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Chapter Five
“I’m telling you, this dress is perfect. It’s sexy without being sleazy. And with any luck, he’ll think you’re irresistible in it too,” DeeDee said.
She looked in the mirror again and she just didn’t feel it. This wasn’t her style. And more than that, this dress wasn’t in her budget. What point was it for her to accept Kenneth’s help with Home Blown if she was going to be spending money she didn’t have?
“This is too much, on many levels. I think I’m going to wear what I have at home.” She turned around and said, “Can you please unzip me?”
DeeDee’s heavy sigh echoed throughout the changing room. “I’d lend you one of mine if we were the same size. But you’d never squeeze those DD boobs of yours into anything I own.”
“You make it sound like it’s a blessing. I would love to be able to go into a store and just grab something off the rack. But with this rack,” she pointed at her chest, “Nothing seems to fit right.”
“This dress does. You told me what Kenneth said about Home Blown. He’s right. You have no idea who you’re going to meet. You want to draw business and look as though you fit in? Then you have to dress like you do.”
Shanda slipped out of the dress and pulled on her T-shirt, then turned around and faced DeeDee. “You haven’t even met the man and you’re taking his side?”
“Before you took over the shop from Granddad, you would’ve purchased this dress and worn it proudly. Now, you…changed. I’m not sure Granddad did you any favors by having you take over the shop.”
“I love Home Blown and you know that,” Shanda snapped. “It’s everything to me.”
“Apparently. But is that a good thing? I mean, it’s important to keep the place running and make enough money to live, but at the price of joy and happiness? I think not.”
“I’m happy,” she defended herself.
“Maybe when you’re in your back room working on some new creation. But I’ve seen you in the front of the store. You smile and you’re pleasant, but hell, you’re not happy.”
DeeDee was right. “What am I supposed to do? I can’t tell Granddad that owning the shop is not for me. He’s counting on me to keep the tradition going. He loved Home Blown. I can’t let him down.”
“Funny, I said the same thing about my wedding and you’re making me tell Mom and Dad the truth. Don’t you think you should take your own advice?” DeeDee asked.
“This is totally different and you know it,” Shanda stated.
“Yeah. It’s not like you ran off and got married and have been lying about it. Because that would be bad, right?”
Shanda snickered. “That’s because I would never do something so crazy.”
“You say that now, but let’s see how things go with Kenneth. You never know. You might need the name of the chapel we used in Las Vegas.”
“Oh please. I don’t think Kenneth is the eloping type,” Shanda said.
DeeDee’s eyes opened wide. “So you thought about it. Well now that’s progress.” She grabbed the dress from Shanda and headed towards the cashier.
“What are you doing?” Shanda asked.
“I’m buying you this dress and you’re going to wear it tonight,” DeeDee said firmly.
“I can’t let you do that. It’s expensive.” I know because I almost fainted at the price tag.
“Consider it a wedding gift,” DeeDee said.
“I’m not getting married,” she corrected.
DeeDee said, “Mine. Think about how much money we saved by not having a big wedding. And since I didn’t get to purchase a wedding dress, I have plenty I can spend on my kid sister. Now zip it and let’s cash out.”
“What’s the rush? Can’t wait to get back to Larry?” she teased.
“Nope. You need your hair and nails done. We are having a spa day today whether you like it or not.”
“DeeDee, I was only supposed to close for lunch.” She didn’t want to lose a customer because it wasn’t open.
