Page 48 of Doctor Daddy

“Sure.”

I tossed the dress onto my bed and began sorting through other items in the closet. I had way too many clothes that hadn’t fit me for years. I began pulling them out, taking them off their hangers, and dropping them on the floor. I’d find a bag or something to put them in later.

“So, what you doin’?” Mom asked as she pushed a pile of clothes on my bed to the side so she could have a seat.

“I am sorting out my closet trying to decide what I’m going to take and what I’m going to toss.”

“That sounds like an effective way of cleaning out your closet.”

I shrugged. “I probably should have done this years ago.”

“Do you have to move to Chicago in order for you to clean out your closet? I mean that just seems so far away.”

“It’s not that far away. Angela and I had already been looking up what it would cost to fly home if we needed to. Plus, it’s only about an eleven-hour drive. So that’s one long day or an afternoon on 285,” I said.

“Aren’t there graduate programs in Atlanta you could do?”

“Maybe. But you know I’ve always wanted to see other places. This is my opportunity.”

“It just feels like we just got you back. And now you’re off running cavorting around the country again.”

I hated how she was trying to manipulate me. She never tried to guilt Rhys into sticking around.

“I’m not cavorting around the country. I’ve been accepted into a graduate program. I thought you’d be happy about that.”

Angela had been right. I had been accepted into the program within a week of applying. That had been a week ago. We needed to move fast. Classes started in less than two months. We needed to find a place to live, and we both needed to find jobs.

Mom played with her fingers as I continued to sort through my closet. I dropped something red and sparkly on the floor.

“What’s that?” she asked.

I picked it up and showed her. It was the slinky red dress I had worn that night back— had it only been six months ago? It seemed like forever.

“Oh, that dress.” She hadn’t liked it. And I couldn’t see myself wearing it again.

“You know you could probably resell that online and make some money. You’ve got good clothes.” There was a hopeful lift to her voice.

“That sounds like a lot of work. I was thinking of just donating everything.” Mom got off the bed and took the dress out of my hands. She shook it out and held it up and looked down at herself. “This is definitely worth more than just giving it away, not that I could imagine anybody wanting to wear it.”

“I wore it,” I said.

“You did. And well I think it’s a good thing. You’re getting rid of it.” The previous judgment of my choices was back.

“Mom, if you want to sell it, go for it. I’m done with it. I’m done with half the things in my closet.” I sounded like a brat, but the truth was I was going to be too big, not that I could tell her.

“I’m sure you’d be able to wear some of those clothes.”

“Most of this stuff hasn’t fit me since before I left for Scotland,” I said. “Most of these are out of fashion anyway.”

I dropped more clothes that didn’t fit on the floor.

“You can still wear them; classics are classics for a reason.”

I stopped and looked at her. Mom ignored my size when it was convenient for her and called attention to it when she thought I would embarrass her. Most of the clothes in my closet didn’t fit because they were purchased for a size that I never had been. It was easier for her to think I was vapid and vain than it was to get her to face the truth about how she viewed my size.

“I’m not going to wear out-of-fashion clothes that don’t fit me simply because they’re classics and they cost me money. If they fit, that would be something completely different.” They didn’t fit now, and they weren’t going to fit after I blew up like a barge. But I couldn’t tell her that.

“Well, fine, we’ll put them in a box, and I’ll sort through them later.”

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