"Good morning, Katie." Piper chirped as she practically skipped into the office.
"Morning Piper. I wouldn't say it was good, but..." Katie trailed off, making Piper laugh as she went behind the counter.
"How's everything coming along?" Piper asked, looking at the dress shop in front of her. Piper designed her own dresses, and sold them in her shop. There was everything ranging from your everyday casual dress to a fancy ball dress. She also did special orders, say if someone wanted something in particular that they didn't have on the shelves or racks.
"Great. We already had one customer, and someone else came in to look." Katie reported, just as another person entered.
"Hello." She greeted stiffly, "I would like a size 12 purple prom dress. My daughter needs it."
"I think there's a few on the racks with the size twelves." Piper said, confused as to why the woman came up to the counter before she even had a look.
Piper came from behind the counter to where the size twelves were. Her eyes skimmed around the rack, before quickly settling on the purple dress she thought they already had.
Piper took it off the rack and held it up for the lady to see.
Her lip curled in distaste at the dress, and her nose scrunched up a bit. "No." She said bluntly, her snake skin purse swinging on her arm. "That will not do."
"Would you like to fill out an order form, Ma'am?" Piper asked, putting back the dress, "I can make one especially for your daughter and it only costs 5 extra dollars than that purple one."
"Where is this form?" The lady asked. Katie brought it out from under the desk, and placed it on the counter for the woman to look at.
She filled it out swiftly, writing in what she wanted. "I also want it done by tomorrow night." She requested rudely.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am, we can't do that. There are other dresses that people have asked for before you and it would be rude to-"
"I'll pay double." The woman interrupted, tossing her money around like it was nothing.
Piper and Katie exchanged looks nervously, before Katie turned to the woman and said "Done."
"Follow me and you can pick out the materials." Piper said.
"Far out." Piper said to herself as she saw what the woman had requested on the dress, "Beads, Pearls... I don't even want to know..."
The lady, after picking out the material, had left. But not before oh so kindly reminding the two girls that were there already that it had to be done by tomorrow night, and that she would pick it up at seven, no later."
She threw down the piece of paper on her desk. Piper's work space was a small room which hid in the back of the shop. It wasn't much, but it was enough for her to work with.
The room would be so much bigger if it was empty, but instead there were drawers with everything a dress maker would need. There were drawers for different styles and shapes and patterns and colours of buttons and beads and sequins. There was strips of lace and ribbons and needles and pins and cotton and glitter too.
Lacy, her sister, and Katie were handling things out front. They told her they would shout if they needed help.
Under the segment of the paper that said 'Rough Sketch' there was a very detailed design, which Piper would have to take home to do.
Piper sighed, and ran her hands through her messy hair. She tied it up and then strolled over to where the shiny purple material that the woman had picked out, was leaning against the wall.
Piper picked it up and struggled to put it on her work bench without wobbling or falling over.
She rolled the material over the bench and spread it out. Piper picked up her pencil and dragged it across the fabric, creating her magic as the pencil went.
Knock knock.
Piper groggily opened her eyes.
Knock knock.
She sat up, realizing she had fallen asleep, sewing the skirt to the top half of the dress.
"Come in." She called to the knocker, rubbing the marks off her cheek to no avail.
Lacy poked her blonde head in and smiled at her sister, "Doing a great job, Piper." She praised, "I just wanted to say that I'm closing up shop."
Piper nodded and began gathering her things, "I'll finish this off at home." She told Lacy who was waiting by the door of her office.
Piper gathered what she had already done of the dress, which was the main part without the decoration, and folded it neatly in her bag. She then took the design papers and put the beads in an assorted box and put that in the bag too, along with the cotton.
Lacy smiled at her sister, proud of the hard work she put into things. She didn't like the dark circles that she had tried to conceal with make up. Or the weariness in her stride.
Her sister was wearing out, and there was only a matter of time before she couldn't go on.
"Morning!" Piper squealed to Katie and Lacy, who had arrived on time for once.
"What's got you in such a good mood?" Katie inquired, not minding how happy she was but was curious as to why she was so happy.
"I finished the dress!" Piper squeaked, tossing the bag onto the counter. "It was easier than I thought and ugh!" Piper pulled the dress out of the bag and lay the beauty across the table.
It was extravagant, the detail Piper had sewed into the rich purple fabric. It was a deep purple dress, which had thick straps, covering the to fit the average size 12's shoulders. It was slim fitting in the upper part and the skirt would flow to the person's ankles. A golden strap cinched the waist and connected the two parts together. A spider-web like design creeped up the purple lace on the skirt, giving it a very cool look. It appeared exactly like the woman had drawn.
"Its so beautiful." Lacy gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth, and her eys watering.
"Wow." Katie gushed, her hand skimming the fabric, "I would have taken a week to do this."
Piper was proud of her exemplary work. It was perfect.
"I better go and hang this up." Piper said, picking up a coat hanger from under the counter top. She slid the dress straps over the hanger and guided the hook through the neck.
Piper held the dress up, her heart beating rapidly, and made her way into the back room where she would usually store the dresses.
Her heart knew something was coming. Too bad her head couldn't catch up.
A/N
Well, here is your early Christmas present! I hope you like it!
Please comment!
~KaleidoscopeColours