a dark burgundy and laid it beside the pink one. “With the bow out of this? We have satin shoes here that we can dye to match either color. So what do you think?”
“Yes, yes, yes.” Tabby clapped her hands. “Can we try on the shoes and see what heel height we want?”
“Of course.” Mitzi pointed. “Shoes are right there. Just find your size and start trying on. There are footies in the basket right there. So we’re agreed on the fabric and the style for the dress?”
Jody came into the room and went straight to a container with dozens of tiny drawers full of beads. “Hello, ladies, I’m Jody. You must be the Harrison girls. Looks like you’ve chosen some pretty colors.”
Paula came in right behind her and laid the bodice of a dress on the table. “And I’m Paula.” She smiled.
“I’m Dixie. Pleased to meet y’all.” The girl’s eyes darted around the room, trying to take everything in.
“That’s beautiful. What kind of skirt goes on it?” Tabby asked.
“Mermaid,” Paula answered. “How’re you liking Celeste?”
“We’ve only been here a week. I guess we’ll make friends when we start school.” Dixie pulled out a pair of three-inch spike heels in a size nine.
“Or maybe we’ll get to know some of them when we go to church with Aunt Alice.” Tabby put on a pair of shoes identical to the ones that Dixie had and walked across the floor in them. “You can wear high heels if you want. But not me. I’m not wearing something that makes me feel like I’m walking on stilts all day.”
Jody cocked her head to one side. “Must be a long wedding.”
“Don’t know how long it is exactly, but Mother said we’ll be there from eight in the morning to midafternoon. The wedding is at ten. I don’t know why we can’t just show up at nine thirty.” Tabby opened a box and slipped her feet into a pair of shoes with kitten heels no more than an inch high. “I might be able to stand these. If not, I’ll embarrass everyone and kick them off. We can still do our toenails in a horrid color, Dixie.”
“I vote we do every one of them in a different color,” Dixie laughed.
“Yaaas,” Tabby said. “Bright neon colors with polka dots on them.”
“Y’all sound like you’d make real good little hippies,” Jody said.
“Yep, we would, only we ain’t little. We’d make real good big hippies,” Tabby agreed.
“I could stay here all day and visit with you kids, but I need to get back to work.” Jody pulled a small drawer full of beads out from a container and carried it out of the room with her.
Paula glanced down at the sketch Mitzi had drawn. “You’re going to love this design for your dresses. It’ll be so comfortable you’ll feel like you’re wearing a nightgown. And the color will be beautiful on you both with your skin.”
“You really think so?” Dixie asked.
“I never lie, especially not to kids. They can smell a lie a mile away,” Paula declared.
“You’re a smart lady.” Tabby set the shoebox on the table. “I want this pair—in pink, not burgundy. That way if I want to take the bow off the back and wear the dress to church later, they’ll match.”
“I’d say you’re pretty smart.” Paula pulled out a drawer and removed a zipper, measured it against the bodice, and then exchanged it for a longer one. “Maybe I’ll see you in church. I go to the same one your aunt Alice does. She’s a friend of mine.”
“Then I’ll tell her I met you. Paula, right?”
“That’s right. Paula Walker. See you Sunday, if not before.” Paula carried the top of the dress and the zipper out of the room.
Dixie chose the same shoes in a size smaller. “And pink for me, too. I’ve got a floral pashmina scarf that would be pretty with this dress for church.”
“Well, ladies, that just about does it,” Mitzi said. “We’ll let y’all think about this style overnight. I’ll figure up an invoice to give to your dad, and we’ll do measurements and make any adjustments tomorrow if that works for you.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Dixie said. “And you’ll have some flowers for us to work on, right?”
“If it’s okay with your dad,” Mitzi reminded them.
“He won’t care. He don’t get home until at least six, and you close at five. We can throw a roast in the slow cooker and be home in time to put supper on the table,”