In His Bed (18+)

Chapter 20

We were nearing the second hour of shopping, and the saleswoman's patience seemed to be as frayed as mine.

Sierra had long since found her dress and consulted with one of the staff seamstresses for the fitting.

I had to admit, the floor length, intricately beaded gown was exquisite, especially with the iridescent coloring that shifted from purple to green depending on the angle of the light. With the right pair of heels and her hair and makeup done, Sierra was going to look stunning.

Faith, on the other hand, seemed impossible to please. Rejecting dress after dress, her frustration only grew until I worried that she was going to flat out have a temper tantrum in the store.

Another staff member approached with a selection of bagged dresses in her arms.

"Here," she offered them to the saleswoman, "I found these in the back. They're the last ones we have in that size."

Huffing, Faith crossed her arms and tapped her foot as she waited for the attendant to reveal the gowns for inspection. The first two were dismissed without a second glance, and Faith looked over at her mother, muttering, "If this one isn't it, we're leaving."

The third dress, a flowing black confection, had her pausing.

As Faith stepped into the fitting room, Amanda was poised on the edge of her seat. Meanwhile, Sierra and I exchanged glances of supreme boredom.

Then Faith emerged, and I had to suppress a shock of pure envy.

The bodice hugged her torso like it had been painted onto her, and a high slit exposed her leg up to her mid thigh. The color of the material complemented the rich darkness of her hair, and the extensive sequins made her body shimmer like the night sky.

"Oh, Baby!" Amanda looked like she was going to cry.

The saleswoman looked like she needed a drink.

I felt like I was going to puke.

It just wasn't fair. Faith was going to walk into prom looking like a goddess, meanwhile I'd be lucky to find a dress that was within my budget and wasn't made out of burlap.

Faith smirked at her reflection in the mirror. "I'll take it."

The process of taking Faith's measurements and arranging for alterations was mercifully swift, both for us and for the boutique's staff. I knew that every soul in that building was immensely grateful to see her leave.

Treating us to dinner, Amanda pulled into the parking lot of a reasonably nice Italian chain restaurant situated outside of the mall. The décor was fading with age, and the business had clearly seen better days, but I wasn't about to judge – it was actually really sweet of her to take us, and it's not like I got to dine out much

Inside, the host led us to a booth, and I slid in next to Sierra while Amanda and Faith sat across from us.

After ordering drinks, Amanda asked, "So, what's new with you girls? It's been a while since I've seen you two."

Because it's easier for Faith to get away with shit at Jason's house...

"Um," I started, "You know, it's mostly the same."

"Do you know what you're doing after graduation? School? Work?"

"I'm going to be taking classes at CC," I answered. "I'll be taking my gen eds first then, well," I rolled my eyes, "Mom wants me to follow her into nursing, but I think I'm too squeamish for that, so I'm looking into something a little less..." I paused, fumbling for the words.

"Gross?" Amanda offered.

"Yeah," I laughed, "Basically."

"Well, you've got a good head on your shoulders, you'll figure it out." Turning, she asked, "What about you, Sierra?"

With the spotlight off of me, I relaxed, tuning out the conversation to study the menu. I needed to play the game of not taking advantage of Amanda's generosity, but also not making it obvious by ordering the cheapest entrée available.

Settling on the cheese ziti, I caught the sound of my name and looked up.

"What about you, Hailey?" Amanda's eyes were on me. "You got a fella?"

I froze, not knowing how to answer.

After all, the cause of my last breakup was sitting across the table, right next to the ex of my current hookup.

"Uh, no, not right now."

"What?! You're too pretty to be single!"

I felt my cheeks burning. "I just don't really have time for a relationship right now."

It's not actually a lie...

Amanda shook her head. "Well, it's good that you can recognize that. It's hard to keep a relationship going when you can't take time for the other person." She turned to her daughter, "After all, that's what drove apart your father and I."

And here I thought it was you fucking another man...

Faith's voice dripped with disgust, "Mom, I really don't want to hear you talking about Dad."

"How is he doing, by the way?"

"Mom!"

"What? We might be divorced, but we shared a lot together and he will always be important to me."

Says the woman who initiated the divorce.

"He's doing fine, Mom."

"...Is he seeing anybody?"

"Mom!" Faith was close to shouting while I did my best to disappear into the background.

"I can't help it – I'm curious!"

"No, Mom, he's not seeing anyone."

Amanda frowned, "What? It's been four years." I caught the glimmer of smug satisfaction in her eyes. "Are you sure?"

Faith groaned. "Positive, Mom. Believe me, if he was with somebody, I would know it."

I almost completely exposed myself by laughing out loud.