Enigma
Shopping
Mum turned and smiled at us all in the car. “Ready girls?”
We all nodded silently. I sat in the front so that I wouldn’t have to sit next to Courtney. We hadn’t said a word to each other since she had called me a freak, and I did not plan to be the first to speak. I used to always be the one to apologise first if I got into a fight with one of my sisters. Probably because I sought their approval so much. But not anymore. Especially not with Courtney.
Mum drove us to the shopping centre, Sarah and Anne talked the whole way about what they were looking for to wear to the wedding. We all stepped out of the car and walked together into the first store. Courtney led the way to the area that we needed.
“Right girls, go find something and try it on. But please, don’t look for something ridiculously expensive.” Mum grinned at us as we each headed off to find clothing.
I wandered slowly through the racks of clothing, pushing clothes back and forth as I glanced over them. I pulled a few items off the racks and headed over to the change-rooms.
The first dress was a deep red colour that ended just above the knees. It was a plain and simple dress, very pretty, but I slid it off and hung it up.
The next was a light blue colour. I only glanced at myself quickly in the mirror before taking it off again. Even I knew that pastel blue was not the colour for me.
The last dress that I had picked up was a dark green. The hem was just above my knees and the skirt swished softly as I turned. The sleeves were tight, but not too much so, and came down to about halfway between my elbows and wrists. I smiled to myself and stepped out of the change-room.
Mum looked up from the magazine she was reading and smiled widely at me. “Perfect Annette. Turn around for me. Yes, it’s just right. Do you have shoes to go with it?”
I thought for a moment. “I don’t think so.”
Mum smiled knowingly. “Okay, do you want to go look at shoes then whilst the others decide on their dresses.” She stroked my hair as we stood looking at our reflections in the mirror. She kissed the top of my head. “Beautiful.”
I smiled as I shut the door and changed back into my clothes. I took the dress with me to the shoes.
“Anything I can help you with dear?” An older woman asked as I browsed through the shoes.
“Uh, yes. I’m looking for some shoes to match this dress.” I held it up so that she could see.
She studied it for a moment before turning and walking off between the aisles. She quickly came back with three different shoes.
I glanced at them and pointed to the strappy black heels. I didn’t wear heels normally, but for this occasion I thought I would.
The assistant walked out the back and brought back a couple of boxes. I sat and tried them on, walking around in each different pair.
It only took a few minutes before I had decided which size to get. The lady said she would hold them for me behind the counter until I got Mum to pay for them. I wandered back over to the change-rooms.
“Found some shoes.” I smiled and sat beside Mum.
“Well done.” She put her magazine down. “We’re just waiting on Courtney now. Sarah and Anne have gone to get something to eat.”
Courtney eventually appeared from the change-room. I sighed quietly, no matter how much I disliked her; I couldn’t lie and tell anyone that she was ugly. She was possibly the prettiest person I knew. In the dress that she had chosen, she looked absolutely stunning, and she knew it. Courtney twisted and turned infront of the mirror, looking at herself from every angle possible.
“Very nice,” Mum smiled and stood next to her. “Now, why don’t you take it off and we’ll pay for these.”
“Sure, I’ve just got to pick out some shoes.” Courtney said as she shut the change-room door.
It was another half-hour before we actually left the store. Mum drove quickly back home, we would need to leave for David’s place in about two hours. I hung my dress in my closet, smiling as I ran my hand down the smooth material.
I looked through my other clothes, searching for something to wear to the engagement party. I eventually settled on a simple black skirt, white top and dark blue knit cardigan. I pulled my hair back loosely and walked downstairs to see if there was anything I could do to help get the things ready.
We all nodded silently. I sat in the front so that I wouldn’t have to sit next to Courtney. We hadn’t said a word to each other since she had called me a freak, and I did not plan to be the first to speak. I used to always be the one to apologise first if I got into a fight with one of my sisters. Probably because I sought their approval so much. But not anymore. Especially not with Courtney.
Mum drove us to the shopping centre, Sarah and Anne talked the whole way about what they were looking for to wear to the wedding. We all stepped out of the car and walked together into the first store. Courtney led the way to the area that we needed.
“Right girls, go find something and try it on. But please, don’t look for something ridiculously expensive.” Mum grinned at us as we each headed off to find clothing.
I wandered slowly through the racks of clothing, pushing clothes back and forth as I glanced over them. I pulled a few items off the racks and headed over to the change-rooms.
The first dress was a deep red colour that ended just above the knees. It was a plain and simple dress, very pretty, but I slid it off and hung it up.
The next was a light blue colour. I only glanced at myself quickly in the mirror before taking it off again. Even I knew that pastel blue was not the colour for me.
The last dress that I had picked up was a dark green. The hem was just above my knees and the skirt swished softly as I turned. The sleeves were tight, but not too much so, and came down to about halfway between my elbows and wrists. I smiled to myself and stepped out of the change-room.
Mum looked up from the magazine she was reading and smiled widely at me. “Perfect Annette. Turn around for me. Yes, it’s just right. Do you have shoes to go with it?”
I thought for a moment. “I don’t think so.”
Mum smiled knowingly. “Okay, do you want to go look at shoes then whilst the others decide on their dresses.” She stroked my hair as we stood looking at our reflections in the mirror. She kissed the top of my head. “Beautiful.”
I smiled as I shut the door and changed back into my clothes. I took the dress with me to the shoes.
“Anything I can help you with dear?” An older woman asked as I browsed through the shoes.
“Uh, yes. I’m looking for some shoes to match this dress.” I held it up so that she could see.
She studied it for a moment before turning and walking off between the aisles. She quickly came back with three different shoes.
I glanced at them and pointed to the strappy black heels. I didn’t wear heels normally, but for this occasion I thought I would.
The assistant walked out the back and brought back a couple of boxes. I sat and tried them on, walking around in each different pair.
It only took a few minutes before I had decided which size to get. The lady said she would hold them for me behind the counter until I got Mum to pay for them. I wandered back over to the change-rooms.
“Found some shoes.” I smiled and sat beside Mum.
“Well done.” She put her magazine down. “We’re just waiting on Courtney now. Sarah and Anne have gone to get something to eat.”
Courtney eventually appeared from the change-room. I sighed quietly, no matter how much I disliked her; I couldn’t lie and tell anyone that she was ugly. She was possibly the prettiest person I knew. In the dress that she had chosen, she looked absolutely stunning, and she knew it. Courtney twisted and turned infront of the mirror, looking at herself from every angle possible.
“Very nice,” Mum smiled and stood next to her. “Now, why don’t you take it off and we’ll pay for these.”
“Sure, I’ve just got to pick out some shoes.” Courtney said as she shut the change-room door.
It was another half-hour before we actually left the store. Mum drove quickly back home, we would need to leave for David’s place in about two hours. I hung my dress in my closet, smiling as I ran my hand down the smooth material.
I looked through my other clothes, searching for something to wear to the engagement party. I eventually settled on a simple black skirt, white top and dark blue knit cardigan. I pulled my hair back loosely and walked downstairs to see if there was anything I could do to help get the things ready.