Page 56 of Darn Knit All

She nodded enthusiastically. “Let’s do it.”

The dress fit her like a glove, creating sensual, feminine lines. There were a few small tweaks required to ensure the bodice lay flat, but as I finished, I glanced at the time, laughing when I saw that Theo hadn’t been too far off his prediction.

“Seven hours and fifty-three minutes,” I teased him, as he fiddled with the chain hanging from Sophia’s wrist. “Turns out we beat the?—”

In startling slow motion, I saw Theo step back and onto a scrap of fabric, his prosthetic rolling forward. His gaze met mine as he slipped backward, arms flailing. I reached out, trying to grab him but it was too late. He fell, his legs kicking up.

Like something out of a horror movie, his boot caught on the train of the dress, and as it dropped, it pulled the fabric, ripping the chain free and leaving a large gaping tear in the beautiful fabric.

Around us, all movement ceased as people stared in silent horror. Then the camera crew rushed in as the world kicked back into gear.

“Shit!” Theo cursed, struggling to untangle himself from the mess. “Fuck and shit!”

I dropped to my knees, frantically searching his body for injury.

“Are you hurt? Shit, are you?—”

He waved me off. “Forget about me. Go! Do what you can to salvage my fucking mistake.”

“But—”

He gave me a little push. “Go, Mai. Hurry!”

I glanced at the clock, my heart pounding in my throat. Six minutes.

“Sophia, go to the machine,” I ordered. “Theo, I?—”

“Just go!”

Shit!

I didn’t have any time to argue with him. With Sophia still wearing the gown, I collected my wits, knowing I’d have to sew the ripped fabric without pins or measurements, and pray I didn’t make a dog’s breakfast of it.

“Get on the table,” I ordered Sophia as I gathered the fabric. “We need to make sure the weight of the dress doesn’t pull at the hem or it’s going to be an even bigger disaster.”

She did as directed without protest, climbing up and shifting until I could feed the fabric through the machine.

My fingers worked overtime as I tucked and sewed, creating a hem that, while not exactly straight or tidy, remained functional and hid the worst of the damage.

“One minute!”

“Please, please, please, please, please,” I chanted as I fed the machine as quickly as I could without causing it to jam. “Come on, come on, come on.”

I cut the thread with thirty seconds to spare, tugging the black elastic from my hair, I quickly handstitched it into the dress, closing the seam. I wouldn’t have time to replace the chain so this would have to do.

“Tools down!”

Stepping back, I held my hands up, breathing heavily as I glanced frantically over the dress.

It wasn’t perfect but it would do.

Non-elimination,I reminded myself as I struggled to catch my breath.The only stakes on the table are the ones you’ve built in your head.

Sophia grinned at me as the camera crew swirled around us, catching each chest-rattling breath I fought to suck in.

“You did it.” She threaded her middle finger through the elastic, wrapping it around her finger twice. “Not as pretty as the chain but it works.”

She moved her hand back and forth, the train following her movements.

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