Chapter 8
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I am feeding Candace oatmeal when Aaron walks into the dining area. He is fully dressed in a suit that looks like it could pay my way for the rest of my life.
He glances at his watch, and looks at me “The car will be here in ten minutes, wrap this up.” he says.
Candace claps her hands in glee when she hears his voice. She tries to turn in her chair “Baby eat, we have to go out,” she keeps trying to turn.
I sigh and turn her chair so she is facing him. She stretches her hands towards him with a with a wide smile.
“9 minutes. Aaron says and walks away.
“Wait! Where are you going?” I call out to his retreating form but he does not answer me.
“Why did I even ask him that?” I mutter to myself with a frown. Candace turns to me with a pout, she is looking from to the spot Aaron was standing just a minute ago.
I pat her hair “Don’t get attached Dace.” I say to her.
By the time the driver arrives, Candace and I are ready to go.
The driver nods at me “Good morning ma’am.”
“Good morning” he leads the way to the car. The entire drive to the fashion house is silent. I was going to ask the driver a few questions about Aaron but I decided against it. I will find out myself in due time.
All I know about him is that he is Aaron Scott, an oil tycoon who has been linked with a few influential women.
I shake my head with a smile as I remember the way I had stared at the screen in shock when I saw the blog that reported that he was dating a particular actress.
My shock was more from the fact that I had watched one of her blockbuster movies, and now I am getting married to a man. she used to date. How the tables have turned.
“We have arrived.” the driver announces. I come out of the car holding Candace. The exterior of the building is quite intimidating and it makes me want to run for the hills.
I have to keep reminding myself that I am not the one paying for this, and that Aaron already made an appointinent, a dress from this place probably costs an arm and a leg
I glance at the driver and he gestures at me to follow him. I release a deep breath and go inside.
The driver says something to the woman at the reception, then he walks over to me “The shop will call once you are done so I can pick you up.”
1 nod. “Thank you.” I trail off hoping he fills the blank for me, don’t remember the nagne Aaron called him yesterday.
He smiles, “Sawyer, my name is Sawyer.”
1 chuckle. “Thank you Sawyer.”
The woman sashays towards us with the brightest smile on her face. That is not the only thing bright about her, she looks like a burst of colours from her red hair to her dazzling green dress, you would think she was dressed for a ball.
“Welcome welcome” she says with a grin Candace is staring at her with wonder.
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Chapter 8
I smile “Thank you.
She glances at Candace, “We have a playroom for your child, if you want. Children can be quite distracting during
consultations.
I shake my head. “No, she is very cooperative. Thank you.”
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The woman claps excitedly, “Wonderful! Follow me,” she says and leads the way. Candace echoes her clap with glee. Her movement is fluid and I can’t help but imagine she used to be in a theatre group or something
“It’s rude to stare Dace.” I say to my daughter, but I am also scolding myself.
She leads us down a hallway and we finally stop at a door. She turns to us with an animated smile, “Welcome, to the place where the magic happens, she says with a flourish.
“Uh thanks?” I say as she opens the door and leads me inside. The room is very spacious. The large windows makes it well acrated.
There is a mirror that covers half of the wall length and breadth on one side. There are rows and rows of wedding dresses in a walk in closet in another part of the room.
A woman is seated on a high chair behind a table near the door as we walk in. She is dressed in a blue suit and wears a faint smile on her face.
She gives me a slight nod. “Welcome, Ms. Lightwood. I have been expecting you.”
My eyes widen at her statement. “Oh, sorry about that. Did I keep you waiting?”
She shakes her head “Not at all. You are right in time. I just have a habit of expecting my clients from the moment they book
session here.”
The bright coloured woman giggles “Every client is very important to us” she says.
The other woman glances at her “You
can go ne
now Meadow, thank you.”
The woman, Meadow curtsies a little and walks out of the room Ms. Lightwood, I am yet to introduce myself. My name is Tania Gonzalez.”
My mouth drops open involuntarily, I quickly get a hold of myself before sputtering. “Yo-you are Tania Gonzalez?*I exclaim
THE
She smiles, a little wider this time, “In the flesh.” she says spreading her arms. Tania Gonzalez is an icon in the fashion industry. Even A-list celebrities consider it an honour to wear her clothes.
Her clothes are never displayed on the runway, they say she considers it beneath her. The people that get to wear her clothes display it in events and they don’t have to say much, the clothes themselves are a major statemen.
You always recognize a Tania Conzalez design. They say she does not attend fashion shows, so even top brands don’t get casy access to her. Her clientele is the 1% of the 1. I can’t believe am standing face to face with that kind of woman.
Candace’s hand on my face brings me back to reality. “It’s a pleasure to meet you ma’am” I say. I resist the urge to bow in
“It’s the same for uue Ms. Lightwood. Which of the Lightwood families do you belong to? The Lightwoods in the food business or the jewellery business?”
I raise an eyebrow I confusion. “Uh
She walks toward the closet area and glances back at me “Is your family in the jewellery business or the food business? Those
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Chapter 8
are the only prominent Lightwoods I know.”
I open my mouth and close it several times “Uh… just the normal Lightwood?”
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She turns to me with a quizzical expression, then her expression changes as a polite smile plays on her lips, “Forgive me, I just thought that you had to be one of the prominent Lightwoods for you to be associated with Mr. Scott.”
Oh, so that is what it was. I did not even know there were prominent or non-prominent Lightwoods but I guess I would fall under the category of the non-prominent
I don’t know what to say so I settle for smiling instead. She gestures at me to come over and raises a finger when I start to go
closer to her.
“Please, put the baby over there. These are very exquisite and fragile dresses. I wouldn’t want an accident to occur.” she says.
I glance at the area she is pointing at. I walk over to it and put Candace down on the plush rug. I reach into my bag for Sario and hand it to her. She grins at me and starts playing with her toy.
I walk back to the closet area and Tania leads the way in.
I stare at myself in the mirror for what feels like the umpteenth time. I have tried on about six dresses so far and all of them have been breathtakingly beautiful. The only comment Tania has made each time is, “This is not the dress.”
She circles me with a thoughtful expression on her face. “This would have been perfect but I believe you need something that accentuates your collar bone more.” she clicks her tongue.
I would have preferred if we made you a dress but the wedding is on such short notice and perfection takes time.”
She walks back to the closet, the click of her heels serves as a reminder that I have once again failed to bring of her dress even though I think they all looked wonderful on me.
-out
the beauty
I turn to Candace, “What do you think Dace?” I ask as I turn around so she could see every part of the dress, even though a two year old is probably not the best person to be giving me fashion advice,
She blinks at me and continues sipping the apple juice in her sippy cup. “I guess you don’t like it either uh?”.
Tania brings out another dress and helps me change into it. She stares at me with a look of intense concentration, like she is solving a math problem rather than just looking at the dress.
She closes her eyes and release a deep breath. When she opens her eyes, there is barely concealed excitement in them. This is the dress.” she says with a grin.