But the moment passed. “How can I help you?” she repeated, smiling kindly at Phuong.
Phuong knew that this shop assistant couldn’t possibly be used to Yore coming in, but there was a moment of solidarity — two Yore women in a Draka-dominated world.
“I need a dress,” she said. “A nice dress?”
The shop assistant, who was wearing a name tag that said that her name was Trang, brought her to another section of the store.
“We keep some dresses from last season back here. It might be better for your budget.”
“No,” Phuong said immediately. “I need the perfect dress.” Phuong dug into her pocket for her money. She showed a fistful of the Insa coins to the store clerk.
Trang’s jaw dropped when she saw the shiny coins.
“What’s your upper budget?”
“I’ll know which dress I want when I see it.”
Trang took her to the front of the store.
“All of our newer dresses are up front.”
Trang took several dresses off the rack.
The first one was a very bright orange with extremely deep cleavage and huge pockets at the hips.
“I don’t think that would be very flattering.”
The next one was a black dress with turquoise and purple flowers all over it.
“This one looks like it would fit you.”
Phuong felt very self-conscious about her curves. Even though they scrabbled for food, somehow her body was still pretty curvaceous. Besides, she wasn’t sure about mixing turquoise and purple.
“I think that this dress is pretty, but I’m looking for something spectacular. Something that’ll make me a knockout.”
“How about this one?”
Trang had pulled off a dress with lightly glowing mauve, indigo, and light pink flowers all over the top with a simple black skirt. The flower petals glowed gently under the filmy over gown.
“It’s wonderful,” Phuong breathed softly.
“Let’s have you try it on, shall we?”
It was a wrap dress, so Phuong pulled the sash through the hole and then tied the whole thing together.
“Come out and show me,” Trang called.
Phuong made a face at herself in the mirror before coming out.
“I think that it shows too much cleavage.”
“No, I think that’s the perfect amount. You wanted to be a knockout, right? Turn towards this mirror.” Trang was pointing at a three-part mirror.
“I already…” Phuong was speechless when she looked at herself from three angles.
“Oh wow.”
“Yeah. This dress looks like it was made for you.”