Welcome to Hell: Rediscovering First Love

“I wonder why she didn’t wait for me.” I said with frustration.

“She knows how proud we are,” he said comforting me while he guided me through the kitchen door.

“By the way,” I said checking him out, “you look handsome.”

He was wearing an off-white silk tee shirt and tailored black dress slacks perfectly creased and pleated.

“And you look beautiful.”

“I’m wearing a tent.”

My simple black sundress had an empire waist made of silk hung to mid-thigh with thick straps showing off my creamy shoulders and extraordinarily large breasts. My C’s were now D’s. The shortness of the dress allowed my long tan legs which were definitely my best feature to be displayed. Simple black flats. Pregnancy and heels were not for me. I wore my hair down in loose curls about my face. My makeup I kept simple, a little blush, mascara and a red lipstick.

He chuckled deep in his throat. A sound that made me smile. “Then that is one sexy tent because you look downright sexy,” he said nuzzling my ear. “Love the red lipstick.”

“That behavior is what got you guys into this situation again,” Troy said teasingly as he entered the room.

“Hush,” I snapped in a playful tone.

I sat next to Gem while we waited for everyone else to finish getting ready for the graduation. We had time. Keegan had to be there early but the rest of us had ample time. We had reserved seating as guests of the valedictorian of the class.

Adin came downstairs first. She wore a simple light blue summer pantsuit that accentuated her auburn hair and complexion. I wasn’t sure if it was the outfit that made her glow or Brad who was dressed in a light blue dress shirt and khakis.

Gem was wearing an A-line sleeveless purple sheath. I felt dumpy in my maternity clothes next to my two sisters even though Kerry thought I looked sexy. We turned when we heard Micki coming into the kitchen through the swinging door. We stopped talking immediately.

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“What?” She asked curiously. “Don’t I look all right?”

She touched her hair self-consciously. Micki, I finally noticed had lost weight. Not much but enough to notice. I was sorry I hadn’t observed this sooner. She wore a simple royal blue cotton dress that was floor length with a cardigan style short-sleeved jacket over the dress. Her beautiful red hair was perfectly coiffed in an attractive bun at the back of her head with some strands of curling hair floating wistfully about her face. Her make-up was perfect. Her toenails I noticed were painted to match her dress.

Micki had regained some of herself somehow, someway. Micki was beautiful again. She had her thing back that part of her that made people stop and do a double take. My sister was that beautiful. I smiled.

Going to my sister I wrapped my arms around her hugged her tight. “You’re back.”

“I never went anywhere,” she whispered. “I just got a little detoured along the way.”

“The therapy is helping,” I declared.

“Helping me but not Byron. He doesn’t know what to make of the new me.”

“It’s only important what you think.”

I turned and glanced at Adin who had said this to Micki.

“She’s right,” Micki agreed.

“Doesn’t Mom look beautiful,” Wynne said coming into the kitchen stepping around her mother and I who were blocking the door.

My niece was dressed in a baby blue, summer short spaghetti strapped dress with matching sandals. She looked much older than thirteen. She had the long legs that were inherent of Yancy. Her curly red hair was piled up on her head in a loose bun that allowed tendrils of curls to escape. She reminded me of a youthful Yancy from pictures that I had seen of her as a child. She didn’t have Yancy’s fire though.

Wynne had Grandpa Jack’s personality, calm, quiet and serene. She was a wonderful kid. She was another reminder of why I had missed Hell and all that I had been missing. I had missed my niece growing into this beautiful young lady.

“Yes she does. It seems the Vineyard women are coming into their own,” I said taking Wynne’s hand in mine. “You look gorgeous too.”

“Do you know how hard it was for me to get her,” Wynne pointed at Micki, “to allow me to buy this dress?”

I laughed. My sister who had been somewhat of a wild child in high school was an overprotective mother?