I’d found something special in a thrift shop. But I had no idea how magical it would turn out to be. By Charlotte Bennett, 22
Yawning, I climbed out of bed, wandered into the kitchen in my pyjamas and bumped straight into a handsome stranger.
‘Oh!’ I gasped.
‘Morning, Charlotte,’ my brother Jonathan said. ‘This is my mate Canaan!’
‘Nice to meet you,’ I replied, desperately wishing I’d brushed my hair.
I was staying with Jonathan and his wife for a week and, while I’d been there, Jonathan had mentioned Canaan a few times. I got the impression he thought we’d make a good match.
Now I’d seen him in person, I had to agree!
We got chatting and Canaan asked me out on a date. But it turned out to be so much more than just a drink and a bite to eat.
He’d organised a treasure hunt around his hometown, taking in his favourite
place to eat, the barbers
he went to and a nearby nature reserve.
‘I really want you to get to know me before you leave,’ he told me.
And just like that, I was totally smitten!
Luckily for me, my parents had plans to move nearer to Jonathan and so it wasn’t long before Canaan and I were back together, and we became a couple.
We both loved thrift shopping and one of our favourite things to do was searching for hidden gems in charity shops.
Canaan had a great sense of style and an impressive collection of T-shirts and when we found something we liked, we’d do little fashion shows for each other.
One afternoon, as we were browsing, I spotted some dresses from the 1970s and one really caught my eye.
But it wasn’t just any dress. It was a wedding dress.
'Oh that looks stunning'
‘Go and try it on,’ Canaan said.
It felt a bit weird but the moment I slipped the dress on, I was in love.
It fit me like a glove.
It was almost as if it had been made specially for me.
And when I stepped out
to show Canaan, his mouth fell open.
‘Oh, that looks stunning on you,’ an older lady said.
Then she turned to Canaan and added, ‘She’ll make a beautiful bride.’
‘I’m sure she will,’ he replied, grinning.
And in that moment, I suddenly saw myself walking down the aisle to marry Canaan and I was wearing that dress.
After that, I couldn’t bear the thought of someone else buying it. I had to have it.
But I didn’t want Canaan to know, so I pretended I was going to sell it on.Instead, though, I hid it away.
Months went by and one day I was out with my family for a walk when
I spotted Canaan.
I was just wondering what he was doing there when he dropped to one knee.
I was so excited I started jumping up and down.
‘You have to keep still so
I can actually propose,’ he said, laughing.
And I didn’t hesitate in saying yes.
We arranged the wedding for the following spring.
And, of course, I wore the dress I’d found along with my mother’s veil and my grandmother’s pearls.
As I walked down the aisle, I wondered if Canaan would remember it.
When he turned to look at me, his eyes lit up and I knew he did.
By the time I reached the altar, we were both in tears. It felt as though the dress had brought us to this moment and after the ceremony, Canaan said, ‘I knew deep down you’d keep it.’
And, even though it’s done its job, I won’t part with it.
Canaan and I now have a little girl, Daisy, and I’m saving my magical dress in case she wants to wear it herself.
After all, it’s brought me so much happiness I just want to pass that on.