MORNING SERIAL
WE look quickly up and down the street. There’s no one we know, it’s too early for kids to be sitting on the bench on the street. A good time. We go in quickly.
Inside the shop there’s clothes and Luned behind the counter. We ask Luned if we can try on some of the clothes. She’s old as chapel, Luned, grey hair and skin like a windy sea. But she still works here every Saturday, and she doesn’t mind Cher and me trying things on even though we won’t buy anything.
“Gewch siwr,” she says nodding and smiling. “Gewch siwr.”
She smiles at me, but looks at Cher a bit differently. They do that. It’s since the accident, and because of her way of speaking slowly and staring at people. Now when she does it, I’ll kick her or nudge her and she’ll say “Sorry” and laugh.
You have to look and look along all the rails. Mostly it’s things you’ll never wear, or things that are too big. But you might find something decent if you have a good look around. Today it’s all just trying things on. We don’t have any money anyway. I find a skirt for Cher. Cher still has good legs, at the bottom, below the knee. Above the knee they’re too fat. Having a perfect body means having all the details right. The shape of you going out and in at all the right places, all your skin smooth, all the dips and curves just perfect. Cher grins when she sees the skirt. It’s going to be the right size. It’ll look good. You never get to see Cher looking as good as when she tries on clothes in the shop; she only wears big jumpers and old scraggy leggings, and pumps. And her hair’s a mess, and she never puts it up except in one long ponytail that looks just like a pony’s greasy tail. Cher picks out a body top and some trousers for me. They’re OK, and it’s the rules that we have to try on what the other one chooses, even if it’s gross.
We go into the changing room together. We’ve been doing this every Saturday for ages, but for the last few times it’s felt different. My body’s got more shape now, WOMANLY, and my boobs are heavier, and next to me, stood in the mirror Cher looks fat and is still the shape of a girl.
> Pigeon is the winner of the Wales Book of the Year and the Rhys Davies Fiction Prize. Published by Parthian
CONTINUES TOMORROW