Daddy's First Lesson novel · Chapter 20 of 24

Chapter 20: The Dress

The boutique on Walnut Street had one chandelier, one velvet sofa, and a saleswoman who looked at Abram's shoulders and then politely at the floor.

"Miss Marden?" she said. "Mr. Deverill left a dress for you."

She brought it out on a padded hanger.

It was pale grey, buttoned to the chin, with a sash at the waist and a label sewn into the collar.

Size twelve.

"I wear an eighteen," I said.

The saleswoman went pink.

"He gave me the size himself. He said you had, um, lost some weight."

"He said that."

"I'm so sorry."

"It isn't your fault."

I took the grey dress off its hanger and held it up in front of me.

It would not have covered one hip.

It was not even a mistake, I realized.

It was the version of me that Sheldon had been trying to buy for three years: smaller, quieter, buttoned up to the chin.

Abram was standing behind me.

He didn't say a word, and I could feel him not saying it.

"Put that away," I said to the saleswoman. "Please show me everything you have in my size in a dark color. Something with a high neck."

She hesitated, and then her whole face changed.

"I have one," she said. "I'll be right back."

She came back with a long dress in deep burgundy velvet, with long sleeves and a high neck, cut close through the waist.

It had a zipper down the whole back.

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