A Lowcountry Bride by Preslaysa Williams

After Derek decided to keep Always a Bride, he planned a Community Day at the shop. When his mother was alive, she held regular Community Days for women who couldn’t afford a fancy dress for either their wedding or another formal event. His mother had opened the shop to them, and for one day only, they’d be able to pick out one dress of their choice and purchase it at a deep discount.

Derek hadn’t had the financial means or inclination to hold a Community Day in a long time, but now he did. Community Days weren’t just for buying dresses at a discount. They were times of socializing and bringing the town together. His mother had a special way of doing that in downtown Charleston, and he wanted to keep the tradition alive.

He fiddled around with the music player and chose Aretha Franklin’s song “Respect.” It blasted over the sound system. His mother loved Aretha, and since this day was a tribute to his mother, he was going all out. “Ready for this big day, Jamila?”

Jamila was putting the finishing touches on by tying shiny red and white Mylar balloons around the shop. “Almost, Dad. Tying these balloons is tricky.”

“Well, if they fly away, they’ll only hit the ceiling.” He laughed.

Jamila didn’t, her face in deep concentration as she tied the final knot on the last balloon. “Got it. You can open the shop now.”

Her precociousness warmed his heart. “I appreciate you giving me permission.”

“Thanks for not selling the store.” She headed toward him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Maybe one day when I get older, I’ll design dresses for the store. I love this place, and I love you too.”

His eyes stung. All this time he wanted to connect with his daughter, and now it was fully happening. “I love you too, dollface. Always and forever.”

Derek exhaled. One day, Jamila would grow up and perhaps—when she was forty or fifty or sixty years old—she’d get married. Derek would savor these moments with Jamila while he could. Time went by so fast.

“Looks like we’re ready for the day. Let’s open the store.”

Soon as he opened the door, the line of customers outside of the shop poured in. “Morning, ladies.” Derek propped the door open with his foot. He anticipated that a lot of folks would arrive today. Better to use the doorstop.

Mrs. Clark walked into the boutique. She was a longtime member of New Life. She pointed at the wall of pictures that Derek had displayed. They were black-and-white photos of his mother. They dated back to the early eighties when this boutique first opened up until his mother’s last year of life. Each photo told the story of Always a Bride’s beginnings and evolution over time.

“Look at Vivian,” Mrs. Clark said. “She was a beautiful woman.”

Mrs. Clark stepped close to the picture of his mother. Vivian had a big smile on her face and the key to the newly purchased shop in her hand. Her hair was in a neatly trimmed mini-Afro, and she wore faded corduroys and a peasant blouse.

Mrs. Clark laughed at the photo. “Your mother was quite the character.” She winked at Derek. “You’re doing a good job here.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

Mrs. Clark walked past an empty mannequin that he’d forgotten to put away. Well, he didn’t actually forget to put it away. The mannequin was Maya’s favorite to display her gowns on. She said that the mannequin’s unique shape really enabled her to show off the details. Now the mannequin was bare. It didn’t feel right to put a dress on it after Maya left, so he didn’t. He should’ve put it up in the storage room. Derek made a mental note to do so when he got a free moment.

“If you’re looking for a sheath dress, Mrs. Clark, they’re all on this rack over here. Not sure if you prefer sheaths or A-lines, but we are well stocked in both,” Derek said.

“You really are taking ownership of this boutique,” Mrs. Clark said. “Never thought I’d see a man who knew so much about dresses.”

Derek smiled. “It’s a new day.”

“That’s a good thing.” Mrs. Clark tilted her head slightly. “Whatever happened to that pretty young bridal gown designer who worked here? She’s off today?”

He didn’t really want to think about Maya anymore; doing so brought up too many doubts. “She doesn’t work here anymore.”

“Oh really? I thought the two of you were . . . well, you know.” Mrs. Clark winked, but Derek didn’t take it as a joke.

“You thought we were what?”

“A couple. You two seemed to work so well together in the boutique. You were so adorable at the church fund-raising cookout.” Mrs. Clark riffled through some sheath dresses on a nearby rack.

