It was a day most little girls dreamed of, the day they shopped for their wedding dress. Yet here you were sitting in the fitting room in tears, and not happy ones. You had narrowed it down to two dresses. One was off-white, strapless, form-fitting and lace. The other was as white, off the shoulder, satin ball gown.
There was a gentle knock on the door. “Okay if I come in?” Cesaria asked softly through the door.
“Uh-yeah. Just-just a minute.” You pulled a tissue from the box on the table beside you and wiped your eyes. “Come in,” you called softly.
“So. Have you decided-. Mija, what’s wrong?” She sat beside you and placed her hand over yours.
“It’s silly,” you responded and shook your head as you sniffled. “Really. I’m fine. It’s nothing.” Fresh tears were threatening to spill down your cheeks.
Cesaria dabbed your eyes with a tissue. “You don’t get upset over nothing.”
You took a deep breath. “You know you are like a mother to me. It’s just.-”
“It’s okay. You can tell me.”
“I always imagined I’d be choosing a wedding dress with my Mom,” you sniffed. At 14 you lost your Mom when a drunk driver hit her head on. With your Dad in prison, it left you and your 12-year-old brother in the foster system.
“Oh, my sweet girl.” She gathered you in her arms and soothed your hair. “I understand.”
She released you and composed yourself. “I feel like I’m being ungrateful. You’ve been like a Mom to me ever since Nick and I started dating.”
“Y/N, you are the last person I would call ungrateful. I love you like my own and there is nowhere else I want to be,” she reassured you.
You smiled. “I love you too.” After taking a cleansing breath you stood and went to stand in front of the dresses. “So which dress should I get?”
“Whichever dress you choose you will be beautiful,” she declared.
“Y/N. Mom. Are you in there?” Nick called from outside the room. “I’m done with my tux fitting.”
“Don’t come in, Nicky!” Cesaria answered. “I’ll get him out of here. We’ll meet you outside.” She turned back to you before leaving. “Want to knock his socks off? Go with the lace gown.” She gave you a wink.
“Hey. What happened back there? Did she find the one?” Nick asked Cesaria.
“Without a doubt,” she confirmed and patted Nick’s cheek.
SVU addict 