Page 48 of Now and Forever

Has he lost his mind? What does he want me to do?

“C’mon, follow me, beautiful,” Orson says, hurrying me along. “And you two can go. I’ll take care of her and everything she needs.”

I’m overheated. I feel faint. I’m indignant. I’m going to scream, to explode like a woman possessed, when a young woman with a clothes rack comes in. She looks at Eric and blushes.

“She’s the client who came to try on the new wardrobe, right?”

Eric cracks up, and, once I see what’s going on and how I twisted it all by myself in my little head, I punch Eric in the shoulder and laugh too. Eric takes his nephew’s hand and kisses me on the lips.

“You should get more clothes, Cuchufleta. C’mon, go with Orson and Ariadna and buy everything, absolutely everything, you want. Flyn and I have things to do.”

Delighted, I return his kiss and follow Orson and the girl with the clothes rack. They take me to a room with huge mirrors and several racks holding all kinds of clothes.

“Eric told me you need everything,” says Orson. “So, enjoy. Try on whatever you want. If there is something you don’t like, let us know, and we’ll bring you something else.”

I watch, stunned, as Orson leaves. The young woman looks at me and smiles.

“Let’s begin!” she exclaims.

For more than two hours, I try on pants, dresses, skirts, blouses, boots, shoes, coats, and lingerie. Everything is gorgeous and, unfortunately, tagged with an absolutely unaffordable price!

There’s a knock at the door. It opens and it’s Eric. I’m dressed in a sexy black chiffon dress very similar to the one Shakira wears in her video for the song “Gitana.” I love this dress, and, from what I can see, Eric does too. That makes me glad. As soon as Ariadna sees him come in, she vanishes and leaves us alone.

I take a flirtatious little turn in front of him.

“What do you think?”

Eric comes close, takes me by the waist, and grins.

“I can’t wait for the moment to tear it off you, sweetheart.”

I’m about to say something, but he kisses me. Oh God, I love his kisses!

“You’re gorgeous in that dress,” he says as he steps away. “Buy it.”

I look at the price tag, and I’m instantly scandalized.

“Eric, it’s a ... God! It’s twelve thousand six hundred euros. No way! Come on, please, I don’t earn that even with three thousand hours of overtime.”

He smiles and touches my chin.

“You know money is no problem for me. Buy it.”

“But ...”

“You need a dress for my mother’s party on the fifth, and you’ll look beautiful in this one.”

The door opens, and in come Ariadna and Orson. He whistles at me appreciatively.

“That dress was made for you, Judith,” says Ariadna.

“Well, Judith, was there anything you liked?” asks Orson.

I’m absolute dumbstruck by everything. It’s all fantastic.

“I think I like everything,” I say kiddingly.

Orson and Eric look at each other.

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