Chapter Six
It was kind of crazy how the entire Inn had been transformed in a matter of hours for this gala event today, Aylin decided. How could they plan something so complex and still manage to provide great service to guests? Somehow, the owners of the Dragonfly Pointe Inn had managed to find a way, and Aylin was surprised to realize that she was interested in learning how an operation like this ran so efficiently.
As she stood and surveyed Camille’s wedding gown after stitching a few final details, someone rapped on the front door of the boutique, which was closed for a couple of hours while Rene was at home taking a break.
Peeking into the showroom, Aylin blinked when she caught a glimpse of the girl who was knocking. In garb that was all out goth, complete with spiky black hair and a dog collar with small sterling spikes, she appeared to be dressed for Halloween rather than Christmas.
Aylin hesitated, but once she realized that the girl was asking for Rene, she unlocked the door, letting her inside.
“Hi,” Aylin said. “Rene went home for a few hours to take a break in case it gets busy this afternoon. I’m not an actual employee, so I can’t really help you with anything, but I can give her a message if you’d like.”
“No, that’s okay,” the girl answered, looking uncertain. “I had some gowns that I was supposed to drop off this morning, but I forgot. As long as you don’t mind, I’ll go hang them up in the workroom so she can decide what she wants to do with them.”
That’s when Aylin realized that the girl was carrying a clothing bag.
“I’m not sure I’m supposed to…” Aylin replied before the girl cut her off with a sweeping hand.
“Don’t worry. It’s okay. I’m Lara Loughlin. My mom and dad own the Inn.”
Aylin blinked.
When the girl suddenly smiled, Aylin was taken aback.
“I get that a lot,” Lara said dryly. “I don’t look much like my mom or my sister, do I?”
“Oh. I’m not sure about that. You kind of do when you smile.”
This time Lara was the one who looked taken aback.
“Come along with me then,” Aylin said, locking the door before turning and heading back into the workroom. “Let’s go hang up that clothing bag.”
But after Lara hung up the bag, she didn’t appear to be in much of a hurry to depart.
When she noticed the wedding gown and bridesmaid’s dresses lined up on dress forms, she began studying each of the gowns intently.
She reached for the drawing that Aylin had hanging nearby.
“Wow. Did you draw this?” Lara asked, looking sincerely awed.
“I did,” Aylin replied, studying the wedding gown one final time. “What do you think? I just finished sewing in the alterations. It belongs to my sister-in-law, Camille, and was once worn by her mother.”
Lara walked around the entire gown, even studying the train.
“I think it’s perfect,” she said in a breathless voice.
Aylin grinned. “It really is, isn’t it?”
When Lara suddenly laughed, Aylin couldn’t believe the transformation. She was such a beautiful girl. Why in the world was she covering herself up in that ugly black costume?
It’s not that Aylin had anything against the goth look. There were people who really rocked the look and genuinely wanted to make a statement.
But not Lara. She looked…troubled. More than troubled actually. It was if she was trying to disappear. Aylin studied her intently. She had a feeling if something wasn’t done about it soon, Lara might likely go through with it too. What had happened to give her such a low opinion of herself, Aylin wondered?
It was time for a break, and since Lara didn’t seem to be in any hurry to leave, Aylin decided that she needed a friend.
“Want some water or coffee? I was just about to take a break before working on the bridesmaid’s gowns, even though Rene’s gotten pretty far with the alterations already.”
Lara looked surprised. “Sure. If I’m not getting in your way, I’ll take some coffee.”
“Why don’t you take a look inside my sketchbook and tell me what you like and what you don’t,” Aylin suggested, pouring them each some coffee. “Want anything in this?”
“Nah. Thanks,” Lara said, settling on one of the comfortable club chairs.
After handing over her sketchbook, Aylin sat in the opposite chair with another notebook and began to draw.
“It’s awfully quiet in here,” Lara said, after studying one of the sketches pretty intently.
“I brought along my iPod, but sometimes it gets in the way. I know how successful your mom and sister are. Can’t you sing?” Aylin asked, continuing to quickly fill in one of the pages of her sketchbook.
Lara shrugged. “I can. Just not as good.”
Aylin paused, staring into Lara’s eyes. Aylin suddenly realized it was a touchy subject.
“So, why can’t I be the judge of that. Why don’t you sing something for me?”
Lara stilled. “You really want to hear me sing?”
“Sure. Why not?”
“I guess—since there’s no one else around to hear. What should I sing?”
“How about something Christmasy?”
She shrugged again, suddenly bursting into a breathy rendition of White Christmas.
