Novel Palace
Heart 92
Chapter 92 Chapter 92
[Cordelia]
Atlas calls Theo in the design department to manage things in my absence as Angelica and her bridesmaids gleefully drag me out of the office and into the elevator.
I have never met a group of grown women who can giggle as much as those four do and as they drag me into the back of a waiting car, I begin to question my sanity for agreeing to come along with them.
But soon the car was zooming along taking us to our first wedding shopping spot. I don't know where we are going and I really don't care. If I could have figured out a tasteful way to exit this situation without looking like a total monster, I would have. Someone had opened a bottle of wine and had begun handing out glasses. When one was handed to me and I refused, a look of indignation crossed my sister's face and I had no problem glaring back at her while pointing to my very noticeably round stomach. "Doctor's orders," I snap. "You wouldn't want to hurt my baby, would you?" The truth is, I don't trust a glass of wine coming from her or anyone else, not after Sydney drugged me and Atlas, as well as my time on the island.
I'll never forget Angelica's grin as she plunged the sleeping medication into my IV. It looks very similar to the one she is giving me right now,
"You can occasionally have a glass of wine when pregnant," she reminds me, pushing the glass forward. Especially at your stage in the pregnancy. How far along are you again?"
"22 weeks," I answer quickly.
"Oh wow," Angelica continues. "That's further along than I had expected. Did you and Clark hook up as soon as he arrived? Speaking of which, how is Clark? I haven't seen him around. You'd think with his fiance so pregnant he'd be here every day making sure you are eating and resting and..."
"Clark knows I'm an adult capable of caring for myself," I cut her off. "I don't need him around me all the
time to be satisfied."
"And does he," she pauses and looks at her girl group, before turning to me and wiggling her eyebrows. "Does he what?"Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.
"Satisfy you," Angelica says the first word like a naughty prayer, as if she is imagining the two of us in the
act
The four women start to giggle again and I fight the urge to slap them. I don't know where the sudden anger is coming from, but it doesn't feel fair to blame it on the baby, even if it is hormones.
"Oh look, he isn't," Autumn, a burnished blonde who looks a bit like Angelica but younger and with freckles, replies for me. "I know that look."
"Is it because you're pregnant, sweetie," Melanie asks placing a sympathetic hand on my knee. "Don't worry, it'll pass. Some men just don't like having sex once they know their woman is pregnant. It's a shame though," she adds, "pregnancy sex is amazing. It's like your whole body is more awake than it has ever been."
"Maybe we can set something special up for you and Clark," Angelica suggests. "A romantic getaway for the two of you before the little one arrives."
"OOH, a Baby Moon!" Meghan, a bouncy redhead excitedly claps. "Darius and I had one of those before little Sammy was born and it was the best. It is really important to reconnect with your partner sexually before your child is born because trust me, once he's here, you won't have the energy for more than passing out next to one another."
The women all decide to make our first stop at a high-end intimacy boutique. "We can all get something nice to enjoy with our lovers and husbands."
I don't want to go in. I don't need to watch Angelica purchase lingerie and sex toys for a honeymoon for her and Atlas. Yet despite my loudest protests, I find myself walking past an embarrassing display of vibrators and lube
"Oh Clark is going to love this one," Angelica pulls one off the shelf and hands it to me. I can't even begin
drop it in to figure out how the contraption should be used until she shows me the diagram. I almost shock, and they laugh at my reaction.
Somehow they convince me that I need two bags of various tools, tricks, and lingerie. I also end up with several books of embarrassingly graphic erotica "for educational purposes."
"I...I cannot afford all of this," I argue, looking at the $350 price tag on one of the lace babydoll nighties they placed in my basket. It is a beautiful confection of green silk and lace that nobody will ever see.
Angelica pulls a platinum card out of her purse. "Don't worry, this is all on Atlas. We're paying for everything."
As if that declaration settles it, her friends throw a few more items in my basket. When I see the final price for this little escapade, I feel both guilty and angry.
$15,000 already wasted on a whim for a wedding that isn't meant to happen.
Once we are all back in the car, Angelica can't wait to show all of us everything she purchased. She then begins to describe, in detail, her intentions for each item. "I can't wait to see what Atlas thinks of these," Angelica holds up a rhinestoned lace thong. "Do you think he'll like them?" she doesn't wait for an answer before adding. "I know he likes how I look in blue."
At this moment, I can't imagine my day getting any worse,
Until we arrive at the next destination.