Cinderella

It was Friday, just a few days ago and I received a phone call from my little sister, Kayln requesting that I travel over to my parents house and take photos of she & her boyfriend, Braydon dressed in prom attire. She was to graduate, my little sister, the one who holds a special place in my heart just for her. Seventeen with a world of dreams ahead of her, she was to finally experience that one glorious night when a girl feels like a glamorous princess wearing her prom gown. I was with her when she bought her dress a few months prior. It was orange with delicate details and strategic gatherings of silken material. It was a uniquely crafted piece of art, I’m sure, made with my sister in mind…..because it was perfect for her.

As I drove to her house with camera in hand I was excited to see her all decked out. Her hair was already done to perfection and accessories laid out on her bed simply calling out for her to don them. I knew how beautiful she would look. I arrived in the driveway and walked into the house. I saw my sister glowing with regular sweats on and hair loosely swept up to reveal her stunning face. I smiled when I saw her and could tell how eagerly she awaited wearing her orange, flowing gown.

The time had come and she put her dress on. I turned around with anticipation of seeing the truest of beauty, but instead I was struck by an expression of panic, despair and agony on her face. “I need your help to do up the zipper,” she said in an eerie whisper. “It won’t do up.” That’s when I heard a glimmer of desperation in her voice. My mom and I both hurried to her aid, pulling fabric together in attempt to do up the back zipper. We looked at one another and we both knew what the other was thinking. This dress was not going to zip up no matter how much we tried.

Kayln looked at us with tears welling up in her eyes and my mom said, “It’s just not going do up.” And that’s when my sister turned her head away, put her face in her hands and wept. I think I could actually hear her heart shatter into a million pieces right then. In between tears she somberly uttered, “Well, I can’t go then. I have no dress.” I thought to myself what a horrible memory this would be, haunting her for the rest of her life. A girl can only graduate and experience the whimsicalness of prom once in her lifetime and THIS is what she’s going to remember?! What a terrible travesty! I would not accept this as reality for my little sister. No way, no how. She was going to go to prom and I intended to make it happen. I took my sister by her shoulders and said, “Ok, we have 2 hours until you have to be at the banquet hall,” I then commanded, “DO NOT GIVE UP! We’ll make this work. We have 2 hours to find you a grad dress........” With a false confidence I proclaimed, “We have LOTS of time. Come on, get your make up and anything else you need. We’re gonna go shopping.”

My mom & dad gave their blessing for Kayln to purchase whatever she needed for the prom night….dress, accessories, shoes, jewelry, the whole nine yards……and off we went. I drove like a bat out of hell knowing that time was not on our side. I had to drive into the nearest town 30 minutes from where we were and I had to drive fast! My sister cried most of the way to the store, unable to converse with me at all. I could tell her heart was breaking from the disappointment. A girl dreams about prom and plans it with great detail for months prior to the event. I could only imagine how incredibly sad she felt, when in reality, all you had to do was look her in the eyes and you could tell.

I said very little on the drive except one statement. I touched her hand softly and said, “I know you must be beyond disappointed right now and even mad at yourself, but this is a time when you need to rely on those who love you to carry you through. I will do the work here…….I will carry you.” She remained speechless but the tears welling up in her eyes spoke volumes more than words ever could.

She ravenously wiped away the tears gliding down her face as we walked into the store. I knew I had to take charge for my little sister’s sake. She stood beside me like a wilted flower and I boomed out loudly enough to get everyone’s attention in the store, “My sister has prom in an hour and a half. She doesn’t fit her dress so we need to buy her a new one immediately. This is an emergent situation.” And just like magic, the half a dozen store workers began pulling dresses off the rack one after the other. My sister was briskly ushered into a full-mirrored dressing room and instructed to undress. She was handed dozens of beautiful flowing gowns to try on. Shoes were brought before her as if she was royalty and the store staff even helped her put the shoes on her feet! Boxes of jewelry and clutch purses were lined up for her hand wave & nod of approval. It was orchestrated chaos and it seemed a scene straight out of the movie, “Pretty Woman” where the women hustled and bustled around her, catering to her every move.

My sister selected her favorite dresses and narrowed the choices down to three beautiful gowns. My heart stood still as she made her final choice…..the dress. It was a strapless white, chiffon covered, silken gown adorned with white crystals and black detailing. I stood breathless as she wore it in front of me. Her face glowed again, and she was beyond beautiful. Suddenly, the seamstress entered the dressing room, sporadically pulling pins from her teeth and tucking the dress fabric in all the right places to create the perfect form. Kayln was strictly ordered in a deep German accent to take off the gown because it was to be made to “fit like a glove.” As the gown came off my sister and placed in the seamstress’ hands, the German woman gently spoke in broken english, “It’s ok hunny, we have one hour. Lots of time.” I smiled at her attempt to calm my sister. It was endearing.

One hour went by. One hour of which my sister did her make up in the dressing room, applying false eyelashes which, were a whole story in of itself, and selecting any last accessories to complete her prom outfit. Earrings, shoes, purse and hair ornaments were all chosen and applied to their selected place upon my sister. In the maddening chaos, some of Kayln’s hair became undone so I asked one of the store staff if they sold bobby pins. She said they didn’t, but then proceeded to take out the bobby pins in her own hair to give to my sister!!!!! I couldn’t believe it. What dedication!

With hair complete and make up applied, I remember Kayln breathing a sigh of relief and I felt the same way too. What a whirlwind of an experience! The seamstress brought over a perfectly tailored & hemmed with care, the most gorgeous prom dress I had ever laid eyes on…..and my sister was going to wear it, making it even more gorgeous.

I don’t think I’ll ever forget that look on her face as she stood in the dressing room with 30 minutes until her prom, dressed to make men weak in the knees and not completely realizing just how breath-taking she was. She was radiant. It was her night to be Cinderella, and I suppose it was my night to help make her dream come true. I truly felt blessed just to have been a part of it.