‘No,’ Nina replied.
‘No?’
‘I want you to try it on.’
Claire frowned. ‘Me? Why? You’re the one who has to wear it.’
Nina thrust the dress into Claire’s hands. ‘I’m sure it will fit. I want to see what it will look like from Scotty’s point of view.’ She planted her hands on Claire’s shoulders and turned her to face the fitting rooms. ‘I’m going to sit in that chair by the door. Imagine I’m Scotty and you’re me, sashaying down the aisle to say “I do” and live happily ever after.’
Claire’s head swam a little at the thought. ‘You’re planning to sashay?’
Nina smiled and crossed her arms. ‘Go.’
Claire’s feet were as heavy as lead as she plodded to the fitting room. She felt deeply uncomfortable. She closed the curtain and hung the dress on a wooden peg. Stepping out of her denim cut-offs and plain black tank top, she scrutinised her reflection in the full-length mirror.
This is a crazy idea.
Claire strutting around in the dress wouldn’t tell Nina anything. They may have worn the same-sized clothing, but their bodies were completely different. Nina was a head taller, for a start. On her, the sleeveless gown’s empire waist would show off her willowy arms and impressive cleavage. It would skim her shapely hips and hang just so over her pert bottom. Her figure was undulating, exotic, all mesmerising peaks and suggestive valleys.
If Scotty were to watch Claire walk down the aisle in this dress, all he would see was an ordinary woman with precious few curves swamped by the flowing fabric. It was a pointless exercise.
But she slipped the dress over her head, anyway, if only so that she could steal a couple of minutes to think about everything Nina had told her.
For a woman whose wedding was just days away, Nina didn’t seem very excited. In fact, Claire mused, she seemed decidedly lukewarm about the whole thing. How many brides would be willing to stand idly by while their fiancé made all the arrangements – and with the help of his ex-girlfriend? Scotty and Nina’s meeting and romance had been a whirlwind, their engagement lightning fast, but now that she had a metaphorical ring on her finger – because she still wasn’t wearing an actual engagement ring – Nina seemed to have lost momentum.
Could it be that Nina shared Claire’s doubts about the speed of it all? Maybe she wanted to pump the brakes, slow things down a little and think things through before making a lifetime commitment to a man she’d basically just met.
Perhaps it wasn’t Scotty’s good sense she should be appealing to, Claire thought. Nina might be the one who would respond to a rational argument for postponing the wedding.
Claire zipped up the dress and swept aside the curtain, stepping back into the shop with a flourish. She felt ridiculous, but if Nina wanted a show, Claire would give her a show. She clutched an invisible posy and weaved slowly between racks of garments towards the other woman.
Nina leapt up from her chair. She stood with her arms stiffly by her sides and pretended to blink back tears, imitating a nervous groom. But something told Claire that, come Christmas Eve, Scotty wouldn’t be the one who’d be apprehensive about tying the knot.
‘What do you think?’ Claire asked.
‘It looks really beautiful on you, Claire,’ Nina said with what sounded like sincerity.
‘Well, thanks, but we’re supposed to be thinking about how it will look on you,’ Claire reminded her.
Nina slapped her palm to her forehead. ‘Right! Me. Okay,’ she said. ‘Well, I guess it will do fine.’
Fine? A growing sense of disquiet pricked at the edges of Claire’s thoughts. She had to say something. ‘Nina, are you okay? You seem a little . . . unenthused,’ she began. ‘If you’re having doubts about the wedding, it’s all right to say so. It’s totally normal. This is a big step you and Scotty are taking. A huge step.’
Especially when you’re taking that step at the speed of light, she managed to stop herself from adding.
Nina levelled a questioning gaze at Claire. ‘I don’t have any doubts about getting married,’ she said in a clipped voice. ‘Why would I?’
Her tone stung. ‘Not about getting married. Just about everything happening so fast,’ Claire said. She rushed to smooth things over. ‘I just mean . . . not many women could be convinced to get hitched with only two weeks to plan.’
‘Scotty didn’t have to convince me of anything. Getting married on Christmas Eve was my idea.’ Nina picked up her handbag. ‘I’ll go pay for the dress.’
Claire watched, disconcerted, as Nina took out her wallet and strode towards the counter. She scurried back to the fitting room and stepped out of the wedding gown. The mood had changed and she wasn’t sure why. One moment Nina was talking about marriage to Scotty as disinterestedly as if it was a root canal, the next she was saying she had pushed for their truncated engagement. If she was in such a fever to become Mrs Scotty Shannon, why did Nina seem so dispassionate? Scotty deserved someone who would be counting down the seconds until she became his wife. If Nina didn’t feel that way, then Claire had to make sure the wedding didn’t go ahead – for both Scotty’s and Nina’s sakes.
Claire carefully placed the dress on its hanger. Wrapping herself in the fitting-room curtain, she leaned out and handed the gown to the smiling sales assistant, who carried it to the counter and zipped it into a garment bag.
By the time Claire had put her shorts and tank top back on and re-emerged into the shop, Nina was waiting outside, the garment bag slung casually over her shoulder. Through the window, Claire could see that Nina was talking to someone, a man with neatly trimmed dark hair who was wearing an unexpectedly hip royal-blue suit. He had his back to Claire, though she knew she would be unlikely to
