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46.

The next day Meg had a text from Kate.

There was a problem with the dresses for the bridesmaids, apparently¹. They needed altering.

The dresses were French couture, hand-sewn from measurements only. So it wasn’t a big shock

that they might need altering.

Meg didn’t reply to Kate straightaway. Yes, she had endless wedding-related texts, but mostly

she was dealing² with the chaos³ surrounding her father. So the next morning she texted Kate that

our tailor was standing⁴ by. At the Palace. His name was Ajay.

This wasn’t sufficient.

They set up a time to speak that afternoon

Charlotte’s dress is too big, too long, too baggy⁵. She cried when she tried it on at home, Kate

said.

Right, and I told you the tailor has been standing by since eight a.m. Here. At KP. Can you

take Charlotte to have it altered, as the other moms are doing?

No, all the dresses need to be remade.

Her own wedding dress designer agreed, Kate added.

Meg asked if Kate was aware of what was going on right now. With her father.

Kate said she was well aware, but the dresses. And the wedding is in four days!

Yes, Kate, I know…

And Kate had other problems with the way Meg was planning her wedding. Something about

a party for the page boys?

The page boys? Half the kids in the wedding are from North America. They haven’t even

arrived yet.

It went back and forth⁶.

I’m not sure what else to say. If the dress doesn’t fit then please take Charlotte to see Ajay.

He’s been waiting all day.

Fine.

A short time later I arrived home and found Meg on the floor. Sobbing⁷.

I was horrified⁸ to see her so upset, but I didn’t think it a catastrophe⁹. Emotions were running

high, of course, after the stress of the last week, the last month, the last day. It was intolerable—

but temporary. Kate hadn’t meant any harm, I told her.

Indeed the next morning Kate came by with flowers and a card that said she was sorry. Meg’s

best friend, Lindsay, was in the kitchen when she turned up.

Simple misunderstanding, I told myself.

1 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

2 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

3 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 baggy   

adj.膨胀如袋的，宽松下垂的

参考例句：

• My T-shirt went all baggy in the wash.我的T恤越洗越大了。
• Baggy pants are meant to be stylish,not offensive.松松垮垮的裤子意味着时髦，而不是无礼。

6 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

7 sobbing   

<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的

参考例句：

• I heard a child sobbing loudly. 我听见有个孩子在呜呜地哭。
• Her eyes were red with recent sobbing. 她的眼睛因刚哭过而发红。

8 horrified   

a.(表现出)恐惧的

参考例句：

• The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
• We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。

9 catastrophe   

n.大灾难，大祸

参考例句：

• I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
• This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。