In The Unlikely Event [updates begin may 3]

19 | santa's shopping assistant

a/n: this chapter was a bit of a rollercoaster and that ending was so unplanned but got me so emotional goddamnit. anyways mon loves, votes, comment, follows---all that good stuff.

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"I think you should make the dress light up." Waving at my screen as Tammy circled her mannequin, I added, "Like Claire Danes or Zendaya's MET gala dresses. Probably more Claire Danes because the glow in the dark means I can wear it to prom."

Behind the camera, Tammy said, "It's not going to be glow in the dark. Zac Posen had to literally pull some voodoo type of magic to get fibre optics woven into the dress and then powered by mini batteries, which were also sewn into the understructure of the dress. I mean, it's literally fashion design magic."

"So...that's a no?"

The camera flipped around to Tammy's waiting glare. "That's a fat no."

"What about making the dress bedazzled with fake diamonds instead?"

"Nope. I ain't got time to add anything over the top on the dress since it's due in a few weeks, and I've just gotten a couple more orders."

"You're literally killing my prom night vibe, Tammy."

"Sorry, babe, but I got a shitload to do." Placing the phone a vantage point that allowed me to see her while working on the dress, she started setting up her sewing machine. "Also, why you so sure that you'll be wearing the dress to prom?"

"Because you promised to make my prom dress in grade 8--don't even try to deny it-- blue is my colour, and this dress is literally drop-dead gorgeous."

"I wasn't going to deny it; I am making you the prom dress." Taking her eyes off the machine even as she sewed on a practice fabric to make sure the thread lined up correctly, she told me, "Except blue isn't your colour. And when we go fabric shopping for a nice mustard yellow in a few weeks, you're going to be thanking me." She stopped sewing and looked down at the material. Nodding at whatever she saw, she switched out the practice fabric for a different dress. The red fabric, designed with colourful patterns was, was striking despite only passing the camera for a quick second before going under Tammy's needle.

"Ooooh. Is that for a commissioned dress?"

"Yup." She was sewing again, the whirring of the machine most blocking out her murmured answer.

"You know what the dress is for?"

"Uh...a Nigerian wedding, I think--shit, not again!" The machine stopped abruptly, with Tammy slamming down the table hard. "Ugh! Why can't I just get this stupid stitch?"

I sprung up and dragged the highlighter across the law case I was working on. "You okay? What up?"

"Just this design on the sleeves that's got me all worked up. Supposed to finish the dress in a couple of weeks, but I don't know how to nail down the sleeves, yet."

"You wanna take a break then? Come over. We can watch Jason Statham, recharge for a lil while and clear your mind."

"Nah. I just need to push through this. I'm gonna go off now 'cause I might have to watch a couple of YouTube videos for this."

"Wait, Tammy--"

"Addy!" I turned around at the sound of my name to see Aunt Yvonne poking her head out from behind the door into my room/the nursery. "You free?"

"Nah, I'm actually on call with--" I turned back around to see Tammy waving goodbye before ending our call-- "Tammy."

"Y'all, alright?" she asked, walking further into the room. Her eyes scanned the nearly completed half of my bedroom/nursery, fingers just barely skimming the clouds painted on the pink walls.