On the cool of the day Precious stood in front of Lydia's tailoring shop filled with excitement and joy. She had spent several months thinking about the perfect style of dress for her best friend's wedding. Her best friend, Emilia had promised to make her the chief bridesmaid during the white wedding and this caused her to be overexcited; she pictured herself all dressed in a purple gown she had carefully chosen from one of the best boutiques in the city. It was a simple, classy dress that needed a few adjustments in order to fit her well.
Since it was a big event, she sorted for recommendations from her friends who would be the right tailor for the job; at the end, Lydia was the talk on everyone's lips. Immediately, she got her phone and booked an appointment with her.
"Good morning, please are you Miss Lydia?" Precious asked as she entered the shop. "Yes ma'am, how may I help you?" Lydia replied confidently. Out of relief, Precious went to say, "I'm Precious, the lady who booked an appointment with you during our call last night"
"Oh yes, welcome Ma. What can I do for you?" Lydia replied warmly, her eyes twinkling behind her glasses.
Precious began to explain the adjustments she needed: the hip region was not fitting, so she needed a hem to tighten the dress slightly, and the dress was too long to be worn, so she wanted a trim to shorten it. Lydia kept nodding affirmatively and attentively, at the same time she was jotting down all what Precious said. This made Precious feel she was at the right place; at the end, Lydia assured her that the dress would be ready in a week since it doesn't have much to be done. Precious decided to pay her partly incase she would demand get some tailoring kits to add to the dress.
A week passed, and Precious hurriedly got to the shop in excitement. But when she walked in, she noticed Lydia's face was filled with concern.
Before Precious could say a word, "I'm terribly sorry, ma'am," Lydia began, her voice was shaking with regret. "I had a busy schedule this week, my client was in need of her wedding dress that held during the weekend, this made me unable to get to your dress. I know I shouldn't give this excuses, I deeply apologize."
Precious had a great shock, and dropped her bag on the floor by reflex. The wedding was only two days away, and she had no other dress to use. She calmly replied her, and forced a smile. "I understand, Lydia. Just take your time, but try and do it on time. I have a few days left."
Precious walked home with so much disappointment but since Lydia was recommended by her friends, she didn't want to overreact over the situation. Despite the limited time, she still had hope the dress will be ready on time and befitting.
The next day, while going to check the dress she had envisioned herself wearing, the one that made her feel like she was on top of the world, she couldn't believe that no thread was on it.
With little time left, Precious went through her closet to search for the similar dress she had worn once to a summer party. It was not as elegant as the one she bought but still pretty. On the wedding day, she decided to use a classic necklace and matching earrings to give it more beauty. After taking a deep breath, Precious stepped out of the house with what she had. It was better she was present than ruining her best friend's biggest day because of Lydia. As she got to the venue, her friends greeted her with a warm hug.
"Precious, you look beautiful! I love your outfit" Emilia, the bride exclaimed.
"Thank you, babe," she replied, feeling a bit better.
Lots of compliments kept coming in till she forgot the disappointment Lydia gave her. She danced, laughed, and enjoyed her day. While the ceremony was ongoing, Lydia walked in with a wrapped package that contained her cloth. She found Precious and handed it over to her with a little smile. "I love your outfit, I've managed to finish your dress. I know it's late for today, but I hope you'll still wear it for another special occasion. I am sorry"
Precious gave her hug and smiled with tears in her eyes, "Thank you, Lydia. I'm very grateful," she said.
As Lydia left the wedding, she felt content and bit relief.