didn’t have to talk.
Mom didn’t seem to mind. She was going on about all the flowers she’d seen on her latest excursion to a huge garden centre the day she drove Dad to work so she could take the car. “The things I could do if I had that whole back garden,” she said. “It wouldn’t be big like your friends’ gardens,” she mused. “But I’d think of a theme.”
Just as we were about to pay, I heard an argument starting a few tables behind me. By nature or culture, British people have soft, controlled voices, especially in public. So a loud disagreement would certainly be considered bad form.
“So rude,” Mom said. “She looks to be about your age, and she’s treating her mother terribly.”
I could hear some of the things being said, and they sure didn’t sound kind. I couldn’t help it. Even though I didn’t have my notebook (in fact, I left it home more often now), my journalist’s sensibilities got the best of me. I had to see who that was.
“I’m going to the loo,” I said. “Before we shop.”
As I stood up, I purposely dropped my purse on the floor so I could turn around to see who it was. She didn’t seem to recognize me, but I recognized her.
Chloe.
Chapter 39
As we walked into Be@titude, the door chimes twinkled a merry hello. Becky was helping a customer and there was another one in line, but she gave me a little wave to show she’d be right with me. It felt really grown-up, actually, having the store owner recognize me.
“Over here,” I said to Mom. I headed to the rack where the tea green dress had been a few weeks back when I’d been here with Penny. As I looked through the rack for my size, the dresses were so thick and some so puffy that they crushed into each other. At first glance, I couldn’t find the one I was looking for. “Maybe it’s pressed between some of the other dresses,” I said. I went through every dress in that size. Nothing.
“It’s gone,” I said. I just knew it. Truthfully, I would have been surprised if such a great dress had still been there.
“Let’s look in the other sizes,” Mom said. “If there’s a larger one, we could have it taken in.”
I shook my head. “Nope. Becky only buys one of each style. She told me herself.” I looked up and Becky caught my eye, smiled, and turned her attention to the woman she was helping. The first customer had already completed her purchase, so I knew I was next.
“There have to be some other beauties,” Mom said. She held up a yellow gossamer number.
“Mom, I’d look like Rapunzel in that,” I said. “Yellow washes me out.”
“This?”
I grimaced. Lavender was fine for flowers, but not for a gown. I finally found one in deep red that might work. It looked more fall than spring, but hey, beggars couldn’t be choosers, right? This was what came of waiting till the last minute. Not that I could help it.
Becky walked over. “Hullo, Savvy. Thanks for waiting. This must be your mum?”
Mom held out her hand. “So pleased to meet you. Savvy’s told me all about you and your ministry here.”
Becky grinned. “You’re raising a top journalist,” she said. “I fully expect to see her byline in the Times of London someday.”
“I hope to see it in the Times of Wexburg Academy first,” I teased. “So would you help me find a dress?” I tried to keep the disappointment over the loss of the tea green gown out of my voice.
“Going to the May Day Ball after all, then?”
I nodded. I knew I wasn’t beaming, but I was pleased.
“I might have something in the back,” she said. Mom and I looked at shoes while we waited. A few minutes later she swished out of the back with a dress in a clear plastic bag.
“Faeries!” I squealed. “That’s it, Mom; that’s it!”
Becky laughed out loud. “I just had a feeling that you’d end up at the May Day Ball. I set it in the back figuring I’d sell it during wedding season if not now. But I’m very glad it’s going home with its
Mom didn’t seem to mind. She was going on about all the flowers she’d seen on her latest excursion to a huge garden centre the day she drove Dad to work so she could take the car. “The things I could do if I had that whole back garden,” she said. “It wouldn’t be big like your friends’ gardens,” she mused. “But I’d think of a theme.”
Just as we were about to pay, I heard an argument starting a few tables behind me. By nature or culture, British people have soft, controlled voices, especially in public. So a loud disagreement would certainly be considered bad form.
“So rude,” Mom said. “She looks to be about your age, and she’s treating her mother terribly.”
I could hear some of the things being said, and they sure didn’t sound kind. I couldn’t help it. Even though I didn’t have my notebook (in fact, I left it home more often now), my journalist’s sensibilities got the best of me. I had to see who that was.
“I’m going to the loo,” I said. “Before we shop.”
As I stood up, I purposely dropped my purse on the floor so I could turn around to see who it was. She didn’t seem to recognize me, but I recognized her.
Chloe.
Chapter 39
As we walked into Be@titude, the door chimes twinkled a merry hello. Becky was helping a customer and there was another one in line, but she gave me a little wave to show she’d be right with me. It felt really grown-up, actually, having the store owner recognize me.
“Over here,” I said to Mom. I headed to the rack where the tea green dress had been a few weeks back when I’d been here with Penny. As I looked through the rack for my size, the dresses were so thick and some so puffy that they crushed into each other. At first glance, I couldn’t find the one I was looking for. “Maybe it’s pressed between some of the other dresses,” I said. I went through every dress in that size. Nothing.
“It’s gone,” I said. I just knew it. Truthfully, I would have been surprised if such a great dress had still been there.
“Let’s look in the other sizes,” Mom said. “If there’s a larger one, we could have it taken in.”
I shook my head. “Nope. Becky only buys one of each style. She told me herself.” I looked up and Becky caught my eye, smiled, and turned her attention to the woman she was helping. The first customer had already completed her purchase, so I knew I was next.
“There have to be some other beauties,” Mom said. She held up a yellow gossamer number.
“Mom, I’d look like Rapunzel in that,” I said. “Yellow washes me out.”
“This?”
I grimaced. Lavender was fine for flowers, but not for a gown. I finally found one in deep red that might work. It looked more fall than spring, but hey, beggars couldn’t be choosers, right? This was what came of waiting till the last minute. Not that I could help it.
Becky walked over. “Hullo, Savvy. Thanks for waiting. This must be your mum?”
Mom held out her hand. “So pleased to meet you. Savvy’s told me all about you and your ministry here.”
Becky grinned. “You’re raising a top journalist,” she said. “I fully expect to see her byline in the Times of London someday.”
“I hope to see it in the Times of Wexburg Academy first,” I teased. “So would you help me find a dress?” I tried to keep the disappointment over the loss of the tea green gown out of my voice.
“Going to the May Day Ball after all, then?”
I nodded. I knew I wasn’t beaming, but I was pleased.
“I might have something in the back,” she said. Mom and I looked at shoes while we waited. A few minutes later she swished out of the back with a dress in a clear plastic bag.
“Faeries!” I squealed. “That’s it, Mom; that’s it!”
Becky laughed out loud. “I just had a feeling that you’d end up at the May Day Ball. I set it in the back figuring I’d sell it during wedding season if not now. But I’m very glad it’s going home with its
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