Saving Lotte Sullivan | Collingwood/Carlton

41 - Brownlow Preparations

'And where is Miss Addison?'

Lotte bit her lip as she thought of the best way she could answer the question. 'Oh, she's hiding in my neighbour's apartment because she has nowhere else to stay and won't sleep on my couch'

'I'm not sure. Maybe she's working' she said instead, as she stood in front of the mirror in the unmissable, long white dress with diamonds attached to it. She felt like she was at a wedding dress fitting.

'And what do you think of this one, Miss Sullivan?' The stylist and dressmaker asked, as they gushed over her in the dress. She screwed her face up. 'It's too...bride' she said, as she begin to take it off. The preparation team panicking as they did it for her, before she accidentally undid an important stitch.

'I think the white would suit your hair and complexion beautifully, and with Anastasia...'

'I don't want to wear white. I told you what I want to wear' Lotte said, as she put the silk black dressing gown back on.

'Yes, but you're attending the prestigious Brownlow Medal with a Collingwood player, the short strapless black dress just wouldn't suit. It's too basic for a debut' the stylist said, tutting her. Lotte shrugged. 'But I want to wear that dress I saw, when I was shopping with Ella on High Street. That's going to be my dress, not this...thing' Lotte said, as she uncomfortably shivered at the white dress. She never wanted to be anybody's bride. At least, not yet. Marriage was a sham in her eyes.

'This isn't the common Copeland Trophy Miss Sullivan. You can't just wear any dress. You have to have designers, diamonds, jewellers, hair stylists, makeup artists, purse designers, nail artists, shoe designers...spray tan...' the head stylist explained, as Lotte's eyes widened. Definitely not her thing.

'Maybe Josh should take somebody else' she mumbled, as she picked her clothes up from the floor and grabbed her bag. 'Thank you for your time' she said, as she left the room.

'This girl is a migraine! How are we meant to have the Herald Sun publication done by Thursday, debuting the Daicos girls? I've got one who's pregnant and this one who runs for the hills every five minutes!' The head stylist whined, as the dress designer nodded. 'They get worse every year' he said.

...

'So how's this going to work, Lotte? They play this week in Sydney, they spend another week in Sydney, they come back for the Brownlow and then the grand final...' Ashlyn said, tiredly trailing off as she sat at the kitchen table, sipping her coffee as she looked at an IGA catalogue that had arrived in the mail.

'I don't know. I don't think I want to go. There's no way I can bypass the hoards of stylists on the night since we'll be staying at Crown anyway. I really wanted to wear another dress to the one they've got planned' Lotte said, groaning as she sat down.

'Yeah, well, first world problems. I'm 14 weeks, sincerely hoping I can wear something that hides my bump if it ever pops out' Ashlyn said emotionlessly, as she continued flipping through the catalogue, bored.

'Everyone knows now anyway. Didn't you have to change your Instagram names because you kept getting inundated by jealous or curious fans?' Lotte asked, giggling. Ashlyn rolled her eyes.

'I don't get it. I more or less told him we were done at the airport. The only reason I went to the stupid awards night was for Brayden, he made the All Australian 22. Nick got the wrong idea and assumed it was for him, and went making that big speech and the camera somehow just had to find me. I was in the hospital hours prior. I am so ready to kill him. I'm only going to the Brownlow now because it's too late to change everything. He told the media I'd be there and I don't want to leave him looking stupid' Ashlyn explained, as she grimaced as she came to the liquor section of the catalogue. I'm dying for a wine.