From Dusk Till Daylight

Happy Hours

I smiled, shimmying into a lacy black number. Feeling like jewels money couldn't buy, I pulled back the heavy-for-a-human purple curtain effortlessly and stepped out into the luxurious mirror-panelled fitting room with plush red purple carpet and under the luminous spotlight of the decadent purple chandelier.

"What do you think?" I announced, turning toward my mother and Alice who stood weighing items of clothing in their hands as if picking out gowns for an upcoming beauty pagent. My mother glanced at me, then returned her gaze to the black cocktail dress in her hand; a split second later she was ogling at me, her jaw wide open as if trying to catch flies. Alice's eyes were watermelons. They stood there speechless, for what seemed like a long time. "Well," I promted, sliding my hands along the material at my sides, "Be honest?" I smiled, twirling in a full circle.

"I hardly recognize you." Alice said oddly. Hiding her smile from my mother, and busying herself by hanging other gowns on the curtain.

"Sweetheart, not to be such a mother but don't you think it looks a bit..." Mom stammered, as if looking for an appropriate word. Alice jumped in.

"Promiscuous?" She said, raising her finger to her cheek and turning her head to one side.

"What?" I said, perplexedly. Stepping up onto the podium, I gazed at my reflection in the full length mirrors. The mermaid green black sequined dress was tight-fitting; its slim bodice covered my entire torso, leaving my bare skin pinned under the lace. Its long sleeves hung off my shoulder and toward my waist. "No..." I said, turning; although I wasn't a fan of the whole backless thing.

"Jacob will definitely like it." Alice said under her breath; Mom gave her a scornful look and Alice quickly retorted, "Not that he's into flaunty women, he just..." Alice's tongue stumbled over itself, "...loves you no matter what you wear." She choked out, diverting her eyes from my mother.

"You think it's too revealing don't you?" I asked, sighing. I reached behind my back to unhook the hooks.

"I think it suits you," A girl appeared in the fitting room. "Here let me help you." She said, unhooking the hooks and swiftly unzipping the dress. "I'm sure this Jacob would find it stunning on you." She smiled and helped me from the stool. "If you like I could go get another dress, it's the same style except longer?" She asked.

"You know what we'll find it." Mom took Alice's hand and they scurried out of the fitting room. I sighed, picking up the dresses and eyeing them up. My mother was beside herself, I knew; she was forced to see me in a new light since Jacob's departure and refused to acknowledge the fact that I'd grown up and wasn't a little girl anymore.

"Well I think this dress made quite the impression..." I joked, sitting on the stool and shuffling absent-mindedly through the black pumps Alice laid out.

"So this Jacob is quite the catch?" The girl asked, nosily. Her glossy black hair shimmered in the light, distracting me.

"I'd say so, there's only one like him." I smiled, stripping off the dress in the middle of the changing room and pulling my jeans on.

"How long have you been together?" She asked, pulling a pair of Jimmy Choo's from a box while I sat and slipped my socks off.

"Officially," I sighed and paused for thought, "Two years." I slipped on two different pairs and paced the length. Heels were just for show, I was more than able to run in them, walking was a cake dance.

"Officially meaning, your parents approve of it?" The girl asked, standing in the mirror and raising the dresses to her reflection. She was slim, slimmer than me, short with slender legs and the physique of a model. I gave her a thumbs up and she broke into a smile.