I’ll thank him when I’ve had time to think about it.
Thank him
! Can you believe it? He’s left me to cancel the wedding and send back all the presents – cancel the church and break the news to everyone. It’s a
nightmare
!’ She reached for another tissue.‘He’s such a coward, doing it like this, leaving me to face everyone and pick up all the pieces.’
I was sympathetic of course but I couldn’t help wondering what was going to happen about the dresses I’d made. The material had cost me a bomb and I’d spent hours working on them, at weekends and evenings when I should have been in bed, asleep. She stopped blowing her nose and looked at me with red-rimmed eyes.
‘I’m so sorry about the dresses, Katie,’ she sniffled. ‘They’re so lovely and I know you’ve put a lot of time and effort into them. I’m sorry but as you must realize, I don’t have any use for them now.’
I fought down my dismay and anger. I really couldn’t afford to lose the money I’d paid for the materials. ‘Is there a chance you could pay at least some of the cost?’ I asked.
She bit her lip. ‘Ian was going to pay for the dresses,’ she said.
‘Then I’ll send him the bill.’
She shook her head. ‘He’s got a job in Saudi Arabia and he leaves early tomorrow morning.’
Under my breath I called him all he rats in Christendom. He wasn’t just a rat and a coward, he was a crook as well.
‘Your parents?’ I asked hopefully.
‘They’re losing so much money as it is,’ she said. ‘The hotel we’d booked for the reception, the printing and the flowers we’d ordered. Some people have been considerate but others insist on instant payment.’
Maybe I should too
, I thought, but one look at Carole’s devastated face stopped me from saying so.
I took a deep breath. ‘Look, don’t worry about it,’ I said. ‘I’m sure something will turn up, either for you or for me. Just you go and cope with all you have to do and we’ll sort something out about the dresses later.’
She looked relieved. ‘Oh, Katie, thank you so much. You know I’ll always recommend you to my friends.’
‘Thanks.’
That’s going to help a lot,
I added under my breath.
Next day at work I tried hard not to let my depression show, but Imogene knew me too well not to notice. Halfway through the morning she said, ‘You’re not yourself this morning, Katie. Is something wrong?’
‘It’s just a bit of a set-back,’ I told her. ‘One of my customers haslet me down – through no fault of her own.’
‘In what way?’
‘I made her wedding dress, bridesmaids’ dresses too, but she turned up last night with the news that the wedding’s off.’
Imogene looked appalled. ‘Don’t tell me she’s left you holding the baby – or in this case the dresses?’
I nodded. ‘Afraid so. The fiancé has left her in the lurch, gone abroad to work, and her mum and dad are up to their eyes in debt, paying for all the trimmings.’
‘It’s not right that you should lose out though.’ She was silent for a moment then she said, ‘Last week on your half day I had someone in asking if we sold wedding dresses. I had to say no of course. What a pity I didn’t know about your set-back then.’
I felt my spirits rise. ‘You didn’t happen to get her phone number, did you?’
‘No.’ Imogene looked thoughtful. ‘But I think I know how I could find it. She was recommended by a regular customer, Sylvia Hanson.’ She looked at me. ‘She might have found a suitable dress by now of course and….’ She hesitated. ‘Maybe I ought to see this dress of yours before I try and get in touch with her.’
‘In case it’s a complete dog, you mean?’
She grimaced. ‘No! But to be fair I haven’t actually seen any of your work first hand, have I? I really should take a look first. Surely you agree?’
I did agree but I couldn’t help being a bit put out too. ‘I’ll bring it in tomorrow,’ I said. ‘There are two bridesmaids’
Thank him
! Can you believe it? He’s left me to cancel the wedding and send back all the presents – cancel the church and break the news to everyone. It’s a
nightmare
!’ She reached for another tissue.‘He’s such a coward, doing it like this, leaving me to face everyone and pick up all the pieces.’
I was sympathetic of course but I couldn’t help wondering what was going to happen about the dresses I’d made. The material had cost me a bomb and I’d spent hours working on them, at weekends and evenings when I should have been in bed, asleep. She stopped blowing her nose and looked at me with red-rimmed eyes.
‘I’m so sorry about the dresses, Katie,’ she sniffled. ‘They’re so lovely and I know you’ve put a lot of time and effort into them. I’m sorry but as you must realize, I don’t have any use for them now.’
I fought down my dismay and anger. I really couldn’t afford to lose the money I’d paid for the materials. ‘Is there a chance you could pay at least some of the cost?’ I asked.
She bit her lip. ‘Ian was going to pay for the dresses,’ she said.
‘Then I’ll send him the bill.’
She shook her head. ‘He’s got a job in Saudi Arabia and he leaves early tomorrow morning.’
Under my breath I called him all he rats in Christendom. He wasn’t just a rat and a coward, he was a crook as well.
‘Your parents?’ I asked hopefully.
‘They’re losing so much money as it is,’ she said. ‘The hotel we’d booked for the reception, the printing and the flowers we’d ordered. Some people have been considerate but others insist on instant payment.’
Maybe I should too
, I thought, but one look at Carole’s devastated face stopped me from saying so.
I took a deep breath. ‘Look, don’t worry about it,’ I said. ‘I’m sure something will turn up, either for you or for me. Just you go and cope with all you have to do and we’ll sort something out about the dresses later.’
She looked relieved. ‘Oh, Katie, thank you so much. You know I’ll always recommend you to my friends.’
‘Thanks.’
That’s going to help a lot,
I added under my breath.
Next day at work I tried hard not to let my depression show, but Imogene knew me too well not to notice. Halfway through the morning she said, ‘You’re not yourself this morning, Katie. Is something wrong?’
‘It’s just a bit of a set-back,’ I told her. ‘One of my customers haslet me down – through no fault of her own.’
‘In what way?’
‘I made her wedding dress, bridesmaids’ dresses too, but she turned up last night with the news that the wedding’s off.’
Imogene looked appalled. ‘Don’t tell me she’s left you holding the baby – or in this case the dresses?’
I nodded. ‘Afraid so. The fiancé has left her in the lurch, gone abroad to work, and her mum and dad are up to their eyes in debt, paying for all the trimmings.’
‘It’s not right that you should lose out though.’ She was silent for a moment then she said, ‘Last week on your half day I had someone in asking if we sold wedding dresses. I had to say no of course. What a pity I didn’t know about your set-back then.’
I felt my spirits rise. ‘You didn’t happen to get her phone number, did you?’
‘No.’ Imogene looked thoughtful. ‘But I think I know how I could find it. She was recommended by a regular customer, Sylvia Hanson.’ She looked at me. ‘She might have found a suitable dress by now of course and….’ She hesitated. ‘Maybe I ought to see this dress of yours before I try and get in touch with her.’
‘In case it’s a complete dog, you mean?’
She grimaced. ‘No! But to be fair I haven’t actually seen any of your work first hand, have I? I really should take a look first. Surely you agree?’
I did agree but I couldn’t help being a bit put out too. ‘I’ll bring it in tomorrow,’ I said. ‘There are two bridesmaids’
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