My Daughter, Audrey [ON HOLD]

The Tailor Shop

“Ya done?”  Peter asked, stuffing the last but of crumpet in his mouse.   He chugged down his tea, leaving a few slurps for Audrey.

               “Can I bring the rest?”  Audrey said, cradling her last morsel of sweet bread.  She looked up at Peter earnestly, hoping he would not reject.

               “Of course ya can, love.  But we got to leg it.”  Peter took up his jacket and found Audrey’s greasy fingers.   They rushed out of the shop and made it to Buckeye’s within five minutes.   The store was already open and customers were filing in unconcernedly.   Peter loosened his collar—he was never one who liked being late.   He stepped in and pointed at the counter where Audrey could sit on while he set up his office.

               “Ya be’ave, don’t cause no trouble,” Peter whispered, giving Audrey a quick kiss on the head.  “See ya.”   Peter rushed to the backroom and slipped into his tailoring apron and filled their wide pockets with scissors, pens, measuring devices, and loose fabric.   He greased his hair and wiped the crumbs from his mouth.   Peter then went to the counter and waited for someone to ask him questions to bore him with stories of how the fabric wasn’t behaving in the machines.  

               Audrey, feeling lonesome in the corner, hopped down from the counter and weaved her way to Peter’s side.  She tugged at his apron.  “Daddy, I need to use the bathroom!”

               Peter looked down and picked her up.   “Wot’s that?”

               Audrey cupped her hand over Peter’s ear and said quietly, “The bathroom!”

               “Ahh, the loo, right.  This way, Ace.”  Peter carried her to the bathroom in the back and showed her the door.

               “Don’t leave until I’m finished!”  Audrey requested before disappearing behind the white door.

               Peter waited as he was told.  He kept his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels.  He peeked out at the crowded store and hoped Bill wouldn’t arrive before he had time to get back out there.

               A few minutes passed and Audrey made her appearance again.  “I’m done!”

               “Good girl,” Peter said, sweeping her up into his arms and jogging out to the desk.   There were about three people in line holding bolts of fabric.  Peter sat Audrey on the counter, off to the side so that she wouldn’t be in the way, and gave her an empty pin cushion to entertain herself.   “Wot can I do for ya?”  Peter asked the first customer.

               “Morning, sir, now, I had ordered this fabric a month ago, and it has horrible runs!  Was wonderin’ if I could meself a new bolt?”  the woman asked, stroking the patterned bolt under her arm.

               “Sure can, will ‘ave to charge ya an extra five shillings for return, though,” Peter noted, taking the bolt away from her and going to the shelf behind him to exchange it.

               “Ya shouldn’t have the girl on the counter there, she could fall!”  the woman pointed out in concern.

               “She’s alright.  She’s spry 'n' young.  If she was to fall, she’ll only bounce; their bones are like rubber at that age,” Peter replied candidly as he pulled out the correct bolt and laid it on the counter.  “That’ll be twenty shillings, includin' the extra five.”  

               Audrey leaned over and threw a finger down on the price tag, “It says eighteen shillings, Daddy!”

               Peter smirked in embarrassment, “Git knotted, you!”  Peter scuffled Audrey’s hair and turned to the lady, “I’m sorry, it’ll be twenty-three shillings in total.”

               “Ah, alright.”  The lady added two more coins and snapped her purse closed.  She looked at Audrey and smiled.  “She’s a lovely, lass, where did ya pick her up?”

               “She’s mine, actually,” Peter answered with a proud waggle of his head.   

               “Really, sir?  You’ve been hidin’ her for awhile!”                                                               

               “Wanted her to be older before comin’ to the shop,” Peter said briefly as he handed her the bolt.   “Good day, ma’am.”

               “Same to you, sir!”

               The hours ticked by and the customers dwindled into no one.  Peter still had to man the shop, and Bill came in and out, delivering finished projects to other buyers as well as checking on the progress.  Audrey slept on the counter from time to time, and then would wake up begging to run around.   Peter indulged her yearning for activity by playing hide-and-seek in the shop until he fell down for another nap.   Peter busied himself on wondering what he should say to Jennie when he would propose.  Where would he do it?  How should he word it?   What should he wear?  Should he bring flowers?  All those bothersome details overwhelmed Peter until he had to get up and play some music.    Johnny Lucks’ “Play Rought” was on, which was a dandy tune with a lively jive.   Peter wasn’t much of a dancer, so he just moved his hands, clicked his fingers, and hummed along, and stopped when people would pass the window.

               “Peter,” Bill said as he walked into the shop.  “You can take a break.  I can hold down the fort for awhile.  Take your girl out for a stroll or something.”

               “Thank you, sir, I’ll be back to close up,” Peter said excitedly as he sprang from his chair and scooped up the half-asleep child.   “Don’t work too ‘ard now!”

               Bill looked around the empty shop and shrugged.  “I don’t think I’ll have to, lad!”

               Peter chuckled and rushed out of the shop towards the familiar path to the club.