“Yep. I am a woman of many talents. I mean, ya know… I am also the sister who knows how to flirt. Here’s what you do…”
Lynn leaned in and whispered something in Beth’s ear.
Beth’s eyes grew wider by the second. She gasped, pushing Lynn away. “No! Absolutely not! What even—noooo!” She scrubbed at her ears. “I can’t unhear that!”
From outside the dressing room, Kim’s voice drifted in. “Should I be concerned… or recording this?”
Lynn’s laughter echoed through the boutique, unapologetic and loud.
Beth stared at her sister, completely scandalized.
“What is wrong with you!”
“Nothing, I’m just not a prude like you.” Lynn said, still grinning.
“Just get me out of this thing and into the next dress,” Beth grumbled, cheeks still bright red.
Kim stuck her head into the room, raising an eyebrow. “Why is Lynn suddenly little Miss Sunshine?”
Beth gave Lynn a warning look that said ‘not a word’.
Lynn winked. “Oh, I don’t know… maybe I spiked my coffee. Maybe I’m just high on couture. Or maybe—Beth and I have switched roles. I’ve been cast as Pollyanna, and she’s the grumpy old Mrs. Snow.” Her antics caused them all to laugh.
“There,” she said a moment later, zipping Beth into the next dress. “It’s perfect. Go show Mom.”
Beth walked out and heard her mother’s soft gasp. Turning toward the mirrors, she caught her own breath.
“Wow.” Beth gasped.
“Wow is an understatement, sis,” Lynn said, moving to stand beside Sue.
“I feel like a bride.”
For the first time all day—she actually did.
“You look amazing, honey. It’s as though the dress was made for you,” Sue said, eyes glistening with tears.
Beth turned slowly, her hands smoothing down the soft white lace overlaying the silky skirt. The dress itself was simple, if not for the bodice—where silk folds gathered like a Japanese fan and pinched at the center.
Hundreds—maybe thousands—of silver pearls looped in an elegant strand around her neck and trailed down one side ofthe V shaped neckline.
“This cannot be right!” Beth said looking at the tag.
“Why? How much is it?” Sue asked, stepping forward.
“It was originally $6,500… and now it’s marked down to $450!” Beth said, wide-eyed.
“Yeah right! I’ll go ask Madam Genivi,” Lynn said loudly.
The slightly plump shop owner, with black shoe-polish hair piled high on her head and a dramatic flair, entered with a flourish—bun first.
“You call for me, no? How does Madam Genivi help you?”
“We wanted to check if the price is correct,” Sue said, holding out the tag. “It says $450, but the quality seems much higher.”
“IMPOSSIBLE!” Madam Genivi cried, tapping the corner of her lips beneath a painted beauty mark. She twirled her finger in the air to signal Beth to turn.
“Where did you dig up dis dress?”
