I watch from the shower as she brushes her hair and puts creams and shit on her face. “You do know you don’t need any of that,” I tell her. She’s naturally beautiful.
“It’s moisturizer,” she replies.
“Your skin is already perfect.”
“Because I use lotions.” Molly laughs.
She’s dressed in a tight little navy skirt and a cream-colored blouse. I chose to stay in the shower longer, not wanting to get out at the same time as her because I wouldn’t have been able to help myself. We would have ended up fucking again. And she’s got shit to do today.
I grab a towel and dry myself off before wrapping it around my waist. Standing behind Molly, I circle my arms around her front and inhale her scent.
“You always smell so fucking good.” My hands travel south, down the front of her legs, over her skirt.
“Mmm, thanks.” She leans back. “But this skirt is Chanel. If you ruin it, I will kill you,” she says, swatting my hands away when my fingers start tugging the hem upwards.
“I’ll buy you a new one if you let me tear it off you right now,” I tell her.
Molly laughs again. “You can’t.”
“I might not have your kind of wealth, Molly, but I can afford to buy a Chanel skirt.” I scowl at her. Does she think I’m some fucking pauper?
“I know your net worth, Alfie. It’s not a money thing. You can’t buy another one of these because it’s an archive item. It would be near impossible to find another one in this condition.”
“Challenge accepted.” I step away from her, walk into the bedroom, and pick up my phone. When Molly follows, I snap a picture of her skirt and send it to my Aunt Evie. If anyone can find an item of clothing, it’s my Aunt Evie.
Me: I need this skirt. Size 6. It’s Chanel archive.
Aunt Evie: I know what it is, Alfie. What I’m more interested in is why you want it?
Me: Can you find one or not?
Aunt Evie: Leave it with me.
Me: Thanks. Love you.
I add a little sweetener, because even though she might not say it out loud, I know my aunt has a soft spot for me.
“Who are you texting?” Molly asks before her eyes widen at me and she shakes her head. “Forget I said that. It’s none of my business. Text away.” She waves a hand at my phone and turns to walk out of the room.
“You can ask me anything you want, Molly. I’m texting my Aunt Evie.” I turn my phone around so she can see the screen with my message thread.
Molly doesn’t even look. She just nods her head again.
“She’s married to my Tío E. She’s also my mother’s best friend and now my little sister’s mother-in-law.”
“Your family is really complicated.” Molly laughs.
“It is, but they’re not blood related. We’re just close.”
“That must be nice, to have a lot of family. It’s been just me and my dad for so long.”
“You have your mom, Molly. She might not be the same mom you had once, but she loves you,” I remind her.
“She doesn’t even know who I am.”
“No, but she knows she has a daughter whom she’s asked for more than once. She loves you.”
“I know,” Molly says. “Sometimes it’s easier for me to think of her as already gone.”
