Amore

Chapter 5

In the morning, Andrew had breakfast delivered to the room, on the account that I didn't have any dry, decent clothes. Then Andrew went out to see if the seamstress would come here with the dresses. I looked out the window as he walked down the street and entered the little shop. A short while later, he was joined with the woman and a load of materials. 

They came inside the room and set the dresses down on the bed. 

"I was so excited I started right away!" the short woman exclaimed, shooing out Andrew as I took my nightclothes off. She helped me put on a dress, then she tied all of the strings in the back of the bodice, "You're so tiny and precious!" 

I looked up at her as she turned a mirror towards me. "You're going to make that young man very happy," she exclaimed, fixing the hem of the skirt. Before I could tell her we weren't together, I looked up into the mirror. I gasped, not recognizing the reflection that looked back at me. I walked up closer, the reflection did the same thing. The person looking back at me was a young woman with dark hair and big blue eyes. Her skin was white and contrasted nicely with the dark blue dress she had on. The seamstress had worked magic, making her not look so tiny. I turned around, examining my reflection, as the seamstress let Andrew back in. 

He came up behind me and smiled widely, "Where did little Cassandra go? You've changed. Now I'm going to have to hide you or all the men will be drooling after you!" 

I grinned up at him, fingering the skirt. Then I turned to the seamstress, "It's beautiful!" 

The plump woman smiled pleasantly, then pushed Andrew back out so I could try on another dress. The second one was black, with a plunging neckline. My eyes widened when I saw it, my hands covering up my chest. The seamstress laughed, "Silly girl, it won't fall. Besides, you're so pretty, might as well show off a bit of you!" 

When Andrew walked back in, his eyes fell immediately to my chest. I blushed scarlet as he looked me over. The seamstress walked around me, saying I was so gorgeous. I bent my head and looked at the floor. 

"Isn't she simply gorgeous?" the seamstress asked Andrew. 

"Yes," he said softly. I looked up and met his gaze, but he looked away, heat rising to his cheeks. The seamstress ordered him out again and helped me put on a more modest green dress. The neckline went up my throat, the back of the dress had a hundred little hooks on it. Andrew walked back in and nodded, clearly relaxed by this dress. I tried on three more dresses: white, pink, and baby blue. The white one was a bit scandalous and Andrew left the room quickly after giving his overall approval of the dresses. The seamstress went outside the door to collect her money after reassuring me I was her prettiest customer ever. Andrew walked back in when I had my now dry dress on. He walked over to the window and said, "Well, this is our last day here, care to take a stroll?" 

I jumped up, "Sure." 

He turned and smiled, "But no more going into the ocean." 

I laughed and took his outstretched arm. We headed downstairs and then outside. I breathed in the fresh air and smiled. We headed over to a small baker's shop and Andrew bought some sweet rolls for us to share. We sat on a bench under a tree and watched people walk by as we ate. I liked watching the willowy girls walk by, they were all graceful and had a certain way they walked that was enchanting. I told this to Andrew, and he watched too. He shrugged and said he liked watching short, portly men walk by because they hobbled quickly. I giggled when one walked by, doing exactly this, and said I liked their walk better too. 

"I like your walk, you always look like your bouncing with energy and excitement, and you sway," Andrew said thoughtfully, still looking at the people.