"What Do You Think?"

“What Do You Think?”







“Mom, I’m getting married, what do you think?”



*****

I recalled 36 hours of labor and there in the nursery was the most perfect baby girl ever born. Wrapped in pink, with a little pink bow taped to head, she was mine. Surrounded by baby boys all in blue she looked like perfect pink cotton candy, fluffy and sweet. I couldn’t wait to take her home and now she was building a home of her own..



*****

“Hey Mom, what do you think of purple and green for colors? Should we do roses for flowers or something less traditional?” Do you even think we can get purple flowers in October?”



*****

All I could think of at that moment was her with blonde pigtails wearing a dress with ruffles and bows, as she stood there holding my hand, not one ounce of fear in her. The school bus came to a stop, and she was off to her first day of school. Her face pressed against the window as she blew me kisses and I remember wondering what her first day of school would bring. Now she was going to be a wife, how did it happen so quickly?



*****

“What do you think I should wear for a dress? Do you think I should go white or ivory? I don’t really want a veil, are you okay with that? Mom, are you listening to me?”



*****

I was trying to listen to her, but the only thing I could hear was the memory of the music from her first ballet recital. White leotard with sequins and glitter covering it, she danced her little heart out. She was dazzling as she plied demi-pointe across the floor. The light hit the jewels in her hair and she gleamed when she hit her mark. When did that little girl become a woman?



*****

“So, Mom, do you think a fall wedding is good? I’m a little worried about the weather, but I really want an outside wedding and I don’t want to be swatting bugs the whole time.”



*****

Fall of the year and school had started again. The shirt was a little shorter than I would have liked, but she was the star of the show as she flipped and tumbled across the gym floor. Captain of the cheering squad was a role she took seriously, and her enthusiasm was contagious to everyone who was watching. Her million dollar smile and ringlets of blonde captured the crowd. I can still remember her embracing the championship trophy like she used to hold her dolls. Where had the time gone, how was it possible she was going to be a bride?



*****

“How should I do my hair, up or down? Should I get it colored before then or let it go natural? I was thinking maybe curls, but I don’t know maybe straight with jewel combs in it. How did you wear your hair Mom?”



*****

She was a sight to behold when she came down the stairs, the dress was perfect. Lavender with pink lace, shoes died to match; she looked like a princess headed to the ball and in her mind she was. She smiled and waved; then she was gone as the limo took her to her first prom. It seemed like only a fleeting moment ago, but now the next limo she rode in would take her to her husband.



“We want to do it here at the house, what do you think? We could have the ceremony and the reception right here. Mom, I know you got married in a church, but that’s not what we want.”



*****



Four feet and 10 inches put her at the front of the line as the class of 2001 started the march to Pomp and Circumstance. White cap and gown walked across the stage to get her diploma and as impossible as it seemed my baby was an adult. Now she was a woman about to be married and start her own family. I wondered how this could be, when it seemed like last week I was bringing my baby home from the hospital swaddled in pink.



******

“Mom, I’m getting married, what do you think?”