Unleash Me, Vol. 2 (Unleash Me, Annihilate Me Series) (24 page)

“
He
’
s what?
 
When?
”

“
Just the other day.
”

Blackwell looked offended.
 
“
Why haven
’
t
you told me?
”

“
Because I haven
’
t seen you.
 
I
’
m seeing you now, and I
’
m
telling you now.
 
This isn
’
t
exactly a conspiracy.
”

“
Are you going to do it?
”

“
I might.
”

“
So, you
’
re a tramp.
”

“
Oh, dear,
”
Bernie
said.

“
A what?
”

“
A tramp.
”

“
After being exclusive for months with one man
—
and
given how much I love him and how much I am committed to him
—
it
hardly makes me a tramp if I choose to live with him.
”

“
In whose generation?
”

“
Probably not yours.
 
But in my generation?
 
It
’
s
not a big deal.
”

“
Then turn to your best friend here and behold her fine
behavior.
 
Jennifer has held
out.
 
She
’
s
doing the right thing and waiting for marriage until living with Alex.
”

“
Ummmm, yeah,
”
Jennifer
said.
 
“
That
might have changed.
”

Blackwell turned to her.
 
“
What are you talking about?
”

“
If Lisa decides to move in with Tank, then I
’
m
finally going to give in and move in with Alex as well because the idea of
living alone isn
’
t at all appealing to me.
 
Besides, Alex has been asking almost
weekly at this point for me to move in with him.
 
He
’
s relentless.
 
I can
’
t ignore him
forever.
 
But it goes deeper than
that.
 
After our experience on the
island and then in Singapore, I know that I wouldn
’
t
mind living with him.
”

“
I think I
’
ve lost my mind,
”
Blackwell said.
 
“
Imagine, Bernie.
 
Moving in together so soon.
 
What
’
s happened to the
world?
 
Don
’
t
answer
—
I
’
ll tell you.
 
It
’
s
gone to hell.
 
Where are my
daughters?
 
I need to talk to them
now.
”

“
Maybe you do,
”
I
said.
 
“
And
if they
’
re honest with you, ask them what they
’
d
do in our situations.
 
They love
Tank.
 
They love Alex.
 
They
’
ve seen all of us
together.
 
I think we both know what
they
’
d
do.
”

“
Don
’
t you dare bring my daughters into
this.
”

“
I believe
you
did that.
”
 
I looked at Bernie.
 
“
Anyway, enough of that.
 
I haven
’
t even made up my mind
about any of it yet.
 
So, let
’
s
just settle down and focus on the task at hand, which is bringing my tired old
face back to the living.
 
Bernie,
please, I beg you
—
have at me.
”

*
 
*
 
*

And he did. When he was finished, he stepped away from me
with his arms held out at his sides.
 
He studied my face and hair for a moment before saying,
“
Voila.
”

“
Voila, indeed,
”
I
said, looking at my reflection in the mirror.
 
I didn
’
t look at all like I had
an hour ago.
 
My skin was bright and
flawless, and he
’
d done my hair in a tight, elegant chignon.
 
For drama, he went in for the kill with
the bold red he
’
d applied to my lips, and also with the makeup he
’
d
applied to my eyes, which now shimmered with darkness and light.
 
It was an edgy look that made me feel
like a different person.
 
“
I
don
’
t
know how you do it, but I
’
m glad that you can do it.
 
I sure as hell couldn
’
t.
 
You
’
re so gifted, Bernie.
 
And I
’
m so lucky to have you
in my life.
”

“
You
’
re a beautiful girl, Lisa.
”

“
With your help, I can pass as one.
 
And Barbara
’
s
help, of course
—
even if she does think that I
’
m a tramp.
”

She came up behind me, put her hands on my shoulders, gave
them a squeeze, and cocked her head to the side while she studied my hair and
face.
 
Then her gaze met mine.
 
“
Whatever you decide, you know I wish
nothing but the best for you and Tank.
”

“
What about Alex and me?
”
Jennifer asked.

“
I
’
m still processing that.
”

“
So, I
’
m dying to see it,
”
I said to
Blackwell.
 
“
What
do you have planned for me to wear tonight?
”

“
Something ethereal.
”

“
If she gets ethereal, I get supernatural,
”
Jennifer said.

“
Just wait until you see what I have in store for you,
Jennifer.
 
But since Lisa is the
first to dress, let
’
s see what she thinks.
”

She turned to the rack behind her and pulled out a
gorgeous, light blue silk gown with a deep V-neck and a massive skirt peppered
with crystal-embellished pleats.

 
“
Prada
,
”
she said.
 
“
Because I know how much you live for
Prada.
 
It
’
s
from their f
all
c
outure collection
.
 
Look at how the crystals are embedded
along the pleats and how the dress moves in the air.
 
It
’
s practically weightless.
 
It
’
s daring and it makes a statement,
and I know that you can pull it off, especially with your coloring.
 
What do you think?
”

“
I love it.
 
But
will it reveal too much?
 
By the
looks of it, my breasts barely will be covered.
”

“
What breasts?
”

“
When will you stop insulting me?
 
I do have them.
”

“
If you insist.
”

“
I told you that Tank can motorboat me.
”

“
Oh no you didn
’
t,
”
Jennifer said.

“
Oh yes I did
—
and he can.
 
And he does.
”

“
Enough!
”
Blackwell
said.

“
Well, it
’
s true.
”

“
I told you once that those were words I never wanted to
hear again.
”

“
That
’
s just because no one has ever
motorboated you.
”

“
You girls are going to be the end of me.
 
All right
—
stand
up.
 
Let
’
s
see how it fits.
 
I have a tailor
waiting outside should it need to be altered.
 
Try it on.
”

I
’
d changed clothes so many times in front of them that I
gave it no thought.
 
When I slipped
into the dress, it was clear that she
’
d nailed it once again.
 

“
Oh,
”
I
said, as I turned in front of the full-length mirror to my right.
 
“
It
’
s exquisite.
 
You
’
re right
—
look
at the beading and how it catches the light.
 
And how the dress flows when I
move.
 
It
’
s
lovely, Barbara.
 
It
’
s
my favorite yet.
 
Thank you so
much.
 
What do you two think?
”

“
Brava,
”
Bernie
said.

“
You
’
re a princess,
”
Jennifer said.

“
I
’
m undecided,
”
Blackwell
said.
 
“
So,
turn for me.
 
That
’
s
right.
 
Keep turning.
 
Slowly.
 
Perfect fit.
 
Turn.
 
Yes.
 
The plunge is just right, but because we
don
’
t
want one of your non-existent boobs to pop out, we
’
ll
adhere the material to you just in case you lose the lottery and
that
somehow happens.
 
And look at the
length.
 
Almost too long, but you
haven
’
t
tried on your shoes.
”
 
She reached around to the table
beside her, and offered me a pair of Prada slingback heels that were the exact
color of the dress.
 
In fact, it
appeared as if they had been made for the dress.

I put them on, and then the look was complete.
 
The length of the dress was
perfect.
 
The hair and makeup were
sublime.
 
Despite what I was going
into, and all of the weight that was attached to it, I felt happy at that
moment.
 
And confident.
 
I rarely felt that I looked pretty
—
but
I did now.
 
Just feeling that way
was as rare as it was special.
 
“
It
’
s
gorgeous,
”
I
said.