Sadness overwhelmed him. They hadn’t communicated since Maya arrived in New York over a week ago. With each day that passed, the prospect of seeing Maya again grew dimmer, but this was expected. Derek would hear from her soon—he hoped. Derek didn’t say a thing to Mrs. Clark, and he forced himself to appear unmoved, just as he did with Jamila.

“I fell in love once.” Mrs. Clark glanced at him knowingly. “It was a long time ago, before I met my husband. I was seventeen years old. We enjoyed one summer together. Then he and his family moved away. Never saw him again, but I never forgot him either.”

“Oh.” Derek didn’t know what else to say to her story. She had been married for close to fifty years to the senior pastor at the church. Yet she still recalled this summer love—and she said she’d fallen in love once.

“But we move on, right?” Mrs. Clark continued. “We all move on in our own way.”

Derek sensed what she was talking about—the mass shooting at the church, the fact that Grace was taken from him so suddenly. Mrs. Clark was being tactful and kind by not mentioning it outright, knowing that he’d lost Grace on that horrible day. “Some things we can’t move on from completely. We simply remember them, honor them . . . and continue to live despite it all,” Derek said.

Mrs. Clark’s eyes shone with what looked like tears. “You’re right, son. You’re absolutely right.”

He smiled. “I’m going to check on the rest of the customers, see if they’re doing okay.”

Derek headed toward a small crowd of customers who were admiring the latest wedding gown, which he’d positioned in the center of the store, when Jamila tugged on his shirtsleeve.

“Dad?”

“Yes, my love.”

“Do you think Miss Maya is happy in New York City?”

Miss Maya. Jamila still missed her. “I don’t know, Jamila. Quite honestly, I am not worrying about it. We have a life to live right here.”

She stepped back from him, surprise on her face. “We do?”

Derek paused. “Of course we do. I have to focus on you and keeping our business successful. That’s enough for me.”

Jamila’s eyes flitted back and forth, like she was trying to make sense of his words. Derek didn’t expect her to make sense of them. A part of Derek didn’t believe his own words, but he could trust that, with time and distance, he’d believe them one day.

“Okay, Dad. If that’s how you feel, then that’s how I feel too.”

Her voice was shaky as she said those words, and Derek gave her a hug. “You’re such a brave girl, do you know that?”

“No.”

“Well, you are. You’ve been through so much. Don’t worry about us grown-ups. We don’t know what we’re doing with our lives. We make lots of mistakes. We try to work them out, and we still mess up.”

“I can see that,” she said, her voice matter-of-fact.

Derek suppressed a smile. Yet despite all his bravado, he did wonder whether Maya was happy with the decision she made. Would she find true happiness in her big-time job? Would she find true love? He wanted to call her again, just to see how she was doing, but he resisted the urge to do so this time. He didn’t want her attention to be divided.

Derek wasn’t about to tell Jamila how he really felt. No sense putting his daughter through another emotional roller coaster.

No need to revel in the downside of things today either. “We have a fun day ahead of us.”

Derek kissed Jamila on the cheek and headed to the refreshment table. Today reminded him of the trunk show, filled with excitement and an eager crowd—except Maya wasn’t here. He sighed again and repositioned the table covered with a checkered tablecloth. Derek had made five peach cobblers last night. One dish was strategically placed for the customers. He lifted the lid and the scent of peaches warmed him to the core. Peach cobbler was his mother’s favorite.

The crowd inside the store grew. “It would’ve been nice if Maya was here to help us out. Are we really gonna be okay without Maya here every day?” Jamila asked.

His heart folded in on itself. Goodness. This was really tough on her. Obviously, his earlier strategy to play it cool wasn’t working. He should tell her the truth. Derek gave Jamila a side hug. “This has been so hard on me. It’s gonna take some adjusting, but I don’t know when we’ll see Maya again to be honest. So I’m committed to moving forward with you.”

Jamila twisted her mouth. “You are?”

“Of course I am.” He gently tugged on her braid. She still let him braid her hair. “We’re a team.”

“Okay then. We’re a team. Can we shake on it?” Jamila extended her hand, and Derek shook it.

“Now let’s help these customers find the dresses of their dreams.”

Jamila laughed and they set out to help the customers.

