Read Online If The Shoe Fits by Laurie LeClair - Free Book Online

shut the
door behind her and let out an exasperated sigh.
    Clutching her red cosmetics bag, Charlie
crossed from the bathroom into the bedroom. “What was that all
about?”
    “That man of yours.”
    Surprised, Charlie stopped in her tracks.
“What did Alex want?” Was he going to call off the wedding now that
she’d warmed up to the idea? Her heart hitched.
    Since the day she accepted his proposal,
she’d been getting used to the idea of being a part of a real
family again.
    Dolly waved it off. “Oh, he just wants to
talk to you, that’s all.”
    “And that’s not important?”
    Her friend nabbed her by the arm and steered
her to the dressing table. “It’s bad luck to see the bride before
the wedding, honey.”
    Charlie sank into the small chair. “We don’t
have to see each other to talk.”
    “Talk, see, same thing to me.” She leaned
around Charlie and picked up the hairbrush.
    She glanced over at the phone. “I could call
him.”
    “Nope. Don’t be stirring up no bad luck
now.”
    A loud knock sounded on the door.
    “Now what?” Dolly asked, handing over the
brush to Charlie. “If that’s him again, I’m going to have to get
tough this time.”
    Cringing, Charlie turned in her seat and
leaned sideways to get a better look. Maybe she’d be able to shout
something to him. Was he getting cold feet? A sliver of dread
dropped into her middle.
    “If I told you once, I told you twice you
can’t see her, got that, bub?” Dolly scolded as she whipped open
the door. She stopped, frozen like a statue.
    The silence was deafening.
    “Dolly, what is it? Alex, is that you? Is
something wrong?” Charlie rushed to the door.
    “Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle,” Dolly
sputtered at the sight.
    Reaching her friend, Charlie nearly lost her
footing. “Francine. Priscilla.” Her throat closed up.
    Standing before her were visions of beauty.
Gone were the usual black, dreary, and do-nothing-for-them dresses.
The bridesmaids’ gowns were similar in fashion, yet Dolly had done
wonders at sculpting the fabric ever so slightly here and there to
bring out the girls’ best features. “I, oh, I can’t believe…” Only
nonsensical things emerged from Charlie.
    The sisters cried out in unison, “We’re so
beautiful, don’t you think?”
    Charlie nodded, dumbfounded. All speculation
on Alex’s request to see her flew out of her mind at the sight of
her revamped sisters.
    “And it’s all thanks to you and Dolly.”
Francine twirled in the light blue satin gown Charlie had
specifically designed to accentuate her small waist. The V neck
hinted at the swell of bosom.
    Priscilla, in pale green satin, brought them
back to where they were. “Can we come in? We’re here to help you
get dressed.”
    They entered the room, closing the door
behind them. Their uncharacteristic girlish giggles had Charlie
glancing at Dolly. The older woman’s wide-eyed stare had to mirror
her own.
    “Damn, we’re good,” Dolly said.
    “Apparently so.”
    Charlie hooked her arm through Dolly’s. They
faced the remarkable change the make overs had wrought, not only in
looks, but in their emerging bubbling personalities.
    “Mother’s cozying up to an elder gentleman
downstairs, so we slipped on past her. Please don’t let Mother see
us until the wedding,” Francine pleaded. “She’ll have a hissy-fit
and tell us to tie back our hair.” She turned her head this way and
that, the lush sweep of blonde hair swinging gently around her
shoulders.
    For the first time, Charlie noted the
professional styled hairdos. Coming closer, she fingered
Priscilla’s silky auburn tresses. “How many inches did you get cut
off?” Awe tinged her voice; she’d never seen the sisters in
anything but one dreary style all their lives.
    “Almost ten inches of hair, can you believe
it? Francie only got eight cut off. But I just fell in love with
this shorter bob. Don’t you just love it?”
    “Yes,” Charlie said in all sincerity. “It
does