I still wore my wedding dress when I posted my resignation at Cooper Elementary. Not a strange thing considering I waited in the back room of a church for a groom to show up. One I doubted very much was actually going to attend the ceremony. Since he seemed so reluctant to marry me, I no longer wanted to teach in the same school in which he was principal. I typed my name, Shelby Hart, and hit send.
Things had gone south between us months ago. His leaving me at the altar shouldn’t come as a big surprise. Still, I swiped the back of my hand against my tears and waited like a fool. If he showed, I’d take back my resignation.
My cell phone dinged, signaling a text message. Yep, it was from Donald telling me he’d changed his mind, we were making a big mistake, and he wished me the best. The jerk! I tossed my cell phone across the room, smiling with satisfaction as it fell in pieces.
“Mercy!” My mother, Sue Ellen, ducked as she entered the room. “What in Sam’s Hill are you doing?”
I got to my feet. “I’m about to celebrate my freedom.” I ripped off my veil and tossed it to her. “Send in my maid-of-honor. I need out of this dress. Donald backed out of the wedding.”
“Good. I never did like him.” Mom left.
Moments later, my best friend and maid-of-honor, Cheryl Leroix, rushed into the room and wrapped her perfume-lotioned arms around me, burying my face in her ample bosom. I was tiny, but my best friend was of Amazon proportions. Not fat, just…large. “I’m so sorry, but surely this doesn’t come as a surprise?”
“Did everyone know he was going to jilt me, but me?” I returned her hug, then got to my feet. “Help me out of this dress and then take it to the consignment shop.” My new life would begin. Where and doing what I had no idea.