I stare at my reflection in the full-bodied mirrors, turning to my side to get a better view of the slope of my bump under the snug fitting material.
"Trying too hard?"
In any other state, I wouldn't have thought twice about the single-shouldered black gown but it's the most formal thing I've worn since my belly popped and it feels a bit weird seeing the bump all dressed up.
Mom chuckles, tossing her cell in her purse.
"How could you be? You could never go wrong with a little black dress. You look stunning,"
After a long and stressful week, the weekend was finally here, and I was more than ecstatic to wind down with a bit of pampering and one-on-one time with Harry. I'd hardly seen him with a week full of food runs and date night had been over-due for the longest time. I'd penciled in our date in my calendar nearly a hundred times in fear that my pregnancy brain would prevail, and it'd slip my mind. I was determined to make tonight perfect.
I turn to face the mirror straight on, getting a view of my belly from a different angle. The bump strains against the silky fabric and makes me feel a bit subconscious. I was not used to having my belly be the center of attention like this.
"So, are you going to get it?" Mom asks, shattering my thoughts.
"I don't know," I glance at the price tag with a sigh. "it's lovely but I don't know if I should be spending extra money. I just had to replace my battery for the Rover. It wasn't exactly cheap."
As much as I wanted this date night to be special, I was sure rummaging through my closet one more time wouldn't hurt.
Mom scoffs letting out a short laugh.
"Oh, River. We both know you hardly noticed the money leave your bank account. Don't be a penny pincher."
It wasn't a secret that Harry and I were a very financially secure couple, but I never liked to flaunt it or use it to my advantage.
While we had a joint bank account, I set aside finances for personal wants and needs. Even if I didn't have to, I still worked for my own money and maintained the frugal mentality I was raised with. Harry was accustomed to living a luxurious lifestyle where money was no object and had never really gotten out of the habit. When things were broken or got old, his only rationale was to replace it. I, on the other hand, tried to make dollars stretch as much as possible. I was proud of my independence and never wanted to rely on Harry's money to get me the things I wanted.
"Mom, you know how I feel about that. We're just going to dinner anyway."
She raises a sculpted brow.
"Just going to dinner? You and Harry going out happens less than a moon landing. You better buy that dress. Treat tonight like it's special."
I don't know whether to laugh or take offense to my mother's blatant insult of my crumbling marriage, so I simply hike up the dress' skirt and retreat into the dressing room to change back into my clothes.
"I guess I owe tonight to you," I spoke over the wooden door as I pulled down the zipper of the dress. "Your talk really helped."
"How so?"
Her voice is muffled as I pull my blouse over my head. I suddenly feel dizzy and steady myself against the wall.
"I marched right into his office and demanded he talk to me. We decided that we'd like to know the baby's gender and then I mentioned date night."
I say that with more pride than necessary as I adjusted the elastic band of a pair of maternity shorts under my bump before tossing the dress across my shoulder. For most women, marching into their husband's office was a routine. For me, it was a milestone.
