CHAPTER 54

“So you’ll be ready around one o’clock? It’s a long drive to Beaumont, and Pop wants me there early.”

“I’ll be ready.”

“I’m not gonna hold you. I have to do some things before I pick you up. See you later,” Maxwell said.

“Good-bye,” Yolanda said quickly, but he’d already hung up.

Too late.

He always hangs up before I can say good-bye.

She hung up and looked over at Precious, who was sitting on the bed licking her paw.

“Today is gonna be a great day, Precious!”

Precious looked up, meowed, and went back to licking her paws.

She grabbed her robe and went to the bathroom and turned on the shower. She stripped off her pajamas and got under the water, jumping when the scalding hot stream hit her. She was so nervous and excited she hadn’t even checked it.

I’m meeting Maxwell’s family today. And not just his immediate family— his whole family! This definitely means we’re dating. If I’m meeting his family, that means ‘relationship.’ He could have asked anyone, but he asked me. He’s falling for me. Yes, ma’am, Maxwell has got the hots for yours truly!

She and toweled off and decided to go pick up her dress at the tailor’s. After much careful deliberation, she and Natalie finally had decided she should push herself out her comfort zone and wear a dress. It was a pretty cornflower blue sundress with a matching cardigan. Normally she hated showing her legs, but for this special occasion she decided she should dress up. It’s not every day that I meet my man’s family.

* * *

“Hi, Anna. I’m here to pick up my dress,” Yolanda said, holding her ticket.

Anna was a petite middle-aged Vietnamese lady. Her straight blue-black hair was cut in a blunt bob, too severe for her long face. Yolanda had been going to her for years.

“Yes, Mrs. Peterson, it ready. You want to try on?”

“No, that’s okay. I’m in a hurry.”

“Pretty, pretty dress,” Anna said, passing Yolanda her dress over the beige laminate counter.

“Thanks. How much?”

“Twelve-fifty.”

Yolanda handed her a twenty.

“Mrs. Peterson, how long you come here?” Anna asked, handing Yolanda her change.

“Oh, I don’t know, five, six years maybe? Why?”

“You get lot of things altered.”

“Yeah, I guess I do,” Yolanda said, picking up her dress.

“I tell you something?”

“Sure.”

“You skinny. String bean. Hard to alter. You need to eat, fill out as woman. Maybe get surgery. Breasts ‘plants. Do you good.”

“Excuse me?”

“You flat everywhere. Spend too much money on alteration. Need bigger breasts, save money on clothes. Then find nice man. Marry and have kids.”

Yolanda just stood there, stunned by the woman’s audacity. Finally, she walked out, trying not to cry in front of her.

“You come back, okay?” Anna sang out.

Yolanda got into her car and burst into tears. Why can’t I be okay just the way I am? Am I really that bad to look at? Yolanda looked at herself in the rearview mirror and did something she never did. She got angry. Who was she to tell her to gain weight? Who does she think she is? Who made her the judge of what’s beautiful? She actually thought she was giving me good advice by telling me to get implants! I’m sick of it. I’m tired of people telling me I’m not good enough. Yolanda wiped her tears, blew her nose and walked back into Anna’s shop.

She was helping another customer.

“Hello, friend! You forget something?” Anna asked.

“Yeah, I did. I would think that if a person came in and was loyal that you would appreciate her patronage, not give her a lecture about her body. Who made you God? Stick to your job of fixing clothes and keep your comments to yourself. I’m beautiful, with breasts or not. And I’ll have you know I have a boyfriend who thinks I’m beautiful, smart, and funny. I’m perfect no matter what you think,” Yolanda said, breathing hard.

“Yeah,” the other customer said, turning to Yolanda. “You told her.”

Anna looked small and pitiful.

“I so sorry, Mrs. Peterson.”

“You are sorry. Sorry for thinking you could tell somebody who’s giving you money every week that she is ugly. Not good enough. But you know what, Anna? Me and my flat chest are gonna take my flat money somewhere else!”

Yolanda stormed out. With every step she felt lighter. It felt good to tell someone off. I should do this more often.