“I know,” I reply smiling, putting my hand on his. We just stare at each other for a few before we start driving. He pulls up outside of this really pretty boutique and helps me out of the car. “Where are we?”
“Crawford’s Boutique,” he says as we walk in. Looking around, everything seems so expensive, yet attainable, if that makes sense. I walk and look at some racks, immediately falling in love with everything I touch. “They can get you whatever you need. I will take your prescriptions to the pharmacy.”
“I need everything,” I say hesitantly.
“You’ll have whatever you want,” he says, letting go of my hand and pulling out his wallet. He hands me a black American Express card.
“I can’t use this,” I whisper.
“You can and you will because I want you to,” he leans down and whispers in my ear. I shiver at his words. While not dark, they have a sensual edge to them, and I can do nothing but obey. I take the shiny card from him and tuck it into the pocket of his sweats. I fiddle with the string on them. He stills my hands. “Be a good girl and buy yourself a whole new wardrobe. What you want to wear, not what your father wanted you to wear. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, Sir,” I reply, nodding.
I can’t help loving this man, he makes it so damn easy.
“Hi. Welcome. Is there something in particular I can help you find?” This pretty exotic young woman asks me. I look at D, but he looks at me and walks away, letting me know I can get what I want.
“Well, um. I’m pregnant and I need clothes. I literally have nothing, just what you see on me.” I shrug my shoulders. She cocks her head, fighting the myriad of questions I am sure she has, but then she turns and says follow me.
She walks me into the back of the store and opens a curtain which reveals a room with couches and tables. A stage and other closed off doors. My mind is immediately like ‘did he bring me to a brothel or something’ but then I recognize the labels on the wall are the same as some of the clothes and I realize we are in a private showing area. “I figured you would like the privacy,” she says, gesturing for me to sit.
“Thank you.”
“You are welcome. I’m Rosa, by the way but my friends call me Rosy.”
“Hi. I am Teresa. Nice to meet you.”
“Same. Was that your husband?” she asks, pulling some pieces from a rack.
“Yes. That is Diezal.”
“Are you guys new here?” She continues to pick clothes and inquire.
“He is not, but I am.”
“Is your family here?”
“No family. Only Diezal.”
“Well, what about friends?” Her voice sounds concerned, and I smile. I am not used to nice, genuine people.
“Nope. None of those either.”
“Well, that just won’t do. I am going to get you dressed, loaded with a closet full of clothes and then we are having an impromptu bridal shower. By the end of the night, you will have more friends than you know what to do with.” She winks and shakes her booty and I full belly laugh.
The curtain opens again, and a tall blonde comes into the room.
“I’m Kennedy. Are we playing movie montage?” she asks Rosy, laughing.
“This is Teresa. She needs everything.”
“I need everything,” I repeat, feeling shy. I’m never shy, so I don’t know why I am now.
“Well, it’s a good thing that we have everything. Come on in. What are you, a size 6?”
“Yeah. How’d you know?”
“Comes with the territory,” she says, laughing. “Would you like some champagne?”
“No thank you, but some water would be lovely.”
“Coming right up.” When she comes back, bottle of water in hand, she is followed by three other women. “This is Migan, our designer, and my sisters-in-law, Ava, and Penny.
“Hi,” I say, waving awkwardly.
“Where should we start?” Penny asks.
“Well, I just got married so I’d kind of like to start with lingerie,” I say excitedly. I can just imagine the look on D’s face when I walk in wearing a scrap of lace. Sure, he’ll rip it right off my body, but it’s that first look of… anticipation that I want to see.
“Married? Congratulations. Wait a minute! Are you Teresa?”
“Yes,” I ask, confused.
“My brother-in-law, Bill, married you guys. Daisy couldn't stop talking about how cute you guys are. I’m Migan Jorgensen,” she says, extending her hand. I shake it.
“It’s so nice to meet you all," I reply, feeling less overwhelmed than I did before.
“She married Diezal Del Vecchio,” Migan says.
“He’s the best,” I say dreamily.
“Well, I say let’s pick out some clothes and have a little shower,” Rose says.
Turns out, Kennedy didn’t exaggerate when she said they had everything. Diezal carried out about twenty bags in front of the store and before I knew what happened, dozens of women showed up with food and gifts. They turned on music and I found myself surrounded by the nicest women I have ever met. We even set up a girl’s night out for next Friday. By the time the night was over, I was so happy I was practically floating.