“Pink and aqua?” Aurelia asked with a laugh. “I had no idea! I can’t even picture it—I’m so used to Marigold’s yellow and blue.”
Lizzy and Jane had begun a conversation, with Darcy and Rochester standing stoically by their sides. Aurelia led Matty and Peter around the shop, with Matty pointing out everything that had changed as they gave Peter a tour.
Aurelia enjoyed the rest of the night as she got to know the characters. When dawn arrived and she waved goodbye as they were pulled back into their books, she wondered which of their stories Julia would want to read first when she arrived later that day.
5
Aureliafoundithardto sleep after climbing back into bed. Between seeing the characters again that night and Julia’s arrival, there was too much to look forward to. And when she suddenly remembered her deadline, that only added to her sleeplessness and led her thoughts to cycle between excitement and anxiety. But after her second cup of tea that morning, Aurelia tamped down her worry to focus on another exciting event: she was about to get her first look at her wedding dress at a fitting. She’d invited Oliver’s mum Johanna to join her, since Johanna had been eager to help with wedding planning from the moment Aurelia and Oliver had announced their engagement.
Walking into the bridal shop, Aurelia immediately felt overwhelmed by the beautiful dresses on display and the stylish décor, which formed a stark contrast with her flushed face and damp clothes. It wasn’t even midday and the heat was already punishing, so the short walk from the bookshop to the dressmakers had Aurelia looking like she’d just run a few kilometers. Soft orchestral music was playing inside, which seemed entirely incongruous with the city rush she’d left on the other side of the door, but perfectly suited to the placid interior. As she took it all in, she spotted Johanna, who looked perfectly comfortable, as though she’d teleported there directly from her house. The sight of her encouraging smile relaxed Aurelia as they crossed the floor to one another.
“Oh, you might not want to hug me.” Aurelia laughed. “I’m practically soaked through from the walk.”
“Nonsense,” Johanna said, continuing to pull Aurelia into a hug. “I don’t care about that.” She drew back to take her in. “Weeks to go, now. How are you doing?”
“Other than hot, I’m fantastic! I’m really, really good.” Aurelia heard the gushing tone in her voice but couldn’t be bothered trying to tamp it down, not with Johanna and not when she was about to try on her dress for the first time.
“The saleswoman—Poppy, I think her name was?—said it’ll just be a minute. She’ll come get us when she’s ready for you.”
“Good. Gives me a chance to cool down before I try it on.” Aurelia looked around and spotted an air vent, then walked over and stood underneath it. “Ah… So much better,” she said, fanning herself.
“Poppy left us with these,” Johanna said, picking up two glasses of champagne from a small table. She joined Aurelia and handed her one, adding, “That’s the best bit about getting married. They throw bubbly at you like it’s confetti.”
“That’sthe best bit? Not the joining your lives together bit?” Aurelia teased.
“Well, that’s a good bit too.” Johanna laughed as she took a sip. “I’ve done this twice, you know.” Her tone was an attempt at being off-handed, but Aurelia heard a note of seriousness there. “I wanted to tell you—”
Johanna paused to look toward the back of the shop, at a curtain that Aurelia guessed the saleswoman had disappeared behind before she’d arrived.
“I wanted to tell you that it didn’t work out between me and Michael, but I don’t want you to think that’s any reflection on Oliver.”
“Oh, Johanna, no—of course not.”
Johanna and Michael, Oliver’s father, had divorced when Oliver and his brother Jack were young, not long after their sister Lottie had died.
“I’d never think that. And look—you found Geoff, and Michael found Ellie. You’re both excellent examples of happy marriages.”
Johanna nodded, looking relieved.
“Ever since he was little, Oliver has always known his mind and followed his heart. I know you two can stick it out, through thick and thin.”
“I’m positive we can. And I’d never worry about Oliver,” Aurelia said with a smile. “He’s steady, like… an anchor. Meanwhile, I’m the madness swirling around him.”
“A little madness is good for him,” Johanna said, raising her glass to Aurelia’s. “It keeps him from getting too serious and set in his ways.”
By the time Poppy came out from behind the curtain to find them (Johanna had been right about her name, after all), Aurelia had cooled down enough to try on the dress without sweating through it. As they followed Poppy to a fitting room, Aurelia pulled a photograph out of her bag and, after looking at it herself for a moment, handed it to Johanna.
“That’s my mum in her wedding dress,” she said. “I asked them to make something just like it since Mum didn’t save it.”
Johanna stopped and looked down at the photograph reverently before observing, “She was a beauty, wasn’t she. Look how confident she looked in that dress. Was it… yellow?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Johanna gave Aurelia a quick look.
“Mine’s not yellow, don’t worry. I’m not nearly as bold as Mum was.”
“No, but I’m sure you’ll look just as pretty,” Johanna said with a smile.
