Constrained Writing Contest #21- The Red Wedding

The constraint for the contest is:

Write a story where your character(s) can only see 2 colors and don't know any other color exists. They can be different for each character.
White and black count as colors.
The story must be at least 250 words long and in English.

The Red Wedding

Debby walked alongside her best friend Tammy as they made their way to the wedding planner’s office. Henrietta Phillimore was the best wedding planner in the city; voted #1 in the state by New York Planners magazine. Debby wanted only the best; she deserved the best.

In her arms, Debby carried the faded red notebook of ideas. The cover had flowers printed on it; the kind you would find on seventies wallpaper. The notebook had been started in her early teens, and she had collected many scraps of articles, photos, and destinations for the ceremony and glued them to the pages. In her mind everything was planned to the last detail.

Tammy smiled as she opened the door to the tall office building; allowing Debby to walk through first. “This is so exciting!” Tammy said. “I can’t believe we are finally planning your wedding.”

“I know. I feel like I have been waiting for this moment all my life. I really hope Henrietta likes the ideas I have for my wedding ceremony. It will crush me if she disapproved.” Debby said, and then pushed the elevator button for the fifth floor.

The elevator doors closed. The small space gave her an anxious feeling; more than this meeting alone. But she wished her mind to tranquil thoughts; reminding herself that after all this her and Todd would be married; which was the most important fact. Still the thought of getting this right echoed in her mind.

“I’m sure she will love it. I mean you have planned every detail. Even someone like Henrietta Phillimore should appreciate the time and effort you have put into your vision.”

When the elevator doors opened, Debby sighed. It was too late to turn back now. The planning of her spectacular wedding had officially begun. The receptionist greeted Debby and Tammy and then asked them to have a seat.

Debby tapped her foot nervously as she waited. She felt like her entire future depended on getting this right. Truthfully, this meeting would decide her future in the Hawking family. She had been forewarned by her future sister-in-law that Henrietta and her future mother-in-law, Judy were college roommates. This meant that every word she said, and every move she made would be reported back to Judy.

Trying to keep the negative thoughts at bay, Debby flipped through the notebook. She remembered the very first time she saw the wedding veil in a bridal magazine. It was so much different than the others. It was lace and sparkled with glitter. Not too much glitter, but just a hint to catch the candles in the church.

She imagined walking down the aisle; Todd smiling at the alter as she slowly walked toward the front of the church…

“Miss Templeton, Henrietta will see you now.”

Debby looked at Tammy and smiled. This was it. After today their wedding would be planned, and there would be no changes. Every detail would be made today.

Henrietta greeted them and then led them to a small table in the corner of her office. Books, planners and samples lined the walls. Debby was impressed by the grey walls. In fact, everything in the office was grey. She loved the feel of the room; welcoming and warm. She suddenly felt at ease in Henrietta’s presence. She was friendlier than Debby had imagined.

“Let’s have a look at your ideas first, and then we can build the wedding from there.” Henrietta said and smiled.

Debby slid the notebook across the table to Henrietta and waited for her response.

Henrietta eyes widened, and she glanced back and forth between Debby and Tammy. She then looked again at the pages in the notebook. “I see wonderful potential. But Debby, Darling, are you sure about these colors?”

“Yes, I would like to keep the colors red.”

Trying to understand Debby’s vision in more detail she placed the notebook between them and scooted closer. She pointed at the page. “Debby tell me what color this is.”

“Red.”

“And this color.”

“Red.”

Henrietta smiled and looked again between the two young ladies sitting across from her. Tammy smiled as if she had known all along that her wedding was miss-matched but had never told her. “Tammy what do you think of Debby’s wedding plans?”

“I always thought it was very colorful.” Tammy smiled and nodded her head.

Debby looked confused.

“Debby, has anyone ever told you that you are color blind?” Henrietta asked trying to be as sensitive as she could be considering her job, and how much work this wedding would be if Debby was never told the truth.

"I’ve been told I only see red, but I always thought it was some form of metaphor.”

The End

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