Aylin stopped momentarily to stare at Lara in shock. She couldn’t believe that Lara didn’t even realize just how talented she was. Sure, she didn’t have a full throaty voice like both her mom and sister, but what she had was unique—a beautiful quality to her voice that was truly incomparable.
Reaching for her cell phone nearby, Aylin discreetly pressed the record button.
When she finished, Aylin brushed some tears from her eyes. “Why in the world would you think that you’re not as talented as your mom or your sister? You’ve just got a totally different quality to your voice is all, Lara. Sing something else.”
Lara’s eyes went wide. “Okay.”
And for the next thirty minutes, they talked while Lara sang and made observations about Aylin’s designs, which she really seemed to love.
Lara finally looked at her curiously when Aylin closed up her second sketchpad.
“You know. You’re really pretty Aylin. Are you even wearing makeup?”
“Not much. You’re really pretty too, you know,” Aylin said reassuringly.
“Me?” Her eyes went wide. “I don’t think so.”
“Tell me something, will you?”
“What?” Lara asked, cocking her head.
“I noticed that you were paying a lot of attention to one of my sketches. Why don’t you show me which one?”
“Okay,” Lara replied, thumbing back through the pages. “This is the one.”
Aylin became thoughtful when Lara handed over the sketchbook because the style would be a great fit for Lara. “How old are you, Lara?”
“Thirteen,” Lara answered.
“I thought so. I was about thirteen when everything in my life felt like it was being turned upside down.” She pursed her lips, tapping her finger on the sketch. “If I had a second-hand formal gown made with the right kind of fabric, I could quickly sew this for you, you know.”
Lara blinked. “Now?”
“That depends. You’ve got to go with the entire look I’ve created or I’m not going to do it. Is that permanent hair color in your hair? I’m guessing you’re naturally ash brown like your mom.”
Lara didn’t seem too enthused.
“Tell you what. Let me show you what I mean,” Aylin said, opening her sketch pad. “This is the look you’re wearing now.”
Aylin showed off the sketch she’d drawn of Lara all in black.
“And this is the Lara I see when you smile.”
Flipping the page, she revealed the sketch she’d just finished.
Lara’s jaw dropped open wide, as she shook her head in disbelief.
“I look…”
“Beautiful,” Aylin said firmly. “Let’s do a makeover. I’ll pick up the tab on anything you need. Rene has most everything here at the boutique.”
“Now?”
“Why not?”
“Well, I’m supposed to help hand out costumes for this afternoon’s entertainment, but not for a couple more hours yet.”
“That’s plenty of time to change your look. Go rinse out your hair in the bathroom,” Aylin ordered. “It might be easier for you to just take a quick shower. I can round up some makeup.”
“While you’re fitting me, I guess I could text message each entertainer with the time they’re supposed to be performing since I already have the info on my phone.” She looked so excited. “Can you really come up with a gown like the one in your sketch?”
“If I have the right kind of fabric to work with,” Aylin replied, ready to search the showroom.
“Why don’t you look through the gowns that my mom sent over for resale. There’s one in that exact shade of rosy-purple you used in that sketch.”
Aylin grinned. “What are the odds?”
Lara grinned back at her. “I know. It’s always been one of my favorites too. But I got the short genes in the family so it’s way too long. Even my brother is over six-foot tall.”
Aylin started laughing out loud. She was really enjoying herself. And when she approached the clothing bag and unzipped it, she found what she considered to be a load of clothing treasures inside. Hopefully, Rene wouldn’t mind if she appropriated a few of the donations for a good cause.
While Lara was in back rinsing out her hair, she made a quick call to Desiree.
“I need to talk fast,” she said to her sister. “I want you to listen to this girl’s voice. I’ll send the audio. She’s Eve Loughlin’s little sister, but she’s never performed before. I think she needs to make her debut today while she finally has some confidence in herself.”
Desiree began laughing. “Marc and I are going on as the final afternoon performance, so we’ll more or less have as much time as we’d like onstage. I’ll listen to what you recorded. She has no idea that you’re doing this, does she?”
“No. But I’m giving her a makeover right now. Maybe you could show up with your make up kit in about an hour.”
“Okay. If she’s as good as you think she is, Marc and I will try and convince her to join us for a song or two.”
Aylin smiled widely as Lara walked out from the bathroom looking like a drowned rat, a towel wrapped around her incredibly thin frame.
“See you soon,” Aylin said, disconnecting the phone before turning back to Lara. “My sister’s going to bring along her makeup in about an hour, and I’m just going to have her make you up. Are you ready?”
Lara grimaced. “I sure hope so.”