My little sister and I have never been close. In fact, growing up, she always seemed to resent me. So, when I got the invitation asking me to be her maid of honor, I was honestly shocked—and thrilled. But nothing could prepare me for what came next: the bridesmaid dress she picked for me was a cruel joke that nearly broke my heart. Luckily, I found a way to fight back and turn the tables.
The invitation sat right there on my kitchen counter, staring at me with its fancy handwriting and soft flowers printed all over it. My little sister, Sadie, was getting married. And somehow—out of all the people in the world—she had asked me, Nancy, her older sister who’s been the thorn in her side for 32 years, to be her maid of honor.
I couldn’t help but laugh at the sheer irony of it all.
“What’s so funny?” my best friend Liz asked, raising an eyebrow while she sipped her coffee.
I held up the card. “Sadie wants me to be her maid of honor.”
Liz almost choked on her drink. “Wait, you’re serious? The same Sadie who shoved gum in your hair on your high school graduation day?”
I ran my fingers through my short hair, a painful reminder of that prank. “The very same.”
Liz shook her head. “Are you sure you want to do this? You and Sadie… it’s always been—”
“A total disaster,” I finished for her with a sigh.
Sadie was always jealous of me, but not for the reasons people might think.
I was sick a lot as a kid. Hospitals were my second home. Our parents spent most of their time making sure I stayed alive and okay. Sadie was healthy and full of life, but she often felt left out and angry. She bottled up that resentment, and over time, it came out in sneaky insults, nasty pranks, and a general hatred for me.
“Maybe she’s changed,” I said quietly, though I wasn’t sure if I believed it.
Liz gave me a serious look. “People don’t change overnight, Nancy. Just be careful.”
I nodded, hoping, just a little, that this might be our chance to finally be sisters who cared for each other.
The bridal shop was bright and busy, filled with white dresses and pastel colors everywhere. Sadie stood right in the middle, glowing like a princess in her wedding gown.
“Nancy! There you are!” Sadie called out, waving me over. “What do you think?”
I smiled, honestly impressed. “You look amazing, Sadie. Absolutely stunning.”
For a split second, I saw a glimpse of the little girl who used to want to play dress-up with me. But it vanished quickly, replaced by the cold smirk I knew so well.
“Great. Now, let’s find a dress for you that doesn’t make you look like a beached whale,” she said with a sharp laugh, turning to the racks.
Yep, there she was—my little sister, the one I’d always known.
As we looked through the dresses, I finally asked, “Sadie, why did you pick me as your maid of honor? I mean, we’re not exactly close.”
She paused, holding a dress halfway off the rack. “You’re my sister, Nancy. That’s what you do.”
“Right,” I muttered. “Can’t disappoint the family, huh?”
Sadie narrowed her eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing,” I said quickly. “Let’s just find a dress.”
Weeks passed in a blur of dress fittings, flower choices, and awkward sisterly moments. Somehow, I started to enjoy parts of it. Sadie seemed a little softer, less sharp than before.
During our last fitting, I dared to hope.
“You know,” Sadie said as we stood side by side, looking in the mirror, “I never thought we’d actually be here.”
“Getting you married off?” I joked.
She rolled her eyes. “No, dummy. I mean here together, without wanting to kill each other.”
I smiled, surprised by how honest she sounded. “Yeah, it feels kind of nice, doesn’t it?”
Sadie nodded slowly, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Maybe after the wedding, we can actually be sisters.”
My heart lifted. “I’d like that, Sadie. I really would.”
The wedding day arrived. My nerves were fluttering, but I was ready. I grabbed my dress and headed to the bridal suite.
“Nancy! Thank God you’re here,” Sadie greeted me, looking stressed. “The other bridesmaids are running late.”
“No problem,” I said, hanging my dress and helping her with her hair.
As I pinned her golden curls, our eyes met in the mirror. For a moment, I saw that little girl again, the one who used to follow me around despite everything.
“You look beautiful, Sadie,” I said softly.
“Thanks, Nance.”
Before we could enjoy the moment, the other bridesmaids arrived in a whirlwind of laughter and champagne. I stepped back to let them fuss over Sadie, then went to change.
I unzipped my garment bag and pulled out the dress Sadie and I had picked together—only to stop dead in my tracks.
The dress was huge—like, several sizes too big.
“What the…?” I gasped, holding the fabric in disbelief.
“Sadie, there’s been a mistake. This dress is enormous!”
Sadie turned with a fake shocked look. “Oh no! Did you lose weight or something?”
I stared at her, heart sinking. “I lost thirty-three pounds, and no one noticed? We had fittings last week. There’s no way this is an accident.”
She shrugged, looking away. “Well, guess you can’t be my maid of honor now. Don’t worry, Jess can take your place.”
Her cold voice hit me like a slap. All the hope I had started to feel disappeared in an instant.
“How could you do this?” I whispered, tears stinging my eyes.
“Oh, please,” Sadie snapped. “Did you really think we’d suddenly be best friends? Grow up, Nancy. This is my day. I’m not letting you steal the spotlight like you always do.”
I stood there, clutching the huge dress, feeling like the sick little girl all over again—alone and hurt.
Just then, Aunt Marie walked in, her eyes sharp and curious.
“What’s all this fuss about?” she asked, looking at the scene.
“Aunt Marie, I—” I started.
She held up her hand. “Save it, honey. I’ve got just the thing.” She motioned for me to follow her into the hallway.
Out of nowhere, she pulled out a box and said, “I had a feeling Sadie might try something. Open it.”
Inside was a dress that took my breath away. It looked just like the bridesmaids’ dresses, but better—shimmering with beads and a richer, deeper color.
“How did you—?” I stammered.
Aunt Marie smiled, eyes sparkling. “I overheard Sadie talking about her little plan with her friends. Didn’t believe it at first, but just in case, I had my seamstress make this. Guess I was right.”
I felt hurt that Sadie had actually planned this, but Aunt Marie’s support warmed me.
“Now go show your sister what real class looks like,” she said, squeezing my shoulder.
With a deep breath, I slipped into the new dress and walked back into the bridal suite. Sadie’s jaw dropped.
“What?? How did you get that?” she sputtered.
I smiled sweetly. “Oh, just a little magic from Aunt Marie. Don’t worry, I won’t steal your thunder.”
Sadie’s face went through shock, anger, and finally something that looked like shame.
“You look amazing, Nancy,” she said quietly.
We stood there, years of fighting hanging between us. Then, surprisingly, Sadie’s eyes filled with tears.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’ve been such a witch. I always felt like I was living in your shadow.”
I reached out and took her hand. “Sadie, there was never any competition. I was just trying to survive.”
She squeezed my hand, nodding. “I know that now. God, we wasted so much time.”
The wedding ceremony was beautiful. Sadie walked down the aisle, radiant. Standing next to her, I felt something I hadn’t felt in years—true sisterly love.
At the reception, Sadie pulled me aside.
“Nancy, I need to say something.”
I braced myself.
“Thank you,” she said, looking me in the eye. “For being here, for looking gorgeous, for everything. I was so caught up in my own jealousy, I never saw how much you were struggling. Can we start over?”
Tears sprang to my eyes. “I’d like that, Sadie. I really would.”
She hugged me, and for the first time, it felt real.
Across the room, Aunt Marie caught my eye and winked, raising her glass.
Maybe this was the beginning of something new.
Later, as the dance floor filled up, Sadie grabbed my hand.
“Come on, sis. Let’s show everyone how it’s done.”
And as we spun and laughed under the twinkling lights, I realized that sometimes, the best revenge isn’t about getting even — it’s about moving forward together.
