“You wanted to put me in that thing over there!”
“Leather is hot, this is not.You don’t want to look like a cheap street walker unless you’re role playing and going for that look.”She looks around the store and comes back with a lavender see-through chiffon and Chantilly lace stretch chemise with diamonds on the thin straps and sprinkled around the sweetheart neckline.“What do you think?”
“I love it.”I take the hanger from her and hold it up in front of me in the mirrors.
“I knew you would.You won’t be able to wear it a second time when he rips it off you.It’s going to be well worth the money.”
I look at her through the mirror at the mention of how much it costs.“How much is it?”I look down at the tag when she doesn’t answer and turn around, handing it back to her.“I am not spending that much money on one piece of lingerie I won’t be able to wear after I have this baby.I want to show him how much I missed him, not take advantage of him and spend all his money.”She hands it back to me and I look at it.It is pretty…I shake my head no.“This is too much to spend.”Ava puts her hands on her hips and brings on the accent.
“My cousin gave you his card, let that man see you appreciate his money and hard work.By spending an obscene amount, you are thanking him.You’re letting him know how much you want to please him and turn him on.”
I walk over to the rack and put the twelve-hundred-dollar chemise back.Nick says his money is mine, but I wouldn’t spend this much of my own money on this.I’m only using the card he gave me so he can see I used it.If I don’t buy something he’s going to want to know why I’m not using it.I turn around and Ava’s so close I almost bump into her.I put my hand on my stomach and say, “What?”She puts her hand on my shoulder.
“You want to turn Nick on and keep him guessing from time to time?Spend some fucking money in this store.”She smiles and points at the chemise.“That will turn him the fuck on.Drop some money in this house of delights and fantasy, and when you’re done, he’ll be thanking you.”
“Ava, I don’t know about this.”
“You don’t want to spend his money, but I’m sure the other women he’s been with wouldn’t think twice spending the damn money.He gave you his card because he wants you to spend his money, and he can afford it.”She straightens up and looks around the store.“Let’s do this, since you’re not used to spending his money, we’ll take it slow.I’m going to help you get over this.I see a lot of lace over there.You can’t go wrong with lace, but whatever you pick out can’t be less than a hundred.You can’t get decent lingerie for less than a hundred in here.If the tag says less than ninety-nine, we’re going to have a problem.You know how I can get, let’s go.”
“Yes, sir!”I mock salute her.
She tosses her hair over her shoulder and walks me over to the other side of the store.“Attitude now, you’re going to be thanking me later, darling.”
Twenty minutes later I find something we can both agree agree on.I hold it up in the air like a victory prize.Now we can get out of this damn shop.
“Yes, that’s you.Lace tank and matching string bikini panties, yeah that’ll work, sweet yet sexy.You’re five months, you look like you’re three and a half months in—” She leans her head back to assess me then continues.“Yeah, you can get it in this.Your body is still good, it’s holding up pretty good.”
What is she trying to say?I hand the cashier the card and the tank set before I turn around to Ava with one hand on my hip.“Excuse you, I will have you know this body is as hot as it was pre-pregnancy and your cousin, my man, is well satisfied.I do not need the lingerie to turn him on.”I point to myself with the hand I have resting on the counter.“This already has him turned on.”
Ava pops her lips and looks at the cashier, who’s smiling.“Well excuse me, I hear that.You’re putting it down, bump and all.I aspire to be like you one day when I’m old and knocked up.”
“You should be so lucky.”
“Yes, I should, especially if you can still bend over and touch your toes while he’s giving it to you like a battering ram smashing through your walls of love.”
Oh my God!She always has to take it to the next level.How embarrassing is she?I take my bag from the cashier, who is barely looking at me now, and say thank you.I take Ava’s arm and hustle her out the store before she says anything else.We get outside, where the clouds are covering the sun and it’s starting to drizzle.The weather forecast didn’t say it was going to rain today.They’re not always accurate, are they?We walk down the block and Ava and I try to get a cab.Rush hour is the worst time of day to get a cab.
“Cat, you need to get a car.If you had one, we wouldn’t be stuck out here getting rained on.”
“What about you?”I say, trying to hail down a cab.
“What about me?”
“I don’t have a car, Ava.You do, but you don’t drive it.It’s parked in your building’s garage while we’re out here getting wet.”
“You should get a car, Cat.”
“I don’t mind public transport or walking, and you know I can’t afford the car I want yet.”
“This again?”
“What again?”I look around to see what she’s talking about.
“I’m talking about you.Nick will get you any car you want.I bet he already offered, didn’t he?And you turned him down.”
He did and I told him no, giving me his card was enough.“You have a brand-new BMW sitting in a garage.Use it and next time we won’t be standing in the rain, frizzing out our hair.”
“You know I don’t like to drive here.The driving in New York is too aggressive for me.You know I’m prone to road rage.”
