But, then I stalled. I couldn’t find what I needed. With every passing hour, I felt the minutes slipping by with no results to speak of. I needed more time. I needed more resources.
I wasn’t going to make it.
I checked my watch. The dress place was supposed to call me when my dress was ready, but there was no message. It was past the time the saleswoman had said they would call. Dread washed over me like a cold shower. I called the dress shop.
“Hi, this is Aria Ritter. I was supposed to get a phone call when my dress was ready and I haven’t gotten one. I just wanted to check and make sure everything was okay,” I said to the woman who answered the store phone.
“Aria Ritter? It says that you returned your dress. We don’t have it anymore.”
My stomach lurched. “What do you mean you don’t have my dress?”
“You called last night and said you wouldn’t be needing it anymore,” the clerk explained. “We refunded your card.”
“I never called. That wasn’t me,” I told her, trying to keep the panic out of my voice.
“They used your name and knew your information,” the clerk replied. “On the phone, we don’t have any other way to verify. They had the correct card information and knew the color and cut of the dress.”
Audrey. It had to have been her. If she could hack my phone, figuring out my credit card numbers would be a cake walk for her. I should have known she would sabotage me somehow.
“I’ll just come and pick it up as is,” I said. I would figure out something with the hem. I could duct tape the hem up. I’d done it before for pants. A dress wouldn’t be too much different. It would work.
“I’m really sorry, miss, but the dress is sold. Someone bought it this morning. We don’t have it anymore,” she explained.
“My dress is gone? Do you have another? Maybe in a different color?”
“I’m very sorry, but no. We don’t have another. Maybe you can find another dress...”
I thought of how long it took me to find that dress. How I had matched my mask to the purple of the dress. I was out of luck.
“Thank you for your time.” I clicked off the phone and stared at it in my hands.
Not only did I not have the research finished, but I didn’t have a dress anymore. My plan for an evening of freedom was quickly spiraling away. My dress was gone and I didn’t have time to find a new one. A tear trickled down my cheek and I angrily wiped at it. I didn’t want to cry. I was so much stronger than this.
But I didn’t know what to do. I’d finished the document scanning, but didn’t have anything to give to Audrey for it. I had some research, but not enough to make her happy.
I didn’t have a dress. If I tried to shop for one now, I wouldn’t have time to finish the research.
I put my head in my hands. I found myself wishing for my father. He would know what to do. He would have helped me pick up the pieces to my life. I needed him right now.
“So this is where you’ve been hiding out.”
I nearly knocked over my chair in surprise as I turned to look at the door. Standing in the doorway was Senator Glenn. She was probably old enough to be my grandmother with short white hair and bright pale blue eyes.
“Senator Glenn... what are you doing here?” I asked, moving away from my desk.
“I came to check on you,” she replied. She stepped into the room, her eyes traveling to the various boxes before resting on my computer. “I assume that’s the research you’re working on for me.”
I wasn’t sure what the deal between the senator and my stepmother was when Anastasia took my place, so I didn’t say anything.
“I thought so,” Senator Glenn said with a shake of her head. “I should have known better than to trust Audrey Verna.”
She sat down on one of the boxes and looked at me. She wore a pale blue pant suit that complimented her features nicely.
“What are you doing here?” I asked again, still unsure why my former employer was in this office.
“You emailed me the research instead of sending it through your stepsister. I have to think it was as simple as hitting reply-all instead of just reply. I can’t tell you how many emails I get where it happens,” Senator Glenn explained.