The Delacours

thirty-one.

                I headed to the store to get Val something to nice to wear for the night. I found her some nice pajamas and a robe, but I quickly found myself in the lingerie section. I was clearly out of place as a sales associate approached me.

"Hi! Is there anything I can help you with?" she asked. She was a petite brunette, who was about Val's size.

"Uh, I guess?"

"Are you looking for something to spice up your night? Got a special someone you're shopping for?"

"Yeah. Maybe you can help? My girlfriend is –" she looked a little confused, "– really pregnant, and she's just not feeling really sexy and I think she looks fucking, oh, sorry, freaking beautiful..." The sales associate turned around and started to search. She came back with a lacey black dress.

"Maybe... this?" She held it up. It had half sleeves and opened up just down the center allowing her pregnancy belly to come out from underneath it. She turned and grabbed a bra and boy short panty set off the rack. "And you could pair it with this! I have other sizes here if you need them. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"No, thank you. I think this will be perfect." I headed for a register without a second thought. They wrapped the clothes up for me nicely and put them in a box and then in a bag and I headed home. Val was outside, meditating; Zane was cooking her something to eat. Chris headed outside and continued where he left off the other day with her massage.

I could see him from the window, massaging her neck and shoulders – her eyes were closed but I could tell from her body language and facial expression that she was enjoying it. She was leaning into Chris – he was talking to her softly. He had her lay with her head in his lap and he lightly rubbed her face. He grabbed some unscented oil and moved to rub her arms and legs, and ended with rubbing her belly very gently – she laughed in a way I hadn't heard in a long time.

She came inside and headed for a shower. I wrote a note on the bag saying "wear me", hoping she would like it, and I quietly placed it in the bathroom. I waited in the bedroom for her to come in nervously. Chris opened the door and sat next to me.

"What'd you do?" he asked.

"I got her this really sexy lingerie and I'm hoping she puts it on. She seemed happy when you were done."

"Yeah, she was in a good mood."

"But... if she chooses the pajamas, then I'm okay with that too..." I heard the faucet turn off and starting to wring my hands together.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm... nervous. I don't know. I feel like this is our first date or something." Chris put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed and I felt calmed. "She was just... so hurt and I feel awful for it, even if we didn't have a choice." I heard the bathroom door open and close and waited for her to open the bedroom door. I held my breath, I heard Chris do the same. The knob turned.

"Liz?" she said.

"Yeah, Val?" I said, trying not to sound nervous. The door opened completely and I saw her standing there with the lingerie on, her hair on a bun on top of her head. I bit my tongue to remind myself that I couldn't do anything with her. Not yet.

"What's this for?"

"I wanted to take your picture, while you were still pregnant. I know you think that you don't look good but I honestly feel like you look amazing and I want you to see what I see when I look at you – when we look at you."