Chapter 9
It's been twenty-five days, fourteen hours, and nine minutes since my standoff with Delores Stone at the cafeteria.
Almost one month of non-stop strategic planning to improve the sales margin.
I've been putting in long hours both at home and at the office because I could sense that the success of this campaign was just within my grasp.
“Are you working again?” Startled by the voice, I slam my MacBook Pro shut, guilt written all over my face.
Gina’s voice rings with accusation and anger as she rounds the sofa I'm hiding behind. Gina and Merry have been pleading with me to slow it down, so I’ve been hiding behind the single sofa at the corner of our sitting room whenever I want to work.
They would fish me out if I hid in my bedroom, but they wouldn't think to look behind the sofa, or so I had thought.
“Well, technically …” I begin, only to be interrupted by Gina.
“Technically, you're about to lie! Come on, Dora!” Gina exclaims, throwing her hands in the air and storming away. I put down my laptop to chase after her.
“Gina, come on! Don't be mad. I just really need to nail this and prove …”
Gina slams the refrigerator door closed and glares at me. “You don't have to prove anything to that bitch.”
“But…” I cut in, closing the gap between us. “I was hired for a job, and I'm doing it.”
“Uh huh, to the detriment of your health,” she remarks, pushing my hands off her shoulders and marching off to her bedroom, apple in hand.
I roll my eyes and trail her. “Okay, okay! This time, I promise to take it easy.”
Gina isn't a doctor, but I could understand where her concerns over my health come from. Her mother died of cardiac arrest caused by overworking, so I understand her fears.
The bed sags under my weight as I sit on it, watching Gina angrily munch on her apple. “G…” I whisper, laying my hand on her bent knee. “I promise to take it easy with work…”
“And with the wedding,” she adds in between furious chewing. I chuckle at the sight.
“And with the wedding,” I echo, extending my right hand towards her to make a pinky swear. She eyes me for a full minute before intertwining her pinky finger with mine, sealing the promise.
Sadly, when the sun heats its peak the next day, and I'm closeted in conference room five with my team, the promise I’d made to Gina slowly flushes down the drain.
My strategy is working! I listen raptly as Julius, my marketing director, explains the projected reach of a family-inclusive promotion at all Prime Universal Supermarkets.
Up until now, no cogent campaign has focused on pushing family-oriented products to the forefront.
Freda, the lead data analyst on my team, speaks next, outlining the best approach to focus on according to the research data. At the end of the meeting, my heart races with the possibility of Prime Universal Supermarkets reaching peak sales this year.
“Hugh, ensure those designs are distributed to the sales department as soon as you're done with it,” I add, with my focus on Hugh, a young energetic man with cute glasses. He nods just as my team of five prepares to return to their various offices. “We have to strike now while the iron is hot. Easter is in a few weeks, and families are shopping, let’s give them a reason to bring that money to us!”
An applause erupts at my parting speech and I chuckle in embarrassment.
Once the room empties, I spin my chair around, excitement brimming just beneath the surface.
Finally! Everything was slotting into place.
It may mean I would have to work more, but I decide there and then not to take work home.
Since I've delegated, I’ll leave some of the heavy pushing for my team members.
Slouching into my chair, I stare out of the window, unfazed by the blinding sunlight.
This is my moment, and I’m going to shine.
I chuckle again and a beeping sound from my iWatch breaks into my happy bubble.
Glancing at it, I bring my spinning chair to a halt and bolt out of it like it was on fire.
I am going to be late if I don't leave the office now.
The joy from today's report had almost made me miss the fitting appointment I had booked for all the bridesmaids this afternoon.
I dash to my office to grab my coat and my tote bag before sprinting to catch the elevator.
I'm wheezing, struggling to catch my breath by the time I'm at the entrance of Prime Universal.
On days like this, I wish I enjoyed driving.
But I don't. I'm always fidgety behind the wheel, and New York traffic can be traumatizing.
I hail a cab and send a quick text to Lenny, explaining I might be a few minutes late. And according to my text, I arrive at Vera’s Couture ten minutes later than our scheduled fitting appointment.
“I'm here! I'm here!” I yell, sprinting past rows of designer dresses, wedding gowns, and ballgowns, into the changing area at the back of the large shop.
Laughter welcomes me and I slump into an empty chair, downing a glass of champagne before I start to feel in control again.
My breathing slowly returns to normal as I exchange greetings with the four bridesmaids and the delectable Lenny.
“You're positively glowing!” I exclaim, rising to embrace Lenny now that my heart rate is back to normal. She giggles in my arms and when she pulls back to study my face, she frowns.
“You, on the other hand, look worse for wear. Dora, is Cole pushing you too hard? I could talk to Dean.”
I wave her comment away, “It’s actually the other way around. I'm earning my place in that company.”
Lenny nods in understanding. “You don't have to prove yourself, but I get you. If I were in your shoes, I would do the same thing.”
Finally, someone gets me! I grin and squeeze in another hug. Lenny chuckles and the sound fills me with warmth. Right now, I'm beyond glad that my brother found her.
“Now, where's my dress?” My question evokes a scattering of laughter.
When I emerge from behind the curtains of the changing room, I'm greeted by a chorus of “Wow” from everyone.
I step onto the platform and I'm amazed by what I'm seeing.
Lenny had chosen coral-colored dresses for her bridesmaids.
Even though I had been skeptical about the color and the style, I now highly approved.
“Dora!” Lenny breathes in awe. “You look smashing!” She climbs onto the platform. Her ruffled, white mermaid dress is a beautiful contrast to mine. We both stare at our reflections in the mirror, a dazzling smile on her face and a watery one on mine.
“You think so?” I ask, nibbling on my lower lip as uncertainty begins to set in. The other bridesmaids were slender, some even willowy. I'm the only one with flesh and curves.
“What!” Lenny exclaims in outrage. “Can't you see what I'm seeing?”
I shrug, my eyes going over the V-cut of my dress’s neckline, to the corset cupping my torso, to the cinched waist before making it to the material hugging my crescent hips before flowing to the floor.
The material is beautiful, like liquid. But as my gaze moves from the reflection of one bridesmaid to the other, I feel like a sore thumb sticking out.
Lenny’s maid of honor, Paige, senses the change in the air and approaches us.
“Dora…is something wrong? You don't like the dress?”
I swallow the tears stinging at the back of my throat. “Oh no! It's not that. The dress is stunning.”
“Dora thinks she looks ugly in the dress,” Lenny states flatly, turning her back to the mirror, and I cringe.
“What!” Paige exclaims, taking my shoulders in her hands.
“Dora, you look absolutely breathtaking. I swear! We were all just now talking about how banging your body looks in the dress and how we’ll look like sticks standing next to you at the altar.
” Paige confesses in a voice that carries to the other girls.
They quickly close in on us, looks of concern on their faces.
“I’m sensing that somebody is unaware of her sex appeal,” Thelma says, folding her hands across her chest and I sigh.
“Dora! You're gonna steal the show in that dress!” Bree exclaims in her African accent. “Ain’t nobody gonna be looking at us,” she adds, pointing at the other bridesmaid.
“Yep! All eyes are going to be on you, sweet pea!” Echoes Queeneth in a southern drawl. A sob escapes my lips as they all pull me into a group hug.
“Darling, we’re going to have our hands full keeping smitten men off you!
” Thelma enthuses, pulling back from me to admire my dress.
They all step back and begin gushing over me with whistles and catcalls.
There and then, the box that has been holding me from appreciating my body shatters at my feet.
I stare at my reflection in the mirror as I do a 360 spin. Damn girl! I look good!