You're Invited(28)
I followed Tehani out of the room. I didn’t really want to see the dress, but I supposed it would have been a strange thing to refuse. When I was with Spencer, I used to be one of those girls who would occasionally sneak in a bridal magazine when I bought groceries. No big deal, just a little guilty pleasure for when, someday in the abstract future, I would be a bride too. I’d thought about how I’d love a mermaid or a sheath, never a ball gown, and wondered whether lace would look classic or outdated. But that was me in a different life. I didn’t even know that girl anymore.
Tehani didn’t lead me far. Just two doors away to one of the many guest rooms that were never used.
Tehani unlocked the door, rolling her eyes a little.
“My mother wants this kept under lock and key, can you believe it? I think she’s worried that a maid will wander in here by mistake and ruin it or something.”
She moved away, allowing me to step inside first.
I remember there being a bed in here, but that had been moved out, and the rest of the furniture was covered in white sheets—probably because the room remained unused. But a dress form had been set up right in the center, swathed in chiffon and tulle and silk.
I have to admit, I still do enjoy the occasional bit of wedding porn as much as most women my age do. I mean, we’ve grown up being bombarded by messages about weddings. We’ve all lived for that final scene in a Disney fairy tale where the princess wears a breathtaking wedding dress. Kaavi and I even used to rate them when we were younger. My favorite was Ariel’s, with the enormously poofy sleeves, and Kaavi’s was Cinderella’s. But the dress in front of me would blow Cinderella’s dress out of the water.
“Gorgeous, isn’t it? Andre did most of the embroidery by hand and completely by himself. Apparently, he wouldn’t even let any of his assistants help him with it. He’s such a bloody perfectionist. It’s almost a shame that she’ll change out of it for the reception, but well, her Hayley dress will arrive soon, and who can say no to a Hayley Paige?”
I eyed the delicate boned bodice that was overlaid with a fabric so soft and sheer that it looked almost like a second skin. Floral appliqués delicately embroidered in silver and gray thread bloomed down the long net sleeves. The bottom layer of the flowy, full skirt was adorned in hand-printed batik florals to match the sleeves. Another slight hint of batik—the traditional Sri Lankan hand-dyeing technique—rippled through the bodice. It was like looking into a mystical pond that glistened and shone and danced with the light. If I put this dress on, I could make no promises that I would ever take it off.
It took some effort on my part to tear my eyes away from it. I turned to say something polite and appreciative to Tehani, but she was keying something into her phone.
“Oh fuck, I have to take this. You know the way back to Kaavi’s room, right? I’ll see you later.” And with that, she stuck her phone up onto her ear and vanished.
I made myself leave. It didn’t do me any good to stay here—alone with this dress. I stepped out onto the corridor again as a man made his way toward Mr. Fonseka’s office. He turned beet red when he saw me.
“Oh, hello,” he said. His voice was soft and had a slight tremble to it. “I’m Chamara. The interior designer. How are you?”
“Hi. I’m Amaya.”
He nodded like it made sense and let himself into the office.
Kaavi was still fussing around when I made it back to her room. Her phone rang, but she sighed and silenced it, and started loading up her Louis Vuitton bag. I’ve never understood upper-class Colombo society and their fascination with Louis Vuitton. It’s not even like it was the most expensive brand around, but maybe that was the point. It screamed wealth without having to shell out five times the amount for a Birkin, and god forbid they spend that much on a Chloé or a Mulberry, where the logo wasn’t as obvious.
She finally shouldered her bag but hesitated.
“Look, we can talk properly later, and I know that all this must be a bit much for you, but I need a favor.”
I just nodded, caught off guard like I always was. I had questions for her. I needed to know why she lied to me about her parents wanting me at the wedding. But of course she wasn’t waiting for me to ask.
“No one here knows about you and Spencer, okay? And I’d like to keep it that way. I hope you can respect that.”
I was too dumbfounded to say anything, so I nodded again.
“Great. You ready to go?” she asked, but didn’t wait for my answer as she left the room and made her way downstairs.
I followed her for the second time today, my head and my heart and my soul feeling like they were about to explode.
LALITHA
Interview Transcript: Lalitha Chamari Withane (abbrev. LCW)
Date: January 25, 2020
Location: The Mount Lavinia Hotel
Interview conducted in Sinhala by request of interviewee.
Translated from Sinhala to English.
EP: Thank you for agreeing to speak with me, Miss Lalitha.
LCW: [Laughs] Of course, madam. It’s not like I can say no when manager-sir tells me to stop all my morning work and come here.
EP: Yes, I’m really sorry about the interruption. This is very urgent, otherwise we wouldn’t have asked for you.
LCW: I understand, madam. When big, prominent families have emergencies, everything needs to be stopped at once. I understand.