Alyssa was home for Easter, mid-April. Ruth sat on the sofa at her parents while Noah sat at home, in his office, angrily marking his pile of schoolwork.
“Have you even looked at wedding dresses?” Alyssa asked as Ruth lay back into the sofa, too relaxed about the wedding. All invitations had been sent out, Noah’s suit ordered, along with Tom’s, who had been chosen for best man. But the dresses, no one had even considered.
“Nope.” Ruth giggled.
“Mum! Evie! Can we go pick Abbie up and go wedding dress and bridesmaid dress shopping?” Alyssa shouted through the house. Melissa appeared in the doorway and looked at her daughters.
“You haven’t got that sorted yet, Ruth?” Melissa asked in amazement.
“No, should I?” Ruth asked, confused.
“Yes.” Evie and Alyssa said in unison as Evie came down the stairs, pulling her Converses on.
“Chuck me my Vans, would ya?” Alyssa asked. A pair of red and black shoes went flying through the doorway, landing perfectly at Alyssa’s feet. She pulled them on while their mother zipped her ankle boots up.
“John! We’re going dress shopping, want to come?” Melissa shouted down the hallway to the tiny study at the back of the house.
“Has anyone asked Abbie if she’s free?” Ruth asked,
“No, call her.” Alyssa suggested. Ruth pulled her phone out and dialled.
“I’ll wait until you girls have the dresses!” John shouted back. Abbie answered the phone.
“We’re going wedding dress shopping and the siblings are coming to choose bridesmaid dresses. Want to come?” Ruth asked as Abbie answered with her usual ‘S’up?’.
“Of course! When?” Abbie asked,
“Now-ish.” Ruth giggled.
“Give me ten and I’ll be dressed. I just got out the shower.”
“We’ll come pick you up.” The line went dead and Ruth beamed as they scrambled down to their parents people carrier.
“Shotgun!” Ruth shouted, jumping in the front. They all laughed. A few minutes later, maybe ten or so, Abbie jumped in the middle seat between Alyssa and Evie. Melissa drove the giggling gaggle of girls down to the biggest nearby city, Plymouth, and they headed into the dress shop that so many years ago Melissa had bought her own wedding dress. The woman standing behind the counter, selling a dress to another bride-to-be was even the same woman who had sold Melissa her dress. Ruth went straight for the white, fancy dresses, browsing through the piles of dresses. The grey-haired woman that had sold Melissa her dress walked over.
“Can I help you ladies?” She asked, she looked at Melissa and smiled. “You were one of the first I sold a dress to, weren’t you?”
“Yes, and now it’s my daughter’s turn to walk down the aisle.” Melissa explained, smiling. Ruth turned and smiled.
“I don’t do touching.” She stated before the woman had any chance to offer a handshake,
“Autism?” The grey-haired woman asked,
YOU ARE READING
Untouchable
RomanceRuth is beyond awkward. Noah has known her since she was 3, and even then she screamed at him for trying to hug her. She has autism, but she isn't her condition; it's just a part of Ruth that it's impossible to remove. Two years ago, there was confu...
