X-Marks: Stealing Shadows

Envy

No, definitely not right. I said to myself again.

I put the red ribbon back on Ida's dresser. My fingers ached from pulling my hair in and out of braids. I looked at my reflection in the dusted mirror. A mismatched dress stared back. I was not fit for harvest. Not yet.

"Take my room," Ida said the day before on her bed.

"Are you sure, nan? We can get ready in our tent."

"Certainly, not!" Ida said and wrinkled her nose, "You think I don't remember how important a girl's first harvest is. I'll have clothes waiting for you. Take all the time you need. I won't be back once the games start. Alger and Richard will make sure of that," she said and shook her head back and forth.

Ida folded my patchwork dress in her lap. She tucked the hard lace edges into the folds and set it under a green dress.

The green dress that I had wanted.

Weeks before the harvest there was only question on every young girl's mind, and it was what to wear. The other girls had their own dresses from past harvests. They added patches for their growing frames.

I watched every mother and nan fret about the details of each dress as if it were to be stitched to them for life. I listened to every question, from what charm to add for this year to whose dress was more adorned.

I worried for weeks about harvest while my only dress was getting more and more worn each day. With three short days until the harvest day, Ida gathered the entire family.

"I've come to know you children as my own," Ida said from the head of the kitchen table, "We've all have. And like our own, we want your first harvest to be memorable."

Aunts and cousins unraveled pieces of cloth from the table like they were opening a paper wrapped gift on their birthday. It was tricky to tell the pieces from one another, but in the center of the table was a dress unlike any other.

Its lace collar was adorned with delicate silver charms. The vibrant green velvet pleated at the waist towards a bow in the back. The tails of the dress dangled with dozens of silver charms.

It was perfect.

"Nan! You fixed it!" Evee said and ran towards Ida holding the green dress.

"I would have never found it if it wasn't for you," she said and wrap her arms around Evee, "And now it's yours."

It was hers. I felt a hit on the bottom of my gut. Nan must have made something for me too. I just had to find it.

I scoured the table for my own dress, but there was nothing but a patchwork tablecloth.

Ocean had already taken her dress from the table. She held the simple blue dress to her long limbs and smiled. The women sitting nearby had pins ready in their mouths and begged for Ocean to try it on.

Mat stood in the corner wearing his new collared shirt and navy pants. Aunt Rose held a yellow strip of fabric around his neck.

"It's too tight!" Mat said.

Rose tightened the fabric around Mats neck and brushed her black curls from her eyes.

"It's on just fine," Rose said, "It'll only be on for a day, and all the boys will be wearing a tie. It's tradition you know!"

The tie did look impressive against his tan skin and jet-black hair. I hated to admit it.

Rose turned back to the table and grabbed a black hat with gold charms along its brim. Mat handled its tall roof with care. He fixed his eyes on it as it turned in his hands.