"Robert?"
"Yes love?"
"How does this one look?"
He lifted his eyes, quickly covering them with his hand and Stevie frowned. "What are you doing?"
"Old tradition says I can't see the bride in her wedding dress before the wedding."
Stevie rolled her eyes. "Old tradition also says I should be a virgin and that boat sailed a long time ago."
He chuckled, moving his hand away and looking up at her from his seat. He pursed his lips, shrugging.
Stevie frowned, turning towards the full length mirror. "You don't like it?"
She ran her hands down the skirt of the white gown, studying herself.
"It's not you."
Stevie sighed, nodding her head in agreement. She stepped off the small podium, wandering back to the rack of dresses, riffling through them.
"Love we've been here for almost two hours, are we about done?"
"I still haven't found the right dress."
"I'm just going to be ripping it off of you at the end of the night, does it really matter all that much?"
Stevie shot him a look, focusing back on the gowns in front of her. She sighed, wandering back over to the chair next to Robert's, slumping her head on his shoulder. "This is impossible."
"What is?"
"Finding something I look good in."
Robert frowned, his arm coming up to hang around her neck. "Why do you say that?"
"Each dress I try on seems to add ten pounds, it washes me out, I don't feel beautiful in them."
"Stevie, love, you are the most beautiful, exquisite soul on this earth. Please never doubt yourself."
She felt tears brimming in her eyes, biting them back. "Can we just leave?"
"You want to go?"
Stevie nodded, standing up and disappearing in to the dressing room. Robert sighed, his head turning gears as he waited for her to return.
Returning in her usual outfit; a black off the shoulder top and leggings, she grabbed her purse and Robert's hand, leading him from the store.
The drive home was painfully silent, the only sound emitted were his fingers drumming against the steering wheel.
Pulling up to her home, Stevie got out of the car, waiting for Robert who took her hand and lead them up the staircase. Entering her house, Stevie took her coat off, hanging it on the hook.
"I'm going to go lay down for a little bit."
"Alright." Robert nodded. "Are you sure you're ok?"
Stevie gave him a forced smile, nodding as she stretched
up to give him a small kiss.
He watched as she retreated up the stairs, sighing. Giving her a few minutes, he followed after her. He knocked on her bedroom door, peering his head in. He saw her curled on the bed, picking at a loose thread on her pillow.
