Love Is Where You Find It

Part 14

Loretta can't believe it in a way, that she is really going to go out with Henry tonight. It's Wednesday, the middle of the work week (though she doesn't work a regular schedule of Monday to Friday and weekends off).

Loretta didn't tell the kids. All it would do is confuse them. They are just getting used to not having Doolittle around and the last thing she wants is to upset them unnecessarily. She told her mommy and daddy though. Quite ironically, it was Mommy who was fine with it while Daddy seemed very skeptical to say the least.

She waits until the kids are tucked into bed, prays to herself that they'll sleep through the night. They do now, but children always choose the least convenient times to get sick or hurt.

Loretta goes through her clothes, none of which look good enough. She doesn't know where exactly Henry is taking her because he wouldn't say. He did insist that she would like it though. Loretta is sure that she will too; she's not very picky. Even going to the grocery store with another human being over the age of 20 seems appealing to her now.

Doo never took her anywhere. She supposes that he did when they were just married, but she became pregnant with Betty so fast that there was hardly any time to go out. He kept her at home with all those children.

Loretta pulls curlers from her hair, not too pleased with some of the strands lack of obedience. Sometimes it would turn out perfectly, most of the time when it didn't really matter.

She doesn't really know how to wear make up. There was never any money nor time for it. Deep inside she did want to wear some every once in a while, but Doo declared that he did not like make up and she was therefore not allowed to wear it at any time.

Doo had a lot of rules for her regarding what she wasn't allowed to do. She wasn't allowed to have dinner (and nor was anyone else in the house) before he got home, at which point dinner had to be hot and ready for him whether he was two hours late and the kids had to be in bed or not. She wasn't allowed to cut her hair or wear short skirts or be too friendly to other men. She never really knew what exactly the latter was supposed to mean, but she is being much friendlier with Henry than Doo would ever allow.

But she doesn't have to answer to Doo anymore. Nor does she have to answer to Mommy and Daddy. Twenty five years old and for the first time in her life she's in charge of her own body and mind- a whole four years too late but better late than never.

Loretta roots around the drawers until she locates a little stub of red lipstick. She carefully applies it to her lips, taking care to not get any on her skin or teeth.

Looking at her reflection, she decides that she is one fancy dress and a pair of high heels she would just stumble around in from looking like a true lady. Henry said she wasn't supposed to dress up, but he probably said that so she doesn't feel bad, because he knows that she couldn't dress up anyhow.

She could use a few more clothes and definitely new shoes, probably new underwear too. But her kids need it all a lot more so it's not up for debate. Her clothes will have to do, even for a date, and so do the beat up cowboy boots.

She can only hope that Henry doesn't take her to a fancy restaurant. Loretta turns her back on the mirror and strides out of the room. She wants to wait for Henry out on the porch, but is stopped by her daddy before she can make it there.

"Loretty, where'd you get that lipstick?" His tone is full of amusement.

"The bathroom. Bye, daddy."

"He ain't even here yet." Ted pulls back the curtains to glance out of the window. "Nope, he ain't."

"He will be. You don't gotta meet him neither."