When the weekend hit, I’d forgotten about getting a new cocktail dress, so I pulled something I had out of the closet. It was a short red one shouldered dress. I put it on and my heart sank. It had been a while since I’d worn this dress...well, since I had worn any short cocktail dress. My scarred up leg looked like a crap show in it. I couldn’t go out like this. I tore through my drawers in search of a pair of panty hose and didn’t have any.
Damn!
Okay, now what? Justin was going to be here in about twenty minutes. My hair and makeup were done. I’d twisted my hair into messy bun at the nape of my neck. My make up was my usual...light with very little eye liner.
Heading back to my closet, I went through my dresses again. There wasn’t anything that I could wear that would cover up my scars. My heart sank right to my toes and then it crashed all the way through to my crawl space. The doorbell rang and I heard the door open and him calling my name. I still had the red dress on. He walked into my room and stopped and stared.
His eyes got all sexy on me and he just said in that husky voice of his, “Wow! You look amazing.” He cocked his head to the side and kept staring. Then something shifted in his gaze and he said, “Something’s happened. What is it?”
I looked from his face to my leg. He followed my gaze. His thumb and forefinger pinched his lower lip for a second and then he walked up to me and grabbed me by my hips.”
“Move with me a minute babe.” He walked me to the mirror and stood behind me. Bending his head to the crook of my neck, his low-pitched voice whispered. “Now look at yourself and tell me what you see.” His hands never left my hips.
“I see a dark haired woman in a red dress.”
“Uh huh. What else?”
“There is a really sexy man standing behind her.”
“Not that Terri. Focus on you. Stay with me please. I’m trying to point out the obvious here.”
“That’s all.”
“That’s all? Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, then we’re good.”
“Wait. What do you mean?”
“You never mentioned your scars.”
“Justin, I did that on purpose.”
“Okay, then start all over.”
I looked at myself and in the lighting here it really wasn’t the main focus on my body.
“Honey, I know what you’re thinking here. I know how you feel about this. But honestly, I don’t look at you and see it. I see you and who you are. I see a gorgeous dark haired beauty who looks quite spectacular in her red dress. That’s your color and I don’t know if you could look any better.”
I turned in his arms and hugged him. “You always seem to say the perfect things to me. Thank you.”
“Wear those scars with pride honey. I know what they stand for and most of the people that will be there tonight will understand it too. And if they don’t, fuck ‘em.”
I had to laugh at that.
He still countered. “I’m serious here. Think about how hard you’ve worked just to be standing and walking Terri. That’s why I’m telling you to wear those scars with pride. Don’t you ever be ashamed of them. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“Now, how about a kiss before you put your lipstick on?”
Who could argue with that request?
********
Jackson and his wife Alice lived in the old village in Mount Pleasant. They had a lovely old home that sat right on the Charleston harbor. The back terrace went all the way down to a dock that was lit with torches and there were fire pits scattered everywhere to warm the guests. Inside music played and hor d’oeuvres were served along with a host of drinks. Justin introduced me to everyone and he was sure to escort me everywhere, never leaving my side.
“What a beautiful home you have,” I told Alice.
“Thanks Terri.”
Justin laughed and told Alice, “Terri has an eye for houses. She’s in real estate.”
“That’s right. I remember you mentioning that. By the way, how are your eyes?” Alice asked.
“Completely recovered, thanks to you. I’ll never be wearing that mascara again,” I laughed.
“Well, if you do, just be sure to get it off that same night.”
“Yeah, she looked like she was breeding chinchillas,” Justin added.
“Okay, that’s enough.”
Everyone was laughing.
“Why don’t we go inside and get a bite to eat?” Justin suggested.
“Sounds great.” We worked our way back inside and ate some of the scrumptious food. A little while later I excused myself to use the ladies’ room.
I was waiting in line when I heard a voice behind me snidely say, “So you’re Justin’s new date du jour.” It was a blond, blue eyed woman in her early thirties I would guess.