PRIMPING FEBRUARY 9, 1860 |
| Corey met Meghan at the clinic. The two friends were going to buy Meg a
dress for the upcoming Valentine's Day dance. Convincing her father she needed a new dress
and promising not to spend it all, Meghan practically ran out of the house with the ten
dollars she managed to get from Daniel. Meg was excited about going shopping, while she
couldn't help but feel that her best friend was a little less than thrilled about it. "Now where should we go for my dress? Cromwell's Mercantile or the dress shop?" Meg asked as she mounted her horse. "You should go to Jasmine's, your daddy's a doctor he can afford to give you the best." Corey said. "Alright Jasmine's Boutique it is." The two then headed towards Jasmine's. Once there, the two friends began to look around. "Hello, can I help you?" A very pretty woman asked them. "Um . . . well, we're just looking right now." Meg answered. "Well if you or your young man see anything you like, just give me a holler. I'm Jasmine McGregor." Meg stifled a giggle as Corey looked to the ground. Meg still hadn't gotten used to the fact that most folks in town thought Corey was a boy, to Meg she was clearly a young lady just like her. "It's nice to meet you Mrs. McGregor, I'm Meghan Thomson, my father is the town's doctor." "It's nice to meet you." The two friends began fingering the dresses and accessories, but every time Meghan would point out something Corey would just nod or shake her head. "You do know I asked you to come along because I wanted your opinion." Meg said. "What?" Corey answered. "Corey, is there something on your mind you want to talk about?" Corey thought a bit then shook her head, "I'm sorry Meg, it's nothing really. I promise to be more involved in this. Now let's find you a dress." After a few minutes Meg looked up to find Corey staring at her. "What?" Corey smiled, "You do realize you're goin' through all this trouble and you don't have a date yet, right?" "I know, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared. Besides, I could always go with you if no one asks me. After all I think most folks in town think you�re my beau. Which would explain why I don't have an escort yet." Corey gave her friend a weak smile, and continued looking through the racks. When all was finished Meg had chosen a wine colored taffeta dress, with a fitted bodice and full skirt, that was adorned with tiny white rosettes around the low cut neckline. And the new shoes, gloves, corset and shawl she purchased finished the ensemble perfectly. "Your daddy ain't gonna let you out of the house with that dress on." Corey said as Jasmine wrapped up the purchases. Meg smiled her most angelic smile at her friend. "There is only one thing I've ever wanted in my life and that was to be a doctor, and this dress just might help me become one." "How can a dress do that?" "Well, you know daddy won't send me to medical school. So the only other thing left for me is to get married. I'm 17, most of my friends in Boston were getting engaged when I left. I have to start over. Maybe I'll catch someone�s eye in this dress. Besides maybe my father will panic at the influence the West is having on me and will want to send me away to school. Either way I win." "I thought you promised you wouldn't spend it all." Corey said as Meghan paid her bill. "I didn't. I still have one dollar and forty two cents left." Meghan said with a sly grin. The two girls laughed and headed back to the clinic. |