Being from a small town in the middle of the country, Mom made a commitment to herself that she would expose me to more experiences than she had growing up. She planned every trip weeks in advance so as to guarantee that I would experience something new, and the weekends usually incorporated a theme that focused on museums, parks, or boroughs. One weekend was designed merely for shopping at famous stores. We spent hours in Macy’s alone but hit up FAO Schwartz and walked through Tiffany’s as well. Being an amateur photographer, she documented every adventure and then religiously added them to our photo albums.
One of my favorite memories was our “China Town Adventure.” We originally went to take in the sights and enjoy the food and culture, but that lasted for only a short time before we found Canal Street, the famous shopping district. Within minutes we entered into a shopping frenzy. It was astonishing! Every store had mounds and mounds of merchandise, much of it faux designer items that so closely resembled the actual manufacturer that I couldn’t spot the difference. The only telltale sign I found was a tag on a purse that read “Kade Spade” rather than “Kate Spade.” I bought the purse anyway and figured I would simply turn the label toward my body when I carried it. We bought more on that trip than any other, and my father hadn’t been happy with the amount of money that was spent.
We always capped off the weekend with a Broadway show. On one of our first trips we saw one of the last showings of Les Miserables, and it still remains my favorite musical of all time. I downloaded the complete symphony version from iTunes and listen to it often as I picture it scene by scene in complete detail.
I remember sitting with my mother’s hand in my left hand and the playbill in my right. Within only a few notes of music I was swept away into the drama as the powerful story pierced my heart.
The story unfolded before my eyes. Jean Valjean was once a spiritually lost man whose life had been redeemed. He became very powerful but ended up finding his true purpose in life when he made an oath to a dying woman that he would raise her child as his own. His past haunted him, but eventually, at the end of the story, he revealed the truth to his daughter, and his soul was free forever. I wept through much of the story and wished I could have seen it again and again. Sharing that night with my mother was my favorite memory of her, and unbeknownst to Riley, the picture that he sketched of my mother and I was taken moments before the story came to life that evening.
Marme’s voice interrupted my thoughts. “Thank you for asking me to join you, Attie. It means a lot to me.”
“Of course, there isn’t anyone I would rather have going with me.”
She was sincerely touched by the invitation, and I was delighted that such a small request was bringing her so much joy. Being so focused on my own misery, I hadn’t thought about how having me around was affecting her. I was sure that having a girl in the house made her long for Melody’s company and miss her more than ever.
Marme pulled into the parking lot of the store and turning to me said in a very serious tone, “Let the games begin.”
We quickly jumped out of the car and made our way inside the trendy boutique. Vibrant colors came to life all around me, and a rush ran through my body. I had seventy-five dollars to spend, and I didn’t even know where to begin. As I walked through the racks of clothes, I allowed my fingers to run across the fabrics. The clothes and their different textures felt wonderful to my touch. Indeed, this was a therapy all its own.
“Oh, Attie, look at these!” In less than ninety seconds she found a pair of white linen pants and wanted me to take a look. “These would look adorable on you, with your small, cute little body. Oh gosh, you’d be smashing!”
I laughed at her excitement and then looked at the price tag. “Oh, Marme, they’re great, but they’re also eighty-seven dollars. That’s more than I have. There’s a sale rack in the back; maybe we should just start there?” I hung the pants back up and started toward the rear of the store.
“Oh no you don’t, Attie Reed.” She grabbed my arm and shoved the pants back into my hands. “True retail therapy cannot be done by buying items on sale.”
“But Marme, I only have seventy-five dollars.”
“Well … ” She reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet. “I have a credit card that hasn’t been used in over a year, and it’s gotten very lonely in this deep, dark cavern of a purse. I’m certain that it wants to come out and play for a while.”
I chuckled. “I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You didn’t ask. I want to do it. Please let me.” She was practically begging.
“Only if you promise not to get carried away.”
“Define what you mean by ‘carried away.’”
I hugged her. “You’re too much.”
“Now, let’s keep looking; we’ve got a long way to go and a short time to get there,” she said before hunting down a sales associate to have them get a dressing room ready.
Splitting up, we grabbed anything we thought might look good.
“Attie, don’t just think about the pool party. You need other clothes too.”
I started to fuss, but she gave me a stern look, so I closed my mouth.
“What about a bathing suit, Attie? Do you have one?”
I shook my head frantically. “No way!”
“What do you mean no way?”
I yanked down the collar of my t-shirt and pointed to my scar so she would get my point.
“So?”
“So? They’re ugly. I won’t walk around in a bathing suit, especially the first time I meet people.”
“You aren’t gonna swim or lay out all summer? Spare me. We’re getting you a bathing suit. You never know when you might need one.”
After several more minutes, we finally made our way to the dressing room. The saleslady was practically salivating as Marme pulled up a chair and I got busy trying on clothes. After removing an item and handing it over the door to Marme, she would put it in either the “Keep” or “No” pile. I glanced at the piles each time I showed her a new item and realized the “Keep” pile was becoming much larger than the “No” pile.
