Esmerelda the Flower

Chapter 28: Esmerelda

May

Life recently has had its ups and downs but that's the essence of it, the low moments make you see the beauty in everything.

Like how Camryn was healing. She had been going to therapy. She opened up about her families neglect and the value our friendship had to her. She and Brandon had started afresh, they called off the engagement and are taking it slow. Brandon was pretty whipped, he and Camryn were consumed with each other. She was madly in love in a way I had never seen before. I was happy for them.

Bill was navigating the single independent life. His wife was no longer there to dictate what he did. He wasn't lonely, however. He has his son, who he had grown closer with in these past months. Every Sunday he would come over for dinner with me and Chris. He also had me as well,  after one night of too much wine, Bill looked at me and told me I was the daughter he had always wanted. I, who was also drunk told him I'd always wanted another parent. The more the merrier, right?

I got closer with Denise and her friends. When we had the time we'd go out for drinks. Camryn would come along as well. It was always refreshing to have a juicy gossip session with the girls. The latest is that Penny had sworn to celibacy, again, after deciding that hooking up with her graduate school  advisor wasn't a great idea. Alexis had a small beautiful private wedding with her now wife that Christopher started crying during, when I pointed it out he said he had bad allergies.

Me and Christopher's relationship was stronger than ever. We were vulnerable to each other in every way. I understood his past and he understood mine. I had never imagined someone like him would love a woman like me. It was pure bliss. The stolen kisses at work, the long hot and heavy nights together, the mornings after spent in each other's arms.

I was simply happy, an emotion that usually had a short duration for me.

The huge gala was tomorrow. It was being hosted at the same venue used for the Met Gala. I was nervous, the work of so many employees and Christopher was finally going to be put on display before being distributed into the market.

I was home, Chris had called in a stylist for me to choose a gown to wear. Me and Camryn were going through his selections.

"So this one is a from Gucci's floral line, the pink dress  color will  definitely compliment your skin tone. and these shoes," he said while holding a box to me, "were picked out by Christopher."

I took the box eagerly, I opened it and gasped. It was vintage! Inside the box were these floral designer shoes made in very small amounts back in 2004. I had always wanted a pair but of course my family couldn't afford wildly expensive shoes.

Camryn took the box from me, looking in awe. "Esme these are gorgeous! Your whole outfit will have everyone's attention tomorrow!"

"For Chris's sake, I hope not," I laughed.

Camryn and I finalized our selections and now we were doing some preparations. It was a whole day of skin treating, hair appointments, nail appointments and what not. At the end of the day we admired ourselves. I got goddess braids, the ethereal look of them best fit the floral theme of the gala. I had flower hair pins to put inside my hair. My nails were pink with florals and my skin glowed.

"We look fabulous Esme," Camryn said while checking her ass out in the mirror. I poked her butt as she squealed and pinched me back. After acting like immature kids for 5 minutes she went back home.