Baby Fat

six

Today's the day. The day that both Bradley and Julianne hate more than anything.

It's the day of the event.

Bradley huffs while standing and looking at the hotel's closet. He's staring at all of his suits (which he didn't want to bring but did, just in case). He knows the one his mother wants him to wear. He knows it like the back of his hand. He runs his hand across the suits' material.

"Bradley?" Cassandra yells from the bathroom. She's so frantic, like always. Bradley sighs and walks (and trips over clothes) from the closet doorway to the bathroom doorway where his and his parent's room's connect. The white tiling is cold against his bare feet and he steps backwards onto the carpet after touching it.

"Yes, mother?" He asks politely.

"Oh my gosh!" Cassandra screams, she throws her hands up in frustration. "Why aren't you dressed? We leave in ten minutes!"

Bradley nods his head and walks back to the closet. His mother is still yelling at him but he shuts the bathroom door to drown her voice out.

He gets dressed in a rush, throwing on his suit. When he's ready to go, his mother looks at him in disappointment.

"Bradley, you said the suit fit!" she screams. Her usually pin straight, auburn hair is up high in an impressive bun, held there with an abundance of hairspray and bobby pins. Bradley decides that it doesn't look half bad.

Bradley rolls his eyes, "It does." Cassandra is going to have another hissy fit, she may even leave him at the hotel. Bradley decides to continue down the path he's on. "Why is it such a big deal anyways?"

"It doesn't button! The jacket doesn't fit!" Cassandra throws her hands up before clenching them into fists. "Why can't you ever listen to me? Fine, you don't want to see that movie. Fine, you don't want to exercise! Fine, you don't want to eat healthy! But can't you, for one fucking night, listen to me? How many times did I tell you I wanted that suit to fit? How many times have I told you how important this is to me?" Cassandra's eyes are glassy. Bradley feels a tad bit bad for sending his mom into a crazy frenzy, but not bad enough to apologize.

"I can go change," Bradley offers. Cassandra braces herself on the creme wall with one a hand and uses her other hand to rub her temple. Bradley thinks he sees a bit of grey in her long auburn hair.

"You don't understand," Cassandra exasperates. She looks like she might cry, but Bradley knows she would never.

"Why is it such a big deal?" Bradley huffs frustrated. Cassandra opens her mouth to speak but Graham walks into the hallway, finally.

Graham looks at Cassandra with concern, "What's wrong?" He goes to touch her hand but she slaps it away.

"Nothing," she snaps. She stands up tall, breathing in deeply. "Get in the car. We're going to be late."

She leads them all into the hotel and presses the "G" floor button. The only thing that can be heard is the sound of the elevator softly buzzing. Bradley doesn't really understand why his mother acts so infuriating, he decides to ask Julianne about it when he sees her.

When they reach the ground floor and the elevator doors open, Julianne is there. She smiles at them. Her black hair is down in curls. She's wearing a skin tight black dress that has cut outs on the abdomen. It also makes her look like she has curves. She's wearing seven inch red heels, making her look tall.

"Julianne," Cassandra says enthusiastically. Cassandra walks to Julianne and kisses her cheek. "What are you wearing?" Cassandra eyes Julianne and sighs, like she did every time.