As I round the next corner my happiness almost turns into pure rage.
I swear I just saw Thomas duck away into a shop just now.
***
“Did you see that boy?” I step into Lara’s bridal shop and immediately hide around the inner wall.
“Boy?” Lara hurries over to me. “I didn’t see anything. No point in hanging about out here, let’s get you into the fitting area, shall we?” She crooks her elbow into mine and leads me away.
“Oh fuck.” Lara curses and draws us both to a halt. Her bell shaped bridal robot comes floating out of the back room. “Nothing to help with here!” Lara exclaims loudly before lowering her voice and mumbling through her teeth. “You stupid little piece of shit.”
“What was that?” I’m whisked away past the lace covered bot. “Now you see what I’ve been trying to tell you, Lolz? Those things are a menace.”
Sighing loudly, Lara directs me into the changing room. “Don’t be silly, Emily!” Her voice has gone loud again. If I didn’t know better I’d swear she’s intent on the robot overhearing her praises. For praising the blasted thing is exactly what she does. “My robot is such a wonderful little helper!” She scowls at me with the bot out of sight. “It isn’t really.”
I look at her, dumbfounded. “What are you on about?”
“Oh nothing. Never mind. You just try on these dresses and give us a shout when you’re finished.”
When I’m finished? “But what about helping me tie them up?” I shout after Lara, but she’s already vanished back into the front rooms. Well, that was weird.
Turning towards the mirror in the big room, I notice one wall is lined with a selection of gowns. That’s okay then, I suppose. It looks as though Lara really has gone all out on ordering dresses for me. Bless her, she’s the one who’s bound to know what style will best suit me. What’s even more amazing is that it looks like each and every bridal gown she’s ordered requires not a single bit of corset tying up the backs. Every dress before me comes with zippers or hooks.
“Well that’s convenient.” What’s also mightily easy is that fact that I don’t see a stitch of control underwear in sight. “Hooray!” I burst out exuberantly.
“Everything all right in there?” I hear Lara shout from far off.
“Yeah, fine!” I bellow back and get started on dress fittings all by myself.
Unstrapping my wrist weight first, I’m surprised to find a lot more sweat build up underneath than I’d anticipated. “Ew.” I complain, dropping the one-pounder onto the floor to dry out. As I remove my second wrist weight, it too is completely sodden with perspiration on one side. Thankfully, when I remove my ankle weights I find they’re dry. So much for those who mocked my socks on the streets! By having worn my ankle weights over my socks, the weights themselves had remained dry.
“Hooray!” I shout again. When Lara yells back at me to keep it down I promise not to get so excited over such simple things anymore. I just can’t help it. I’m in such good spirits today.
That feeling of elation is quickly doused once I try on my first dress. It’s a strapless number that zips up easily enough, but the thing is way too big for me. I harrumph loudly and slump my shoulders. My reflection in the mirror shows one scowly-faced looking wannabe bride. “Well this won’t do at all.” I mutter angrily. I really do need Lara in here to help me. I mean, isn’t it her job to fit these dresses onto me properly?
Oh. Hang on a second. She can’t just sew up the dress while it’s on me. Not each and every gown I try on. I realise her robot could sew me up whilst dress-wearing, but I think Lara and I both don’t want that to happen.
Shuddering, I remember the last time I’d let her bot administer stitchings while I’d been wearing a bridal gown. The blasted little machine had sewn me up into the dress! With the ease of unzipping the gown I’m currently wearing, I feel a sense of claustrophobia being released. In comparison with that dress sewing fiasco, these zip dresses are easy-peasy to get in and out of.
My good mood returns after slipping out of the gown. I’m just so damn chuffed that I’m not suffocating right now. I know I would be finding it really hard to breath if I had control underwear