“I’m so sorry, Abs. I knew I’d be a pain - you’ve got such a perfect body for couture, tall, athletic small busted. I’ve got these and these…” My hands grab my voluptuous breasts in frustration and hips in annoyance.
“You have an amazing body, Lu and Sebastian can’t get enough of it. Your waist is tiny, we just haven’t found the right dress yet, but we will.”
The pretty shop assistant assesses my form, in the mirror her lips pursed in thought. “I have several items in the back, that are from the new season; they’ve come directly from the new Spring Line for 2015, which has plenty of gold.”
Abs interrupts. “Ooh yes, can we see?”
“We…lll, I’d have to check but I’ll see what I can do.”
She disappears and returns promptly with a rail showcasing a further five dresses, all in varying shades of gold and instinctively I head over to them, to tentatively view. “Wow, these are stunning.”
Abby jumps up and joins me, pulling one of the dresses out and fingering the delicate filagree straps. “Can you do alterations by tonight?”
The shop assistant who is patiently waiting whilst we ooh an ahh, hands behind her back, nods obediently. “Of course. The seamstress can pin the dress here and then we will deliver to your hotel before the ball tonight.”
“Wonderful. Did you hear that, Lu?”
Huh? “Sorry what?”
“They’ll do alterations - so you can wear the dress you want and it’ll fit you.”
“That would be amazing because I think I’ve found it.” I select the last dress on the rail and lift it carefully, before holding it up for Abs to inspect through its clear protective wrapper. “This one. This is The One,” I breathe reverently.
The exquisite glittering gold fabric was barely there in all the right places, creating a sexy, yet elegant look and would caress my curves perfectly and the back plunged, just the way Seb liked them to.
“Ah, Lu, its fabulous! Right, come on, get the thing on - I’m bloody starving!” Abby claps her hands together in glee.
The next few minutes I’m fussed over with pins and tape measures, I can’t make any sense of the language the seamstress and shop assistant speak amongst themselves but its fast and businesslike. Eventually, I am advised that I can get dressed and the gold froth is taken to be practically re-made in time for tonight’s Ball.
As I head out of the changing rooms I notice that Abby is chattering away on her iPhone, coyly playing with a lock of hair, she waves to me mid sentence and mouths “all sorted and paid.” Before nodding in the direction of the door. I say thanks to the Sales Assistant who, elegant as ever, is now returning the rail of ‘special dresses’ to the back room. I’ve got my dress for the night yay! Time to go get some do-me-shoes to really send Sebastian over the edge.
After a lovely lunch of feta salad and sparkling water, we browse several shoe shops before both settling on Gina sandals, it was just too hot for stockings and shoes in Dubai. Next stop was lingerie and after a visit to Bloomingdales, we found a bra that worked with both our dresses, without showing any form of straps, before purchasing new lipstick, eyeshadows and make-up essentials.
Swinging our bags we make a last stop to purchase our clutches and then head into our final destination, where we buy our masquerade masks, before grabbing a taxi back to the spa.
“I can’t wait for this bit… I’ve been dreaming about the Ayurveda Treatments since we saw the brochures in the hotel foyer on arrival. My poor feet are in need of massage.”
“Me too, I’m not sure about all the mind body and spirit gobbledegoop but I’m definitely up for some de-stressing.”
“I booked us both in for the Super Detox Treatment Ultimate Ionithermie, its sounds like bliss and will blast my cellulite and make us feel all shrunken for our dresses.”
“Is that the one with the clay wrap?”
“I think so. I also booked some scalp massage, followed by a back massage and reflexology.”
“Oh my word. I’ll want to go to sleep after all that.”
“By the time we’re done we’ll have three hours to get ready, plenty of time for a quick Nana nap and an afternoon quickie if you fancy?” she winks saucily at me.
“Not a chance. I’m banning Seb from the room. You can come get ready in mine if you want - that way the men can share yours? I want our reveal to be a big surprise.”
“Sounds like a plan. Right, we are here. Time to go balance our well-being.”
“I’ll just be happy to lie down for a bit - my well-being has been well-tended to for the past few days. I’m shattered.”