Growing up, Rochelle "Shelly" Rosenberg was my next door neighbor. She was everything I aspired to be - confident, athletic, and cool. As a little pipsqueak 6 years her junior, I looked up to her as a mentor and big sister. Even after she went off to college when I was in 8th grade, we stayed connected through social media and occasional texts. But like many childhood friendships, ours slowly faded away as we both had our own experiences and separate lives to navigate.
Imagine my surprise when I received an invitation to Shelly's wedding at my parents' house that was addressed specifically to me. It had been years since we last spoke, but our friendship still meant something to her and she wanted me at her wedding! I'd never been so flattered and excited. Suddenly I was that giddy little girl again, determined to follow Shelly anywhere if it made her think I was cool. Then came the second surprise - Shelly was marrying a woman named Maria Lopez. It suddenly all made sense why she never had any boyfriends during the time we were close. She was, and always had been gay. Of course! In retrospect it should have been obvious. Somehow that made her all the cooler to me.
As I processed this information, my mind started racing with questions. If we HAD stayed close now that we were both adults, had there ever been any potential between us? Hypothetically of course, since I was straight and she was now betrothed to the apparent girl of her dreams. Still, that little what if question lingered in my head. If there ever WAS a woman I would have considered...Nevermind. Irrelevant.
Without hesitation, I RSVPed yes to the wedding. The thought of attending a lesbian wedding filled me with anticipation and excitement and nerves, definitely nerves. I was 19, barely a year into college and out of the house. I was confident enough in who and what I thought I was, but I also knew I'd likely be the youngest adult attendee there and, I assumed, one of the only straight people. There was something exciting and strange and kind of foreboding about the idea of being a straight woman surrounded by other women who were attracted to women at this wedding. Is my relative inexperience showing in my overthinking? The good news was I was about to gain a whole lot of experience.
You see, there were two women at this wedding that would take an interest in yours truly and change my life for the better. My name is Amy Bauers, I'm 19 years old and this is the story of how I became the third in a committed Lesbian throuple after showing up as the only single, and only straight girl at Shelly's Lesbian Wedding:
The ceremony itself had been a thing of beauty. Shelly and her new bride had been absolutely stunning in their matching white lace dresses with pastel rainbow fringe. They were flanked by their bridesmaids and "bride's dudes" who were all women dressed in form fitting suits and matching hats. Right after the ceremony I'd even gotten a quick moment of hello and a big hug from her for making the trip on my own.
When the reception began, I found myself standing with the other guests in the fancy hotel's most luxurious reception hall, clutching a champagne flute to my chest as I waited in the informal line to see where my table was. Not that it really mattered where I sat, literally the only person I knew here was Shelly.
While I waited in the slow motion pseudo-line to see where to sit, my eyes wandered over the unique and very varying mix of attendees to this unabashedly queer affair. Chalk it up to my sheltered upbringing but it was still a little jarring seeing all these women holding hands and being affectionate with each other. It wasn't that I thought I was wrong, I just had never seen it carried out so openly without any attention called to it. As it should be, but new to me at that point.
I didn't want to make an assumption about the women around me, but I also had this strange suspicion I was being looked at, sized up, considered for...I didn't know what. I mean, I couldn't blame them in some ways. Cute as a button was how I'd been described by the last dud of a date I'd had.
I'd put some significant effort in getting my hair right for today's event. The dirty blonde locks were wavy and fell just below my shoulders, framing my face just right. I have hazel eyes that I complimented with some eyeshadow and mascara for the formal event. I'm about 5'5 in the simple heels I wore that day. I'm proud of my clear pale skin and how it compliments my slightly curvy, fit body. I've been told I have a nice round butt and perky, albeit a little small breasts. For the wedding, I was wearing a purple strapless A frame party dress with a pair of soft cheeky maroon panties and a matching strapless bra beneath. I probably could have gone without the bra, but I expected to be dancing later, and ya girl likes her support when she's bouncing around. For my makeup, I went for bold yet tasteful, with winged eyeliner and crimson red lips.
"Isn't this just lovely?" a woman nearby cooed to her partner, their fingers entwined.
"Absolutely," her partner agreed, casting an appreciative glance around the room. I watched the two beautiful women walk by holding each other lovingly. It seemed so...nice.
I took a sip of my drink, trying to drown my nerves in its bubbly embrace. I was kicking myself for coming here alone, not that I had anyone to bring. It's not like I knew anyone who I'd be comfortable bringing to Shelly's Big Lesbian Wedding, as I'd built it up in my head in the weeks since I'd RSVPed. I guess I still idolized Shelly and it felt like such a big deal to be invited that I'd endure anything, and it did feel like enduring. This was all so foreign to me -- the love, the passion, the unmistakable electricity in the air.
"Hey there," a sultry voice whispered suddenly into my ear, breaking me out of my over-analysis and making me spin to see who had just invaded my personal space so sensually from behind.
Before me stood one of the most striking women I had ever seen. She was a good six inches taller than me, even in my heels, and she was curvy and busty and...thick in all the right ways. She had deep brown hair and sparkling piercing green eyes that just drew me in like a moth to a flame. I recognized her from the wedding ceremony. She'd been in the wedding party on Maria's side. I remembered noting how she'd filled out her gray men's suit the best of all the "bride's dudes" flanking Maria and she had really been the only one to pull off the matching fedora if I'm honest. My eyes went up and down my new acquaintance' body and I drank in her voluptuousness, even more perfectly highlighted by the flattering suit and the light blue camisole beneath the jacket up close.
"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," she continued, flashing me a charming smile.
"Oh, no problem. You didn't" I lied, feeling the heat rising in my cheeks. "Uh, hi there yourself."
"Nice dress," she said with a mischievous glint in her eyes. I was pulled in instantly.
"Thank you," I replied, self-consciously smoothing the fabric over my hips. "I'm Amy."
"Nice to meet you, Amy. I'm Mandy, and this is Selene," she motioned to a tall, sinewy woman standing just behind her in a similar suit and hat. Wow, these women really pulled this androgynous look off, but in like, opposite ways. Selene was just as tall and even more commanding. She was muscular and shapely in all the ways that her companion was curvy. Her smokey eyes bore into me from her intense face framed by her dark red hair.
"Hi," I breathed, my heart pounding in my chest as our gazes met. There was something undeniably magnetic about these two women, something that both scared and excited me.
We exchanged pleasantries as they guided me into a small circle with them in the corner of the reception hall, chatting about the beautiful ceremony we'd just witnessed. I couldn't help but feel the weight of their gazes on me, like they could see right through my flimsy facade of confidence and recognize the vulnerable girl beneath.
"Can I be honest with you?" Mandy asked, leaning in close to my ear. Her warm breath sent shivers down my spine.
"Sure," I whispered, feeling my cheeks flush as our bodies brushed against each other.
"My lady and I can't help but notice how incredibly cute you look all done up like this." Mandy said matter-of-factly.
"We spotted you from up on the altar," Selene pointed out. My cheeks were suddenly flushed. These women had noticed ME from their important place in the wedding?!
"Mhmm, and we also notice that you don't seem to be here with anyone. Is that accurate? No plus one?" Mandy asked me, putting me suddenly on the spot as she leaned further into my personal space.
"Uh, no," I stammered, realizing there was no point in denying it to my new friends. "You're not wrong. I'm here flying solo."
"Interesting," she purred, her fingertips trailing lightly along my collarbone. It was such a simple yet surprisingly intimate gesture from someone I just met I couldn't help but blush. What was up with that?
