Aurora Lockheart was once the sunshine girl-bright, kind, and full of life. But one night changed everything, leaving her a shadow of who she used to be.
A year later, just as she's beginning to think she'll never find her way back, her ex-best fr...
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I had been out with Edel since the crack of dawn, shopping for new things to breathe fresh life into my room. At first, I felt a wave of guilt wash over me whenever I glanced at something with a price tag that made my heart skip a beat. But Edel had a rule: if I looked at it, it was going into the basket. And so it went—my resistance crumbled as we filled our cart with all sorts of goodies.
We ended up buying loads of things—clothes, a bunch of cute pillows, a new bedding set that made me feel like I was in a dream, and even a CD player that felt delightfully retro. Honestly, if it was something I thought I might like, I now probably owned it.
When we finally came home, we put everything away in my room, my heart racing with excitement over how it was all coming together. As a mini celebration, I gave Edel and Shannon an impromptu fashion show, twirling around and posing like a runway model. Shannon, after catching a glimpse of the time, decided to head out to watch Johnny train again.
"Boring," I thought, but I couldn't dwell on that for long, especially with the anticipation of what Gibsie had planned for us tonight.
"Here you are, pet! How did you like it?" Edel asked, stepping back to admire her handiwork as I took in the reflection of my straightened hair with soft curls at the ends.
"I love it! Thank you!" I replied, turning to face her fully, feeling a spark of joy.
"Right—he's giving me a dress code, so your outfits are waiting for you in the bathroom. I'll be here waiting!" Edel beamed, her enthusiasm infectious.
I jumped up, excitement bubbling inside me as I made my way into the bathroom. There, on the counter, lay a perfectly curated set of pajamas that caught my eye immediately. The top was light pink with black polka dots, featuring thin spaghetti straps and elegant black lace detailing along the neckline and under the bust. The matching bottoms were loose-fitting, with the same black lace adorning the cuffs, and they both had the iconic Playboy bunny logo—daintily placed in the center of the top and on the side of the bottoms.
Edel had picked them out earlier, insisting, "They're so you!" I smiled at the thought, grateful for her uncanny ability to know what I'd love. I slipped off my silk robe and hung it up, letting the soft fabric of the pajamas envelop me.
As I gazed at myself in the mirror, I felt amazing—truly confident. My face was all-natural, free of makeup, and it felt liberating to embrace my bare skin.
I slowly opened the bathroom door, and Edel's face lit up with delight as she took me in. She jumped up and pulled me into a warm embrace. "Oh, you look amazing, love!"
"Thank you—so much," I replied, a genuine smile stretching across my face as she shook her head, brushing off my gratitude.
"You deserve it, darling. Now go on, you've got to head into the back garden," she encouraged, her excitement palpable.
As I put on my fluffy slippers, I felt a mix of nerves and anticipation stirring in my stomach. What could Gibsie possibly have planned for us? With a deep breath, I headed downstairs and made my way to the back garden. Each step felt like I was walking towards something magical, the butterflies in my stomach flitting about wildly.
