Calla Lily

Shopping ⚪️

  Today Azalea and I were going shopping, after another ultrasound. I still had bruising and although it looked like it was healing she wanted to be absolutely sure that it was. We walked into the hospital and we were met with quiet. As we walked towards the exam room the hallway was empty and did not have the usual buzz one associated with a hospital. I assumed that was due to my presence. The room was white, sterile, like one would expect. What one would not expect is the presence of 4 nurses. All feigned over me until Azalea shoed all but one away.
No one mentioned Sorren's roles in this but all apologized profusely and one nurse even dared to say a Luna deserved better treatment. I think that shocked Azalea as much as me, slander to an Alpha, or as close as they would dare go. I couldn't help agree with her, but I stayed quiet. No internal ultrasound was deemed necessary the swelling had subsided enough and the image showed no discrepancies, I was healing as I should.
As we stepped out of the exam room I froze. Lining the hallway was a collection of nurses. All women , all with a single white rose. I stood frozen the silence stifling, the weight of their gazes heavy. I didn't move until Azalea gently placed a hand on the small of my back. I startled slightly and began my walk down the hallway taking each rose that was offered to me. Each woman regarded me as if I was this reverent being, but with compassion and empathy.
"Luna Calla."
"May you find peace Luna."
"Luna, a rose for new beginnings."
"Luna Calla, your strength is our strength."
By the time we reached the end of the hallway my arms were full of roses and my eyes full of tears. I wanted to run from the hall, go back to Sorren's house and lock myself in his room, but I couldn't. I turned towards the women who still stood silent and regarded them with the respect that they showed me "Thank you." My voice broke but it was not small as I'd expected. I felt empowered, seen for the first time in a long time, perhaps for the first time in forever.
  Azalea and I walked in silence to the car. She opened the back door for me to lay the roses on the seat. We didn't speak until we both got in, her in the drivers seat and me beside her. "Are you okay Calla? We don't have to go shopping." She said. I wiped at the few tears that wetted my cheeks. "No." I said taking a deep breath "I'm okay." I turned and looked at her and she offered a small smile "Okay." And with that we were off.
   The mall was loud, packed. A flourish of people greeted me fondly. Kids waved happily and one kid tried to offer me a cookie which their mom grabbed quickly apologizing. I couldn't help but laugh. Azalea and I made it into a small dress store and found a moment of reprieve. "Just checking in, today has been a lot you sure you're okay?" She asked. I nodded with a smile "Thank you Azalea, I'm okay really. It is a bit strange to me being noticed everywhere and it is quite loud here, but I'm okay." She nodded with a small smile. "What color dress are we looking for?" She asked turning her attention to the racks of dresses before us all separated by color. "I like green." I said after a moment of thought.
   "That will go good with your eyes." She agreed. I was soon in a fitting room drowning in dresses. In true girl fashion I did not like how any of them fit. "What about this one?" She held up a silky emerald green dress with ruched sides. It flowed luxuriously to the floor had wide straps and a sweatheart neckline, it looked fitted which worried me. I didn't like tight things. "I don't know." I said uncertain. "Come on last one? Then we can get something to eat and check somewhere else yeah?" I nodded grabbing the dress from her. As I retreated back into the fitting room she stopped me in my tracks "And don't do a silly dance in this one if you don't like how it fits." I turned around to glance at her and laughed "It really just makes the whole experience better Azalea." She smirked with a roll of her eyes.
  I quickly changed into the dress eager for the promise of food. I fumbled with the zipper and as with some of the other dresses called Azalea over. The fabric hugged me firmly however not uncomfortable as she zipped me up. I turned to see her smiling warmly "Calla you look so beautiful." I huffed "You've said that for all of the dresses." I lulled. "Yes but did you look at yourself in this one? This is my favorite." She said. I turned to walk out to the mirror in the sitting area outside of the fitting room, I'd looked but it hadn't been zipped.
  When I finally stopped in front of the mirror I rose a brow, I looked good. I did a slight spin to take in all of the dress. The back dipped down to my lower back meaning I'd have to forgo a bra, but I could figure that hurdle out later. I turned back to face the mirror head on and smoothed my hands over the cool fabric which clung to me in all the right places. "I think this is the one." I smiled. Azalea nodded "I agree!" She said happily "Good." I nodded looking back to my reflection for a moment before turning back to Azalea "Quick unzip me so we can go get food."
  "Hungry?" She asked laughing "Starving. Chinese?" I asked glancing over my shoulder at her "Hmm I could do Chinese." That was decidedly my favorite food and I was craving crab rangoons. I changed quickly and we approached the sales ladies at the counter who straightened up as we neared them. "Luna you looked absolutely stunning in those dresses!" My face turned red, she saw me try on all of them? Azalea laughed "She's a great dancer too isn't she?" I huffed out an embarrassed laugh. Azalea had Sorren's credit card which she did not hesitate to use. The dress was packaged up with care and Azalea and I left the store and were on route to food.
"I'm so glad I found a dress before we ate." I said relieved. "I hate trying on dresses after I eat too, and I plan to eat a whole duck." We climbed into the car "A whole duck?" I echoed "Yeah rice and duck. Super good, and I'm a wolf so my appetite is bigger, don't judge me." She mocked defensively as she pulled out of the parking spot. "I'm not." I said unconvincingly. "Okay maybe I was but that's just going off of a human reference. Eating a whole duck is a lot! I'm sure power lifters do it but they don't count." I shrugged "Well I am pretty strong." She feigned. "True." I smirked turning my gaze to the passenger side window. We headed downtown driving the busy main street past the record store and pulled in front of the Chinese restaurant. It wasn't until now that I allowed myself to realize what I had to do in a few short hours. As we walked into the restaurant Azalea seemed to notice the shift. "You okay?" The waitress greeted us warmly and I found her words floating over me. I offered a weak smile unsure of what she said.
   We sat in a booth near the back of the restaurant in the corner. "Calla, what's wrong?" She asked. "That record store is where I met Charlotte. I guess just as tonight gets closer I'm nervous." Azalea looked at me in understanding. "I was wondering when you would want to talk about tonight." She said knowingly. "Sorren and I talked, argued really, he said I have to tread lightly, and I know I do but I don't want to just say that everything is fine. It might be easier, and if I voiced my unhappiness I don't think it'd get me anywhere. I just don't want to loose myself." I said finally stopping my rambling. "Sorren is right you do have to tread lightly, but don't feel like you have to say everything is like a fairytale. There are some details the council will search for but they do not need to know. Yes, they are the council, they hold power in the pack but you are the Luna. Nothing will be done to you because the elders will fear retribution from the pack. Look how everyone has already taken to you." The corner of my lips twitched as Azalea attempted to comfort me.
"Thank you." I took a deep breath "crab rangoons?" I said changing the subject. Azalea laughed "2 orders of crab rangoons?" She asked. "2 orders." I agreed.