by Gayle Leeson
She gasped. “Are you razzing me—trying to make me think that tablet is like the Beast’s magic mirror?”
“It is,” I said. “Or, at least, it can be, if someone sets it up. Maybe we can show you later.”
Jazzy hopped onto the table and rolled onto her back near Max.
“Hello, my gorgeous darling,” Max cooed. “Were we neglecting you?”
“How could we ever neglect you, Jasmine?” I wheeled my cart of art supplies over to the worktable. “You wouldn’t let us. I still have to figure out how to make the bulkier costumes like the wardrobe.”
There was a tap on the door between the atelier and the kitchen before Connie stepped into the room. “Good morning. I thought I heard you speaking to someone.”
Jazzy emitted a low purp, rolled over, and leaped off the table.
“I think you've offended her,” I said, with a laugh.
The cat strolled over and wound around Connie's ankles once before visiting her food bowl.
“How did the meeting go yesterday afternoon?” Connie asked.
“It went well. I'm heading up the costuming.” I gestured at the blank sketch pad. “Any clue on how to create a wardrobe outfit? Jazzy was no help whatsoever.”
Connie's brows knit together, and she rubbed her forehead. She was wearing a tie-dye red and pink tunic with black leggings, and she had a skinny braid hanging down in front of her left shoulder. She looked the part of a guru today. I was eager to see if she’d be able to offer me any insights. Fortunately for me, she was.
“There's a woman from New Jersey who has a costume shop on Etsy,” Connie said. “Her name is Debra. I messaged her about a costume I was making for my youngest.” She pulled a chair over from one of the sewing machines and sat as she warmed to the topic.
Max waved goodbye and vanished.
Connie continued her narrative. “I’d have ordered the costume pre-made, but I didn't have time. Ethan told me that afternoon, ‘Oh Mama, I need to be an American flag in the school play tomorrow. Sorry, I forgot to tell you.’ You'll see one of these days.” She grinned as she shook her head. “You can't imagine the panic I was in.”
“Oh, I think I can,” I said. “I'd have been tempted to paint a flag on a t-shirt and send him on.”
“And that would have been perfectly fine, but I have a tendency to overthink things.” She laughed. “Especially when I go into Super Mom mode.”
“Was Debra able to give you any pointers?”
“She was. She told me to use felt. It's stiff but easier to work with than some other materials. And she also told me to think about the costume as if it were a box. After that, creating a flag was simple.” She frowned slightly. “But I'm not sure how you can apply that concept to a wardrobe.”
“Like this.” I sketched a box onto the paper and then added panels on each side. “These can open to reveal painted clothing, and we could even have a slit or two in here where the actor inside the costume could toss out of scarf or something.” I smiled at her. “Connie, you're brilliant.”
“Not me. The box idea was all Debra, and I love your thoughts on embellishing it. Oh, I almost forgot to mention it,” she said. “Sandy has indicated an interest in recruiting the middle school drama club as extra villagers for the play, so my daughter Marielle might be participating.”
“That's fantastic.”
“I know. It's a wonderful opportunity for the younger students.” She stood and pushed the chair back to its original location. “I’d better get back to Delightful Home. And don't worry about becoming overwhelmed with the costuming stuff. Several of the moms, including me, are willing to help out.”
“Thanks,” I said. “I truly appreciate that.”
{ }
Chapter Four
Later that morning, I was sewing a zipper in a cocktail dress that I'd made for a client to wear to a formal affair. There was a sharp rap on the door, and Ms. Oakes strolled in. There was an older gentleman with her. He was tall and thin, and he wore a gray seersucker suit, white shirt, red bow tie, and white shoes.
“Hello, Amanda,” Ms. Oakes said. “I'd like for you to meet Mr. Bare. Mr. Bare owns a business called Ticklish Taxidermy, and he’s thinking about leasing the space upstairs.” She lifted her chin as if daring me to make a disparaging comment about the name of Mr. Bare’s shop.
