Chapter Ten
? Holly ?
I lounged in an old-fashioned, high-backed chair facing the dressing rooms. Scrolling through my phone, I waited for Maria to come out in yet another dress.
The jingle of a curtain sliding back called my attention, and I looked up to see my bestie looking gloomy and sad in a behemoth of a silver gown.
I raised a single eyebrow. “You look like cotton candy. Boring, sad cotton candy.”
“Holly!”
“What? I love you. But this is even worse than the last one. And don’t try telling me you like it, ’cause you look like you left your Xanax at home.”
She threw her hands up, visibly hiding tears. “I don’t even know why I’m trying!”
“You’re not trying!”
“What’s that mean?” She crossed her arms, now pouting.
“Girl, you walked in here and basically grabbed the ugliest damn dresses off the rack like you had a point to prove. No offense.” I directed that last bit to the sales girl, Arlene, who hovered nearby. She shrugged and smiled.
“That’s easy for you to say! You looked amazing in everything you put on.”
“Well, duh. That’s ’cause I am trying. I’ve known what I wanted my prom dress to look like since I started high school.
Sure, it’s changed a bit but the fundamentals are still the same.
” I looked over at Arlene who nodded eagerly.
Neither of them needed to know that I really couldn’t give a rat’s ass about prom.
What was the point? I had my fill of dressing up and looking pretty for other people long ago.
But I’d be damned if I was going to ruin Maria’s time.
“It’s not that easy.”
Ha, you’re telling me. “Why not?”
Maria huffed, stomping her foot and then gestured to her belly.
While it was currently hidden under a mountain of tulle, she was indeed sporting a prominent baby bump.
She was now almost six months pregnant. “Come on, Holly. You’ve got a body most girls would kill for.
I have a bit of a hiccup in my grand, senior year plan. ”
Part of me shrank at the mention of my body, of the insinuation that I would be found desirable. Never fucking again. I forced down the revulsion and stood, tossing my phone on the chair. “Is that what she is?”
“Huh?”
“Is she an inconvenience? A hiccup?”
“Of course not!”
“Then stop treating her like one! Swing that belly! Don’t be shy! I mean, the whole fucking town already knows you’re pregnant. Not like it’s a big secret.”
Maria started chewing on her bottom lip and rubbing small circles on her belly. I glanced over at Arlene who stepped forward and said, “If you will allow me, let’s try this. What was your dream dress? What did it look like?”
Maria glanced at me, then back at Arlene who waited patiently before sighing. “Sweetheart neckline, trumpet silhouette. Lots of sequins.” Arlene smiled before turning to dart off.
“And purple if you’ve got it!” I hollered at her retreating figure. I turned back to Maria, who shook her head at me, and I winked at her before ushering her back into the dressing room. “Go ahead and get the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man off so we can give him a proper burial. With fire.”
Arlene came back a few minutes later, pulling a rack with four dresses on it. “Now, I have a few dresses here. You can try them all on, of course. But I think I have the perfect one, if you want to start with that?”
Maria poked her head out from behind the curtain and reached her hand out, “Sure, why not.” Arlene handed her a black garment bag before standing back by me.
A couple seconds later, Maria called for help and Arlene ducked inside to get her zipped up.
Then, much to my surprise, the sound of Maria crying filled the room.
And my girl waddled out looking like a radiant sunset.
Blushing pink melting into a royal, rich plum that flowed around her feet.
The multitude of sequins caught the light and I could see that Arlene had gone to town with her pins and things, making it fit just right.
“Oh, Maria. You’re gonna break hearts. I almost feel bad for Diego. He may not survive the night.”
“He hasn’t even asked me yet.”
“He will.”
She ran her hands down the sides of the dress, over her now very visible bump. “What do you think?”
“What do you think?”
Her smile was soft, hesitant but hopeful. “I love it so much.”
Arlene clapped her hands. “It’ll take alterations, of course. But that is no problem! We can get it back to you in time for your big night!”
Maria made her way over to me and reached for my hand. “Holly, mi hermana, are you sure? This dress…”
I waved her off. “I am positive. And so is Dad. Whatever we want, he said. Right? And, if this is what you want, it’s what you’ll get.”
She gave me a watery smile before wrapping her arms around me. “I love you.”
