500 Word Short Story
The Wedding Dress Curse
Scott A. Gese
500 Word Short Story
“Oh mom, this is beautiful,” remarked Gigi as she held the wedding dress out.
“Your grandmother was given that dress by the woman she worked for. She wore it at her wedding, and I wore it at mine.”
“I'd love to wear it at my wedding,” replied Gigi.
“There's something you should know about this dress.”
“Something good?”
“No, something not so good. The dress is cursed. Bad things happen to those who wear it, or should I say, bad things happen to the husband of those who wear it.”
“Really? Like what?”
“The woman who gave your grandmother this dress did so because she couldn't stand to see it hanging in her wardrobe. She had wore it at her wedding. For their honeymoon, they had booked a cruise ...on the Titanic. When the ship went down, it took her new husband with it.
“The woman made it home, but was never the same. When your grandmother told her she was getting married, the woman gave her the dress as a gift.
“She married an enlisted man who was sent overseas. One month later she found out she was pregnant, with me. She sent word to her new husband thinking he would be thrilled. She received a letter back asking her for a divorce. He had met a young French girl and was madly in love with her. My mother was devastated.
“I first saw the dress when I was about your age. I was engaged to your father at the time. We didn't have much and the dress was beautiful. I wore it at my wedding. Your father and I were so in love. We hadn't been married for more than two months when one day I received a knock at the door. It was a police officer. Your father had been hit by a bus. He was dead.
“I was pregnant with you. I put the dress in this trunk and it's been in the attic ever since. It's cursed. I should have thrown it away years ago. I would advise you not to wear it.”
“I still want to try it on. I want to see if I can fit into it,” replied Gigi.
Gigi was amazed that it fit her perfectly. “I know you think it's cursed, but I think it's beautiful and I don't believe in curses. I'm going to wear it at my wedding.”
She did look beautiful in it, so against her mothers better judgment she allowed her to wear it.
Two months after the wedding Gigi's husband was killed in a workplace accident. The dress was thrown into the garbage. The garbage man retrieved it and gave it to the Goodwill.
Not long after, a young girl saw it hanging on display. “Oh my God, mom. It's beautiful.”
“It sure is dear, I think you should wear it at your wedding.”
They bought the dress and took it home.
© Copyright 2019 by Scott A. Gese All Rights Reserved.
