CHAPTER 13: DRESSES AND RED HEADS
Winnie walked into the Gab's dress boutique. Winnie had never bought a dress from here before, but she could tell they were all very expensive, and modern. "Take a look Winnie, pick one out you like." Her mother left to go talk with Mrs. Gab who was working at the front desk.
Winnie looked around. There were dresses galore, of all sizes and colors, and fabrics. She stopped at a pink one with yellow flowers. Lace circled the waist, and a white flap fell over the front. The sleeves were poofy, and short, and lace trimmed the end. The skirt of the dress, puffed out like a tea pot. It was the ugliest dress Winnie had ever seen. But the one next to it was beautiful. Winnie couldn't take her eyes off it. It was white silk, and a white sheer over layer covered the arms, and the rest of the dress. Winnie imagined herself wearing it and walking down an isle with Jesse waiting at the end. After they married, they'd take a boat to France, like Eve and Henry had planned, and they'd go to Paris and drink tea. Then they'd run off into the hills, and climb trees, and on the beaches, they'd bury themselves in the sand, and swim when the sun beat hot on their backs.
She ran her fingers down the silk, admiring it's texture, when a voice from behind startled and interrupted her thoughts. "It's gorgeous isn't it?" Winnie turned to find the red head from the game of croquet. She looked a lot like the woman at the counter. She brought her own hands to the dress and took it off the hanger. "So, you and Miles are getting married? It's so sudden, when I heard, I was speechless. Can you believe that?"
Winnie just stared. The girl seemed softer then she had before. Her eyes seemed sad and lonely. "He'd love you in this dress."
"No he wouldn't." Winnie thought to herself. "He doesn't care about me at all." But she didn't say anything aloud. She had always been scared to speak in front of the girl. So she remained quiet as the red head went on.
"Miles really is quite a catch Winnie. I mean, he's the richest man in town. Maybe in this whole country."
Winnie couldn't hold her tongue any longer. She didn't even think her words were coming from her. "What about love? Don't you care about that?"
"Of course not. In case you hadn't noticed Winifred, I'm not the most compassionate person in the world. I never had any desire for love, just money. I know you though. I know you seek it. I can read you like a book Winnie Foster.. You're going to walk down the isle to the biggest bag of money anyone of us is ever going to see. You're the lucky one. You just don't know it"
"Cursed is more I like it." Winnie covered her mouth. She could kick herself for letting that slip in front of her.
"You don't love Miles?" She didn't speak for a long time. Neither of them did. "But I can see it. There's love in your eyes. I know it, because every time I look at you it makes me sick."
"Don't you see the sadness?" Winnie decided she didn't care what she said anymore. She hadn't spoken of her feelings to anyone, and now, here it was slipping out, and it couldn't possibly get any worse no matter what the red head would say about her.
"Well, yes, but I thought that love and sadness all came in the same package?"
"I guess they do." Winnie dropped to her knees, and buried her head in her lap. She new how she looked but she couldn't help it. The red head looked around, and saw her mother and Winnie's mother chatting idly. She dropped down to Winnie.
"Look, Winnie, if you don't love him, why are you marrying him?"
"I have no choice." She couldn't say anymore. She got up, grabbed the pink and yellow dress, and ran to her mother. "I want this one." She said placing the dress on the desk. Her mother looked at Winnie, "Are you sure dear?" She asked trying not to be rude. "Yes. I'm absolutely positive." And with that she left for the car.
Winnie walked into the Gab's dress boutique. Winnie had never bought a dress from here before, but she could tell they were all very expensive, and modern. "Take a look Winnie, pick one out you like." Her mother left to go talk with Mrs. Gab who was working at the front desk.
Winnie looked around. There were dresses galore, of all sizes and colors, and fabrics. She stopped at a pink one with yellow flowers. Lace circled the waist, and a white flap fell over the front. The sleeves were poofy, and short, and lace trimmed the end. The skirt of the dress, puffed out like a tea pot. It was the ugliest dress Winnie had ever seen. But the one next to it was beautiful. Winnie couldn't take her eyes off it. It was white silk, and a white sheer over layer covered the arms, and the rest of the dress. Winnie imagined herself wearing it and walking down an isle with Jesse waiting at the end. After they married, they'd take a boat to France, like Eve and Henry had planned, and they'd go to Paris and drink tea. Then they'd run off into the hills, and climb trees, and on the beaches, they'd bury themselves in the sand, and swim when the sun beat hot on their backs.
She ran her fingers down the silk, admiring it's texture, when a voice from behind startled and interrupted her thoughts. "It's gorgeous isn't it?" Winnie turned to find the red head from the game of croquet. She looked a lot like the woman at the counter. She brought her own hands to the dress and took it off the hanger. "So, you and Miles are getting married? It's so sudden, when I heard, I was speechless. Can you believe that?"
Winnie just stared. The girl seemed softer then she had before. Her eyes seemed sad and lonely. "He'd love you in this dress."
"No he wouldn't." Winnie thought to herself. "He doesn't care about me at all." But she didn't say anything aloud. She had always been scared to speak in front of the girl. So she remained quiet as the red head went on.
"Miles really is quite a catch Winnie. I mean, he's the richest man in town. Maybe in this whole country."
Winnie couldn't hold her tongue any longer. She didn't even think her words were coming from her. "What about love? Don't you care about that?"
"Of course not. In case you hadn't noticed Winifred, I'm not the most compassionate person in the world. I never had any desire for love, just money. I know you though. I know you seek it. I can read you like a book Winnie Foster.. You're going to walk down the isle to the biggest bag of money anyone of us is ever going to see. You're the lucky one. You just don't know it"
"Cursed is more I like it." Winnie covered her mouth. She could kick herself for letting that slip in front of her.
"You don't love Miles?" She didn't speak for a long time. Neither of them did. "But I can see it. There's love in your eyes. I know it, because every time I look at you it makes me sick."
"Don't you see the sadness?" Winnie decided she didn't care what she said anymore. She hadn't spoken of her feelings to anyone, and now, here it was slipping out, and it couldn't possibly get any worse no matter what the red head would say about her.
"Well, yes, but I thought that love and sadness all came in the same package?"
"I guess they do." Winnie dropped to her knees, and buried her head in her lap. She new how she looked but she couldn't help it. The red head looked around, and saw her mother and Winnie's mother chatting idly. She dropped down to Winnie.
"Look, Winnie, if you don't love him, why are you marrying him?"
"I have no choice." She couldn't say anymore. She got up, grabbed the pink and yellow dress, and ran to her mother. "I want this one." She said placing the dress on the desk. Her mother looked at Winnie, "Are you sure dear?" She asked trying not to be rude. "Yes. I'm absolutely positive." And with that she left for the car.