“Enough about me… tell me about you and Leon.” I smile, prodding her with my elbow. “You were all over him like a rash.”
The mention of his name turns her angry frown upside down. “He’s my dream guy. We’ve been talking for a few weeks, and we met on a dating app. Last night was the first time I have seen him since college.” She leans in closer to my ear to whisper. “And Isawall of him.” She winks.
I laugh. “He looked at you like you hung the moon and the stars all by yourself. When are you seeing him again?”
“I’m going to hang around London for a few more days, at his place.” Her shoulders shimmy as she does her happy dance.
What I would give to be like her. So carefree and liberal. She does what she wants, who she wants, whenever she wants to. Not caring about the outside noise. Then you have me, a spinster in the making with a dried-up vagina. I’m surprised there’s no cobwebs down there already. It’s been that long.
Strolling through the crammed market, we dodge all the zombie-like kids that don’t look up from their phones, when one of the stalls catches my eye. Beautiful boho style outfits in all colours, covered in sparkles and tassels, line the tarp walls. God, I could literally buy every single outfit in here. I am in that much of a trance that I don’t even tell Sara where I’m going as I make a beeline for the shop. My hand gently touches the sheer cotton as I stroll between the rails.
“Is there anything in particular you’re looking for, dear?” The voice of an older woman shocks me out of my trance.
I spin around to face the short, lilac-haired woman sitting in the corner. Hidden behind more rails of clothing.
“Oh no, I’m just looking. Everything you have is so beautiful, I’m not sure how I am meant to choose.” I say softly, my eyes skirting around her as I take it all in.
“Nothing as beautiful as you. Whatever you like, you can try on behind that curtain,” she points to the only space free from clothing.
I carry on browsing, but can feel her eyes on me as I wander between the aisles. Does she think I am trying to steal from her? I hope not, I don’t think I have the criminal vibe going for me, and I really want to buy something from her. I keep looking, trying my hardest not to face her, picking up the outfits that catch my eye the most.
“You should try this one,” her voice comes from right behind me, making me squeal. “Sorry, child, I didn’t mean to surprise you.” She chuckles as she holds out a stunning, thigh-length dress. It’s all warm tones of burnt orange with mirrored sequins covering the whole thing.
It’s gorgeous. This kind of dress would look perfect in a beach club in Ibiza.
Holding a hand to my chest, I smile down at her. “You made me jump. I didn’t hear you behind me. I would love to try it on, along with these too, if that’s okay?”
“Of course it is.” She says, her head tilted to the side as she studies me. She’s acting so odd.
I take the dress from her hands and scurry into the makeshift changing room. I don’t know what it is about her, but something feels off. Most people around this part of London are quite eccentric, though, so maybe it’s just that?
This room is much bigger than I anticipated. There is a fold-up chair on one side and a free-standing mirror on the other. I change quickly, not feeling completely comfortable being naked in the middle of town with only a thin tarp to shield me. I try on each outfit, one after the other, falling more in love with each one I try. When I finally try the outfit that the strange lady picked, I gawk at myself in shock. It highlights all my main assets, my waist and arse. I love it!
But of course, my traitorous mind wonders if Max would like to see me in it. Or out of it.Stop it now.I scold myself. My own mind can’t be trusted to go one day without thinking about him.
“Lucy-lou!” Sara calls from outside the stall.
Shit, I forgot all about her. I was like a magpie looking at the shiny things. “I’m in here!” I call back.
She obviously heard me clearly enough, as the curtain is pulled back and she shimmies her way inside.
“Where the fuck have you been? I’ve been walking around like a lost child for the past ten minutes. I hate how you do that. I’m going to get you a dog lead so that you can’t wander off again.” She frowns as she shakes her head at me, before she finally takes in what I’m wearing. “Oh, my God! You have to get that. You look sexy as fuck! I wanna play dress up too.”
She scurries back out, and I can hear her rummaging through the rails. Trust Sara to come in here all guns blazing, then switch to excited so quickly. We easily spend another half an hour in here, laughing and joking as we try on different styles. When we finally come back out, the old lady has a smile on her face.
“Listening to you two has made my day. What a lovely friendship you have.”
We take over all our new items to pay. Sara goes first and moves to go back outside, but as I hand over some cash for my own, the woman grabs my hand. She closes her eyes tightly and starts mumbling words I can’t hear. What the hell is going on? Starting to panic, I try to pull my hand out of her grasp when she flings her eyes open.
“Oh, my girl, you carry so much hurt in your heart. Hurt that you shouldn’t be carrying. Hurt that you, yourself, have caused,” Me? What the hell did I do? “You must give into temptation; otherwise, you will never find true happiness. Without him, you will never be complete.”
I feel like a fish out of water, my mouth opening and closing of its own accord. “How…”
“How do I know?” She raises a brow at me. “I see things… feel things. And all I feel from you, my dear, is pain. From a love you won’t give yourself over to. Not many people can find that kind of love so easily.” She scolds me before finally releasing my hand. “Don’t be scared to love him.”
With a shaking breath, I nod my head and dart out of her shop. The need to get away is overwhelming me. All I can hear is her soft chuckle behind me as I go. What the fuck just happened? How could she possibly know any of that?
What a trip this turned out to be.
