Gypsy Wedding (10 page)

‘Bastard!’ And giving him an evil look Kelly left too.

The first few days shot past in a blur of getting used to the new routine of college, making new friends and finding her feet. As the first week came to an end, Vicky realised that she was happier than she could ever remember. It was as if she’d just found a perfect niche that fitted her exactly. Everything that Mrs Mead her tutor said, every new skill she was starting to learn, just made sense. It was almost as if she’d always known this stuff but that it was buried deep inside and now she had the keys to unlock it.

And, as far as Vicky was concerned, Mrs Mead was the perfect person to be teaching textiles. Her dress sense was bizarre and bohemian but wonderfully original and she managed to mix modern fashion with some amazing retro accessories, which meant that Vicky thought she was a walking style icon. Every morning, when Vicky got to college, she found that part of the pleasure of being there was seeing what Mrs Mead would have on that day.

As Vicky was only taking the one subject at college she had plenty of free time between classes but instead of going back home she spent her time in the art and design faculty working on her pieces. She was fascinated by the new techniques she was learning, really understanding for the first time what she could do with fabrics, how they worked, how she could get different textiles to interact together to achieve knock-out effects that made each garment look unique. And with everything she was beginning to learn she could see better possibilities for the big project that she knew she had to tackle very soon.

She was sitting at one of the big worktables in the textiles room when her tutor, Mrs Mead, came over.

‘You are allowed time off, Vicky,’ she said gently.

Vicky looked up and smiled. ‘I know, but I wanted to get this finished.’ She held up the piece of hessian that she was threading through with other types of fabric to make a wall hanging.

‘That’s really lovely, Vicky. I can’t believe you’ve managed to achieve such a brilliant piece of work in such a short space of time.’

‘Thank you, miss.’

‘You’ve got real talent. Are you planning a career in fashion? You could, you know.’

‘Not really.’

‘No? Look, Vicky, I don’t say this to my pupils very often and certainly not so early on in a course, but you have something special. Really you do and if you waste this God-given talent it would be criminal.’

Vicky felt stunned. Talent? Real talent? She knew she was neat-fingered, she knew she could sew pretty well, but talent? ‘Thank you,’ she said in a shaky voice.

‘You see, I think you’ve got a real chance of getting into a top fashion college. Somewhere like Central St Martins. Your eye for colour is astounding and you just seem to have this intuitive feeling for what you can do with fabric. Just look at this.’ She pointed to the hanging Vicky was working on. ‘The way you are mixing all these different textures is wonderful. This is the sort of standard I’d expect from my second-year students, not from someone who has only just started.’

‘Thank you,’ repeated Vicky.

‘So you’ll promise me you’ll think seriously about your future?’

Vicky nodded even though she knew that what Mrs Mead was saying was hopeless. But maybe this was a moment to broach the subject of making her bridesmaids’ dresses. Although she knew she was going to have to tell a bit of a fib.

‘Actually, there’s something I’d like to ask.’

‘Yes?’

‘I’ve got a friend who is getting wed. She’s asked me to help her make her bridesmaids’ dresses.’

‘Oh yes? Sensible girl. She obviously knows she’s going to get someone who’ll do a fantastic job.’

‘Yes, well, I was wondering if I could use the machines here for some of the work.’

‘I don’t have a problem with that.’

‘It’s mainly for doing some of the embroidery work.’

‘That’s fine. What sort of design are you going to be using?’

‘Can I show you?’

‘Of course.’

Vicky put down her hanging and took a notebook out of her big Mulberry bag. She grabbed a pencil and began to draw. ‘I was planning on doing something quite traditional.’ She quickly sketched a dress with a small waist and a big flouncy skirt. ‘Ballerina length is flattering for most shapes, and I’m going to give the girls boned bodices.’

Mrs Mead smiled when she saw the design that Vicky sketched out using a few elegant lines. ‘That’s lovely. Have you found a pattern for that sort of dress?’

