agenda: I had an appointment with my rental insurance agent (I didn’t own my apartment like Mrs. Mosely, so it was different). Thankfully, I could expect a reimbursement check for what my policy covered, which was mostly my personal belongings (that I had to back up on my initial list after I’d created the policy two years ago—a pain in my ass) within the next couple of weeks.
After leaving the insurance company and stopping by the drug store to get a few basic necessities, I strolled aimlessly down the street, stopping to treat myself to a chocolate ice cream cone. I’d eaten a grilled chicken salad for lunch. So, why not? I’d had a hell of a night. Lost everything. What woman didn’t deserve a little splurge once in a while?
I marveled at each construction site I passed, thinking to myself how crazy it was that everything always seemed to go up so fast. An empty lot one day—a high-rise seemingly the next. But it didn’t feel as quick when it was your own residence being rebuilt (or renovated in my case—semantics), and you were at the mercy of a ridiculously hot roommate you were secretly in love with until it was finished. That sneak peek he’d given me this morning in his tight-fitting boxers—damn. It was more than hot. I’d often wondered what Oliver’s schlong looked like. Rocketship? Skyscraper? Crown Jewels? Wait, I think that’s balls, but what do I know? There had to be another name for a it, because who said penis and thought it was sexy? Not me! Hell, I fantasized about it, if I were being honest (name of my now-melted-vibrator: clue number one—Rest in Peace, old friend). Would the tip of it look like a mushroom as I’d read about? Okay, I’d seen a few online… Sue me. I’d been curious because Lisa had mentioned mushroom tips, and it sounded strange, until I’d actually seen one. Oh, and how could I forget? The infamous popsicle pic. That didn’t count, according to Lisa. It was tiny. Hell, I didn’t know. Then, I understood. Hmm… How big was Oliver’s ice cream cone? Battleship? Was it long and thick? I’d secretly wondered—and not once—what it would feel like inside of me. Holy hell, I’d need a fan soon if I didn’t stop my naughty thoughts.
I didn’t know if it was the fresh spring air, filled with fragrant blooms drifting in from the nearby park, or the endorphins releasing in my brain from my frozen treat, but something put me in the mood to suck it up and use what happened as an opportunity to start over. I’d been needing a day off for a while, even if the circumstances for it finally happening were far from ideal.
And I had a whole new wardrobe to shop for. What girl didn’t want an excuse to spend the afternoon shopping?
A plus-size girl. That’s who.
I walked into a nearby boutique with optimistic confidence, but quickly found myself sinking into the reminder that most stores weren’t made for girls like me. If you were my size in New York.
“Can I help you?” a saleswoman asked, barely masking her disdain.
I had been staring at a mannequin wrapped in a chic little dress—one I could imagine looking super cute on me. I turned to see a young, impatient-looking associate tapping a pen on the clipboard in her hands. I never understood why they walked around looking so official with headsets. What kind of fashion emergency could really happen in a store like that to require a retail worker to need such accessories?
“Yes.” I smiled meekly. “I was just wondering if…”
She shifted and sighed, already irritated with me before I even asked my question. I wanted to ask if she thought I could pull off the dress I was looking at, but judging by the way she eyed me from head to toe, I had a feeling she wasn’t too sure that I could pull off anything in the store. I sucked in a deep breath and pictured the way Lisa always blazed into these kinds of boutiques as if she owned the place. She didn’t take shit from anybody, and I wasn’t going to, either.
“Yes,” I repeated, more confidently this time. “Do you have this maybe two or three sizes bigger?”
“Mmm, no, darling.” She lifted a brow. “I don’t think so.”
“Really? Are you sure? Could you check?” It was a wrap dress, and I knew the sizes varied. I could even go a size