When Margaret received a white maxi dress from her daughter-in-law, Anita, for the wedding, she immediately suspected a setup because of their fraught history. Arriving at the ceremony, unexpected revelations awaited, and later, Anita reflected on the symbology of a white dress.I didn’t even have to read the note to know the beautifully wrapped box on my doorstep was from Anita. Who else would send me something so over-the-top? With a mix of curiosity and dread, I tore through the wrapping paper, revealing a stunning white maxi dress. Then the note fell out.
“Please wear this to the wedding. Love, Anita.” Love, Anita? Really? I could almost hear the sarcasm dripping off those words. You see, Anita and I have had our fair share of disagreements. When she first started dating my son, James, I thought she was charming. Modern, confident, and clearly intelligent. But then the clashes started. It began with small things, lifestyle choices, mostly. James had always been a bit of a mama’s boy, and Anita was too headstrong, too different from the traditional values I held dear. But the real trouble started with the wedding planning. She excluded me from every detail, every decision. I found out about the venue from a friend, for goodness’ sake! And now, this darn dress. I grabbed my phone and dialed Linda, my best friend.