He was secure inside, rooted and grounded in his ability to oversee the store, but also to be a single dad. He’d look into getting a new manager soon. It would’ve been nice to have a happily ever after with Maya, but if the only reason she appeared in his life was to show him that he could move on despite losing his loved ones, then that was fine.

Soon as Maya arrived in Charleston Airport, she took a taxi over to Always a Bride. Maya glanced out the rear of the cab, at the palmettos lining the sidewalks of downtown Charleston. The vibe was so much different from New York’s. She preferred the calmer, more serene Lowcountry. She could admit it now.

She had to ask Derek in person about whether he was planning to sell. Ever since her father told her the news, she could only feel a sense of shock. Why would Derek sell the boutique when business was doing so well? Derek should’ve still been able to manage the store even if she wasn’t working there. Maya had been gone for just over a week. That wasn’t long enough for the boutique to lose momentum. Was Maya that much of an influence on him? Couldn’t be.

Yet the longing in Derek’s eyes when she’d said goodbye to him returned to her memory. Now Maya felt extra guilty about taking that position in New York, a position that had led to nothing. She should’ve listened to common sense instead of getting swept up in Laura Whitcomb’s publicity-induced enthusiasm. Maya also shouldn’t have been so selfish. If the main reason Derek was considering selling the store was due to Maya’s hectic work schedule, then she would never forgive herself. Maya sighed. This was a mess.

“Here’s your stop,” the cabdriver said.

“Thank you.” Maya exited the cab and paid her fare with a generous tip. After the cabdriver got her suitcase from the trunk, Maya took a few deep breaths. A warm breeze blew across her cheeks and rustled her curly ’fro. She would definitely ask Derek herself, but should she do so now? Didn’t it make sense to go straight to her father’s house instead?

No. Something propelled her to stop here first—love.

Love. The notion settled into her bones and sent a honeyed sweetness to her soul. She loved Derek. The idea rooted inside of her and made her want to see him even more.

Maya rolled her suitcase toward the boutique. The ivory sign that displayed the words always a bride in ornately brushed script was still there, and her heart skipped.

A poster board sign that read community day hung in the store window. A red balloon popped out from the front entrance, and Maya squinted. Why were there balloons? A huge crowd of customers were inside, eating dessert and perusing the dresses on display. There was a celebration.

Something fluttered through Maya—excitement, happiness, joy. There was lots of activity. That was a good thing. It meant the store wasn’t hurting for sales. She stood outside the store and scanned the crowd inside the boutique, looking for Derek. Then she spotted him, and her insides flipped. Derek was busy helping the customers. He looked beyond handsome in his light blue collared shirt and khaki pants. He had a fresh Caesar cut too. His edges were neatly lined up. She noticed those little things about him when they were working here together.

Were working here together.Again with the whole past-tense thing. He looked perfectly content and in his element right now—without her. The thought pinched.

The business was doing well too. If she went inside, Maya would only be disrupting an already good thing. It was best to go to her father’s house first and call Derek before popping up unannounced.

Maya turned to go home. She’d figure out something else to do with her bridal gown design career. Working at Always a Bride wasn’t it. No need to change on Derek since it looked like he was getting accustomed to Maya not being around as much.

“Maya?”

The young, lyrical voice stopped Maya in her tracks. Jamila. Maya made a half-turn, and yes, it was Jamila. Her eyes lit up.

“It’s you!” Jamila ran toward her and gave her a huge hug. “Maya, I missed you.”

Maya’s heart melted. “I haven’t been gone for very long.” She gathered her bearings, but then she gently wrapped her arms around Jamila.

“You’ve been gone over a week. That’s like an entire lifetime.” Her brown eyes widened. “I thought about you every single day. I thought about whether you loved your new job in New York. Whether you missed us. Do you love your new job?”

“No,” Maya said, not wanting to get into all the reasons she didn’t love it.

“Oh.” Confusion etched across Jamila’s features.

Should Maya explain to Jamila why she didn’t like it? She seemed curious enough. “I left that job. I’m back in Charleston for good.”

“Really?!” Jamila’s voice bordered on a screech.

