Little Dress Shopping Trip Of Horror

It's early, I can't sleep. My mother has made hair appointments for the three of us, we have to be there in a couple hours. Alexis is babbling away to herself as I sit here, I went to pick her up and play with her a couple minutes ago but she seemed more content laying on her blanket on the floor shaking her arms in the air making her wrist rattles rattle, so I left her where she was.

So yesterday was a treat...not really.

Did I mention I hate shopping? Well I should've been more specific I HATE shopping! OK, I know that's not specific. I don't mind shopping when it's for things that have some really use to me, food (go figure), books (I love to read to Alexis) and movies (I need something to pass the time when she's sleeping). But when it comes to shopping for clothes, for me? I could pass. In fact that's what I told my mother when Alexis and I made it down to the kitchen yesterday. Of course mom told me not to be so ridiculous. And my father, who was reading the newspaper as he had his third coffee of the morning said 'all women love to shop; shoes, clothing it doesn't matter they love to spend their man's hard earned money'. I wanted to tell him he didn't know what he was talking about but I didn't really feel like hearing how he's been supporting me and my 'mistake' for the past 16 months (9 months of pregnancy and 7 months since her birth).

Not that he's called her a 'mistake' since I got back here. In fact he hasn't said that much about her which shocked me. Although, he still hasn't gotten there and talked to Alexis but he did look at her briefly, so I guess that's progress.

Soon we were on our way. Mom told me that Henry's nephew Edward would be driving us because Henry would be off for a couple more days to spent time with his daughter who gave birth to a healthy 8 pound baby girl. I never had to deal with Edward driving before, but since my parents trusted him, I guess it was OK. Then again, they did trust Reed to pick Alexis and me up too, so maybe I shouldn't trust their judgement?

We must have gone into every single dress shop in the city. Mother was determined to from the perfect dress and insisted that I try on everything at all the shops before I bought one. We were sitting on an uncomfortable couch in the last shop, Alexis was at my feet in her car seat just buzzing, I think my daughter failed to pick up my hatred for shopping. She seemed to smile every time 'Nana Lin' held out a dress for her and she just giggled when the sales people tried to get the dress on her, most times I have to save them and dress her myself.

Anyway we were sitting on the couch when the front door chimed, singling that someone had entered the shop. I held my breath and waited for my mother to start to spaz because someone was interrupting 'her' time with the salespeople. Yes, she made appointments and the doors were sometimes locked so no one else could come in.

"Hello Lenore! Sorry I'm late." Just hearing the voice of the newcomer made me flinch. I turned my head and hoped that it wasn't true, that the one woman who I hated the most in this world wasn't standing there greeting my mother. But it was true, Lucinda Johnson stood there in all her flashy importance.

"Amber Lynn!" She rushed towards me and engulfed me in a hug that I couldn't escape from if I wanted too. "Oh just look at you!" She stood back and did just that. "You've lost weight! Are you eating enough?"

I glared at her, "Yes I'm eating fine thank you."

"Oh you must tell me your secret then!"

"OK," I gripped her shoulders and turned her around. "She's my secret to weight lost. She keeps me pretty busy."

OK, I have to admit that the only reason I turned Lucinda's attention to Alexis was to rub her nose in the fact that she didn't believe me when she found out that I was pregnant and she certainly didn't believe my baby was her 'innocent little boy's baby'.

But just like Reed the day before, Lucinda surprised me. "OH! Just look at her! She looks just like my darling Reed!" She waved her fingers at Alexis who giggled and blew her bubbles in return.

I thought I was about to get sick, when did this become an episode of the Twilight Zone? Luckily for all of us, the salespeople came around with a rack of dresses for both Alexis and I to try on.

For the next hour, I modelled dress after dress and listened to both my mother and Reed's mother as they discussed how horrible they looked. My mother, who had brought a digital camera with her, was snapping photos as we were going to better aid in the dress search.

While I was trying on the last dress that the salespeople picked out, I could hear them picking a part every single dress I tried on all day. I was starting to think that they drug me out just to have something to bitch about. Stepping out into the room, I was met with looks of disgust, even Alexis looked like she didn't like the dress I was wearing.

"It's just the wrong color." Lucinda said.

"Wrong color?" My mother stared at her. "That dress is completely hideous on Amber."

"Well it's the last one!" I told them. They didn't believe me and had to get up and look for themselves and then they had to stand around and grumble in hushed tones about the lack of taste that salespeople had these days. "You wouldn't think they were working for commission with the crap they showed us!"

I stood there shaking my head as I sent the salespeople a sympathetic look. I was so wrapped up in feeling bad for them that I didn't hear the door chime again.

"Mother you did say to met you at 4, right?"

In my worst nightmare I didn't see Reed as much as I have in the past 24 hours, was my life turning into a nightmare? He glanced at me, and then looked back again. He didn't look shocked to see me, which made me think that all three of them had planned for him to come here. Great!

"Oh my god Amber, what the hell are you wearing?" He had his hand up to his mouth, trying to cover his smile but I could see it all the same.

"Go to hell Reed!" I snapped and disappeared into the change room.

I was in the middle of putting on my regular clothes when a hand poked through the curtain. "Try this one."

Reluctantly I took the dress from him. Looking at it, it wasn't that much. It was actually the plainest dress I've seen all day. "I'm not putting that on!" I went to throw it at him but his words stopped me. "You'll put it on or I'll come help you put it on!"

I was tempted to put on the rest of my own clothes and walk out of the store with Alexis. But I didn't trust him not to go through with what he threatened.

When I zipped it up and looked at myself in the mirror I gave a little gasp. I didn't notice when he handed it to me that it had a beaded strap and that was the only beading on it. The chocolate color was probably one I would never pick out for myself but I as turned this way and that looking at myself in the mirror, the more I liked the dress. The only problem I had was with the back of the dress, or should I say the lack of back? I felt so sexy wearing the dress for a moment I forgot that I was a 19 year old single mom.

"Amber come out and let us see it." My mother called from beyond the curtain.

"NO!" I yelled grabbing my clothes and holding them in front of me.

"Come on dear we don't have all day."

"I..umm..I couldn't get it on!" I called out.

I could hear Reed chuckling just on the other side of the curtain. "I don't believe you," he said low enough for just me to hear. He reached his hand in and tried to grab my arm, only he grabbed my breast.

"HEY!" I slapped his hand and jumped away.

"Come on out BerryLynn."

Peeking my head out through the curtain, I glared at him. "Don't call me that! And put her down!" I went to take Alexis from him and he grabbed my arm, pulling me out of the change room.

There wasn't a sound in the dress shop as every one's eyes turned to gawk at me. I wanted to disappear back into the change room but Reed was blocking my way.

As everyone was complimenting me on how I looked, I heard Reed tell Alexis, "Your mom almost does the dress justice."

Even though I really didn't care, his words hurt. "Go to hell Reed." I whispered and pushed past him to the sanctuary of the change room.

I changed back into my street clothes and walked out of the change room. Without a word to anyone, I took Alexis and walked out the door.

As the door to the shop closed, I heard Reed's mother tearing a strip of him for being such a jerk.

When my mother had finally come out of the store, with a dress box in her hand. She ushered me and Alexis into the waiting car before Reed and his mother came out of the store. She squeezed my hand, "Men aren't the most intelligent group darling," she told me.

I laughed, "Like I care what that prick said mother." I didn't care. His opinion doesn't matter at all.

But if that were the case, why am I crying like an idiot while writing this?