Chapter 5 Ch. 5 - AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK

VALERIE

"I can't work with her, Miss Brooke." I said firmly.

Joan looked at me, her eyes trailing me up and down. I didn't mean to say that out, but I guess I love the fact that I did.

This was torture! Simon was my first love; he used me, spent my money, and made me homeless. I couldn't do anything when he sold the house; my family was against me, so I couldn't sue him. I didn't even have the money to do that. And now, after four years, he reappeared before me, and I am to sew his wife's wedding gown. Who does that?

"What did you say, Valerie?"

I had to make up something quickly, or else I was going to lose this job. "I meant to say I wouldn't work with her because I'm not skilled. I don't want to mess up her dress."

Simon's wife, whose name was Bianca, addressed me. "I want you to sew my dress, Valerie, and you have no objections. If you destroy my dress, you'd be dead."

I felt intimidated, no doubt, and it was as if Simon had told the woman all about me. But I don't think so. Simon was surprised to see me too, so I don't understand where the beef was coming from.

"I am sorry, I just can't take on the task of making the dress from scratch. I've never done it before."

"You are a seamstress, aren't you? What's so hard about making a simple dress, huh?"

I took a deep breath, trying my best not to be rude. "It's not a simple dress; it's a wedding dress. A wedding dress is intricate; it's a delicate work. I don't have the experience to do justice to it."

"Then why are you here? You're useless if you cannot make a simple dress." Bianca yelled.

Simon shifted uncomfortably in his seat. I had been standing the whole time while they were seated. "Now, dear, let's not be hard on her. She's a seamstress, and I believe she's capable. But maybe this is a bit beyond her skill level."

I raised an eyebrow at Simon. Why was he standing up for me? I scoffed and looked at his wife.

"Simon, love, I wouldn't pay for excuses; I pay for an excellent job. And she will sew my dress."

"Uhm, Bianca, I believe she can't; don't worry, I'll get you another person." Joan was saying, but Bianca wasn't ready to let me go.

"No, Joan, I want her. I give her two days to get my dress ready."

I felt my mouth drop open. "Two days? That's impossible! Even if I worked day and night, I couldn't possibly finish up a dress in such a short time. I can't."

Bianca sneered. "Oh, I don't care. Do it if you still want your job."

I looked at Joan, expecting her to say something, but she didn't. She handed me a picture of the dress Bianca wanted, and I almost lost balance. The dress was too detailed and it could take a week to finish, yet I was given two days.

How could she expect me to perform such a miracle?

"Okay, I will make it possible." You can't make it possible, Valerie, I told myself.

"I will send you the fabrics and her measurements, and begin work immediately." Joan told me.

I left the office feeling like shit. How was I supposed to do this? I really cannot do this.

"Oh, Valerie, you've lost your job."

That woman, Bianca, has a hold on Joan, and I wonder who she was. Whoever she was, I had to make sure I sewed her dress.

***

What was I supposed to do? I haven't made a wedding dress from scratch before and now, it seems I would lose my job if I don't get help.

After an hour of thinking, I finally had an idea.

"Help me, Christina." This was my only option or else, I might as well forget working with Joan. I was forced to call her after racking my head for a way out of the impossible work I got myself into.

"Two days? I cannot believe Joan will even accept that. That's mean!" Christina said. She doesn't like Joan too, and we had that one thing in common.

"I know, right. I don't want to fuck this up. I can't give any seniors, you know how they are. I just want this to be done in no time."

"No problem. I'll be there. Make sure Daisy is sleeping."

I nodded and looked over at my daughter's crib. She wouldn't be awake till we're done.

I stared at the mountain of fabric and patterns scattered across my living room floor, feeling overwhelmed. "You can do this, Valerie."

Christina arrived at 8 AM, armed with coffee and her determination to save me from this disaster. We dove into the fabric, measuring, cutting, and pinning the delicate fabric. As the hours ticked by, our chatter and laughter filled the room, but our progress was slow.

When the clock struck 4 AM, Christina's eyelids began to droop. "Oh, Valerie, I'm going to pass out," she whispered.

"You've done enough; we still have to go to work. You can go sleep in my bedroom."

"Thank you."

She went to my room, and I continued working. But as the first light of dawn crept in, my own exhaustion hit me like a ton of bricks. I didn't think twice before going to lay on the couch, and I drifted off into a fitful sleep, my dreams filled with visions of tangled threads and unfinished wedding dress.

What if I didn't meet the deadline? What if the dress was a disaster? What if I lose my job?

My eyes flew open again, and I sat up, rubbing my temple. This was looking impossible. How did I get here?

I can't lose this job. I have bills to pay; I have Daisy, and I have feeding bills too. How was I supposed to pull through if I lost my job?

"I cannot lose this job."

I got up, and the hours flew by. As the sun began to set, I stepped back to admire my progress. The dress was taking place, but it was looking nothing like what Bianca wanted.

It was looking like what I wanted - a perfect picture of what I wanted my wedding dress to look like if I was getting married to Simon. And without my will, tears filled my eyes and it began to pour.

I just wanted to be married, that's all.