While I must admit to having a disparaging thought or two about Ticklish Taxidermy, I wasn’t about to give voice to them in front of Mr. Bare. I pushed my chair back from the sewing machine, walked over, and extended my hand. “Good morning, Mr. Bare. It's nice to meet you.”
“Please call me Teddy.” He smiled. “I call my business Ticklish Taxidermy because I try to make all of the animals look happy. Some even appear to be smiling or laughing.” He took out his phone to show me some photographs.
Not even my disparaging thoughts had prepared me for this. The first picture was of a squirrel, mouth open wide, as it embraced a cluster of walnuts. Mr. Bare swiped this photo away, and his screen filled with the image of an owl in a graduation cap. He swiped again to show me a photograph of a deer. The creature’s mouth was forming a creepy smile.
“That’s Benji. He’s my favorite,” Mr. Bare said. “Benji isn’t for sale. I enjoy having him with me too much. Every day I come in and look at that sweet smile and say ‘Hello, my deer!’ Get it?” He chuckled. “What do you think? Aren’t they wonderful?”
“Um...I’ve never seen anything like them.” That much was true.
“They’re wonderfully awful,” Max said from behind me. “Those are the most hideous things I've ever seen.”
“Now, don't think these animals were killed in order for me to make my art.” Mr. Bare put away his phone. “Absolutely not. I only make art from animals that died of natural causes.”
“I'm so relieved to hear that,” I said. “And, if you choose to lease the space, I'll look forward to working with you.”
“Likewise, I am absolutely sure, young lady.” Mr. Bare gave me a little bow.
“Yes, well, we’d better move along, Mr. Bare,” Ms. Oakes said.
“Nice meeting you.” I was able to hold in my laughter until after I heard Ms. Oakes’ footsteps crossing the hall to Delightful Home. Then Max and I chortled.
“What in the world was that?” she asked.
“I think you said it best when you said it was wonderfully awful.” I wiped my eyes. “But, at least, the animals died of natural causes before...well before.”
“And still, Teddy Bare, the taxidermist, is a thousand times better than having Carla move in here,” Max said.
“I guess. I just feel like it might be unsettling to have all those dead animals around.”
Max snorted. “Says the woman who’s talking to a ghost.”
“Yeah, but you aren’t scary in the slightest. You're charming.”
My phone rang, and it was Sandra Kelly.
“Hi, Sandy,” I said. “What can I do for you?”
“I realize it's last minute, and I understand if you can't today, but I'd really love to take you to lunch. Is there any possibility that you’re free?”
I didn't like to close my shop during the day, but I had said yes to this project and I intended to give it my all. “Sure. When and where would you like to meet?”
“I don't have a very long lunch break,” Sandy said. “Would you mind meeting at the Down South Café at eleven-forty?”
“That’ll be fine. I'll look forward to seeing you then.” I looked around for Max, but she’d vamoosed. I imagined she was following around Mr. Bare to see what other peculiarities he was showing to the other vendors.
Once I’d finished sewing in the zipper and pressing the dress, I went over to Delightful Home to tell Connie about my lunch plans.
“I hope I don't miss any clients, but I don’t have any appointments scheduled. And it's early in the day. Hopefully, any browsers will come back. I'll mention the middle school drama club to Sandra Kelly to make sure she’s plannin
g on them taking part in the play.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that.” Connie toyed with the braid that fell over her left shoulder. “What did you think of the latest contender for the vendor spot?”
“Mr. Bare is certainly interesting.” I tried to keep my voice sounding nonchalant. “Does this mean that Carla didn't take the space?”
“I'm not sure,” Connie said. “Ms. Oakes does things differently from Mrs. Meacham. Melba waited until the lease was signed before she introduced the new vendor to anyone. Maybe Ms. Oakes wants to know right away if she can expect any conflicts among the vendors.” She shrugged.
“Maybe. It makes sense.”
AT ELEVEN-THIRTY-FIVE, I walked into the Down South Cafe in Winter Garden. The cafe was as adorable as I’d remembered. The walls were a sunny yellow trimmed in blue. A refrigerated display case containing all sorts of luscious treats was near the cash register. I thought I would get something to take to Grandpa this afternoon before I left.
