‘He always had the best intentions.’
‘I know,’ Melissa sighed. ‘I’m not angry, I don’t think I ever could be with Barney.’
Lois gestured for Melissa to open up the zipped plastic cover and when she did, the excitement built.
‘What do you think?’ Lois asked, fingers steepled together against her chin.
‘It’s stunning, the beading is beautiful.’ She lightly ran her fingers across the intricate detail. ‘Did you add more?’
‘Harvey’s mum brought around some extra beads and sequins and I’ve added those on. Now don’t make me wait any longer.’
‘You want me to try it on now?’
‘I need to check the alterations are good.’
‘Are you sure you have the time?’
‘Honestly, I left Barney at the bakery and they’d brought him out a chair to sit on. I think he’s in for a long visit so I said I’d meet him back there in half an hour.’
With butterflies zipping around in her stomach Melissa took the dress and behind the open wardrobe door, which acted as a mini separation and therefore changing room, she pulled it on. ‘It feels snug.’
‘Not too snug?’
‘I hope not.’ When she stepped out she wasn’t so sure.
‘Melissa, it’s perfect. Wedding dresses should fit the body like a glove, and this one does. Turn around, let me do the buttons.’
With a bit of wiggling and breathing in, she was in the dress for real. Her eyes misted up when she saw her reflection. The bodice shone beneath the light Lois had switched on to get a better look and Melissa could almost imagine a veil drifting down towards the ground, a bouquet clutched in front of her.
‘Oh dear, why the tears?’ Lois was quick to grab a tissue from the table beside the bed and hand it to her.
‘I’m a bit emotional.’
‘You’re thinking of your boyfriend.’
‘Am I that obvious?’
‘He’s a fine man, and what is it you all say these days? Hot.’
Melissa burst out laughing, Lois must’ve got her wires crossed, because she was surely referring to Harvey, the guy Lois had met, but Melissa wasn’t. She was crying because after all this time, all these years, her path had suddenly become clear. And the first person she needed to tell was the man she was supposed to be engaged to.
Lois pushed another tissue at her. ‘You’ll be seeing him in a couple of hours, stop crying or your eyes will be all puffy. He won’t like that.’
‘No, I don’t suppose he would.’
When they’d admired the dress some more Lois undid the buttons and they talked hair and make-up as Melissa put on the fawn shift dress she’d had on before. ‘And what about your outfit?’ she asked Lois. ‘Did you find anything?’
‘Barney and I went shopping yesterday and I found something suitable. It was quite the day out for us, we taxied both ways, we had lunch at a glorious country pub. It felt like a date,’ she confided.
‘You both deserve it.’
‘I want to thank you, Melissa.’
‘The dress is a big thank you, you don’t need to say any more.’
‘I do, and I will. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. When you get to our age, you know that most of your years are behind you and second chances don’t come along for many. You getting in touch was a gift, I’ll be forever grateful.’
‘You’ll have me blubbering again in a minute, and those puffy eyes will need a lot of make-up to disguise them.’
