She turned back to the bride. “Thank you!” she whispered.Sarah ran across the street to the tiny boutique. A bell rang as she entered. The store was filled with flower bouquets and various colorful skirts, blouses, and dresses. The room was airy and smelled of roses. An enormous, fancy birdcage with a colorful Macaw, was set in the corner by a stained glass window. The parrot chittered merrily. A sign below its cage read: ‘Hello, I’m Sunshine.’ “Welcome,” a voice called. A woman with faded gray hair walked slowly to the front of the store. She wore a crisp suit.”I need your help,” Sarah exclaimed. “I realize it’s almost five, but I have a date this weekend and want to look spellbinding.” The woman nodded her head. “That’s what I’m here for!” She stepped closer to Sarah. “I’m Marta.”Sarah shook the woman’s hand. “I’m Sarah. Nice to meet you.” “Well, Sarah,” Marta said. “Let’s see if we have the perfect dress for you.” She took Sarah by the hand and led her around the store. “Where is your date taking you?” Sarah looped her bag over her shoulder. “I’m not sure yet. Another guy in our group is supposed to coordinate. But he hasn’t confirmed yet. We’re going to be somewhere in Manhattan.” “Lovely,” Marta said. “I lived in New York City for years. Beautiful place.” Marta started to sort through several dresses on a rack. “No. Nope. This won’t do.” She seemed to be talking to herself. “I’m going to recommend not wearing black. If you want to make an impression on a man, you have to go for bold colors.” She turned to Sarah. “Have you already worn red?””Oh, yes,” Sarah said. She pulled her hair back with a rubber band. She wanted it out of her face. “What did he think of the red dress you wore?” Marta asked. She had resumed searching through dresses again.”Well,” Sarah said. She pictured Kurl’s brooding stare as he’d turned to look at her in the red dress. “It got him to kiss me.” She refused to let her mind think about Bent. Marta clapped her hands, laughing. “Okay! Then we have to step it up a notch.” She pushed several dresses aside. “We need to make this boy fall in love with you.” Sarah ducked her head, blushing. “I don’t know about that.” Marta chuckled. “Anything is possible.” She paused, thinking. “We need a dress that defies ALL dresses. But nothing trashy. Classy. Always.”Marta did a final inspection of her store. She gave an exaggerated sigh. “What’s here will never do. I can feel it. You need something else. Something that’s just a little more irresistible.” Sarah looked around at several dresses near her. “I’m sure if I try on one of these, it will look very nice,” she said. Marta shook her head. “Most dresses women wear are just in the moment dresses. No. What you need is a dress to make all those special moments last forever. And you sure can’t get that if the boy you want isn’t madly in love with you.” Marta disappeared into the back of her store. Sarah crossed her arms over her chest. A mannequin near her displayed a dark green dress. It was very elegant and lovely. Sarah wasn’t sure why a dress like that wasn’t just as suitable. But she felt happy that the kind woman was taking the time to help her. “Ah, here it is,” Marta said, reappearing. “I’ve been saving this in the back room for some time. Wanted to sell it to just the right girl. And I think I’ve finally found her.” She held out a large white box. Sarah lifted an eyebrow, feeling unsure. Marta placed the box on a nearby table. She stepped back. “Open it,” she said. Sarah stepped forward and gently lifted the lid. She moved the pink, scented paper aside, and saw the dress. “Oh, my,” Sarah said. She slowly pulled the dress from the box. It felt weightless in her hands. Its color was a shimmery, sun-kissed gold. Marta smiled at Sarah. Her eyes sparkling. “You can never go wrong with this one. It has the power to bring a man to his knees.”Sarah laughed. She gingerly held up the dress. “I’m almost afraid to try it on,” she whispered. Marta guided her to a dressing room. “Be brave.” Once Sarah was in the dressing room, she slipped into the shimmering gown. Taking a deep breath, she turned around. She almost didn’t recognize herself. This gold dress was a heart stopper. As she did an excited twirl, her phone beeped. She nudged it with her finger.Bent had texted her back.