‘Sshh!’ he said abruptly.
‘But –’ Olivia started.
‘Sshh!’ He held up a finger. ‘Your dress is ruined. Nothing will get that stain out. The premiere has started and you are about to miss your red-carpet debut. Let me fix this.’
Olivia bit her lip as Spencer knelt down and began to cut. The store assistant peered down the aisle at them and Olivia hoped that he wouldn’t try to have them arrested for the scissors.
She smiled brightly and waved at him.
The assistant grunted and went back to his CocoLoco bars.
With what seemed like only six snips, Spencer had removed the stained area of the skirt, leaving a C-shaped curve at Olivia’s right leg. The edge of the curve had been cut into jagged sections, just like teeth marks. It looks like a shark has taken a bite out of my dress! The white chiffon underneath was on show and . . . and . . .
‘Well?’ he said.
‘I look OK,’ Olivia said, amazed.
‘OK?’ Spencer gasped. ‘Honey, this is divine. Everyone will love it.’
Olivia wasn’t entirely sure but she was so grateful to Spencer for trying to help. ‘You’re right!’ She put on her bravest face. ‘Divine.’ She flashed a smile and pretended the homewares aisle was the red carpet. She strutted down a few steps, paused, turned and strode back with not a single stumble.
The store assistant was staring again, so she gave him a little wave.
‘Great walking, sweetie, but what’s the pose?’ Spencer asked.
‘The pose?’ Olivia was focusing on getting the walk right. Now she had to do a pose, too?
‘Look,’ Spencer said, grabbing her shoulders and looking her right in the eye. ‘You are going to have to show off this fabulous dress, and you can’t just hope the photographers get a good shot of you – you have to make it happen!’ Spencer did three quick poses in a row: his head over his right shoulder, both hands on his hips with a pout, and one foot kicked up in the air. ‘Which one did you like best?’
‘Um . . .’ Olivia was a little overwhelmed.
‘You try.’ Spencer commanded.
Olivia put one hand on her hip, turned to the side and smiled wide.
‘Not bad, but turning hides my creation! How about this?’ Spencer put both hands behind his back, in an innocent pose, turned his face to one side and batted his eyelashes.
‘If I don’t have to do the eyelashes,’ Olivia said, ‘that works for me.’ She struck the pose and crossed one leg in front of the other.
‘Oooh, honey,’ Spencer purred. ‘Perfect. Now get out there and be fierce!’
‘Thank you for being wonderful.’ She air-kissed him and then caught herself. The Hollywood way was infectious! Olivia didn’t mind, as long as it didn’t get out of hand.
Now for the red carpet, Olivia thought. She knew she wouldn’t be there in time to walk down the red carpet with Jackson, but she thought maybe she could find Ivy or Mr Vega lurking around.
As she rushed past the cash registers she heard someone calling her name.
‘Olivia, over here!’ It was her bio-dad, looking every inch the 1940s movie star next to the glamorous Lillian. They had obviously been getting to know each other.
‘Oh no!’ Lillian had noticed her dress.
‘What happened?’ Mr Vega asked.
‘There was a spill.’ Olivia didn’t want to dwell on it. ‘It’s fixed now, and I’m ready to get out there and face the cameras.’ Olivia still thought no one was really going to be paying attention, so as long as she could get inside the cinema and watch the movie, her night would be complete.
‘That cut looks really striking,’ Lillian said. ‘I think it actually works.’
Olivia nodded.