Page 87 of Fish out of Water
Now I wasn’t so sure.
Maybe everyone lived a strange life.
My parents weren’t bad people, they just had what I considered problematic views of gender roles. They believed women should be subservient to men.
I disagreed.
They believed men were the heads of the household who made all the decisions and called all the shots.
I disagreed.
They believed women should grow their hair and dress modestly and avail themselves at all times for an act they were not supposed to enjoy.
I definitely disagreed with that one, which was where my mother drew the line.
After years of trying to live my own life while still staying in my family’s, they gave me an ultimatum. Live what they considered a ‘right’ life, or they were out of mine.
I chose the latter.
Grant came back through the door carrying everything I left in the room across the hall. “My mother’s already making dinner plans for us.”
“Where is she taking you?” I popped the last of the scone in my mouth.
“Not just me, Jules. Us includes you.” He opened the door on what turned out to be a walk-in closet and set my bag on a shelf inside. “She wants to go back to The Sweet Side.”
“Tonight?” It seemed a little soon.
“Tonight.” Grant pulled off the t-shirt he slept in, making it a little harder to keep my train of thought.
“She wants to go back to The Sweet Side tonight. For dinner.” I couldn’t stop staring at him. Hopefully I would get over that at some point.
Today wasn’t that point, though.
Grant snagged a button-up from a hanger and worked it up his arms as he came out of the closet. “Are you comfortable going back there?”
The fact that most of my thoughts of the place centered around one single event said a lot about the type of woman I was. “Do you think they knew what we were doing in the closet?”
His lips eased into a slow smile. “If I say no will that make you feel better?”
“Not now it won’t.” I tapped my toes against the thick area rug covering most of his bedroom floor. “I guess it will be nice to get to wear my dress again.”
I loved that dress. And it’s not like anyone really got to see me in it yesterday.
“Abso-fucking-loutely not.” Grant shook his head. “Pick a different dress.”
“I don’t have a different dress.” I actually hadn’t planned to ever wear a dress again after spending so much of my life in them.
But the dress I wore last night was nothing like the ones I used to have to wear.
“I’ll figure something out.” He disappeared into his closet again. “But you’re not wearing that dress when my mother’s in town. I won’t survive it.” He pulled on a pair of well-cut slacks. “What time do you have to be at work?”
I glanced at the clock. “In forty minutes.”
Grant tucked his shirt into his pants. “We’ll leave whenever you’re ready.” He snagged a pair of shoes before going to the door. “Take your time.” Then he ducked out of the room.
I took a quick shower before suiting up in my uniform and pulling my hair into a quick ponytail. By the time I peeked out the door the house was quiet. Grant was all alone in the kitchen when I tiptoed my way in.
“Where are your mom and grandma?”