“Don’t you be looking at these stacks of clothes. This is my business,” she teased. “Now put on that bathing suit with the flowers on it.”
“It’s a bikini,” I complained.
“Let me see it.”
I put on the suit and looked at myself in the mirror. All I could focus on were the scars. I felt naked and uncomfortable.
“Come on out here. Let me see you.”
“I don’t know,” I mumbled.
“Get your tiny butt out here right now,” she ordered. I opened the door and she smiled up at me. “You’re gorgeous. Look at that body!” I stood with my face cringing. “Yep.” She nodded. “It’s a keeper.”
Rolling my eyes, I walked back into the stall and shut the door.
“Don’t you roll your eyes at me, young lady.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You do know you’re supposed to keep your underwear on when you try on bathing suits, don’t you?”
“I did.”
“I didn’t see them.”
“They’re just a thong; there isn’t much to see.”
“Attie Reed! You wear thongs?”
“Well, yes.”
“That’s a little Britney Spears, don’t you think?”
“Only if you make them hang out the top of your britches.”
She laughed and then shivered. “If I tried to wear one of those things, it would get lost forever.” I was sure she was trying to picture herself wearing one.
“I don’t know. They’re pretty great.”
“No, thank you.”
I put my clothes back on and headed out of the stall. “I’
ll tell you what, I won’t complain about you buying all of those clothes if you’ll buy one thong for yourself.”
Her eyes got huge. “Do they even make them in my size?”
“What size are you?” the sales associate asked as she tried to hide a snicker.
“Gigantic,” Marme replied sadly.
“Hardly! You’ve got a great body. I hope I look as good as you do when I’m your age.”
“My age? You mean old as dirt? All right, just grab me a pair,” she said to the sales associate. “The cheapest pair you’ve got; I don’t think I’ll be wearing them more than a few seconds.”
The saleslady carried the pile of clothes to the checkout counter and grabbed Marme a thong on the way.
“Now, Attie, you go on and entertain yourself while I check out. You don’t need to be privy to how much I spend.”
I walked away but peeked back and caught her throwing several pairs of earrings and two pairs of sunglasses onto the “Keep” pile.
I wasn’t certain, but I would guess that she was spending well over seven hundred dollars. Pops was going to kill her.
chapter 15
“Attie,” Marme said outside my bedroom door. “The girls are here.”
“Great, send them up.”
“What did you decide to wear?” she asked.
“Come on in. Give me your opinion.”
Opening the door, she looked in, and upon seeing me she clapped. “Oh, Attie, you’re beautiful! I hoped you would wear that.”
“You don’t think it’s too dressy for a pool party?”
“No, it’s perfect.”
I was wearing the white linen trousers and a lime green linen top with pale gold stitching, a high collar, and three-quarter length sleeves.
“Do you feel comfortable in it?”
“Yes.”
“Does it cover everything you want covered?”
“Yes.”
“What shoes are you gonna wear?” she asked.
I walked over to the closet and pulled out a pair of sandals.
“Will these do? They’re all I’ve got.”
“They’ll be fine for today, but this weekend we’ll go shoe shopping. What about your hair? What are you gonna do with it?”
“A ponytail I think, but where it kind of poufs a little on the top like this.” I fixed it as I spoke.
“Oh, I like it like that. It’s sassy. And maybe a little mascara and lip gloss,” she suggested.
“Sure.”
“Perfect, Attie, you’re gonna look perfect. Boys are gonna be falling all over themselves to get near you.”
“Hey chick-a-dee,” Tammy greeted as the girls made their way into my room.
“I’ll leave you girls to finish getting ready,” Marme announced as she left the room.
“Look at this room! It’s amazing, Attie. It’s changed so much.” Anne beamed.
“Don’t you love it? I do. They did it on Monday while I was at work.”
“How sweet is that?” Anne said softly and made a face as if she would cry.
“Look at these drawings!” Tess sounded far away in a dream state. “Aren’t they amazing?”
“Where did they come from?” Anne asked.
“Riley drew them for me,” I answered before thinking about it and regretted the words the moment they left my mouth.
I waited for Tammy to make a remark. “Get out!” There it was. “Move outta the way and let me see. You’re hoggin’ the wall, Tess.”
“No, I’m not, Tammy, there’s plenty of room for both of us,” Tess said then sighed softly. “I’m in awe.”
“Attie, that’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen,” Anne exclaimed.
“I couldn’t thank him enough.”
“You could have planted a big ole kiss on him. That would have done it,” Tammy informed me.
“You think?” I asked sarcastically.
“Are you sure you don’t like him? He’s the sweetest thing ever.” Tess was disappointed that we weren’t an item.
I made a gloomy face in her direction. “Sorry, Tess, we’re just friends for now.”
“For now?” She lit up. “You mean maybe one day?”
“We aren’t even considering it until I move out.”
“So you’ve talked about it?” Anne asked, sitting down on the bed.
