When Margaret receives a white maxi dress from her daughter-in-law, Anita, for the wedding, she suspects a setup due to their fraught history. As she arrives at the ceremony, unexpected revelations await, and later, Anita reflects on the symbology of a white dress.

I didn’t even have to read the note to know the beautifully wrapped box on my doorstep was from Anita. Who else would send me something so over-the-top?

With a mix of curiosity and dread, I tore through the wrapping paper, revealing a stunning white maxi dress. Then the note fell out. “Please wear this to the wedding. Love, Anita.”

Love, Anita? Really? I could almost hear the sarcasm dripping off those words. You see, Anita and I have had our fair share of disagreements.

When she first started dating my son, James, I thought she was charming. Modern, confident, and clearly intelligent. But then the clashes started.

It began with small things, lifestyle choices, mostly. James had always been a bit of a mama’s boy, and Anita was too headstrong, too different from the traditional values I held dear.

But the real trouble started with the wedding planning. She excluded me from every detail, every decision. I found out about the venue from a friend, for goodness’ sake! And now, this darn dress. “You won’t believe what Anita did now,” I said to my friend.

“What happened?” Linda’s voice was a comforting anchor.

“She sent me a dress to wear to the wedding. A white dress! Can you imagine?” I paced around my living room, my voice rising with every word.