Free Wags To Riches by Jane Vernon

off today”.
    We finish eating and drinking and Adam takes the wrappers to a nearby litter bin.  He gets back into the car and has a very serious look on his face.  “Now Gail” he says, “this is very important.  You aren’t paying for anything today.  I’ve asked you to be my guest at Tim’s wedding, so I will get you everything you need, okay?”
    I start to protest but Adam holds up his hand to stop me.  “Gail, I am treating you, so there!” he says smiling.
    “Well, if you insist” I say grinning.  Hey, I’m not going to stop him spending his money on me but I’m sure I’ll feel guilty about it afterwards.
    We visit several really posh clothes shops and the stores themselves are almost as beautiful as the clothes!  The shop we are in at the minute for example, has got solid oak floorboards and a fountain in the centre of the shop with little twinkly lights in the bottom.  It is really pretty, but I don’t think I could work here and listen to that all day – I’d end up wanting to go to the toilet all the time.
    I wonder round trying to find something, then I see not one beautiful dress but two.  The first one I pick up, I immediately fall in love with.  It’s a pale gold, slinky satin number – knee length and strapless with a few gold flowers sewn along the top of the bodice.  It’s gorgeous .  I look at the label in the back and see it’s by someone called ‘Alenta Chimera’.  I have no idea who she is, but she has made a beautiful dress.
    “That’s lovely” Adam says, “Why don’t you try it on?”
    “I will” I say, “I’m just going to have a look at another one as well” and I hurry over to where this lovely black dress is.  It’s a very simple black dress, but the cut is amazing.  I lift it off the rail and hold it up against myself.  “Oh I like this one as well now!” I say.  “What do you think?” I ask Adam.
    “They’re both nice - Try them on” he replies and I go into the changing room with both dresses, while Adam sits on a sofa outside to wait for me.  Even the changing rooms are fabulous in this shop - pink velvet curtains, a huge gilt mirror and a little basket of complimentary toiletries!  I hang the dresses up inside the cubicle and look at them both for a few seconds.  Wonder what Nicola is going to be wearing?  I’d better make the right choice so I look better than she does.  Oh - which to try on first?  Think I’ll try the gold on.  I put the gold dress on and feel fantastic in it.  It’s lovely.  I go out to show Adam.  “What do you think?” I ask.
    Adam looks up from the magazine he’s reading.  “Wow!  You look fantastic Gail” he says admiringly, looking me up and down.
    “Thank you!” I say smiling.  “I’ll just go and try the other one now”.  I go back into the changing room, trip over one of my discarded boots and promptly go flying.  Oops.  I try and recover my poise and move the boots out of the way, before going to try the black dress on.  Thankfully Adam didn’t see me do that.  I try the black dress on and look at myself in the mirror.  Now this dress is very different, but I love it as well.  I feel really elegant in it and kid myself I look a bit like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s .  Yes, if I breathe in and squint at my reflection from a long way away.  I go out to show Adam again, carefully avoiding my boots, which have slithered across the floor again.  “What do you think?” I ask.
    “You look great in that one as well Gail” he says, “Very chic!”
    “I just need to decide which one to get now” I say and head back into the changing room.  I change back into my jeans and jumper and look at both dresses.  They are both really lovely and I can’t decide which one to get.  I’ll get the cheapest I think.  I look at the price tag on the gold one first and my mouth drops open in shock.  £595!  Somebody is having a laugh.  Adam is not paying that much for a