One Way Bridge

Dresses and heels

I  walked into Maisie's three minutes later than I was supposed to arrive only to meet a panicking Anne and an angry mother .
"How could you leave her alone!" Anne asks as Bert moves his hand up and down her back.
" For Pete's sake she is 16 and quite capable of taking care of herself." Mum retorts. I groan .
"Sam!" Anne screams on seeing me and rushes over pulling me into a her arms.
"Jeez, I missed you too." I chuckle. She immediately calms down .
" Now that we are all here..." She starts off but mum cuts her off.
" Where have you been?"
"Shopping my heart out." I reply nonchalantly. She glares at me and our conversation ends there though the tension in the air remains thick between us. I guess she realises that's as far as she is getting into knowing where I was.
Anne chuckles lowly before grabbing my arm and dragging me off.
" Albert stop Anne from spoiling the brat." We hear mum whisper to Bert and he laughs lazily.
" Let them have some fun . She needs it." For some reason I everything starts to make sense now. I know why Anne married at 19 and why she couldn't wait any longer. Albert is a nice guy. Handsome, tall, rich and with a great sense of humour. He is like the whole package. I wonder if superman is the whole package and I smile.
" what are you thinking about?" Anne asks.
" oh, nothing." I reply.
" Nothing , doesn't make you blush Sam." She chuckles.
"I am not blushing."
"Yes , you are." She sighs. We are at a changing compartment with lots of dresses hanging on the stands.
" Is it a boy? What's his name? How did you meet? Has he asked you out yet?"  Now its my turn to laugh.
"Anne!" I squeal. "Stop it! "
She laughs.
" I knew it. Speak sister." She says starting her search through the rack of clothes for my dress. Occasionally, pausing and tossing the dress on a chair whenever she finds something she likes.
"Its nothing. Really." I mean what am I going to say. I met a really cute guy in the antique shop  a few metres from here and I played mute! No . way .
" Hey," she says softly taking my hands into hers.
" I know over the years I have not been the best sister to you and you shut me out of your life but I understand my mistake and I want to make things right. So please just give me a chance ." Her eyes are glistening and the mascara is starting to get messy. I smile and try to stop myself from crying. This is the first apology I have gotten from anyone who actually means something to me .
"Okay." I whisper and she laughs amidst her tears as if in disbelief.
"Okay?" She asks disillusioned and begging me to make sure she heard it right.
" okay." I affirm and she pulls me in for another hug. For once in my life all those sleepless nights and wishes upon stars ...heartbreaks and birthdays spent crying ..all those memories just melt away and are replaced by a torrent of happiness sweeps over me.
" So tell me." She says whipping her mascara off with a handkerchief.
" This mysterious boy who has you smiling. Does he work around here? "I guess .I'm not sure. We just met a few minutes ago."
" Is he hot?"
" Sure. Of course I wouldn't know the  difference since I rarely meet boys or even talk to them."
"Walter is a boy."
"A really annoying boy." I object.
"And this one isn't ?"
"No! He is not. He is just really sweet. But we can't be too sure. People change."
"What's his name? "
" That's the problem. I don't know."
" What do you mean you don't know ?" She pauses and picks up the clothes on the chair which she dumps into my arms and shoves me into the dressing rooms.
" Exactly that. I don't know." I say throwing my clothes over the wooden compartment and slipping on a black satin dress.
" I didn't get the chance to ask." I add  stepping out . she shakes her head .
" No?" I ask on seeing the disappointed look on her face.
" Absolutely not."she replies. I head back inside and our conversation picks up again.
" How did you not ask his name again?"
I pause at her question and  stare at myself in the mirror.
" I didn't have the words?"she laughs.
" He left you speechless at first word?"
I laugh.
"Really? First word? Don't you mine first sight?" I ask.
" First word is more catchy." She defends herself.
" whatever ,you say."
I wriggle into a long strapless velvet burgundy  gown with a tight bodice and step out.
" one down. Two more to go." She says excited.
" so you just starred at him? "
"Actually ,he starred at me." I defend myself. No way in hell am I admitting to that.
"Anha?" Anne chuckles.
"I am very serious here. He startled me when I went to buy a few stuff." I stop myself from spoiling her surprise.
" and you were blown away??"
" That's so not it."
I slip into a tight pitch dress that feels like a second skin. It ends mid thigh and I step out.
" With the proper bra that would look gorgeous."Anne smirks.
" What's wrong with  this bra?"
" Too sloppy."
"What's that post to mean?"
" It means it makes your breasts look like slippers." I cover my mouth.
"Did you just .."
"Just trying to make a point."
" point made."I yell .she laughs again as I get back inside.
" Do you plan on seeing him again?"she asks .
" I dunno. Ain't sure he wants to see me again."
"_Why would you say that."
"There are thousands of girls there for him,Anne." I sigh." Why would he want me." I add zipping up the navy blue gown. Its tight and sweeps the ground with a ribbon at the back. The curtain suddenly flies open and Anne steps in .I turn to her.   "Wow. That is definitely it." She smiles at me .She helps me organise it and turns me towards the mirror.
" Now look at that. A beauty with a bright smile and a big heart. Your every Guy's dream girl Sam." She reassures me.
" Except Albert's. "I point out bluntly .She laughs.
" Except Albert."she says.
"Now get out of that dress and let's get us some heels."
"Let's just hope I can walk in them."
" We will spend nights practicing if we have to."
I sigh and smile at my reflection. I honestly don't see what they all see in me but if the say I am beautiful then why not be a fool for sometime.