Page 41 of My Lemon Grove Summer
‘I hear there’s a wedding to plan!’ she beamed.
‘But I only rang you last night!’ he said.
‘Yes! Got the first flight I could! It’s so exciting!’ She rushed forward and hugged Lennie and then me.
‘How did you get Giuseppe to pick you up?’
‘His number was on the contact details you left me. I rang, said who I was, and asked if there was a local taxi. He said he’d collect me. And here I am!’ She spread out her arms. ‘A wedding! It’s everything I could have hoped for, and I’m here to help.’
‘Well, we were thinking of quite a quiet affair,’ I said.
‘Rubbish! My only son and my Zelda are marrying. I want to tell the world. First of all, the dress! You need a dress that makes you feel amazing.’
And so here I am, looking in the window of the bridal shop. The two dresses at the back look more like maid-of-honour outfits – one that would fit Valerie and the other in turquoise satin, with a big sunlight stain right across the front of it. I think about Valerie. She’s moved into one of the outside B&B rooms at the farmhouse, insisting on staying as a paying guest. Which on the one hand is great for the house. But I’m worried she’s spending all her money and wonder how long she’s staying. Surely not until the wedding itself, in eight weeks.
But there may not be a wedding at all if I can’t find anything to wear.
I think about the boxes we cleared out of the B&B rooms and which are stacked in my bedroom . . . our bedroom. Maybe there’s something in there I could customise. I mean, that is what I do. Take old things and give them a new lease of life.
‘Good morning.’ A clear and well-spoken voice behind me makes me jump. I turn. At first I don’t see anyone, then I look down. It’s the little girl from the grocery shop.
‘Good morning,’ I reply, and I can’t help but smile. ‘Sophia, isn’t it?’
‘Yes, but I prefer Sophie, the English way, remember?’
‘Ah, yes, sorry. My mistake.’
‘Yes, I like it because it’s an English name. My mother doesn’t like me speaking English, but one day I’m going to live in England. I’ll come and stay with you if you like.’
‘Well, I think you have a nice place to live here. In fact, I’m planning to stay, so I won’t be in England.’
‘Oh, that’s a shame. Do you have family I could stay with?’ She cocks her head and looks at me seriously.
‘Um . . . well, no, I don’t. It’s just me and my . . . and Lennie. And he’s here. Listen, are you sure you’re allowed to be out talking to me? I don’t want to get you in trouble.’ I look at the shop. I’m sure I can hear the canary singing loudly.
Sophie shrugs.
‘I’ll just say I was out with friends.’
‘Do you have a lot of friends in the town?’
‘No, there’s no one of my age around here.’
‘What about school?’
She shrugs. ‘I’m home-schooled. I love to read. I’d love to go to school in England. A British boarding school! Did I tell you my father was English?’
‘You did. Tell me, do you know the owner of this dress shop?’
‘Yes.’
‘Oh, right, well maybe she has some other dresses I could look at.’
Sophie shakes her head. ‘I don’t think so.’
‘This can’t be all she has. Maybe she could make me one.’
We both look into the deserted shop window.
