Love in Ireland

/2/

-Monday June 12th-

First day at the castle turned out great. Day two? Well, let's say I woke up two hours ago, and it's already a shit show. First thing I saw when I woke up was an article on my phone about Mr. and Mrs. Finnegan's 25th wedding anniversary ball in 4 days. FOUR DAYS!! I was so busy preparing for my new job this week and getting the studio done that I completely forgot. And now, well I have four days to make three ballgowns, and three suits. Maybe if I'm lucky, Declan will agree to just wear one of his old black tuxedo jackets, black dress pants, and a white button down and I'll just make him a new tie. Owen has been going through a phase where his fashion is like Zach's, aka all over the place. Owen has dirty blonde hair like Alannah and he has light brown eyes, so he can wear pretty much anything. Last suit I helped Madam Bowden make for him was bright green. Don't know how he convinced his parents to let him wear it, but, hey. Bridget used to be easy. But now she's twelve and acting like a teenager (Even though she doesn't turn thirteen for like another four months.) So she's starting to want more elaborate and huge dresses. When she was ten, she was cool with just something simple with a little tulle. Literally I have barely had this job for 2 days and I already crashed and burned.

"Heyyyy!" Alannah said, running into the studio. "What happened to you?" She asked, looking me up and down. I'm still in my black and white polka dot pajamas, my hair is in the world's messiest bun, and I'm pacing the studio while waving my hands wildly. I looked like if panic was a person.

"Ijustrealizedyourparents'anniversaryisinfourdaysandIhavetomakesixoutfits." I said in one breath.

"Okay slower. You know, normal human pace."

"I just realized your parents' anniversary is in four days and I have to make six outfits." I breathed.

"Well, technically seven, because you're my plus one. So you have to make yourself a ballgown, unless you're planning to buy one like Zach who's getting a suit from a tailor his parents like. But I'm assuming you're making your dress because you were complaining two days ago that you barely had enough money to pay for a twenty euro sketchbook?" She wasn't wrong. Most of the money I made working for Madam Bowden I gave to my mom to help her pay for things like groceries, my grandpa's medical bills, rent, and more. My paycheck was usually around 50 euros each week, so I gave my mom 35 euros and I kept 15 euros for myself. But that was as an apprentice. I have no idea how much I'm going to make as the royal seamstress. I do make them more than just dresses and suits. Madam Bowden said she made around 80% of the clothes in the six of their closets.

"Not helping!" I exclaimed.

"Right sorry. Well, let's see. It's a kind of an unspoken rule that no princess or queen can ever wear the same ballgown twice. Bridget sometimes wears my old gowns when they fit her, but now that she's in pre-teen mode, I think she wants to design a new dress instead of wearing my old ones. Plus, you would probably still have to alter the dress to fit her correctly. If you have to, you could see if my dad and Declan could just wear one of their old suits and you make them new ties. Owen is growing like a weed, so my bet is most of his pants don't fit him." Alannah explained. She was right, of course. My focus should be on the ballgowns because they are the most time consuming and I have to make four. I completely forgot I had to make myself one. I have been Alannah's plus one to balls since we became best friends. Which was like 2 months after we met. Even when she has boyfriends, she just has them get a separate invitation. The first time I was Alannah's plus one, she told me I could use one of her old dresses, but we figured out that I couldn't because I have a lot more curves than Alannah.

"Okay. You know what? four ballgowns and a suit. I have till like six at night on the sixteenth. I can do this. I'm just not going to get more than three hours of sleep and can only take twenty minute breaks to eat." I said.