Maya laughed. “Yes, really. New York wasn’t the place for me. Everything I want and everything I am is right here.” Maya glanced over Jamila’s shoulder. In the distance was the place where the first enslaved Africans arrived in Charleston. Maya had come a long way. Hopefully, Maya made her ancestors proud. “Yes, it’s right here.”

“Yay, yay, yay!” Jamila hopped up and down. She hugged Maya, and Maya smiled. This was where she was supposed to be.

Just then, Derek stepped outside of the boutique. Skepticism was written all over his chiseled features. Their eyes met, and Maya’s heart skittered. What should she say to Derek now?

“Hey, you. This is a surprise. What are you doing here?” he asked.

Maya heard a note of hesitation in his voice. “I decided to come back down,” she said.

“To visit?”

“She’s in town for good, Dad!” Jamila said excitedly.

“What happened to your job in New York?” he asked, doubt in his voice.

He didn’t feel the same way about her anymore. Maya should’ve stayed put from the beginning.

“Miss Maya didn’t like it,” Jamila said again. “She didn’t like it at all.”

Oh Lord. Maybe she shouldn’t have laid it all out there to Jamila after all.

“That’s huge news.” Derek shoved his hands in his pockets, expression serious. “We haven’t spoken, and so I figured you were busy at work. What happened?”

The uncertainty in his voice set her on edge, and Maya tugged on her ring finger. Should she tell him the real reason and everything in between? “I wasn’t sure if I was coming to Charleston. Not until . . . not until I figured out some things. Not until . . . I was discharged from the hospital and feeling better.”

“Discharged from the hospital?” His volume increased a couple of notches.

Maya explained everything.

“My goodness. I wish you would’ve told me,” Derek said, empathy in his eyes.

“I know. I know. I was feeling all discombobulated. I’m better now.”

“Positive?”

Was she positive? Well . . . no. She still wanted to talk about the boutique. She glanced at the store’s sign again. “Not exactly positive. I heard that you were considering selling the store, and I wanted to ask you for myself.”

“I changed my mind about selling.” He gave her a half-smile and gestured to the busy boutique. “I wasn’t ready to let it go. When push came to shove, I want this store.” Derek crossed his arms. “I don’t think I could stand to lose one more thing in my life.”

To lose one more thing.Her heart folded in on itself. By going to New York, Maya put their relationship at risk. A fresh wave of guilt filled her.

Jamila stepped closer to Maya and squeezed her hand. The encouragement in Jamila’s eyes rooted Maya in that space. “I also returned to the boutique because I wanted to know if you were still open to me working here. I’m taking your advice and branching out on my own too. Starting my own dress design business.”

Derek stared at her, and it was hard to read what he was thinking. It was very near impossible to read what he was thinking, in fact. It wouldn’t surprise her if Derek decided to rescind his previous offer given their last conversation about her career choices.

“Is that the only other reason why you came here?” Derek asked, his face still expressionless.

This was a trick question. She didn’t just come here to get the facts surrounding the store. She didn’t come here to get a job either. Maya came here to express her truth, but how would Derek take it? Was the truth worth saying? Perhaps it wasn’t.

Then she remembered all the courage she had gathered while standing in Laura’s office. The courage to walk away from guaranteed success and the courage to walk toward her truest self, her truest wants and needs. Maya wanted love too. While standing before Derek, with Jamila at her side, Maya saw that she could have a full life. Nothing could hinder that, not even sickle cell anemia. She released Jamila’s hand.

“I love you, Derek. I’ve been so naive. I should’ve recognized a good thing when I had it, but I didn’t, and—”

“Shh.” Derek placed his finger on her lips, and the nearness of him made her insides melt into a puddle. Derek’s face softened. “I’m glad you’re here with people who care about you. I’m glad you’re okay. You can definitely work here again. Whatever I can do to help you get your business off the ground too, I will.”

His eyes, so rich and dark and kind, didn’t leave her. She’d been craving his touch, the scent of him, the warmth of him. Now Derek was here. She wrapped her arms around him.

Derek planted a warm, soft kiss on her lips, and Maya returned his kiss. His mouth was full and gentle. Derek then nuzzled her jawline and her neck. Liquid love poured through her and filled her to the brim. Maya was home.