'What is wrong with you today?', Jill asked. She was laughing as she laid her hand on Joe's shoulder. 'I'm excited!', he exclaimed. 'I want to see you try the dresses and I want to see the colors, and the shoes and the accessories and I want to see the color lipstick they use and I want to see it all. I want to be with you', he answered, his words running together quickly. She leaned down and kissed his cheek. 'Since when do you care what accessories I have?', she asked, gently pulling the hairs at the back of his neck. 'I care a lot actually', he declared. 'I care if you have a scarf or a purse or how high your heels are or if you're wearing wedges', he said intently as he reached for the butter to spread on his toast. His wife looked at him in astonishment as she took her own seat at the breakfast table. She rested her hand under her chin, 'oh please, do continue', she encouraged him, interested to hear what he was going to say.
'Well, for example, I need to know if your skirt is tight 'cause then you might have to lift it above your knees so I need to be ready to hold your hand and stand in front of you 'cause, you know I'm not gonna have other guys looking at your sexy legs. If your dress is, like, floaty', he said gesturing, holding his hands wide, and upwards, 'then that's a similar issue but sorta different, plus it depends on the wind. We could have a serious issue on our hands', he said, his eyes on the toast. 'You walk great in heels but a heel could get caught so I need to be ready in case that happens. Wedges are good but sometimes your foot slips out', she looked at him, her eyes wide. 'On the grass in heels you need my arm more than my hand, steps you need my hand, narrow stairs you prefer me to go first and hold my hand back. If you've got a purse in your hand that's fine but on steps, it's a problem 'cause you can't hold a handrail and my hand and the purse. Actually, I don't think you should use those when we fly babe if you don't mind me saying, they're a bit of a hazard. And anyway, I need to see the dresses 'cause I gotta be sure I have ties to match. If not then I'll have to get some', he finished, raising the toast to his mouth and his eyes to hers.
'What?', it was his turn to ask. 'Umm. Nothing. I just. I never realized you paid so much attention to what I wear', she said. He frowned. 'Baby. I compliment you every single day on what you're wearing. I'm not just saying that by rote to keep you happy. I pay attention. I need to know if I've got up my game on any given day. Know if I might need to swoop in and protect your modesty, and be near in case a heel breaks. I know it's a burden to look so amazing', he said, now beginning to grin. 'But it's a hell of a job being the guy beside you', he said. She couldn't help but laugh. She placed her coffee cup back on the table, and leaned towards him. 'I feel I should thank you for paying such close attention', she said. 'Would that be ok with you Mr. President?', she asked, looking at him from underneath her eyelashes. He grinned his heartbreaker grin, 'I think that would be fine Madam First Lady', he replied, meeting her lips with his own.
'It's ok honey. It doesn't matter, honestly', Joe tried to reassure her. She searched his eyes, knew he was a little disappointed, and she was too. She had to decide if she would go with the advice of the designers, the experts in the room, or with her heart. She tried once more. 'Are you sure the green won't work?', she asked, trying to keep the longing out of her voice. A conversation in rapid Italian followed, she hoped the outcome would change, but knew it likely would not. 'I'm afraid we all agree ma'am. We can't see any place for the green in our plans'. Her heart sank. Joe had been so wonderful, the dress had been his idea, he had it designed for her. It was a one-off piece, her birthday gift from her husband. It represented so much more than just a dress.
Across the room Joe was watching her, reading her face, he knew what she was thinking. Sure, he was a little disappointed, he would have loved to see her in the dress he had given her on the cover but the last thing he wanted was for the shoot to be a negative experience just because of something he had done. He stood up, causing agents to move everywhere in the open space, and moved to sit beside her. He slipped his arm around her and ran his fingers down her cheek. 'Honestly, it's ok. We'll find another event to debut the dress,' he said, his eyes searching hers. She smiled a tiny smile and nodded. 'But', she began, 'I wanted to wear your dress, it means so much to me Joe, I ...', she stopped, gathering her thoughts.
