Dreams In Crushed Velvet

Prompt from DailyPrompt.com

“Viv?” Brian peered into the attic, trying to make sense of the noises and shadows. “What are you doing?”

“Oh!” Vivian jerked upright. “Er, hi dad.” She dusted her hands off and endeavoured to look casual.

“…What are you doing?” Brian limped up the last few steps into the attic proper, keeping his head stooped to avoid the jutting beam.

“I… ah… was looking for cosplay stuff.” Vivian shrugged. “Sort of, um, do we own any ballgowns?”

“Ballgowns?” Brian stifled a snort. “Viv. Be honest, now.”

Vivian sighed and scruffed at the floor with one foot. “It’s silly.”

Brian chuckled. “So’s telling absurd fibs to someone who’s known you your whole life, but here we are.”

Vivian rolled her eyes and muttered something which sounded distinctly sweary, but she was seventeen so he wasn’t going to worry about it. Instead he gently prompted “Go on. What’re you looking for?”

“I… had a dream.” Vivian paused and shot him a sideways glance. He simply cocked his head in a patient ‘go on’. So she sucked in a deep breath and blurted “I was surrounded by swirling colours and there was music playing and I was clinging to this purple dress. It was… crushed velvet? And it all felt so, so real. I just…”

“Huh.” Brian shuffled over to examine the boxes Vivian had been rummaging through. “Well, if we had that kind of fancy dress, it’d be here. But I can’t think we ever took you to a dance party when you were little.”

“Mum never wore purple anyway.” Vivian idly kicked at the nearest box, a helpless pout twisting her face.

“She certainly wouldn’t have worn it out.” Brian rubbed his chin. “Maybe… maybe you got lost at a party and someone was helping you find us?”

“Oh. Maybe.” Vivian swallowed a sigh. It was a perfectly reasonable explanation, after all. That was what made it so crushing. That dream had been magical in a heady, tantalising way which haunted her even now. “Well… I can make something up. For the cosplay, I mean.”

“Right.” Brian nodded encouragingly. “Want a cuppa? To help you brainstorm. We’ve got biscuits, too.”

A warm smile curved Vivian’s lips. “Thanks, dad.”

While he might be the exact opposite of that magical memory swirling through her mind, that stolid placid love was deeply comforting.

So they closed up the boxes and headed downstairs.

Vivian gasped.

There, draped carelessly across the old wooden dining chair where she usually sat… was the dress. And an envelope.

Prompt was “Your main character gets a flashback when they feel the fabric of a crushed velvet dress…”

[I’m aware a dream isn’t a flashback. I’m bad at following instructions. 😛]