Here, in this brightly lit store, a little piece of my heart felt like it had slipped back into place.
The cracks still visible, sure. But I felt a bit more whole.
Being there for Maria, in the way I wish someone had been there for me…
it was healing in ways I couldn’t have even begun to fathom.
Squeezing her gently I whispered, “I love you too.”
After a minute, I stepped back and said, “Go ahead and get that off so we can go eat. I am starving.” While Arlene helped Maria out of the dress, and marked where tailoring would be needed, I made my way up to the register.
My dress hung behind the counter, needing a bit taken off the hem and a couple nips and tucks.
It was a stunner. Black lace overlay clinging to satin gold like sin and silk.
The lace was an intricate pattern and the neckline plunged far enough that I was probably going to have my mother gasping dramatically.
But my favorite part was the sheer gold cape that hung off either shoulder, trailing behind me like smoke whenever I moved.
If I had to wear a damn dress again, it was going to be one that would’ve made the old bags at the pageants clutch their pearls.
By the time Maria had made it up to the front, I had already paid and was waiting for her by the door.
Arlene gave us details on how long the tailoring would take, and an estimate on when it would be done but promised to call if they were finished sooner.
Maria looped her arm through mine as we made our way out into the weak, spring sunshine.
Winter had finally loosened its grip and warmth was desperately trying to creep its way into the soil and air around us.
She pulled out her phone as we walked along the row of shops, on the hunt for something to eat.
I was down for pretty much anything, content to just follow the pregnant lady’s nose. Which led us both to our favorite spot.
“I swear, if Momma Laverne has her lemon pie today, I might cry,” Maria groaned, sniffing dramatically.
I laughed. “You’ve cried like six times already.”
“Pregnancy. I contain multitudes.”
The bell above Momma Laverne’s door jingled as I pulled it open, warmth and the smell of grease and sugar wrapping around us like a hug.
Let me just tell Diego where we are.”
I raised an eyebrow and she blushed furiously, mumbling something about seeing if he wanted to join us. “He needs to hurry the heck up,” I teased.
“What do you mean?”
“Asking you to prom!”
Her eyes brightened when I held the door open for her, and she sniffed the air like a hound dog. “I’m not worried about it. What about you and Jackson?”
I tripped over the entry rug. “What about it?”
I almost said us. There is no us. There could never be an us.
Sure, the guy was handsome. I could admire those gray eyes.
That jawline. Wonder what his hair would feel like if I ran my hands threw it.
Dreaming was harmless. But a relationship?
With Jackson Morgan? So far from harmless it was in a different fucking galaxy.
I focused again on Maria who was oblivious to my inner monologue.
“I mean, in between ripping each other’s heads off, you guys have been making moon eyes at each other the last few weeks.”
Stepping up to the counter, I opted to order for us instead of answering, but found Maria watching me expectantly. Before I could speak, a warm, familiar voice cut in.
“Well hey now,” Momma Laverne called from behind the register, sliding her glasses down her nose to get a better look at us. “How’s my girls doin’ today?”
Maria’s whole face lit up. “Hi, Mama Laverne.”
I leaned against the counter. “We’re starving.”
She clicked her tongue. “Mm-hmm. Starving, huh? Or just dramatic?”
“Both,” I said.
She laughed, deep and rich, like Sunday morning gospel. “What we celebrating? Y’all look like you done spent somebody’s money.”
Maria’s hand drifted instinctively to her belly. “We found our prom dresses.”
“Well now,” she said, eyes softening as she looked Maria up and down like she could see the gown through denim and cotton.
“Ain’t nothing wrong with a girl feeling beautiful.
Baby or no baby.” Her gaze slid to me. “And you? You finally pick something that don’t look like you fixing to start a revolution? ”
I raised an eyebrow. “No promises.”
She smirked. “That’s what I was afraid of.”
I rattled off our order and she scribbled it down.
Grabbing our drinks and a little #8 sign, we made our way to the table and I said, “I dunno, I just…” I looked at my friend, her open and kind eyes.
I knew she wouldn’t judge me but still I hesitated, “Big truth?” It was something we had gotten into the habit of asking before laying down something ugly, like our way of saying “brace for impact”.
She nodded. “Hit me.”