‘I was hoping to just use my own design. I was wondering if you could help me in that way, with the pattern cutting.’

‘Of course. We’ll need the measurements for the dresses. How many are you making?’

‘Seven.’

‘Seven! Crikey, this is going to be some wedding.’

It certainly is
, thought Vicky.

Vicky quickly settled into a routine and as September drifted, along with the falling leaves and the scent of wood smoke, into October she finally got going with her task of making the dresses. She decided that as the skirts were relatively simple – just yards and yards of green silk scattered with dozens and dozens of crystals – she’d make only the bodices at college. The cut and fit would be critical and the boning and embroidery would involve skills that she would have to learn. Still, she might be able to help other traveller friends with dresses in the future. If she didn’t take money she was sure she’d be able to carry on dressmaking. It was the idea that the man wasn’t the only breadwinner in the family that travellers couldn’t cope with. Surely dressmaking for love, not money, would be acceptable.

Unlike Vicky, Kelly wasn’t quite such a committed student. Sure, she loved her course and being a beautician was a big ambition of hers but unlike her best friend she was more than happy to only roll into college for her lessons and then shoot off again as soon as they finished. Consequently her path didn’t cross with Vicky’s that often but the two friends always made a point of lunching together every Wednesday.

‘You’re going to have to come along with me to the textiles department when you’ve eaten. I need to get your vital statistics.’

‘Ooh, this is quite exciting. I’m longing to know what I’m going to be wearing on your big day.’

‘Ssshh,’ said Vicky in a low voice. ‘Don’t go yelling all over the place that it’s
my
wedding.’

‘Sorry.’

‘I’ve told Mrs Mead that I’m making the frocks for a friend.’

‘Okay. And don’t look now but Jordan and Chloe are heading our way.’

‘Oh shit.’

Vicky looked up and saw that Chloe was, as usual, glued to Jordan. ‘Hi, you two.’

‘Hello,’ said Jordan with a warm smile. Chloe remained impassive and silent. ‘I’m having a party at the weekend – on Saturday night. It’s my birthday and I’d like it if you two could come along.’ Judging by the look on Chloe’s face she was no way as keen as Jordan.

‘Love to,’ said Kelly. ‘Where’s it at?’

‘Mine.’

‘Cool. What about you, Vicky?’

Vicky shot Kelly a look. Like Kelly didn’t already know the answer. ‘Sorry, no. Got something else on.’

‘That’s a shame. You’ll be missing out on a good night. Still, maybe next time, yeah?’ Jordan replied.

He and Chloe wandered off again, presumably to issue more invites to the party.

‘Thanks a bunch, Kel.’

‘What have I done now?’

‘Rubbing it in like that. There’s no way I’m ever going to be allowed to go out partying with you or Jordan or anyone and you know it.’

‘Yes I do. But I could hardly say,’ Kelly lowered her voice, ‘that old Vick here isn’t allowed out, ever, so you’re wasting your breath asking her.’

‘No, I suppose not,’ she conceded grudgingly.

‘It’s well unfair.’

Vicky shrugged. ‘You get used to it. I could go if I took a whole bunch of my girlfriends from the site but I can just imagine how that would go down with the likes of Chloe. If there was ever a quicker way to start a cat fight I can’t think of one.’

‘On the other hand it might be worth it to see that stuck-up bitch’s face.’

Vicky laughed.

‘Supposing you stayed over at mine?’

‘That’s not going to work either,’ said Vicky. ‘There’s no way I’d be able to stay a night away from home, even if it was with a girlfriend on the site.’

‘You mean you’ve never had a sleepover?’

Vicky shrugged. ‘No.’

‘You know,’ said Kelly. ‘I reckon there’s nuns with more exciting social lives than yours.’

‘I get to have fun,’ Vicky said defensively.

‘Yeah?’

‘We have lots of parties. Any excuse and one’ll happen. It’s just … it’s just …’

‘It’s just what?’

‘No booze.’

‘What, none?’ Kelly was aghast.

