A young girls wedding day usually starts with a family breakfast or bride and maids devouring the last food they have for the day due to nervous excitement. The day would continue with the bride to be being pampered, tweaked and pruned until she was beyond recognition.

There would be moments spent between mother and daughter, special moments of advice that would preceed the expected declarations of love.

There would be buzz in every corner of her room as she prepared to walk down the aisle to meet her groom. A bride who would be smiling to hide her shaking nerves that would build in expectation of the first night she and her husband would join together as one... at least that's how all good romance stories end.

Hers wasn't a romance novel or even one she could ever have seen herself choosing. She was to have a wedding hour... or fifty-five minutes now. Her day started with her being dragged up the stairs with her clothes still damp behind a scolding Red who was planning the next hour out to every minute.

As the warm water ran over her she thought of what was about to happen. Did they say 'to obey' in a civil ceremony? She wouldn't say that. Would anyone notice?

"Get out of there! We're down to fifty-two minutes!"

Anna shook her head as Red panicked. It's not like there'd be a wedding if there wasn't a bride.

"Forty-nine minutes! What took you so long?"

"Calm down daughter. We have plenty of time."

Anna turned to see Red's mother standing in front of the dressing table with a blow dryer in her hand.

"Veronica..." Anna choked on the name.

"You didn't think I'd let my other daughtet get married without me did you?"

Anna moved swiftly to her as Veronica placed the dryer on the table ready to hold Anna.

"Thank you..."

"You're one of mine Anna. I don't know why you're getting married so fast" she pulled back and looked at te younger woman "You're not pregnant are you? Because if you are then..."

Anna shook her head quickly as the blood rushed to her face.

Veronica sighed a sigh of relief. "Ok for whatever reason my little girl's getting married soooo..."

She pushed Anna down in the chair and started working her magic.

Red had showered and was out as the make up started going on. She quickly dressed in the dress her mother had brought with her and then opened the box she'd placed on the bed earlier.

Anna sat with her eyes closed as colour was applied. Her heart was thumping as the realisation that she was getting married finally sunk in. So this was bridal nerves? They sucked.

Red gasped and looked nervously in the direction of Anna and her mother.

"Holy shit!"

"Language young lady! What's the problem...." Veronica's hands stilled as she too gasped "Oh my!"

Anna's eyes flew open and she turned to face Red. Expecting to see the dress that she'd painstakingly sought being laid out across her bed her mouth fell open with a heartbreaking cry of despair at what she saw.

Her dress. The one thing that would make her feel like a bride should feel... a princess.... now gone.

In it's place was a drab blue matronly type dress with a note attached to it. Her name was written on it in gold and her hands clenched as it screamed across the room to her.

She stood and walked towards Red who had tears streaming down her face in complete sympathy for her friend. She winced as she got closer. It was worse up close.With shaky fingers she unpinned the note and unfolded it.

I love your dress baby. You'll be such a beautiful bride. I'll look after it until our wedding.