I was surprised that Tammy hadn’t told them about our conversation.
“A little.”
“Oh my gosh! Attie!” Anne squealed. “You two would be adorable together!”
“You would,” Tess agreed.
“Well, we’ll see. We’ve got a few more months till then, so let’s not jump to any conclusions. A lot can change between now and then.”
“I doubt it. You’re a keeper, Attie.” Tammy smiled at me. For as spunky and unconventional as she was, she had a heart of gold.
“I’ll make sure I keep everyone updated, okay?”
“Oh good!” I’d made Tess’s day.
“Get your suit and let’s go,” Anne ordered as she jumped off the bed.
“Oh, I’m not bringing a suit.”
“Why?” they all asked.
“My scars, I don’t want to show them off today,” I explained.
“Scars?” Tess asked.
“From the accident,” Anne explained before giving me a reassuring smile.
“Oh,” Tess sighed softly.
“How bad can they be?” Tammy asked.
“Pretty bad.” I scowled.
“Let’s see ‘em,” she said.
I rolled my eyes and then unbuttoned my shirt and let it fall to my waist. All the girls stepped closer to me so they could get a better look.
“They aren’t bad at all, Attie,” Anne said reassuringly.
“No, not bad at all,” Tess agreed.
I looked at Tammy and waited to hear what she would say. “You’re beautiful even with the scars. And you kinda remind me of the six-million dollar woman,” she added.
I laughed. “Thanks, guys, but still, I wouldn’t be comfortable.” I put my shirt back on and buttoned it up.
“All right, well, let’s get going,” Anne announced. “Cute boys are waiting.”
“And Chase,” Tess added.
“Chase is a cute boy, Tess,” Tammy said, throwing her arms over Tess’s shoulder.
“Well, I didn’t mean it like that,” Tess said sweetly.
They filed out of my room, and I followed them down the stairs. Walking behind Tammy, I noticed she was wearing cutoff blue jeans with holes all over them and a Grateful Dead concert t-shirt.
“I see you got dressed up, Tammy.”
“Only the best for my friends.”
By the time we arrived, the party was in full swing. Anne, being the social butterfly, immediately walked away and began chatting with friends. Tammy spotted the food table and made a beeline for it without even looking back, and Tess and I were left standing alone.
“How does she stay so skinny?” Tess asked, watching Tammy walk away. “If I ate like that, I’d be three hundred pounds.”
“Life’s not fair, Tess.”
“No, it’s not.” She sighed in agreement.
“Do not leave me alone. I don’t know anybody here.”
I heard a familiar voice call my name.
“Oh no.” I grabbed Tess’s arm.
“What?” she asked, concerned.
“Please don’t tell me that’s Cooper Truman.”
She shook her head and spoke softly, “I don’t even know who that is.”
“Hello, Attie.” His voice came from directly behind
me.
I rolled my eyes and turned around to face him. “Hey, Cooper, good to see you.”
He gave me a hug, and it lasted way too long for it being given by someone that I hardly knew. “I’m so glad that you made it. I’ve been looking for you. Come on, I’ll introduce you to some friends.”
“Oh, I don’t know, Cooper; I probably shouldn’t leave my friend.”
“What friend?”
“Tess … ” I turned and realized that she was gone. “Uh, nobody I guess.”
He grabbed my hand and started dragging me through the crowd, and as the other kids laughed and enjoyed each other’s company, I frantically searched their faces for Riley’s. Unfortunately, none of the faces I saw were his.
“Hey, guys,” I heard Cooper say. “This is Attie. She just moved into town with her family. Her grandfather runs the veterinary clinic over on Main.”
I looked at four new pairs of eyes staring at me. “Hello.” I spoke softly and gave them a weak wave.
Cooper began making introductions. “This is Rick, Beth, Wes, and Tiffany.”
My instincts told me that this was the dreaded “in crowd,” but they were totally mismatched, and even though they weren’t much taller than I was, I felt like they were looking down on me.
“Hi, Attie. I’m Tiffany,” one of the girls spoke as she offered her hand for a shake. I wondered if this was the Tiffany that Riley took to prom. “So you’re the girl that’s living with Riley?”
“Um, with his family, yes,” I answered.
“I’ve heard about you. Riley and I have been dating for a while.”
“Really? He hasn’t mentioned you.” I couldn’t believe the words left my mouth, but I was pleased with myself.
Yes, this was the girl, and as far as she was concerned, they were still dating. Riley might be interested in knowing that little piece of information.
“You’re the girl from the accident.” The boy named Wes pointed it out as if I didn’t already know. “Cool.”
“Yes, cool,” I repeated.
Cooper and his friends chatted, and I took the opportunity to inspect Tiffany. She was the complete opposite of me, tall with an athletic build and jet-black, curly hair. Her tanned complexion caused her blue eyes to radiate. She was stunning, and I immediately wanted to hate her. I also happened to notice that unfortunately, she did have big boobs, and the revelation was very upsetting.