Her brow furrows. ‘You think so?’
I’m not lying. ‘I really do.’
As the curtain tweaks and Sera’s head appears, it’s obvious she’s been listening in and had taken her cue. ‘Stay as you are, Pixie, there’s one more dress I’d love you to try.’
I can’t help feeling exited. I raise my eyebrows at Pixie. ‘That’s the amazing thing about Sera, everyone has a dress that’s perfect for them and Sera has this amazing sixth sense for knowing what it is.’
And then the curtain parts again, and Sera’s there holding out a skirt on one hanger and a top on another.
‘So, this is a simple soft gathered lace skirt, with a matching long-sleeved cropped top that holds off the body. It reads as a dress, but it’ll accentuate your tiny waist. The teensy flashes of tanned midriff it gives from the side will be just sexy enough and the three-quarter sleeves are unlined so they show how delicate the lace is. And the slightly short top will be a perfect length for you sitting down – what everyone will see is the line of the lace edge across your waist, standing out from the skirt.’
Pixie’s holding her hands out. ‘I already love it, for all those reasons.’ She turns to Poppy, Immie, and me. ‘Can we try it?’
We put the soft skirt on first, and even before we’ve done up the rouleaux loops and pearl buttons down the back of the little top, Pixie’s breathless, stroking the elbow-length sleeves. ‘This is it. This is what I want to wear. Please tell me I can?’
As we throw back the curtains to let everyone see, Sera lets out a soft sigh. ‘When I first did my sketches I had a picture in my head of how it would be, but on you it’s even better.’ Her eyebrows close together as she considers. ‘We might replace the buttons with flatter ones. You do know it’s a sample – other people have already tried it on?’
Pixie huffs. ‘Like I care about that.’ She’s looking past us to her reflection. ‘Even from here, I can see it’s perfect. And you know what, when I look at myself in the mirror, all my eyes are drawn to is me in the wonderful dress.’ As she scrapes a finger under her lashes her eyes are wet with tears and she’s biting her lip. ‘Much as I love my chair for everything it lets me do, I’m not seeing that at all. And because the top isn’t attached to the skirt and isn’t tucked in, I’m completely free to move.’
I give Sera a silent double thumbs up as I dip down and squeeze Pixie into a hug. Then Poppy bobs across the room and comes back in with the mother-of-the-bride tissue box and we all take one and blow our noses very noisily.
Pixie finally scrunches up her tissue, then takes anther to pat her eyes. ‘I don’t even mind not having the shoes. Just the dress is more than enough.’
Sera’s beaming as she leans in to examine the waistband. ‘We’ll check the length and maybe add a little elastic so there’s a bit more give then you’ll be good to go.’
I’m smiling at Pixie. ‘Nic’s going to love your choice.’ As I look at her lovely face and her generous, eager expression so full of courage, I understand why Nic’s been ready to go to the ends of the earth to make her happy. And I feel exactly the same. Perfect won’t be enough – it’s got to be even more than that. And the pressure on me just ramped up so far with that realisation that I’m almost struggling to breathe.
Pixie lets out a groan. ‘Poor Nic, he’s insisting that the whole thing is his treat. I’ve just added even more to his bill. I know what he’s like, if he hears about them he’ll want to get the shoes too.’
Jess is waving away Pixie’s concern. ‘Don’t worry, we’ll do the best we can with the price.’ She gives a throaty laugh. ‘Nic got his picture on the Valentine’s board, plus he’s one of our best customers, he always gets a great deal.’
Pixie’s frowning. ‘What was that?’
I laugh. ‘It was a great move on Nic’s part, grabbing Jess’s special Valentine’s Day offer.’
Jess goes across to the desk, comes back with the Polaroid from the board, and we all crowd in, but after the first glance I have to drop back. It seems like such a long time ago now. That pale, uptight woman with her wonky laurel crown, squashed next to Nic on the love seat, is barely recognisable as the smiley, messy-haired sun-tanned person I say good morning to in the bathroom mirror every day now.
Pixie’s nodding. ‘It must have been after this that Nic offered to help out.’
Poppy’s laughing at me. ‘He’s squished in between us, Milla, but from his smile you didn’t need to stab him with your Cupid’s arrow.’
When I look at the picture it’s true, he’s facing my way with the goofiest grin. Which had to be pure chance. ‘Total bollocks, Poppy.’ To put the brakes on this I’m going for a subject change that’s still on topic. ‘We had such fab cocktails that night. Do you have any favourites, Pixie?’
She wrinkles her nose and nods at her glass on the carved console table. ‘We might be uncool, but forget the fancy stuff, Ewan and I love our triple-X G&T’s – extra straight, extra strong and extra long. With ice and lemon.’
It’s a relief we haven’t settled on anything more exotic. And Pixie and Ewan’s Mr & Mrs Three Kisses has to be the perfect name. It was a useful diversion, but it hasn’t got me off the hook.
Pixie’s squinting at the Polaroid then looking back to me. ‘I’d say, looking at this, that’s one big brother just waiting to be set free.’
Which is just what I don’t want to hear when I’ve got a wedding to deliver – with no hitches.
My biggest test is coming up. My first wedding. I can’t blow it. My whole future depends on this.
JULY
Chapter 32
The next Thursday.
