Page 89 of The Vengeance You Crave
"I know. I… uh…" I look back when I sense someone join us.
"You've got the whole weekend with Peyton, Kay. Remember what Saturday is?" Kayden's face lights up as he remembers and I can't help but feel the same knowing I've got the entire weekend off work. It can't come soon enough.
"Okay," he says. "Have fun with your friends."
"I will, baby boy. Thank you." I hold him tight for a few seconds and place a kiss on his head.
This balancing act between work, college, having a life and being a part of this family is something I need to get a better grip on. I'm just glad we've got Aunt Fee because if she didn’t reach out to help us after Mom died, I have no idea how we'd have coped.
"Go," Aunt Fee says when I linger a little longer. "And have fun."
"Thank you," I mouth to her as I slip past.
She smiles at me, her eyes looking a little wet. She can never understand how much I appreciate everything she's done for us. I have no idea where to even start trying to tell her either.
"Hey. I'm ready," I say, dropping into the back seat of Letty's car that's idling on the road outside Aunt Fee's.
"That your aunt?" Ella asks, and when I look up, I find Aunt Fee watching us through the window.
"Yeah," I say with a smile.
"Okay, well. You ready to hit the store?" Letty asks, clearly sensing the heaviness in my response.
"Yes," Ella hisses. "Let's do it."
Walking in and out of each store while the two of them pick up different items, try some on and purchase others makes me feel more like myself than I have in a long time. Although I've never really had any girlfriends to do this with, spending an afternoon in the mall was one of mine and Mom's favorite ways to relax. Even if we never bought anything.
Ella's in the dressing room and Letty is looking at the shoes when a dress catches my eye. It's not my usual style, and it's way dressier than anywhere I have to wear it but it just speaks to me for some reason.
It's simple, classic and something you could wear for years and years and would never look out of date. Christ, I sound like my mom.
Reaching out, I run the soft fabric through my fingers imagining how it might look on me. Twisting the tag, I gasp at the price.
"You should try it on," Letty says, over my shoulder.
"N-no, I can't afford it. And I don't need it. I can hardly wear that to class."
"No, but you never know, someone might take you out on a hot date."
I scoff. "Unlikely."
"You never know. Stranger things have happened."
"Hey, how's it—Whoa, that dress is hot. You should totally try it on," Ella joins in when she finds us standing looking at it.
Glancing up at the two of them, I find them standing with their hands on their hips and a determined look in their eyes.
"Just try it. It might look awful and you can forget all about it," Ella quips.
"El." Letty laughs. "It will not look awful. Peyton's got a banging figure."
"I know." She shrugs, reaching out and pulling the correct size from the rack without even asking me. "Go on then." She smiles at me so sweetly and with so much determination that the only way to get out of this is to do it.
I blow out a breath once I'm alone in the dressing room. I know exactly what's about to happen, I'm going to fall in love with it even more the second it's on my body and I'm going to feel guilty for weeks for buying something so frivolous when I've got more important things to do with my money.
"So?" Ella calls through the curtain.
I stare at myself in the mirror, tears filling my eyes and a lump so huge clogging my throat that I can't respond.
