Page 51 of The Surrogate Nanny
“This is a beautiful dress, Nori,” he praised, stealing a kiss from her before setting her on her feet. “I meant to ask, and trust me, I’m not complaining, but it always seems that Nori is overdressed when you leave the house.”
I smiled and shook my head. Anthony wasn’t ready for that conversation. Because I was Nori’s mother, I always had to make sure Nori was well put together. She couldn’t have a single booger in her nose, stain on her shirt, or hair out of place. It’d happened more than once when some random woman at the park wanted to give mehelpfuladvice on how to parent.
“She’s a princess, after all,” I said, trying to redirect.
“She is, but I think the most dressed down I’ve seen her was at the zoo. You should buy her some outfits for our trip as well.”
I smiled tightly. “Of course. You should get going, or you’ll be late. Traffic can be hectic.”
He paused to check his watch. “Shit. I have to go. I’ll see y’all later,” he claimed before limping to the garage with his duffle bag on his shoulder. It wasn’t until the garage door closed that I noticed Nori sitting on the floor with his cane.
“He’s gonna regret that later.”
***
Everything near Anthony’s house was high-end—restaurants, grocery stores, fast food chains, car dealerships, and shopping malls.
I parked at a bougie shopping center that I’d passed multiple times on our outings. I never felt inclined to patronize the stores, but this trip seemed special, and I wanted to look like....
Like I belong beside Anthony....
Our first stop was a children’s clothing store. The store clerk was accommodating when it came to spending Anthony’s money. She snatched outfits off the hangers left and right as if she were buying clothes for her own child. It wasn’t until I reached the register that the sticker shock hit me. I tried not to balk at the total like a country bumpkin and had to remind myself that Anthony lived very comfortably, and he’d barely bat an eye at the $2,000.00 I spent.
“Thank you for shopping at Little Darlings. Please come back and see us again.”
Not likelyis what I wanted to say. Instead, I accepted the receipt and shot her a warm smile before I made my grand escape.
I planned on loading Nori’s bags into the car before continuing our shopping excursion when a dress in one of the boutiques caught my attention. It was yellow—my favorite color—and it was drop-dead gorgeous. I had no idea where I’d wear it, but one thing was clear.
I want it.
The door jingled, alerting the staff of my presence. “Welcome to Pearls!” the cashier greeted me. I smiled and pushed Nori along, making a beeline to a color-coded rack. I reached out for a dress, hoping it matched the one in the display window.
“She’s so cute!” A woman said from behind me. I didn’t pay her much mind. Nori’s gray eyes attracted a lot of attention, and it was normal for people to remark on her beauty.
“Thank you,” I said absentmindedly as I scanned the price tag.
$700.00...that’s not horrible. Honestly, I was expecting much worse.
I pulled the dress off the rack and moved along. Surprisingly, there were a lot of trendy clothes—many that appeared in fashion magazines that I had never pictured myself wearing, but I was ready to try.
“Are you the nanny?” I heard while examining a black skirt.
I mean...technically...yes, but that’s not what you’re getting at.
I frowned and finally looked at the woman who followed me to the next rack. She had her straight hair in a severe bun, and I couldn’t tell if she was naturally smiling or if the Botox was working a little too well. She didn’t have a single piece of clothing in her hand. I narrowed my eyes and refused to answer her question.
I don’t know where she blew in from, but I won’t give this woman the time of day.
I continued shopping, hoping the woman would get bored and mind her business.
“Does the family live around here?”
She obviously has issues reading social cues, or she simply doesn’t give a damn.
My fingers curled tightly around the stroller as I crossed the store, trying to keep my composure. Of course, the hag didn’t take the hint and followed me closely.
Okay. I’ve had enough. It’s time to go.