“Hey, there. What can I get for you?” The waitress who’d approached the table was wearing a blue Down South Café t-shirt and jeans. Her copper hair had been pulled back into a ponytail and secured with a yellow scrunchie.
I recognized Jackie from the last time Grandpa Dave and I had eaten here. “I'm waiting for someone, but I'd love a cup of coffee while I wait.”
“Sure thing.”
Sandra Kelly came through the door while Jackie was getting my coffee. Today, she wore a red pencil skirt, black kitten heels, and a black-and-red print blouse. I thought she looked more businesswoman than teacher, and I wondered if she was working toward an administrative position.
As she sat at the table, Sandra said, “Thank you for taking time away from your busy schedule and your shop not only to meet with me now but to take on costuming for the musical.”
“You're welcome.” I smiled. “I’m happy for the opportunity.”
She reached into her purse and took out a list of names and phone numbers. “These are some parents who have volunteered to help with sewing, scene construction, snacks...whatever we might need.”
Jackie returned with two cups of coffee. “Hi, Sandy. Do you guys know what you're having for lunch?”
I ordered the brunch quiche, and Sandra asked for a chef’s salad.
“Connie, who owns Delightful Home, the shop next to mine, mentioned that you were considering using middle school drama students to play the villagers in the play,” I said.
“Yes, we are extending roles to the middle school drama club because we’re a small school and don’t have enough students to fill the roles. They’ll all need simple costumes, but they won't require a lot of practicing. So, don’t worry that there’ll be a horde of extra kids running around the stage in the school—a liability nightmare—all that often. And, of course, there will always be staff members on hand, but middle school staff will be there when their students are present too.”
“I think it's fantastic that you're including the middle schoolers. I'm sure those children are thrilled to be a part of a high school production.”
“I think it will be good practice for them. Plus, there is one talented elementary school upperclassman who will be playing Chip, the teacup. We thought it would be great if we could get a ten- or eleven-year-old for the role, and one of our middle schoolers has the most adorable little cousin. His name is Joey. Isn't that cute?”
Joey. Why does that name ring a bell to me? But I put that thought aside as Sandra continued to talk.
“I’ll be a few minutes late to rehearsal this evening, so I might miss getting to see you and Dave today. But Zoe can help you out with anything you need. That young lady is such a little dynamo. I'd be lost without her.” She sipped her coffee. “I believe she has a sad homelife, but she doesn’t let that inhibit her.”
“Why do you think her life is sad?” I asked.
“It’s a feeling more than anything else.” Sandra gave an elegant shrug. “It’s like some days she’d do almost anything to avoid going home.”
ON THE WAY BACK TO the shop from the Down South Café, I got a call from Ruby Mills. Ruby had been one of my first clients—I’d made a dress for her to wear to her granddaughter’s wedding. Now Ruby was going on vacation and needed a formal dress. With Ruby leaving on Tuesday, we both knew I had to work fast.
As soon as I got back into Designs on You, I got out Ruby’s muslin pattern and sketch of the dress I’d made her for the wedding. Quickly sketching an A-line dress with a V-neck and below-the-knee hemline, I added sheer black lace sleeves and an inset to go over the neckline. I thought it would be beautiful on Ruby. I texted her with the design and started playing around with the design for the Beauty and the Beast teacup costume while I waited for her feedback.
Jason stuck his head in the doorway of the atelier. “Hello, gorgeous.”
“Hi, handsome.” I smiled and waved my hand around like a game show model. “Is there anything here I could interest you in?”
“Do you have any sugar to get me through the rest of the day?”
I thought I heard a gasp, but I decided to ignore it. Standing and walking around the worktable, I said, “Come on in and close that door, and we’ll see what I’ve got.”
He pushed the door closed, and we kissed.
“That should keep me going through my next appointment, but I might need a little more by the end of the day. Are you free for dinner?”
“I’m not sure.” I rubbed the lip gloss from his mouth with my thumb. “I have a meeting at the school this evening, but I don’t know how long it’ll take.”
