The Gown

Miriam dresses in her nicest suit, takes her portfolio, and sets out to get a job from a fashion designer in London. At Lachasse, a woman rudely turns her away, saying she can’t understand Miriam’s English. At Hardy Amies, they say they aren’t hiring. The lady interviewing at Charles Creed says they aren’t looking for anyone who doesn’t have English training or experience. Then Miriam gets turned down by every other fashion designer on her list. Upset, she goes back to her hotel room and looks again at the list Dior had given her. She realizes that she skipped the first name on the list: Norman Hartnell. Miriam decides to take the next nine weeks to brush up on her English, so she won’t lose her last chance.

Two months later, Miriam is ready to try again. At the delivery door for Hartnell, Miriam asks a delivery man if she can speak to the head of embroidery about a job. He says she must go through the proper hiring channels but doesn’t know what they are. Miriam panics but takes a chance going through the customer entrance to speak to Hartnell directly. When a saleswoman offers to help, Miriam says that her friend Monsieur Dior sent her to visit Hartnell. The girl takes Miriam back to the office to speak with his secretary, Mrs. Price, who is out. The girl rushes to get Mrs. Price and Miriam takes her chance to go into Hartnell’s office uninvited. She gives him samples of her work and the letter from Dior. Hartnell hires her on the spot and takes her to the embroidery room to meet Miss Duley who says she can start Monday. Miss Duley introduces Miriam to Ann, who walks Miriam out. Miriam feels hope for the first time in a long time.

Heather’s parents don’t have a visitation, wake, or funeral for her grandmother because that isn’t what she wanted. Instead, they have her cremated to scatter in the garden when the peonies are in bloom and host a small gathering with tea and scones to celebrate her life. Heather enjoys listening to people’s stories and realizes she knows nothing of her grandmother’s life in England.

After the gathering, Heather’s mother brings Heather a plastic box from her grandmother with the words “For Heather” written on it. Inside are three beautiful, embroidered flowers and a picture of women in a workroom. A note on the back of the picture says, “London. Oct. 1947. Waiting for HM.” Heather and her mother are confused by her grandmother being in the picture because they had never seen her sew. They wonder if her grandmother made the flowers and why she had never told them more about her life in England other than her parents and brother died, so she moved to Canada to be with Milly. Her mother suggests Heather look for more information online, but Heather isn’t sure if she should look for answers because her grandmother hadn’t told them about her past for a reason. Heather’s mother assures her that her grandmother wouldn’t have left the box to her if she didn’t want Heather to find out more about her past.