Page 5 of Dear Glory

No Dad, no freaking Linus, no having to worry about someone bursting into my home! It’s just me… me and freedom!I stand up jump in the bed, spinning and giggling with a content, racing heart prior to falling back and staring at the ceiling.

“This holiday is going to change my life. I know it!” I whisper to myself, turning to my side to see the Eiffel Tower out my window, feeling butterflies in my belly. By the time I return home, I’ll show my dad that I’m a grown woman and not just General Cross’ little girl.

Chapter 3

Glorious Night

GLORY

With a croissant in my mouth and my arms full of all kinds of delicious yummies I’d picked up from the street shops, I waltz through the streets of Paris, feeling like I’m on top of the world.

I have never been so happy in my life. Not when I graduated design school. Not when I got my first commission for work… not never. And all it took was leaving my country!

“Bonjour!”(Hello!)I wave at the nice old woman who owns a fabric store that I’ve gotten well acquainted with in the small amount of time I’ve been here.

“Bonjour, mademoiselle! Nous avons un nouveau tissu aujourd'hui. Ça vous intéresse de venir le voir?”(Hello, miss! We have a new fabric today. Do you care to come see it?)she calls out to me, making me stop in my tracks.A new fabric?

Hmm… I ponder, taking a bite of the croissant, chewing slowly and thoroughly. It’s been so long since I cared about sewing, but since I came here and started visiting her shop while sight-seeing, I can feel the strong urge to hold needles and thread and create again…

I don’t remember when my feet carried me across the cobblestone, but I find myself in her dimly lit store, staring atthe most beautiful fabric I’ve ever seen. I run my hands over the material and immediately my mind conjures up a design I’m dying to sew.

When was the last time I felt like this?

“Je vais prendre ça!”(I’ll take this!)I excitedly dance and she chuckles.

“Je savais que ça te plairait. Combien de mètres souhaitez-vous?”(I knew you would like it. How many meters would you like?)

“Quatre, s’il vous plaît! Oh! Et je prendrai aussi ce kit de couture!”(Four, please! Oh! And I’ll take this sewing kit as well!)

“Je savais que le tissu conviendrait à votre goût. Donnez-moi une seconde pendant que je le coupe et l'emballe pour vous.”(I knew the fabric would suit your taste. Give me one second while I cut and package it for you.)

“Pas de problème, prends ton temps et merci d’avoir pensé à moi.”(No problem, take your time, and thank you for thinking of me.)I stand there waiting while looking over the various patterns and kits she’s selling until she hands me my package and I pay.

“A plus tard, tu me manques. J’espère que tout ce que vous ferez se passera bien!”(See you, miss. I hope whatever you make turns out well!)

“Merci! Je ne manquerai pas de passer une fois terminé!”(Thank you! I will be sure to stop by once it’s complete!)I wave at her, beaming from ear to ear, damn near skipping to the hotel.

When I make it back, the bellboys immediately try to help carry my things, but I turn them down since I want to do things myself. The moment I make it to my room, I put away my groceries and sit on the floor with my fabric laid out, my white chalk pencil behind my ear and?—

My phone rings and I cut my eyes over to the phone, scowling. I bet it’s my dad again… he’s been calling nonstop asking questions about my time here. He has even sent the manager up to my room several times to inquire about me to the point I told the manager if he disturbs me one more time with a request from my father and it’s not due to an emergency, I will change establishments.That cut that behavior real quick.

I doubt he’s willing to lose such a high-value customer like myself who’s spending thousands of dollars a night, but in return, my dad has been dialing my phone at all hours of the day trying to get me to pick up, but I just combat it by spending more time outside the hotel where he can’t reach me.

Instead, I pop in the TLC tape and bob my head, singing along to “Waterfalls.”He’s not going to win the battle this time…

I’m my own woman and I’m free of his grasp, so he can call as much as he wants. I’m just going to sit my pretty Black ass on this floor and sew.

Placing the needle in the pin holder, I stand with hands on my hips, smiling at my handy work.

“You go, Glorinda!” I encourage myself. It’s some of my best work yet! Even though I don’t know what little girl and boy would wear this matching dress and shirt set, it’s still very cute.Maybe I can sell it to a boutique?

While I ponder on the thought, I glance outside, eyes going wide when I see that the Eiffel Tower is lit up.Whoa… when did the time get away from me?That seems to happen a lot while I’ve been here. I place the clothes gently and neatly on the coffee table then strip and hop into the shower. I turn the water nice and hot, taking my sweet time washing the day off.

When I get out, I plop in bed, grabbing the remote for another blissful day of flipping through channels. I land on a French dub of Tom and Jerry when my phone rings. I stare at it for a long time, debating if I even want to answer it since I don’t want to hear my dad nag me. Even if he’s frustrating, he’s still my dad, and I know ultimately it’s because he loves me that he’s doing this. I need to show up for myself and keep drawing the line in the sand for the sake of my boundaries to make this behavior cease.

When it rings again, I pick up with a sigh, hanging the receiver between my ear and shoulder.

“Yes, Dad?” I mumble.

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