I am not lonely [Mystrade]

CHAPTER 175 : Fitting room

Gregory pouted as he exited his car. The afternoon was sunny and Notting Hill looked gorgeous under the golden rays but the policeman's mind was less cheerful. It was his day off but as he walked toward a building painted to the union jack's colours he had a sudden urge to be called on important duties.

Mind you, he wasn't going to back off anyway. He had promised Sally to help her choose her bridal dress, and he was going to stick to his words, even if that meant spending hours surrounded by giggling women in a shop overcrowded with laces and floral smells. Sighing one last time as to why he had accepted to put himself in such a situation, he pushed the door and smile to the saleswoman behind the front desk.

"Hello sir, how may I help you ?" she wondered in a sweet voice.

"A friend of mine asked me to help her with her fitting. I think she may already be here." the detective answered, a little intimidated, like a little boy caught browsing through his mother's dresses.

"Is your friend Miss Donovan ?" the lady questioned, checking on the agenda on the desk.

"Yes." the inspector nodded quickly before following the saleswoman upstairs to a large and sunny fitting room.

Sally was already sat in a corner of the room, accompanied by her friend Molly. Like every time something important was to happen in her life, the policewoman had summoned her two best friends for advices and both of them had been prompt to answer even if neither of them had ever had to choose wedding dresses before.

Molly was, despite her lack of experience, probably one of the best person you could ask to help you on that matter. She had good taste and was outspoken enough to be of help. But Greg, on the other hand, had no idea what he was doing here. Not only he never had to choose a wedding dress before, but he had very little interest in fashion and wouldn't dare criticise his friend's choices in that area.

He, in fact, had tried to bribe Mycroft to fill in for him, as the younger man had better tastes in fashion and an acute eye for all what was ceremonial but the politician had to politely refuse the offer, being far too occupied with the American mid-terms election results.

"Late as always." Sally tutted her friend as soon as he stepped in the fitting room.

"Sorry dear, urgent call for milk as 221B." the man apologise, resting himself in an armchair near his friends.

"Does Sherlock know that he possess everything physically required to go to the shop himself ?" the policewoman scoffed even so slightly as another saleswoman entered the room with a few dresses on a support.

"Miss, are you ready to start ?" she wondered, addressing Sally.

"Quite excited." the woman nodded before standing to her feet and accepting the first dress she was handled.

"This is Lucille dress. Tulle gown with clusters of dainty floral motifs inspired by vintage flora." the clerk explained whilst Sally was getting change behind a screen.

As the policewoman reappeared, Greg couldn't help a little giggle to get out. The dress had probably been designed for someone considerably taller than her and with her 5 feet 5, the poor lady looked completely lost in the gown.

"Of course, this one would need to be altered." the saleswoman quickly precised seeing that no one seemed convince by the dress. "And bear in mind that all our dresses are designed to be wear with heels."

"Hmm ... Not really convinced by the flowers ..." Donovan pouted, looking at herself in the mirror. "What do you reckon."

"Bit soapy indeed." Molly commented, trying to make abstraction of the laughing detective by her side.