Snarky Teenager piped in. “I’ll be right in. This tube top as a skirt is SUPER fly.”
Hiding her face behind her clothes, Elly walked quickly to the fitting room, a well-lit room with an elegant chandelier and leather bench. She quickly shed her clothes and tried on the first dress, a dark Cerulean frock the color of island water. It looked awful. Not only did it emphasize her short calves, but it made her breasts look like two bowling balls, struggling to be held aloft by straining fabric. The next dress, a bit slinkier, made her resemble a circus tent. She moved on to pants. After two failed attempts, she found a pair of black knee length pants and a light green sleeveless top with beading around the neck.
Maybe with some black sandals…
Her dressing room door wrenched open. “What the HELL are you wearing?” shrieked Snarky Teenager. “You look like a depressed social worker. Take that off, right now!” Elly stared at her, but didn’t move. “What are you waiting for? I brought these dresses.”
Elly crossed her arms. “I am NOT getting undressed in front of you. Get out.”
“I don’t care what you look like naked – I’m naked all the time.”
“Yes,” agreed Elly, “We know. Even when you are dressed you are naked.”
“Fine, I’ll turn around. Just put this on.” She tossed a dress, all poof, in Elly’s direction.
“I will look like a cupcake in this, just so you know.”
“Probably!” was the reply.
Elly slid the dress over her shoulders, turning to the mirror with an exaggerated sigh. To her amazement. She did not look like a cupcake. She was…pretty.
“Wow,” she whispered.
The dress was light and lovely, with black netting over rich mulberry fabric. The scoop neck top was covered in silk cream rosettes with a pale pink ribbon at the waist. It hugged her curves while at the same time making her look at least ten pounds thinner. Elly tucked her hair behind her ear shyly. She looked good. No. She looked great.
“I love this dress,” she stammered.
Snarky Teenager looked up from her phone, where she’d been furiously texting.
“Yeah. You look hot. That’s definitely the one. Make sure that you don’t wear your granny panties and get a decent pair of heels.”
Elly ignored her and pulled her clothes back on. She almost hated taking the dress off.
“Hey, um, thanks for coming with me,” she offered softly.
“Well, someone had to stop you from dressing yourself.”
That was a sweet moment, thought Elly as she drove home, the dress sitting on the seat beside her. She was still bothered that Kim had canceled on her –it was uncharacteristic of her – but the shopping trip had been surprisingly successful.
Two hours, one razor and two bloody band-aids later, Elly assessed herself in the mirror as she waited for Isaac to pick her up. Her blond curls – normally frizzy and thick – had been tamed into delicate tendrils that bounced when she walked. Her bright blue eyes stood out against a smoky granite shadow and her full lips looked pouty and moist. She could barely walk in her strappy heels, but it didn’t matter. Anything that made her look longer rather than rounder was a plus. Cadbury whined at her feet, sensing that Elly was about to do something out of their ordinary routine. She bent down and rubbed his head softly.
“I’ll be home late tonight. I know you’ll leave me a special little present for being gone, so try not to get it on the carpet,” she whispered to him.
Cadbury grunted as the doorbell rang. Elly quickly ran Cadbury into her bedroom and shut the door, ignoring his frantic barks. So much for a romantic start to the evening, she thought, as she opened the front door amidst a cacophony of dog protests.
Isaac stood in front of her and she watched with fascination as his lips turned up in a smile.
“Hey – are you ready?”
She noted his worn t-shirt and jeans.
“Yes, I’m ready.” She looked down at her dress. “I’m overdressed.”
“No” he said, “It’s a pretty nice place. I’m just a bum.”
He grabbed her hand, and Elly was unable to breathe.
“I think we might be already late,” he said, pulling her down the stairs.
Elly emerged into the afternoon sun and noticed Keith watering the flowers in front of both their buildings. As Isaac half-nodded in Keith’s direction, Keith gave Elly a friendly whistle.
“Wow, look at that dress!” Elly smiled at him. “Yeah, it’s nice. Thanks for watering my flowers.”
Keith eyed her. “Be good tonight!”
Elly laughed. “Thanks, see you later!” Isaac led her down the street to the parking area, towards a very sleek black Honda.
“Nice car,” said Elly.
“Its okay…I guess. It feels corporate to me.”