The Dress

You know that feeling you get when it's the D-day of something you've waited so long for? That was how I felt that evening. Ecstatic and pump for the party.

Like the culture has always been, there's an end-of-the-year dinner party every year at work. It's a time to unwind and get to see your mean bosses rock and rave. And trust me you don't want to be left out. Not with the hype, booze or dress. You have to look your best.

And trust me, I already had it all planned out. I window-shopped this beautiful red gown months ago, and I knew right away it was the perfect dress for me. It's deep V-neck, fitted waist and flowing skirt that stopped just halfway below my knee. I had even gone ahead to make some instrumental payments. I had already seen myself turning heads in that red dress. I'm sure British-Irish singer-songwriter Chris de Burgh would have re-written his song 'Lady in Red' if he was to see me in that dress. I just couldn't wait to show it off.

On D-day, I got home after making the final payment with the clothes in my hands. I had just two hours to get dressed, and since the party wasn't going to be interesting yet till 7 pm, I didn't want to rush. I wanted to arrive in style. Of course, I had already told Bisi, my colleague, about the gown and had even taken her to the same shop where I saw the gown so she could shop for her own.

I got to the bathroom, took a shower, and in a few minutes, I was out of the shower. I picked up the dress from my wardrobe, which I had neatly hung, and tried it on. Then the most disappointing thing happened.

It won't fit through my body. It clunged to me like it was baby cloth.

"My God!" I exclaimed. "This had better be a joke" I muttered to myself.
But as I reached for the zip and tried zipping it close, it didn't move from its position. I squeezed my body and tried again, tugging at the hem and jumping up and down trying any possible way to squeeze my body into it and close the zip. But it still didn't move. Instead, it ripped from how hard I was tugging and pulling at the zipper.

"No, no, no,” I cried. I was already sweating all over my body.

I checked the time, it was past seven. I was already running late and I knew Bisi must be waiting for me at the party by now. But how was I going to get to the party when the only clothes I had in mind had been ripped apart?

All my plans, all my efforts, the cash I had paid to buy the clothes. It all felt like a waste at that point.

Like Bisi could read my mind, my phone rang immediately, and it was Bisi on the phone.

"Girl, where are you? She asked as I picked up the phone.

"At home", I replied, my voice filled with disappointment.

"Doing what? When I'm already on my way there"

"Giving up on the party. My dress just couldn't fit and... and... when I tried to squeeze myself into it, it ripped," I cried to her over the phone like a baby.

"The red dress?" She asked, concerned.

"Yes, the red dress" my voice was too low. I was exhausted from trying the clothes on.

Bisi sighed over the phone; I could hear her disappointment, too. "Alright, girl that's not the only nice gown you've got. It must not have to be the red dress. Go to your closet and grab another dress. I'll be on a video call with you to pick the perfect one"

I grumbled; already, my zeal to attend the party was gone.

"Come on stand up" Bisi commanded as she switched to video call

I had no other option than to accept the call. We went through my closet with nothing catching my eye except for a nice blue gown I had worn for a friend's wedding party last year. To Bisi, it was nice, but to me, it wasn't the dress. But since I had no other choice I pulled it down from the hanger and put it on. Luckily for me, it still had that shine from last year. A perfect replacement for the red dress.

"Girl, red dress or not. You're still going to stand"

"Yeah. And Chris de Burgh's lady in red won't be about me anymore" I joked, giving a faint smile.

"Maybe he'll have to write another one for you", Bisi replied, being so helpful. I was lucky to have her by my side at that particular time.

I admired myself one last time in the mirror, then I grabbed my purse and set off for the party. I got out the door and got into a cab I had already called earlier. A few blocks away from the party I got a text from Busi

"Good thing you wore a blue gown feels like the red sea here"

I read the text and didn't understand what she meant by it until my cab stopped at the venue of the party and I paid the driver and alighted from the cab.

I walked my way into the hall with all the grace in me. The fancy light bulbs gave me the spotlight I needed. The heavy music in the background turns up the party mood already. I stepped into the gall to see that almost all the girls at the party were in red dresses.

Immediately I understood what Bisi meant by 'red sea'. I smiled; if I had worn the red dress, I wouldn't have stood out like I wanted to. Chris de Burgh might have gotten confused about who to dedicate the song to.

I spotted Bisi and went over to meet her. We had drinks, partied hard, took pictures by the Christmas tree and talked about how, in the end, my red dress ripping must have been for a reason.

[Image source](https://pixabay.com/vectors/lady-gown-purple-elegance-307315/]