‘Oh, the men and boys can drink. And you can drink when you’re married but us girls can’t.’

‘You’ve never had a drink?’

‘I have.’

‘What?’

‘Communion wine.’

Kelly laughed so hard at this that heads turned in the canteen. ‘Vicky, Vicky,’ she said, wiping her eyes. ‘You have so missed out.’

‘I don’t think so,’ said Vicky defensively. ‘I don’t see anything in getting drunk.’

‘Says someone who’s never tried it.’

‘No, well …’ Vicky sighed. Had she really missed out on a life experience? Maybe it’d be fun to try once. Not that it was going to happen so she might as well forget that idea. She looked at her watch. Lunchtime was almost up and besides, sitting around gossiping to Kelly wasn’t going to get those wretched dresses made.

‘I’m going back to the classroom. And you can get off your arse and come with me so I can measure you. And once I’ve done that you had better not put on any weight as I’ve only just got time to make all these blooming dresses. I haven’t got time to go altering them later.’

The following Wednesday the two girls met again for lunch.

‘Don’t you go stuffing your face,’ warned Vicky. ‘I want you to try the bodice of your dress on.’

‘Is it finished already? You’re a wonder.’

‘It’s not finished but it’s getting there. So, how was Jordan’s party?’

‘It was great. Although Chloe got off her face and was sick in the rose bushes and I wasn’t much better. I had the hangover from hell on Sunday.’

‘It doesn’t sound that great to me.’

‘Maybe you had to be there. Anyway, Jordan got all arsey about you
not
being there, which got on Chloe’s tits no end, I can tell you. But then he had a few drinks and kept banging on about it all adding to your mystique. I mean,
mystique
! Shit, if he only knew!’

Even Vicky had to admit it was funny. ‘I bet that’s the first time a gyppo has ever been described like that.’

The two girls swiftly ate their lunch and then raced off to the textiles department. Vicky was keen to show Kelly her work and Kelly was longing to see what her dress was going to be like. Vicky hauled a huge carrier bag onto the worktable and pulled out the half-made bodice.

‘Oh my God, Vick, that’s fantastic.’

‘Like it?’

‘Like it? It’s gorgeous.’ Kelly fingered the dark green silk almost reverently.

‘Well, get your kit off and try it on. There’s a screen over there, you can change behind that.’

Kelly nipped behind the screen and Vicky could hear the rustle of clothing. A couple of minutes passed.

‘You’re going to have to give me a hand here, I can’t get the zip done up.’ Kelly emerged holding her bodice to her chest.

Deftly Vicky zipped up the top. ‘Breathe in,’ she ordered as she tried to connect the hook and eye at the top. ‘Turn around. Let’s see what it looks like.’

Kelly spun around and looked down at her figure, trapped inside the heavily boned bodice. ‘Bloody hell, Vick. Look what you’ve done to my tits. It’s like a dead heat in a Zeppelin race.’

Vicky snorted with laughter. ‘No it isn’t. You look very sexy. Look in the mirror.’

Kelly walked over to the full-length one. ‘I see what you mean. It’s given me a well tiny waist. I’ve got proper curves.’

‘You’ve always had proper curves, just this sort of support makes them dead obvious.’

‘I love it.’

‘Good.’ Vicky walked around Kelly checking the fit. ‘It’s not too tight?’

‘Meaning,
can I breathe
? Just about.’

‘Try sitting down.’

Kelly hooked a chair over with her toe and plumped down on it. ‘Well, I won’t be slouching. There’s no way you can do anything but sit up straight in this outfit.’

‘And the boning doesn’t dig in anywhere? I don’t want you ending up injured.’

‘No.’ Kelly twisted and moved a bit. ‘No, it seems fine, but whether I’ll feel the same way after I’ve been in it for half a day I don’t know.’

‘You can change back now, if you like.’

Kelly took a last lingering look at her new-found figure in the mirror, as Vicky unhooked the bodice and dragged the zip down, before her friend disappeared behind the screen again.