Promises (TP 6)

8 - The friend

Double update today.

Tessa returned home from dropping her girls off at school the day after the storm and stood in front of her closet. The walk-in was filled, but not with clothing. In the back corner were Christmas decorations and wrapping paper. She had some boxes of mementos and items belonging to her old life. Sweep. Maybe she should have hidden the album so Maya couldn't have found it. Deep inside, she knew her girls needed to hear about their father.

She had the maroon cocktail dress she wore to the Simon's Christmas party. She hated spending Christmas in Westchester, but David's parents deserved to see their granddaughters. She had three black dresses from another time, place, and life.

Taking them out, she didn't even know if they were still in style. She lived in Maine, so would anyone even know if they weren't. She lifted her sweater over her head and pushed off her jeans. In her cotton underwear and beige bra, she looked like she'd stolen the under things of a sixty-year-old.

She wasn't in awful shape. There was the front pooch. It was the result of two babies, and she hid it with clothes. Then there were the vertical silver lines sprouting out of the cotton waistband up toward her navel. She picked up the dress that had been her favorite, but she wasn't the only one who loved when she wore it. She squeezed her eyes shut. Sweep.

Stepping into it, it fit over her hips. Slipping the arms in and reaching behind to zip it, it surprised her that it fit loosely. Had she lost that much weight? Dinners at home were more healthy than restaurants and takeout and parties with the alcohol she used to drink. In her new life, she had a few sips every Christmas, but didn't have a drop of anything in her house.

All three dresses were too baggy. She should donate them, but wasn't ready to part with her past even though she buried it. She slipped on her Christmas dress. It was a gift from her mother-in-law. Probably to ensure her drab daughter-in-law looked presentable to her guests. The dress would have to do, because it made little sense to fuss about a party she didn't plan to stay at longer than an hour.

On Saturday afternoon, she drove back to The Point. Megan had invited them for a playdate. Before Megan could greet them, Chloe had kicked off her boots and ran off with Abbie. Maya stayed by her side. Usually, it was Chloe tagging along to Maya's friends' houses.

Megan laughed as if children running through her house were no big deal. "Come on in. Would you like a drink? I've got ice tea, soda or wine."

Tessa shook her head. "Ice tea sounds good."

"I've hot tea too, if you..."

"No iced is fine."

"Maya?"

"She'll have water."

"I have juice pouches." Megan tried.

"Oh, okay." Her girls never drank soda and rarely drank juice.

Maya smiled like she was being offered a treat.

"Do you want to play with Abbie and Chloe? Sophie's in her room with Ivy. I'll let her know you're here."

Tessa panicked. "Let her play with her friend." Megan's daughter was five years older than Maya.

Megan dismissed her with a wave of her hand. "She loves to play with every younger child, except Abbie, or at least just not as much as Abbie would like."

Megan disappeared up the stairs, but returned quickly. Smiling, she said, "Go up to her room. They want to play school." Maya bounced up the stairs. "I think Sophie wants to be a teacher, but it may be a guise to tell Maya what to do."