‘Ooo. That’s fabulous.’ Shannon comes over and knocks one of the straps off my shoulder and shuffles the top of the neckline down, revealing my now impressive cleavage as my boobs spill out of my too-small bra. ‘You have to show these off. I’d kill to have them.’ She cups her own tiny boobs and shoves them upwards. ‘I’ve got none. Turn around.’
I do a three-sixty spin. ‘It’s not too short, is it? Or clingy?’ My hands hover in front of my tummy area.
She knocks them away. ‘Of course not. You look fab.’
I stare at her. She’s in a tiny red dress which clings in all the right places. It’s so short it only just covers her knickers and advertises that she doesn’t have a single extra ounce of fat on her. There’s no way my dad would let me out of the house wearing anything like that.
‘You look amazing,’ I say. Envious of the self-confidence coming off her in waves.
‘I do, don’t I?’ She swings around to face the huge changing room mirror and runs her hands down her body suggestively as she does a little shimmy.
‘How’s everyone getting on?’ says the shop assistant, popping her head into the room.
‘All good,’ says Shannon. ‘Ellie’s going to take that one. She looks fabulous.’
I give the assistant a clumsy smile.
‘Perfect. Come out to the till when you’re ready.’ And then she disappears.
‘Are you sure it’s OK?’ I pull at the black fabric, trying to smooth it out.
‘Absolutely. The girls will love it. Look how it shows off your boobs and your legs. It totally draws attention away from your middle. They’ll all be wearing this sort of thing too.’
Maybe she’s right. It would feel nice to feel good in something. I wish Reeni was here to give me her opinion. I trust her.
I take a breath. ‘OK. I’ll get it.’
I drape the black dress onto the till countertop. There’s a little wire tree with bracelets hanging from its branches next to the till and I flick through them as the assistant wraps up the dress in soft ivory tissue paper. There’s a lovely taupe one with conker-coloured beads and I think it’d suit Reeni’s colouring to a tee, so I pull it off the stand and add it to my purchase. The assistant wraps that too and puts it and the dress in a sturdy cardboardbag with a fancy swirly logo and brown twine handles. I hand her the majority of the money Mum gave me and she hands me the bag.
‘Are you not getting the red one?’ Shannon is standing next to me, her hands empty.
‘Oh, God no. Way too expensive in here for me. We’ll go to Primark next. I’ll get something in there.
Shit. If I’d known that’s where we were going next, I’d never have bought this. Could I hand it back? I raise the bag to return it and then stop. The shop assistant is staring at me. I’ll look like a total idiot handing it back now. If I wear it carefully and leave the label on, I can probably bring it back next week. I’ll pretend I’ve had a change of heart.
‘Are you coming?’ Shannon is standing holding the shop door open. ‘I’ve still got to find something for tonight.’
‘Yeah. Coming,’ I say and put my arm back down and head for the shop exit.
Chapter Fifteen
‘Hello, lovely,’ says Sophie as I enter the living room. She gestures towards the sofa next to her chair. ‘Come, sit down.’
She looks as frail as ever and her face has no make-up today, which only accentuates how pale and gaunt she’s looking. Jackson is right, she does need to build up her strength.
I can’t sit and stare atThis Morningon the TV without speaking. ‘How are you?’
She smiles. ‘Having a good day. It’s nice when one comes along. They’re becoming few and far between.’ She shifts slightly in her chair so she can see me. ‘Would you do me a favour?’
‘Of course. Anything.’
‘Would you do my make-up?’
‘Oh.’ I hadn’t expected that to be the question. ‘Yes, if you’d like me to.’
‘It makes me feel a little more like me. Jackson has been doing it. But between you and me, he’s not the best.’
‘Jackson?’ I raise an eyebrow and then smile at the thought of Jackson brandishing a blusher brush.
