Show me love.

Thirteen

"How's the wedding planning going?"

Hannah pauses, tearing her go ogling eyes away from the array of delicate  rainbow coloured fabrics. She politely declines the shop assistances offer of a bubbling glass of champagne before joining me at the more neutral toned dresses. 

"I haven't really thought too far into it." She says, twirling around the beaded lace arm of a slender black dress. "I want to travel before settling down. Places we want to see, you know, like, Shiva Temple or Anne Frank's House."

"A long engagement isn't a bad thing." I reason. Wrinkling my nose at the satin gown with bold embroidery across the upper body. "What does Tommy think?" 

She sighs and I immediately stop. Hannah and I were friends for long enough to know each others body language, looks and sounds, which made the cripple pain in my gut even more unbearable at the thought of her not knowing about Matthew. 

"What's going on?" 

"I don't know." She mutters, evidently upset. "Tommy and I have barely spoke about the wedding because when we do and I suggest the whole seeing the world scenario, he cuts off and completely derails. The first time, when he asked me about setting the date and I suggested to wait, he went all kickass crazy and ranted about how he didn't want a long engagement, that we could still travel when we're married, that he didn't propose now to not have a wedding until five or ten years."

"Well, I mean, you could travel even when you're married." I say cautiously. Her tense shoulders and nail picking habit making me aware she was understandably doubtful and hesitant. "Things don't need to change when you become husband and wife."

"That's the thing though." She sighs. "I always said that when I got married, I wanted kids. I imagined a honeymoon baby, and that was only because I would have a long engagement until my life plan got to that certain stage."

"And you haven't spoke to Tommy about any of this?" 

"Believe me, I've tried." She grumbles quietly, twisting and turning the shiny mount on her finger. She was still for a moment longer, eyes focused on the ivory gown, before shaking her head to clear her thoughts and forcing a rigid smile. "Let's forget I said anything. We didn't come here for me to drag you down, we came to find you a jaw dropping dress."

"Nothing too crazy." I tell her, taking her in for a final time before leaving the touchy subject. "This is Jason's night." 

"And you'll be hanging off his arm like a fine piece of jewelry so we need something show-stopping."

"Subtle."

"Bold."

I narrow my eyes. "I don't want to draw any more unwanted attention than I already get, thank you. I'll stick to subtle and simple."

She rolls her eyes jokingly and returns to the racks, fishing her way through the dresses at the opposite end. She calls me after a while, reaching on her tiptoes and grabbing the hanger of the high rail and bringing the black, one sleeved, bodycon infront of her. A sharp slit rose from the hem until mid thigh, suddenly changing the demour a little bit sexier. 

"This!" 

Subtle, simple and flirtatious. 

I nod with a smile. "That." 

"Only you're able to be almost fully covered and still have a man wanting to rip your clothes off." She laughs. "Is Jason like that all the time, with whatever you wear?" 

"I don't understand?" 

She puffs from her lips. "Yeah right. Like you've not seen Jason almost worshipping you everytime you walk into a room. The other night at your party, all he did was stare at you like some hungry teenage boy."