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Caroline keeps instructing him to bring me more clothing, and she mentions every now and then at what time of the day I’ll wear this or for what activity. I’ll have to write everything down later. In the Alliance, men have only three different outfits for their entire lives, and they’re all black. Maximum class men don’t get to choose anything about our appearances except for how we wear our hair or perhaps a piece of jewelry. So, I find all of these colors and fabrics overwhelming.
“And you’ll need a swimsuit.”
“A swimsuit for what?”
“Swimming.”
“Don’t people swim naked?”
“Rarely.”
“It won’t be a problem. I booked rooms with private pools. I won’t need a swimsuit.”
“Sem, listen to me,” Caroline leans in and whispers, “If you swim naked with Ivy, she’s really going to expect something. Understand?”
I’m reminded of my own mother, and a wave of sadness crashes over me. “I understand.”
Caroline, as if picking up on this, squeezes my forearm and gives me a sympathetic smile. “You’ve got this.” It’s an American phrase I only learned a few months ago, but it makes me feel good to hear it now. Then Caroline hands me some swimsuits to try on. They’re quite big and bulky.
“I want something tighter and smaller,” I say to Caroline and the shop attendant, returning the large, unattractive swimsuits.
“Perhaps a tighter brief style?” the shop attendant suggests.
Before I can say I don’t know what that is, Caroline says, “Thanks, we’ll figure it out.”
For the first time today, I interject and go against Caroline’s wishes. “Yes, I’d like to see a much tighter suit.”
The shop attendant brings me a few small swimsuits. “Yes, this is much more like it.”
I hear Caroline sigh as I close the curtain.
I try on the swimsuits and choose a small black one. I open the curtain to show Caroline how good it looks, and she looks away.
“What’s wrong?” I look at my reflection again. “It’s perfect. I want to show my best to Ivy. I want to marry her after all.”
Caroline double-checks that the shop attendant has walked away. “You can take the man out of the Empire but not the Empire out of the man. It’s a very small suit.”
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” and then add it to the pile of clothing to be purchased.
* * *
After visiting a few more shops, we arrive at our final stop, a pleasant restaurant overlooking the whole of Athens for the evening meal.
“Thank the goddesses,” I say quietly before we begin eating, and Caroline says the same.
After a few minutes pass, she says, “You’re all ready for your holiday now. Even with your petite swimsuit.”
“There’s nothing wrong with it. It covers my penis, which is what you seemed so worried about.”
“Hardly.”
I let it go. She’s a woman. She can’t understand the pressure on a man to show off his physical body to a woman he’s courting. “Thank you,” I tell her sincerely. I resist putting my fingers over my heart. “I feel like I would’ve messed this all up if it hadn’t been for you.”
“I’m sure you would have managed, but this way, it’s easier. You’ll have less to try explaining why you’re wearing the wrong things or swimming naked.”
“I do see some people in jeans, though,” I point out.
“Yes, but just trust me. You don’t want to wear jeans on vacation with your girlfriend on a Greek Island.”