“I’ll give you a call later, and we’ll see where we’re at.” He dropped another kiss on my lips. “Sorry I undid your cleanup. Couldn’t help myself.”
I chuckled as he ducked out the door and into the hallway. Waiting until I heard his footsteps fading, I turned to see Max grinning at me. “Was I mistaken, or did I hear you gasp when Jason asked me for sugar?”
“You weren’t mistaken—I gasped.” She raised and lowered one slim shoulder.
“Why? I didn’t expect you—especially after the way you championed my dating Jason—to take offense at a teensy bit of kissing in the workplace.”
“Darling, in my day, sugar meant money. And I was gonna be sorely disappointed in your young man if he came by here to ask you for money. But that kiss was dreamy.” She jerked her head toward the reception area. “Would you mind bringing the tablet in here so we can work together?”
“No, of course not.” I retrieved the tablet and placed it on the edge of the table where Max could sit and read or whatever she wanted to do.
Ruby Mills called and told me she loved the dress. “Sew ‘er up, Amanda.”
Laughing, I said, “I sure will. You can come in for the first fitting on Saturday, if that works.”
“Works for me. See you then.”
After ending the call, I walked over to the shelf and got a bolt of black crepe de chine. Looking over my design, Max said, “I like this.”
“Thanks. What’re you working on today?”
“I started reading that nonfiction book on the Great Depression I asked you to download for me, but it was too darned depressing.” She sighed. “I’m sorry. Can you send it back?”
“Sure, no problem. What would you prefer to read?” I asked. “Or would you rather watch something?”
“I could go for something funny. Have you got anything?”
I smiled. “I think I’ve got just the thing.”
Listening to Max’s howls of laughter as she watched I Love Lucy, I cut out the bodice for Ruby’s dress.
Grandpa Dave called hello as he came through the door leading to the reception area.
“Back here!”
“That’s what I figured.” He came into the atelier and kissed my cheek. “I could hear Max laughing all the way out in the hall. What’s so funny?”
“It’s the first episode of I Love Lucy,” I said.
“Where she thinks Ri
cky is trying to kill her?” He went to look at the tablet and chuckled. “Yeah, that’s a good one.”
Jazzy got out of her bed and wound around Grandpa’s ankles.
Laying the bodice aside, I spread out the fabric for the skirt. “What are you doing in town?”
“I’m here to see Ford, but I wanted to stop in and see my favorite girls first,” he said.
“A silver fox with a silver tongue,” Max said, putting the back of her hand to her forehead as if she were about to faint.
“Looking for anything in particular?” I asked.
“Yeah—help with this library set I’m trying to figure out. I’m hoping Ford can provide some insights.”
“Amanda told me you and she might be able to use computers to let me see some of the work taking place for the play.” Max clasped her hands together and placed them under her chin. “She said maybe I could see some of the practices.”
“I’ve never done a live feed.” Grandpa turned to me. “Have you?”
“No, but I don’t think it’ll be that hard to figure out.” I pinned the pattern to the fabric.
“I’ll go on up and talk with Ford,” he said. “See you two in a bit.”
Hearing the door open in the reception area again, I took the pin cushion from my wrist and went to see who was there. It was a stylish woman who appeared to be in her mid-forties.
“Hello, and welcome to Designs on You. I’m Amanda. Is there anything in particular I could help you with?”
“Yes. I’m looking for a dress for my daughter to wear to the homecoming tomorrow night. I know it’s last minute. I meant to come by ages ago, but I kept getting busy with one thing and another.” She waved her hand. “You know how it is.”
“Of course. I still have a wide selection of ready-to-wear styles fitting the homecoming theme.” I showed the woman where the pret a porter dresses were hanging.
As the woman was looking through the dresses on the rack, I said, “I’ve been asked to help with costumes for Beauty and the Beast. Will your daughter be participating in the play?”
She froze. “No, she most certainly will not. And, if you know what’s good for you, you won’t turn your back on Sandra Kelly.”