Penelope narrates:

Mom and I leave the dress shop. "The third dress was perfect" she says.

"It was very nice but it didn't make me feel like Mrs. Nelson. Prince's ideal wife." I confess

"Maybe you just need another dress shop appointment."

"Perhaps. Let's go shop for bridal party gifts."

At the first antique store, I make a beeline for the cuff links and choose some for the men in the wedding party. I love vintage evening bags and am excited to get a few for the ladies in the bridal party (and one for Mrs. Shaw) so I get a couple and we head to the next antique shop to finish up.

The old lamps on display distract me. "Penny, we're not here to buy lamps." Mom smiles.We start looking for purses when I see something white and full skirted on a mannequin. A 1950s wedding dress! It's love at first sight!

"That is beautiful" Mom says.

"Do you think it'll fit?"

"It might."

Mom asks the saleslady if I can try it on somewhere. I'm escorted to the employee bathroom. If this dress doesn't fit, I'm having wardrobe make me something like it. Shockingly, the dress zips up with ease. Gazing at myself in a full length mirror that's for sale, I excitedly tell Mom,"This is it!"

She hugs me and tells me I look gorgeous. "Hope Prince likes it" I say.

"If he doesn't he's got a screw loose." she laughs.

"Oh! Forgot to check the price!" I gasp.

"Penny!" hisses Mom

In our family you don't just buy something without looking at the price. We never really struggled financially, but always looked for the best deals. The price is $125 so we can calm down now.

"Mom, Prince's mom thinks I'm a gold digger" I say softly.

"She's full of shit. She'll realize she's wrong." Mom replies. Mom isn't the type to cuss in public. I change in the bathroom and we finish the evening bag shopping. "Well, that takes care of your 'something old', Honey" Mom smiles.

I laugh, "Just need something borrowed, new and blue." Our plan after finishing shopping was to go back to my parents' house so that is what we do. Dad actually cries when I try it on the dress for him. He doesn't cry much.

Prince Narrates:

Susan and I take a break from recording.This wedding can't be all of my music. Why not see if I can hunt up anything of Penelope's late brother, Derek and his band Sedgewick? I call Sophie. 

"Is there any recording of Derek or his band that would work for a wedding?" I ask her.

"Ohh...Prince. I have one 45 single and neither song would be appropriate. " Sophie says woefully. "But I'll give you the number of the woman in the band. Her name is Rochelle. She's a sweetheart and will try to help."

Rochelle looses her shit when I call. She comes right over with a suitcase of memorabilia. She's an attractive, but tough looking woman who is delighted to meet me. Suprising since our musical styles are so different  but Susan and I talk with her. Rochelle tells about the one time sixteen year old Penelope came with Mr. Smith to do promo photos and Penelope was asks to take a couple shots. Penelope used to come to some shows with Sophie. We look at pictures and I learn more about Derek than I had before. He never gets brought up much to me by Penelope's parents and Penelope only talks about him once in awhile. Since he'd have been my brother in law, I am enjoying this conversation.

Finally Rochelle hands over some recordings. "They aren't the best quality, but it's something." she says.

The three of us go into Studio B and make a couple copies of each recording before I give them back to Rochelle. After she departs, I decide her band is getting some of those extra invitations I had printed.

"Prince! Prince!" Penelope screams breathlessly as she runs around Paisley Park. When she finds me she hands me my credit card. "I bought the wedding party's gifts...and found my dress! Just so you know, it was only $125!"

Shuddering, I imagine her in some ugly dress because she didn't want to splurge. "what did you do? Buy the cheapest dress you could get your hands on?" I scoff.

"Please..if I was making it about the money, I'd have borrowed a dress from a relative- for free. Mine is at my parents' house. Mom is going to have it cleaned tomorrow."

The damned thing needs to be cleaned before wearing? Yuck.Maybe I should've just let her wear her white awards show dress. "Say, Honey. Why would a new dress need cleaning?"

"Because it's my something old."

"If you want to wear the white dress you already have, go ahead." I sigh.

"But I like this one. Dad never says anything about my clothes but he loved the dress when I showed him"

"This is our day for that fairy tale wedding. I can afford it. You don't have to scrimp and cut corners-especially on the dress."

"It was cheap but it's perfect- you'll see."

Well...I did tell her I wanted to be surprised, maybe I should've just designed the dress myself...