a compliment, Stephanie,” Tracy said.
Stephanie glared at the woman, then remembered her purpose for being in this place with these women. She closed her eyes, then exhaled. “Look, I’m sorry I snapped. I am around people I don’t know. When you say things I’m not sure if you are judging me or being sincere.”
“Do you even know what that word means?” Monique raised an eyebrow.
Stephanie glared back at her. She didn’t want to tangle with the woman, but there was no way she was going to let Monique mess up her plans. “I do. It’s questions like that that cause me to wonder.”
“Here’s the first look at the bride,” Karen said as Sasha followed her out.
“Wow,” Kaylan exclaimed. “You look beautiful.”
“You look like a bride.” Tracy clapped her hands.
“It’s different,” Monique smiled.
Stephanie laughed. “You look like Glenda the Good Witch, but a witch nonetheless.”
All eyes turned to her.
“What? I’m only speaking the truth.”
Sasha raised an eyebrow as she stepped on to the pedestal in front of the three-way mirror. “I think she has a point. This is much too frilly for me.”
“You look good,” Tracy explained tactfully. “However, this one is more of a ball gown.”
“Right,” Monique stood. “With the body you have, an A-line dress is what you need.”
“I agree,” Sasha smiled.
“Karen, did you pull anything a little more risqué?” Monique glanced at Sasha. “We want something that is going to make Luke drop to his knees.”
Sasha laughed. “He did that last night.”
Karen smiled. “I think I have one or two dresses that are exactly what you are looking for.” She picked up the train of the gown and helped her step down.
“Monique, come to the back with me,” Sasha asked.
“Monique?” Stephanie stood. “You mean me?”
“No,” Sasha shook her head. “I need Monique. You stay here and get to know Aunt Tracy.”
The little bitch, Stephanie thought as she watched Sasha and Monique walk to the back. Stephanie sat back down. “Well, I guess I wasn’t needed here after all. I feel so rejected.”
“I don’t think that’s true,” Tracy protested. “I think the girls want to have a little fun without our input.”
“With those two, there is no telling what they are going to come back with.” Kaylan smiled. “I think it’s about to get hot in here.”
Stephanie saw the look of empathy in Tracy’s eyes. With Monique gone and the two easiest targets in the room present, now was her time to strike.
“I feel less than needed when I’m around her now. It’s like I don’t fit in her life anymore. I don’t have an education like she does, or even you. I’m not athletic or connected to the government the way her new family is. When my mother died, I lost my only connection to any family other than Sasha. Then Sasha moved to New York.” She shook her head. “After that, I really didn’t see her too much. I will be the first to tell you, I wasn’t ready to be a mother. Hell, I wasn’t even sure how to be a woman. I got pregnant with the first man I was ever with.”
“Turk?” Tracy asked.
Stephanie nodded. “On the first time out. Months later, I found out I was pregnant and my entire world changed. My mother,” she exhaled, “when she found out, it was as if I was cursed. She forced me to push Turk for money so we could move before her church people could find out what I did. Turk did everything she asked. She wanted to move to Atlanta simply because she heard that’s where rich Black people lived. Turk and Tucker made all the arrangements, and a month later we moved. My life was uprooted before I had a chance to understand what living was about. I didn’t have the opportunities you or the average young girl had. My attempt at motherhood was what I learned from my mother, and believe me, that wasn’t a good example.” She forced a tear down her face.
Tracy gave her a tissue. “Times like these can bring out emotions we never expect.”
“Aunt Tracy,” Kaylan stood. “I think I will try on a dress or two with the girls.”
Tracy nodded. “I think that is a wonderful idea.”
Perfect, Stephanie thought. Now it was just her and Tracy. “Thank you,” she said as she took the tissue. “I don’t know how to reach her anymore.”
“Well,” Tracy put her arms around Stephanie’s shoulder. “It seems as if she is willing to have you as a part of her wedding. I think that’s a good place to start.”
“You think so?” She looked up with the saddest face she could pull off.
“I do,” Tracy nodded.
“Will you help me? I mean, Sasha likes and respects you. Right now, she doesn’t trust me with even helping pick out a wedding dress.”
“You are a part of our family now. Of course I will help you and Sasha.” Tracy replied as Sasha and Monique came out in wedding dresses. “Wow, look at that dress.” She smiled.
Stephanie had to admit, Sasha had found her dress. “Damn.”
“I’m going to take that as a yes,” Sasha smiled.
“Are you saying yes to the dress?” Karen asked.
“Yes,” Sasha replied, beaming.
“And what about you?” Tracy asked Monique.
“Hell yes.”
Stephanie looked at Monique. She looked nothing like the intimidating woman who walked out of the room a few minutes ago. She looked like a damn goddess. Hell, both of them did.
“Well, Mother. What do you think?” Sasha asked.
Tracy squeezed Stephanie’s shoulder and whispered, “See, your opinion still matters to her.”
Stephanie didn’t give a damn if it did or didn’t. However, since the First Lady seemed to care, she would act like it mattered. “You look beautiful.” She smiled at her daughter with a look she hoped reflected pride from the mother of the bride.
An hour later, everyone shared hugs as Tracy, Kaylan and Monique climbed into the back of the black SUV waiting at the curb.
“Well, I think that went well,” Tracy exhaled. “Sasha’s dress will be delivered to her, and Stephanie got her opportunity to touch base with me.”
“Did you fall for any of that?” Kaylan questioned.
“Not one word,” Tracy replied.
“The fake tears didn’t work for you?”
“No,” Tracy exhaled. “However, she is going to try and use that as her way to get next to me.”
“Next to you?” Monique asked. “What did I miss?”
“Oh, only the sad story of her life at Turk’s doing.”
“Her mother’s mistreatment. The missed childhood,” Kaylan stated rolling her eyes.
“The waterworks increased once you left the room,” Tracy shared, “She is a piece of work.”
Monique smiled. “You picked up on what she was doing?”
“Hey, I had a damn good trainer,” Tracy laughed. “Stephanie has nothing on Cynthia, and certainly not on Carolyn.”
Monique laughed out loud. “The Queens of Manipulation.”
“Any thoughts on what she wants?” Kaylan asked.
“Money,” Monique answered. “She sees Sasha’s lifestyle has changed and she wants the same.”
“So, how do you want to handle her?” Kaylan asked.
“You’re the most logical person for her to make the middle person.” Monique glanced at Tracy. “You’re the target. You have options here. You can get Uncle JD involved, or even Al. How do you want to proceed?”
“First and foremost, we do not let Sasha get wind of what her mother is up to,” Tracy stated. “I do not want her wedding ruined by that woman. As for Stephanie, I gave her a little rope. Let’s see if she will hang herself.”