Lace
"No." Fleur is shrugging off the dress already.
The saleswitch rolls her eyes, and even Fleur's mother's legendary patience is giving out. Gabrielle is sitting in the corner looking bored. Choosing Fleur's wedding dress was supposed to be fun, but this is nothing of the kind.
"What is wrong with that one?" Apolline asks, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. "It is beautiful. You look lovely in it."
"Too much lace." Fleur is adamant. She knows that she is being difficult, but this has to be right. The saleswitch hangs the dress back up, and runs her hand along the rail, somewhat despairingly.
Apolline shrugs. "I think we need a break. Come, let us have coffee."
Gabrielle jumps up thankfully, and Fleur, after a quick glance at her mother's decided face, realises that this is one time when there is no point arguing with her. She pulls on her everyday clothes quickly and picks up her bag, saying nothing.
They leave the shop, Gabrielle skipping happily, Fleur glowering. Apolline thanks the saleswitch graciously. She is clearly torn between relief at having rid herself of such exacting customers and resentment that the last two hours of effort have not resulted in a sale.
In the patisserie, Fleur lets her coffee go cold as she sketches on her napkin. Her mother decides she is going to have to say something, or this will take a lot longer than the one day they have set aside for it.
"Bill will think you are beautiful whatever you are wearing, chérie," she points out carefully.
Fleur frowns. "Of course he will. But that's not the point, Maman." She sips her coffee and avoids her mother's eyes. "I will know it when I see it. I will. I know I will." Suddenly, she finds herself blinking back tears. She has no idea why this matters so much; only that it does. Her mother sees the tears and refrains from making any further comment.
Gabrielle finishes her cake and chocolate before her mother and sister, and is wriggling in her chair. She has sat still long enough this morning already.
"Maman," she implores. "Please may I go and look at the kittens in Madame Bourchet's? Please…"
Her mother nods. "Very well, but do not go beyond her shop. And we are not having another cat, Gabrielle, however much you plead." Gabrielle makes a face, but slides out of her chair and leaves the patisserie with the air of a newly released prisoner.
She is back at a run less than five minutes later.
"I have found it!" she proclaims dramatically.
Her mother frowns. "Gabrielle, I told you. We are not having another cat."
Gabrielle shakes her head in frustration. "Not a cat, Maman, the dress. I have found it! Come on!"
She tugs at her mother's arm. Apolline looks over at her elder daughter. "Are you finished, Fleur?" Fleur nods, although her coffee is only half drunk, and her pastry untouched. The two of them follow the excited Gabrielle out of the patisserie.
She leads them straight past Madame Bourchet's Animal Bazaar to the corner of the road, where there is a tiny boutique that they walked past and ignored earlier. There is a dress in the window, modelled on a stiff and hideous dummy with a wig that looks as if it is falling apart and a leering smile.
But Fleur ignores the dummy and gapes at the dress. It is smooth and silvery and sleek. There is no lace, and no fussy bows or frills. It is perfect. She already knows how wonderful she will look wearing it.
Ten minutes later, they are leaving the boutique, the dress packaged in tissue and brown paper. Both Fleur and her mother are smiling happily.
Gabrielle decides to take her chance. She found the dress, after all. "Maman, there is a tabby kitten in Madame Bourchet's window… He looked so lonely"
Apolline looks at her younger daughter fondly, and is reaching in her bag for her purse. "You must feed him and clear up after him, Gabi," she says. "And he is not to sleep on your bed."
Gabrielle grins and nods, and sets off at a run for the Animal Bazaar.
