Loving Wright

Chapter 23: The Countdown

Kendra...

Black, long, sparkly, and tight. Those were the words I used to describe the dress I was wearing right now. It wasn't the kind of dress I would usually wear, I wasn't very keen on showing off my curves, but Iris insisted that I did. She was sure to add in a taunt about Eli liking it. Was it wrong that it was those words that made the decision? That I only picked this dress because Eli might like it?

You may be wondering why I was wearing a tight dress to impress Eli anyway. See, Alex was having a New Year's Eve party at some fancy hotel that I was invited to. The dress code was black and white. I wasn't planning on going, I wanted to spend more time with my mother before she returned to New York. But she practically forced me to go when she found out Eli would be there.

I looked myself over in the mirror one last time and smoothed down the stray hairs around my high puff, before grabbing the small purse on my bed and leaving the room. I was greeted with a gasp and applause when I entered the living room.

"Well look at you," my mother said.

"It's not too much?" I asked, "Not too flashy?"

"Kendra it's fine," my mother insisted, "You look beautiful."

I smiled, "Thank you."

"Now go and have some well-deserved fun," she said stepping aside and pointing to the door.

"I'll try."

"No trying. Just do."

"Yes ma'am," I turned back towards the hallway, "Kyle, I'm leaving!" I called out.

A few seconds later he came running down the hallway to say goodbye. But he stopped in his tracks when she saw me.

"You like the dress?" I asked, seeing how he was staring at it.

He stared for a while before asking, "Are you wearing that for Eli?"

I heard my mother chuckle behind me.

"No, I'm not. Why would I wear this for Eli?" I asked.

"Uh...i don't know," he shrugged and offered nothing more to say.

"Well, what do you think?" I said pointing to my dress.

"I think it's...nice," he said after a few seconds.

"Just nice?"

"You know what would make it better?" He asked but answered before I could ask him what. "A coat. Or a scarf. A really big one."

"Why would I want that?"

"To cover up all of this," he said, moving his hands around his chest.

My dress was strapless, with a bit of cleavage showing. My son doesn't seem to be a fan of his mother dressing like this.

"A lot of people will start staring if you go out like that."

And by people, he means men.

"I'm ok with people staring, Kyle," I said.

I wasn't. But I had to put his mind at ease.

"But..." he began before my mother cut him short.

"Boy, leave your mother alone. Let her go out and have a good time."

He kept quiet and I walked over and kissed his forehead. "Goodnight."

I walked over to the door and grabbed my long winter coat.