The Traveler Part 3

(please read parts 1 & 2 first)

The painful lesson, the sting of embarrassment, the resentment toward the "ratter" all took its toll. I took a break from any sort of socializing at all.
I went to the Hickam AFB beach, or sat at home & read, then got involved in making a self designed hanging macramé table at the Hickam AFB Arts & Crafts Center.
It was an experimental class project to allow students who were inexperienced in macramé to design and make their own project,
a 4 - 8 month commitment.
PERFECT!
Just what I needed to get over my romantic debacle.

In the military barracks, not all, yet, many people were fresh out of High School with a 15 year old maturity level. The gossip was rampant.
People speculated that I was meeting Mr. Wonderful at the Arts & Crafts center. When I told them, excitedly about my macramé project, they didn't believe me. It didn't matter to me.

The beautiful hanging macramé table still hangs in my home. The Mandarin dress is as beautiful today as was when I first tried it on. I have worn it several times with many compliments on it.

Fast Forward

I acquired as well as discarded many beloved articles of clothing, the Mandarin dress always remained. I married, brought 4 sweet babies into the world, it no longer fit me, yet, the Mandarin dress always remained.

When my eldest daughter was asked to prom at the last minute, she looked in my closet, at clothes I had held onto and pulled the Mandarin dress out. My heart skipped a beat when I saw it. The memories flooded back. I teared up when my darling daughter asked if she could just try it on.
Seeing that dress on her, the tears flowed. It looked as beautiful as it did the first time I saw it. The ocean blue was still just as vibrant.

The dress fit her body the same way it had fit mine.

All the emotions I thought had been left behind rose to the surface.

She saw the look on my face, very sweetly, softly asked, ~

"Oh, mom, can I borrow this?"

My 4 babies have always been my weakest spot. I would die for them if that was what one of them needed me to do. It was so impossible or at least difficult to deny any of them, any reasonable request, plus a few unreasonable ones, occasionally.  :)

Letting my darling daughter wear that dress was killing me.

She looked so beautiful in it, so happy, other people complimented her over and over on it.
Her sister who is 2.8 years younger and nearly the same size, also noticed

The war of the dress began! :D

DD came home from prom, wore the dress the next day, more compliments were heaped on her from people who had not spoken to her or taken notice of her before.

There was a talent show coming up, darling daughter #2 wanted to wear the mandarin dress. DD #1 was not giving it up.
After some "discussion" DD #2 was allowed to wear the dress. My heart was pounding as DD #2 came out, wearing the mandarin dress.
She looked just as stunning, just as beautiful in it as I had. I cried. She looked in the mirror and was so captivated by how the dress hugged her curves in the right places, was less "huggy" in others.

It seemed to give her a bit of confidence for her performance. She has such a lovely singing voice, her performance was flawless!!!!!

Back home, DD #1 wanted the dress back! DD#2 wanted to wear it the next day, too! DD #2 wore the dress the next day then, it magically disappeared. DD #2 had hidden it.

A couple weeks later, DD #1 & 2 were in a heated discussion when I arrived home from grocery shopping. DD #1 wanted to wear the Mandarin dress, DD #2 had no foggy idea where the dress was.
Yeahhhhhh, riiiiiiiiiiggghhhhhhhtttttt! Isn't sibling rivalry grand???

She finally agreed to produce the dress as long as DD #1 gave it back after wearing it. DD #1 insisted that it was hers yet finally agreed to give it back after wearing it.

After wearing the Mandarin dress, it disappeared.......again!

DD #1 confided to me that turnabout was fair play.

OMGoodness! The war over the dress was on!

DD # 1 & DD # 2 went back and forth like this. Then, just to step up the ante, DD # 3 was growing up to be similar in size to her 2 beautiful sisters. The first time she put it on, my heart pounded just as it had with her 2 sisters. She was so lovely, it fit her beautifully, yet, a little bit long on her. . DD# 3 is only 5' even while the rest of us range from 5'1" - 5' 3".  DDs are all similar in coloring, so, the ocean blue looked beautiful on all 3. Their body shapes are very different, yet, the dress was very flattering on them. *Magic*

Did I mention the dress was *magic*??????

I have 3 daughters, 1 son, my son is a very masculine guy, so, yeah, the Mandarin dress was not going to be coveted by him!

My daughters have been going back and forth with the Mandarin dress for many years, borrowing it, then getting borrowed back. They have worn the dress to many important occasions with DD #1
wearing it the most.

DD#1 visited over the July 4th holiday, I asked her to bring the Mandarin dress with her. I'm an excellent seamstress, I found some very similar fabric, was hoping to duplicate it so I can at least have a similar dress. DD #1 brought the dress. It was a very busy time, I was able to see the dress, yet, was distracted with visiting.

When DD #1 and her family left, I went to the back bedroom to possibly start on duplicating the dress. It was gone. Awwwwww.

I phoned DD #1 then tried to mention the dress as casually as possible. She told me that her husband was very fond of the dress on her, too. He had taken it back when they left.
Another contender!

What can I say?

The dress has magic!

DD #1 promised to mail the dress to me. I'm excited, now! Having "shrunk" from natural weight loss after totally changing everything in my life, it might fit when I try it on!

It's exciting to think about.

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The magic of the fabric against my bare skin
Makes me forget which era of my life I'm in

I can see his handsome face lit up by his smile
Can still sense his presence can still see his style

The higher quality of the fabric the mem'ries divine
The magic of the Mandarin dress cannot be defined

The time we spent together I still remember when
Closing my eyes in joy I'm back there once again

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The Mandarin dress, the Traveler through time & place.