Early one spring day, Gertrude took Florence into town with her.
"Could we stop by the bakery, mother?" Florence asked as she kept pace with Gertrude. "I'll bet Bash would fancy a mince pie on his birthday."
"Sebastian shall be perfectly content with a sensible cake and blancmange." Gertrude said. Florence looked down, resigned. "But perhaps we can peek in before we head back home." Florence smiled at her mother. The two rarely spent time like this together, for they both felt how different they were from one another. Today, though, perhaps they could make an effort to understand each other, just a bit.
"But we have an important errand to run, first, Florence." Gertrude said, stopping in front of a windowed storefront.
Florence could tell by looking through from the outside that this was a dress shop. "My, mother," she said. "How many more dresses could you possibly need?"
Gertrude arched over and took her daughters face between her gloved hands. "My dear, we are here for you to get a dress, not me." she smiled. "Your brother will be turning thirteen in a few days time, and we are having a grand celebration for him!"
"So shouldn't Bash be getting the new dress?" Florence joked. Her mother's face fell.
"Florence, please," Gertrude pled as she tried to avoid getting contrite with her daughter. "That does not amuse me. I worry for you, my girl. You are beautiful, but naive. I cannot have you neglecting your place as a woman so that you may read and play silly games. I implore you, Florence - please try."
Gertrude's begging had disturbed her daughter. Florence did not want to be a burden on her family, though she couldn't understand why her mother worried so. If she was to marry and have a family of her own one day, shouldn't it be with another who embraced her for who she truly was?
"Alright, mum." Florence said after a moment of contemplation. "Perhaps I could use a new dress." and Gertrude shared a pleased and relieved smile as her daughter complied with her wishes.
"It will be such fun, Florence," she said. "I'm sure you'll think so, too."
"Oh my," Gertrude whispered to herself.
Florence stood in front of both the looking glass and her mother - nervous.
"You look darling, darling." Gertrude gushed. Florence really thought she might shed a tear or two. "And the fit is perfect - divine. I'm so pleased with the dressmaker. Why, I dropped off one of my own dresses as a girl for the pattern not a fortnight ago and I don't see a single alteration to be needed. How do you feel, Florence?" Gertrude asked.
Florence pushed her red hair off of her shoulders and stood awkwardly in front of the mirror. Of course she always wore dresses, but none as fancy as this. She didn't quite know how to stand without feeling like it looked wrong on her. Needless to say, she did not see what her mother saw when she looked at herself.
But her mother looked so happy to see her in this dress, as if she had been waiting for this shopping excursion her entire life. Florence just didn't have it in her to disappoint her, not like she felt she had been doing for so long.
"I love it," she forced herself to smile. "Really, it is divine. Thank you, mother."
After her mother had left the dressing room, Florence took another long look at herself in this dress that her mother loved so. She decided she could fake it, for her mum. Perhaps she could even trick herself into believing it. But for now, she would take off the dress and allow herself to dread the next time she would have to wear it - this time for other to see.