Amber by Heather Burnside (fb2 epub reader .txt) 📕

Debbie emerged wearing the dress. ‘Well, what d’you think?’ she asked, twirling around.

Loretta had to admit to herself that, although it wasn’t something she would have chosen, the dress showed off Debbie’s figure well. ‘Lovely,’ she said.

When Debbie emerged from the tiny cubicle again later, she held up the dress to the stallholder, asking, ‘How much d’you want for this?’

When the stallholder asked for twenty pounds, Loretta was amazed at how cheap it was, but Debbie had other ideas. ‘I’ll give you fifteen. It’s wet from the rain.’

The stallholder rushed over and felt the garment. ‘It’s only a bit damp, that’s all. It’s a bargain at twenty quid.’

‘Look, I don’t wanna go out wearing a dress that stinks like an old umbrella. I’m gonna have to use half a bottle of bloody perfume on it to get rid of the smell.’ She then sniffed at the dress dramatically. ‘I’ll give you fifteen quid and that’s that.’

When the stallholder shook his head, Debbie stomped towards the rail, ready to put the dress back.

The stallholder quickly spoke up. ‘I’ll go down to eighteen and no less.’

‘Sixteen.’

He sighed. ‘Look, I’ll meet you halfway at seventeen, but I can’t go any lower.’

‘Done,’ said Debbie, a triumphant smile lighting up her face.

As the stallholder wrapped the dress, Debbie turned to Loretta. ‘Why don’t you get one too if you like it so much?’

Loretta was stuck for what to say at first, not wanting to offend Debbie. ‘I- I’m not sure it’s really me.’

‘Give over, with the cracking figure you’ve got? You’ll have the fuckin’ blokes fighting over you. And you do want a bloke, don’t you? Anyway, we don’t have to wear them on the same night if you’re worried about that. Go on, see if they’ve got your size and try it on.’

Picking up on Debbie’s encouragement, the stallholder joined in. ‘Oh yeah, we’ve got a nice blue one. It’ll look stunning on you, love.’

With pressure from both of them, Loretta felt as though she had no choice but to look at the dress, but she refused to try it on in the makeshift changing room. She held it up and had to admit to herself that the colour suited her. ‘Why not?’ she said. ‘As long as you let me have it for the same price as my friend.’

‘Go on then,’ said the stallholder, wearily, ‘but I hope you know I’m shooting myself in the foot here.’

They walked away from the stall, laughing together. ‘See, you’re learning,’ said Debbie. ‘Now, why don’t we treat ourselves to some dinner?’ she asked, leading Loretta towards a dingy-looking café at the side of the market.

‘Ooh, I’m not sure,’ said Loretta.

‘Listen, don’t worry about the fuckin’ furniture and décor. That’s how they keep the prices so low. Take it from me, the food’s great, so who gives a shit what the place looks like?’

‘I don’t know. I don’t want to stop out too long. I need to tidy up before I collect the children from school.’

‘Eeh, Loz, you’ve got a long way to go yet, y’know. It’s time you stopped putting them first all the time. Today is our day to enjoy ourselves. You should be making the most of it now they’re both in school. You deserve it after what you’ve been through and it’s not as if the kids are gonna notice whether you’ve tidied the place up, is it? Knowing what kids are like, it’ll probably look like a bomb’s hit it within five minutes of them being home anyway.’

Loretta couldn’t resist laughing at the accuracy of her friend’s words. She knew she had a point and she couldn’t help but give in to persuasion once again.

At the end of the day, Loretta went home a much happier woman. After feeling miserable with her life for so long, it was great to finally be having some fun. Debbie had a way about her that lifted your spirits and Loretta couldn’t wait for their next outing. In fact, she was even looking forward to wearing the dress to see how much male attention she could attract.

9

September 2015

Crystal was standing outside her own high-class fashion store in Altrincham’s main shopping centre with her best friend, Ruby, and Ruby’s partner, Tiffany. It was early evening and a group of onlookers had gathered around the store. As she peered through the crowd Crystal could see her parents arrive with her daughter, Candice, and Candice’s friend, Emily.

‘Here they are now,’ she said to Ruby and she watched as Candice rushed eagerly over to them.

‘Is he here yet?’ asked Candice, her voice full of excitement. She turned to Emily and they shared a nervous giggle.

Candice didn’t need to say who she was referring to; Crystal had heard about nothing else all week. Brad Swain, reality TV star, local celeb and schoolgirl heartthrob. At Candice’s insistence Crystal had chosen him to declare her new store officially open, and now they were just awaiting his arrival.

‘Not yet,’ said Crystal. ‘But he has been in touch to say he’s been held up in traffic and shouldn’t be long.’

‘Wow! You mean he rang you?’ asked Emily.

‘Texted.’

‘Oh wow!’ the girls both said in unison.

Crystal laughed. ‘How else did you expect him to contact me? Morse code?’

Ruby, Tiffany and Crystal’s parents joined in with her laughter, but the girls were too consumed with thoughts of Brad Swain to see the funny side of things.

For a few minutes they waited impatiently. ‘Aw, Mum; he’s taking ages,’ grumbled Candice.

‘You’ve only just got here. How do you think me, Rubes and Tiffany feel, and my new manager, Deanna? We’ve been here all day getting the new store ready. All you’ve had to do is turn up and wait a few minutes. Then she noticed a stirring in the crowd, and she nodded in the direction of a good-looking young man who was walking towards them, flanked by two well-built men. ‘He’s here.’

‘Brilliant!’ gushed Candice and she and Emily chatted exuberantly.

‘Bodyguards for a bleedin’ reality TV star!’ muttered