Love, curves and heartbreak Chapter 23

"Stop it Priscilla! Enough!" I say to myself.

These days... I felt so nervous. It's as if I can feel Ethan's gaze everywhere. Lily's fiancé, William, had invited us to dinner and of course, Ethan had to be there.

You could say... well... he's nothing to me, right? I said that. But the truth is...whenever he's around, I get anxious, feeling his attention on me, watching my every move, fully aware of my words and actions. And the worst part... is that I see his expression is one of disappointment and dissatisfaction.

But why do I care?

I was with Tommy, we walked hand in hand, admiring the wonders of the place. This time we were in a restaurant with a breathtaking view of the sea and the atmosphere was delightful.

"You are my rock in this family, you know? I'd be lost without you," he confided with a sad smile. His sincerity resonated with me, and I could feel his pain.

"And you're my favorite. Thank you for always being there and supporting me. You have no idea how much you've helped," I confessed, and he wrapped me in a hug.

Being with him during these dinners, meetings, brunches... was a true blessing. He was on my side... and that was enough for me.

We stayed like that for a while, my head resting on his chest, lost at the moment, while he gently stroked my hair, and I felt content.

"I love you Tommy" I say and he giggled.

"I love you too, baby"

Tommy had always been the life of the party, ever since I was young, I looked forward to seeing him because his presence always guaranteed laughter and warm hugs.

"You know... I have a crush on someone..." he whispers.

"Really? Who?" I ask excitedly.

"Yeah... a hottie in the office. A really beautiful soul, clever, hot... you know the whole package..."

"Well... he seems awesome"

"He is... and he is gay! We date a little... I think he's interested in me" he says with doubt and I slap his chest.

"Ouch!"

"Of course he is! You are amazing, Tommy!" I almost yell.

"Is just that... staying here... in this beautiful wedding preparation... you know... with all the family. I wish... I wish he could come with me" he confesses.

"Oh, baby... you can talk with Lily, right? She is different... she will hear you" I say.

"I don't know... but I will think about it"

"Sound very good" I say, hugging him again.

I thought our interaction had gone unnoticed, but apparently not. I caught sight of Ethan as we rejoined the others, and I had a feeling he must have seen us. Had he followed us? Hear us?

Then I saw Tommy talking to him, and Ethan's reactions were rather cold. Tommy gave me a strange look.

"My god... this man is weird" he says.

"What you mean?"

"My dearest cousin have been interrogating me about my presence in your house. And asked several probing questions about my life in a not-so-subtle manner"

"What's the matter with him? Why doesn't he ask me directly? What's his problem?"

"I truly dunno baby, I am lost as you are"

The following day was one of my first weekends off in a long time, away from Fairfax, work, family, and everything else. Suzy would be out of town, so I had the place to myself.

When I got out of the shower, I noticed the bag in the corner. I had completely forgotten that Lily's dress had arrived yesterday, the dress she wanted me to try on for her wedding.

"Damn thing..."

I had to admit, I had deliberately put it out of my mind; that dress brought back painful memories. But maybe I should give it another chance.

The dress isn't to blame for my experiences or the hurtful comments of others. My body shape isn't to blame either for not fitting into the options they had in the store. Gathering my courage, I decided to give it a try.

When I unpacked it, I noticed that the dress was different. I vaguely remembered Lily mentioning alterations to the dress, but I had tried to distance myself from the idea of having to try it on again.

Running my fingers over the fabric, I found it exquisite. It felt soft yet textured. Slipping the dress on by the straps, I was mesmerized. It had a soft purple hue, a sweetheart neckline, halter straps that tied in the back, and a modest yet elegant design.

For the first time in my life, I was excited to try something on. Although there was a small fear that it might not fit me, there was a glimmer of hope. I decided to go for it. After putting on a pair of shaping panties to smooth out my figure, I slipped into the dress and, with trembling fingers, zipped it up...as if defusing a bomb. To my astonishment, it fit me like a glove, albeit a little snug around the waist.

I spun around, admiring myself from all angles. I felt... attractive, dare I say sexy. Sexy... I had never imagined myself in such a light.

Even the color complemented me perfectly. In front of the mirror, I experimented with different hairstyles, playing with my hair up and down, framing my face.

"Priscilla... you look hot" I say and them laugh.

Feeling inspired, I thought about nail colors, makeup and accessories. After rummaging through my closet for shoes, I realized that none matched the elegance of the dress. As for accessories, I decided on delicate gold earrings to complement the ensemble.

Call me crazy, but I was on a roll. I dug out my meager makeup collection and applied mascara, eyeliner, lipstick and foundation, nothing too extravagant, just enough to accentuate my features. I opted for a sleek, high bun, leaving a few strands loose around my face. And there I stood.

The woman in the mirror looked different. It wasn't just the makeup, or the hairstyle, or the accessories; something deeper inside me had shifted. I felt comfortable in my own skin, confident in my potential. It seemed that I wasn't the same old Priscilla anymore.

"I feel... different..."

Something had changed: Not only did I feel attractive at that moment, but I had been promoted at work, received positive feedback from clients and my boss, made new friends, and landed a gig at the wedding of the year.

Yes! It was like a new Priscilla had emerged! It may sound silly, but getting to this point had been quite a journey, and I was immensely grateful for it.

Suddenly, I found myself looking forward to the wedding, eager to wear that dress. .

With one last look in the mirror, I decided it was time to take off the dress and spend the rest of the evening relaxing, reading, or watching movies.

"See you soon, dear friend..."

The dress would be carefully stowed away to await its moment on the big day, now considered a cherished friend. If only the dress I had tried on in front of everyone had been like this!

Lily had truly gone above and beyond to make me feel special, and my heart swelled with affection for the Fairfaxes.

Unexpectedly, the doorbell rang, interrupting my reverie. I answered it, still in my dress and barefoot, regretting the intrusion at such a time.

Maybe it was Rob? Or maybe Tommy?

To my surprise, it was neither Rob nor Tommy, but Ethan, as usual. He always arrives at the most inconvenient times, I thought with a twinge of annoyance.

"How...? How did you know where I lived? I mean... before... I never tell you!" I inquired, though he seemed too mesmerized to register my question.

His gaze traveled from my feet to my head, leaving me somewhat flustered. For the first time, he wasn't scowling or wearing his usual grim expression.

Dressed casually in blue jeans and a white shirt, he looked more relaxed than usual. Of course, he still looked like he stepped out of a fashion catalog.

His mouth was open, and his eyes were sparkling with wonder.

"Priscilla... you look stunning."