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“Miss Wolfe! I wasn’t expecting you.” She stands and panickily searches the diary open in front of her for an appointment she may have missed.
I extend my hand and offer her a neutral expression, not stretching to a smile. “Leslie, I apologise for the intrusion.” I shake her hand as her smile relaxes. “Something unexpected has come up and I need you to help me with something. Do you have time?”
“Of course. Do you need an event outfit again?”
“No, I actually need two new wardrobes.” I gently clasp my hands in front of me, demonstrating a level of calm that I hope doesn’t raise questions about this situation.
“Two?” Leslie’s head quirks back in her surprise.
“Yes, one for a fourteen-year-old and one for a six-year-old.”
“Oh!” Her eyebrows disappear beneath her bangs. “Y-You have children?” She sounds disbelieving as she asks the questions.
I harden my glare, not appreciating people questioning me, and by the way her cheeks pale, she realises her mistake. “They are my nieces,” I say flatly.
“And they need complete wardrobes?” She asks quietly.
“That’s what I said.”
“Right.” She sucks in a deep breath and fixes a bright smile on her pretty face. We’re probably the same age but where my hair is a cream blonde hers is the darkest blonde can go without being brunette. She’s shorter than me and screams young and naïve in her demeaner. “Let’s head down to girl’s clothing and get started.” Her eyes snag on Harvey over my shoulder, her lips parting as she gives him a very obvious once over and a broad smile.
“Senhora.” His deep voice travels over me to her. I can hear the cocky smile in his tone and my nostrils flare.
She blushes, fluttering her eyelashes and my jaw clenches, anger making my chest hurt. “Shall we?” I grind out and she composes herself before nodding and gesturing for us to head back toward the elevators. I’m pretty sure I can hear Harvey chuckle to himself behind me, so I speed up slightly to avoid snapping at him.
The children and young adult’s section of Brunel’s is a kaleidoscope of colour. Usually when I go through the women’s section to find my suits that have become an unofficial uniform for me, I have to wade through a sea of navy and grey to find the bright colours I want. It wasn’t really a reflection on my personality, wanting to wear bright colours all the time, but when I’m in a room of men in dark suits who want to ignore me, I like to stand out and make it difficult. The floor is swarming with women with hyperactive children.
Leslie leads us to the young adult section first. “What size is your older niece?” she asks with a polite smile.
This was a mistake; I should have bought things online. I watch her smile become uncomfortable when I stay silent.
“She’s small for her age,” Harvey’s voice cuts through my rising anxiety. “Only five foot or so and very slim.”
“Okaaay,” she says, drawing the word out as her eyes dart around at the clothes. “Do you know what she likes? Girly girl? Tom-boy? Playful? Mature?”
My head hurts. I feel my jaw working around an answer, but no words are coming. I’ve known the girl less than forty-eight hours, I’ve been working away from the house for nine of them and all I’ve seen her in is a black oversized t-shirt that was old, smelly, and tattered. How the hell am I meant to know what she likes? Does she even know what she likes? Has she ever had the option to dress herself? A strange ache grows in my chest and a lump forms in my throat, I can’t accept the stinging at the backof my eyes so I shake my head to force it away, but Leslie takes that as my answer and loses her smile completely.
“Functionality,” Harvey says. “She wants something comfortable and practical. Probably a bit of colour but nothing too loud.”
Leslie looks at him like he’s just hung the moon, hearts practically vibrating in her eyes. “Great, I can grab some bits if you want to look around and let me know if anything takes your fancy.” She moves away and I allow myself to breath.
Warmth on my upper arm makes me look to the area to find Harvey’s hand there. The warmth spreads, hitting my chest and thawing my icy heart. “You okay,rainha?”
I don’t like that he can see me, that he can see the emotion that even I can’t identify. I stretch my neck from side to side. “Of course.”
Dropping his hand, he holds his arm out. “After you then.”
Filtering through the clothing, I don’t pick anything out as I just can’t choose for Mabel, she should choose her own clothes. I’ll bring her here when she is up for it. The thought startles me, the girls won’t be with me long, once I figure out where they can go, they’ll be on their way. I won’t be bringing them on shopping expeditions.
“Okay.” Leslie appears at my side, a pile of clothes in her arms. “I’ve got leggings and t-shirts, great for comfort, two hoodies — I know it’s summer but sometimes it’s still nice to get snuggly, you know? — and jeans in a slouch fit, again very comfortable. I also got a couple pairs of dungarees; one long, one short, I thought they are quite fun but super comfy.”
“Yes.” I nod at the items. “I’ll take all of them. We’ll also need pyjamas, slippers, shoes, bathing suits — nothing revealing, no bikinis — and underwear.”
She takes all of that in, nodding in agreement. “I will pass this to someone to pack up and get ready to take to your car while Iget on those other bits.” She winces as she asks, “Do you know her shoe size?”
“Pick me two of everything in a four and a five.” I guess.
“Sure,” she doesn’t blink at the request. “What underwear were you thinking?”
