Love in the theater

Chapter 33

As she was running home, not even knowing how she had the strength to do that, she stopped by a clothing store to get herself a new shirt so she wouldn't worry Oliver, definitely the last thing she wanted.
She didn't really have the money but thought it was worth it and that she couldn't go home with shirt torn in two pieces.

A kind woman immediately stopped what she was doing to help her.

"Hey, how can I help you?" the woman asked.

"Uhm I uhm would like to uhm find a top, not an expensive one, I don't have the money" she tried to say as tears started streaming again "I'm sorry"

"Don't apologize it's fine, what happened to you?" the woman worriedly asked as she saw Loretta's tears and torn clothes. She was met with silence.
"Did someone touched you, I mean uhm" she tried to say but couldn't find a way to pronounce her sentence.
Loretta simply nodded.

"Okay come with me I'm gonna help you. You're really pretty and look like a woman who likes old fashion. I have just the thing for you" she said as she gave her a white blouse with embroidered flowers in some places.

As always, Loretta's first move was to look at the price and its price tag indicated 60$.
"I can't take this one, don't you have another one? Less expensive but in the same style?" she asked.

"Go try this one" the woman said, and Loretta immediately obliged.

"It's really pretty" she sighed "but I definitely don't have the money, I know for you it probably doesn't seem expensive but I can't-" she said as she started taking it off until the woman stopped her.

"No no you keep it on, and now you just go back home, safely" she said.

"But I did pa-" she stopped her once again.

"You don't have to pay because I offer it to you, you shouldn't have to use your money to buy clothes again because a man tore them." she said with a little and reassuring smile.

"Oh thank you, thank you so much" Loretta immediately hugged her and started crying again.
"I'm really grateful, thank you"

"Now go back home to your family or friends" she smiled.

"I will, thank you again." Loretta said one last time before she walked out of the store.

She knew she had told Oliver that she would stop and eat something on her way home but she was definitely not hungry anymore so she headed back home.

***

As the elevator was going up, she was getting more and more anxious. She didn't want to scare and worry him, so she simply decided not to tell him and keep it for her.

When Oliver heard the door open, he knew Loretta was back, finally. He thought she would have been back in the early afternoon but it was now 5pm and she was only coming home.

He waited for her just in front of the door and when it opened he immediately took her in his arms, completely startling her, she jumped a mile.

"Oh baby, I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that" he said as he could see fear in her eyes.

"Uhm no no it's fine, I just didn't think you would be right behind the door but I'm okay" she said, laughing uncomfortably.

He looked at her up and down and could see that something was wrong.
"Was that the shirt you were wearing this morning?" he asked, confused.

"Uhm well I was wearing it under my other shirt but It was too warm so I took the other one off" she tried to say.

"Oh okay, but where's the other? You can barely fit anything in your bag" he pointed out.