background.
“Have you thought about neutrals?” Mom asked. “See how the flowers pop against the rich navy blue of her dress?”
A smile spread across Olivia’s face. “Yes!” she said excitedly. She looked around at all her bridesmaids. “And navy blue looks good on everyone!”
“I do look good in navy,” agreed the redheaded bridesmaid. “Plus, I went to ten weddings last year and
no one
did fruit.” She nodded solemnly. “It’s very unique.”
This sealed the deal for Olivia. “It’s … perfect!” she cried.
Relief shot through me, and everyone sighed with happiness. Everyone except Ashley, that is, who was staring at me with open hostility. I smiled at her sweetly, which I knew burned her up inside.
Too bad for you, Ashley,
I thought.
Flowers on Fairfield is back in business!
“Ladies?” said Corinne the wedding planner. “Remember that silk chiffon empire-waist dress? Totally flattering and it definitely comes in navy. That bouquet would look amazing against it.”
Olivia looked around at the bridesmaids. They were all jostling one another to take a turn holding the beautiful bouquet. “That’s it!” she said. “Let’s go back to the store right now so they can take everyone’s measurements!”
As everyone began to get on their coats and grab their purses, talking excitedly, Mom and I grinned at each other.
But my happiness was short-lived. Because the shop bell jangled. And to my annoyance, in walked Rose, Aster, and Poppy. What were
they
doing here?
Poppy immediately ran up to my mom, wrappingherself around her leg and hanging on for dear life. The bridesmaids all oohed and ahhed. “How cute!” they exclaimed.
“What are you doing with all these ladies?” Poppy wanted to know while Rose and Aster whispered to each other about who knows what.
When Mom explained that Olivia was getting married, Poppy disentangled herself and walked over to Olivia. “A wedding!” she cried. “Then you need a flower girl.” She cocked her head at Olivia. “Pick me!”
I groaned.
“So sweet!” said a bridesmaid.
Olivia laughed and told Poppy she had already promised the job to her fiancé’s niece, but that Poppy could be her alternate.
“That’s like being an understudy!” exclaimed Rose. “If the flower girl can’t perform on the day of the wedding, then the part belongs to you!”
This seemed to satisfy my little sister and she retreated behind the counter. I stole a glance at Mom, but she didn’t look embarrassed by Poppy at all. I seemed to be the only one who was totally mortified.
But just as Olivia was about to leave, Poppy came rushing back over.
“Bride lady!” my sister squealed. “I want to ask you a question!”
Olivia leaned down so she was at Poppy’s level. “Yes?” she asked.
“Where’s your tail?” Poppy asked in all seriousness.
Olivia wrinkled her nose in confusion. “My tail?” she said.
“Yeah, your tail,” said Poppy. “I thought you would have a tail.”
As Olivia smiled and turned away, my stomach sank. Surely Poppy wasn’t about to say what I thought she was about to …
“You sure don’t
look
like Godzilla!”
Mom and I glanced at each other in dread. I’m sure my eyes were bugging out as much as Mom’s were. Luckily, Olivia had left just in time and hadn’t heard. But someone else had.
“Godzilla, huh?” said Ashley. She gave me a knowing smirk and walked out the door.
Chapter Six
School was over for the day and we were all crowded in the hall, doing the usual locker gymnastics. Everyone was maneuvering around one another, pulling out books and grabbing our coats and backpacks.
“Hello, Delphinium,” said Ashley from behind me.
I didn’t even look away from my locker. I knew that she’d be standing there, flanked by her handmaidens, and dressed in some fashionable outfit, with an impatient sneer on her face.
“Can I help you, Ashley?” I sighed, looking back at her. Right on all counts. She was wearing
“Have you thought about neutrals?” Mom asked. “See how the flowers pop against the rich navy blue of her dress?”
A smile spread across Olivia’s face. “Yes!” she said excitedly. She looked around at all her bridesmaids. “And navy blue looks good on everyone!”
“I do look good in navy,” agreed the redheaded bridesmaid. “Plus, I went to ten weddings last year and
no one
did fruit.” She nodded solemnly. “It’s very unique.”
This sealed the deal for Olivia. “It’s … perfect!” she cried.
Relief shot through me, and everyone sighed with happiness. Everyone except Ashley, that is, who was staring at me with open hostility. I smiled at her sweetly, which I knew burned her up inside.
Too bad for you, Ashley,
I thought.
Flowers on Fairfield is back in business!
“Ladies?” said Corinne the wedding planner. “Remember that silk chiffon empire-waist dress? Totally flattering and it definitely comes in navy. That bouquet would look amazing against it.”
Olivia looked around at the bridesmaids. They were all jostling one another to take a turn holding the beautiful bouquet. “That’s it!” she said. “Let’s go back to the store right now so they can take everyone’s measurements!”
As everyone began to get on their coats and grab their purses, talking excitedly, Mom and I grinned at each other.
But my happiness was short-lived. Because the shop bell jangled. And to my annoyance, in walked Rose, Aster, and Poppy. What were
they
doing here?
Poppy immediately ran up to my mom, wrappingherself around her leg and hanging on for dear life. The bridesmaids all oohed and ahhed. “How cute!” they exclaimed.
“What are you doing with all these ladies?” Poppy wanted to know while Rose and Aster whispered to each other about who knows what.
When Mom explained that Olivia was getting married, Poppy disentangled herself and walked over to Olivia. “A wedding!” she cried. “Then you need a flower girl.” She cocked her head at Olivia. “Pick me!”
I groaned.
“So sweet!” said a bridesmaid.
Olivia laughed and told Poppy she had already promised the job to her fiancé’s niece, but that Poppy could be her alternate.
“That’s like being an understudy!” exclaimed Rose. “If the flower girl can’t perform on the day of the wedding, then the part belongs to you!”
This seemed to satisfy my little sister and she retreated behind the counter. I stole a glance at Mom, but she didn’t look embarrassed by Poppy at all. I seemed to be the only one who was totally mortified.
But just as Olivia was about to leave, Poppy came rushing back over.
“Bride lady!” my sister squealed. “I want to ask you a question!”
Olivia leaned down so she was at Poppy’s level. “Yes?” she asked.
“Where’s your tail?” Poppy asked in all seriousness.
Olivia wrinkled her nose in confusion. “My tail?” she said.
“Yeah, your tail,” said Poppy. “I thought you would have a tail.”
As Olivia smiled and turned away, my stomach sank. Surely Poppy wasn’t about to say what I thought she was about to …
“You sure don’t
look
like Godzilla!”
Mom and I glanced at each other in dread. I’m sure my eyes were bugging out as much as Mom’s were. Luckily, Olivia had left just in time and hadn’t heard. But someone else had.
“Godzilla, huh?” said Ashley. She gave me a knowing smirk and walked out the door.
Chapter Six
School was over for the day and we were all crowded in the hall, doing the usual locker gymnastics. Everyone was maneuvering around one another, pulling out books and grabbing our coats and backpacks.
“Hello, Delphinium,” said Ashley from behind me.
I didn’t even look away from my locker. I knew that she’d be standing there, flanked by her handmaidens, and dressed in some fashionable outfit, with an impatient sneer on her face.
“Can I help you, Ashley?” I sighed, looking back at her. Right on all counts. She was wearing
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