“And nothing terrible will happen.”
I leaned toward her. “You’re terrible at this.”
She burst out laughing. The sound filled the kitchen, bright and warm. I couldn’t help smiling back. I was smiling a lot more now than ever before, and I could only thank my beautiful wife for that.
25- Evania
I was halfway through my second glass of pineapple juice when the doorbell rang.
I set my glass down slowly and took a steadying breath before standing, nerves making my hands tense. Maria was already on her way to the door, but I followed behind her, curiosity battling with mild dread tugging me reluctantly along.
Christina looked polished just as the last time I saw her—perfect makeup, smooth blonde hair that fell in glossy waves over her shoulders, and a bright smile that immediately stretched wider when she stepped inside.
"Evania!" she said cheerfully.
"Christina," I smiled politely.
Her eyes immediately scanned the foyer, then the living room, the staircase, and finally the enormous windows overlooking the garden.
"Oh wow," she breathed, stepping further inside. "This place is incredible."
I felt a small knot in my chest loosen with relief. The genuine amazement on her face reassured me. She had never been here before, and I hadn't realized until now how much I'd been silently worrying about it.
For some reason, that knowledge settled something restless in my mind. Until that moment, I hadn't realized I'd been worried that she might have visited Callahan's house before me.
Which would have been ridiculous. But still. She continued turning in slow circles like someone touring a museum.
Maria closed the door behind her and gave me a look. The kind that said she was already preparing herself for nonsense.
Christina clapped her hands together suddenly. "Okay! Let's see the dresses."
And just like that, the small relief I'd felt was instantly replaced by a wave of anxiety.
Maria led us upstairs, where the guest bedroom had been temporarily transformed into a boutique dressing room. Several dresses hung neatly on a rack near the windows, and a full-length mirror had been dragged closer to the center of the room.
Christina gasped again.
"Oh my God, these are gorgeous."
Maria gave a polite nod. "You should know, you had them delivered this morning."
I stifled a laugh as Christina began flipping through them, acting as if Maria hadn't spoken.
"Oh, this one is stunning."
"Oh my God, try this one first."
"Wait—no—this one."
I pinched the bridge of my nose. This was going to be a long afternoon.
"Alright," I sighed, grabbing the first dress she thrust toward me.
The next hour was... exhausting. Not because of the dresses. The dresses themselves were beautiful. But Christina had apparently decided that her role in this situation was to narrate every detail of my body and how it fit into each dress.
The first dress was a deep emerald gown that hugged my waist and flowed softly to the floor. I stepped out of the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. Before I could even process how I felt about it, Christina spoke.
"Oh wow, your hips really fill that out."
