They got something light to eat first before heading to the store. Kelvin was convinced she would need her strength for the shopping spree but Leila didn't believe him. It was just one dress she needed.
How long could it possibly take?
Leila stole another glance at her husband. He had been smiling since she confessed to liking him. It was so easy to like him. He was kind, a bit tempered but she was fast figuring out how to handle him. The promise of a blowjob always worked. Crying, though a bit manipulative, was another trick to calm him down.
"You like what you see, Leila?" he taunted.
She recovered fast. "Nothing to see here."
Kelvin's smile didn't leave his lips. She accepted the hand he offered her as they made their way up the short stairs of the store. This place looked nothing like a boutique but she wasn't going to complain. Besides, Kelvin looked so confident, like he was used to shopping here.
"Where's this place?" she asked when two security men opened the door for her. If the place needed gun-wielding security men, then the dresses had to be worth millions.
"My sister likes to shop here," he replied instead. She continued staring. "Madonna. Madonna shops here."
They stepped in and Leila stopped. Wow. This could not be a boutique. It had to be more. Gold trimmings lined the spiral staircase, the ceiling dipped with a chandelier that illuminated the room, or whatever this place was called. Kelvin guided her to the stairs.
"This way," he said.
Her goodness. Leila could not stop staring. Even the walls seemed to be made of expensive wallpaper. She feared to touch them for fear of staining it. Their footsteps echoed behind them with each step taken forward and she had to move closer to her husband for support. He looked at her once to be sure she was okay and she nodded to his silent question. She was okay, just a little stunned at the design of this place.
They stopped at another door and a new set of guards pulled the doors open. Her breath was in her throat now, and her clammy palm slipped from Kelvin's grasp.
Rolls of lace and satin of different designs and colours filled one part of the room. The options excited and suffocated her, she stepped away from Kelvin to touch a yellow lace. There were other gowns available but none of them came in this colour.
A shadow fell over Leila, she dropped the lace and smiled. "You like this one?" her husband asked.
"Don't we need a gown?"
"Yeah."
"We could make a gown for you if this is what you like. Our seamstresses are just behind the door," a petite lady answered. Leila spun. The lady smiled at her. She took Leila's hand in a brief handshake. "I'm Bella. Nice to meet you."
Leila tried to smile but she felt out of place. Bella looked and smelt expensive. She snapped her fingers and someone came out of nowhere to take down the lace. It happened so fast. One second, she was trying to make a choice, the next, she was sitting between two women with a fashion magazine on her lap. Leila pointed at a model wearing a ball gown. She loved the style.
"We can have it ready for you in a day or two," Bella replied. She clapped and her assistant took the magazine.
"The event is tonight," Kelvin answered on her behalf.
"Yeah," Leila quickly interrupted when she noted the almost unnoticeable jerk of Kelvin's brows. Bella was on her feet instantly, cheeks flushed. "But I can pick another gown." Leila stood to steer the conversation away from the yellow lace. The other gowns on display didn't look bad. "I think I love the blue gown, it will look very good on me. Kev, what do you think?"
Kelvin was staring, no, he was glaring at Bella. Leila crossed over to them and palmed his face. He calmed down when their eyes met and she smiled. She bit his lips, stepping away when he tried to deepen the kiss.
"You will get a proper kiss at home," she whispered. He growled low enough for only her to hear and she flicked a finger over his forehead. "Be good, Kev. Let them do their job." Tugging him to the gown stand, she pointed at one. "What do you think? I like this."
"We should let them make the dress," he grumbled.
"Do you want a kiss when we get back home or not?"
His lips puckered. Leila knew she had won. "I want."
"So be good, Kev." To appease him, Leila slid her arms around his neck and pressed a kiss that lasted longer than a second to his lips. "Help me pick a dress. Pleasseee."
"I don't know anything about dresses," he said while scrolling through his phone. Leila scowled, her attempt to snatch his phone was futile. Finally, he put his phone away. "Fine. Let's do this."
They browsed through the gown sections but it was of no use. He found the dresses either too big or too small or too bland for her. Leila cast desperate glances at her wristwatch, they had less than two hours to get ready for the gala. The heap of gowns on the couch looked more than the ones she already tried. She wished Freya was here to help. Annoyed at Kelvin for his lack of help and herself for her poor fashion sense, she pushed Kelvin towards the door.
"What?" he cried out.
Leila snatched the door open and jerked a finger at the hallway. "Get out. You're not being helpful."
"Sweetheart, don't say that." She flushed. Kelvin had never called her that. She looked up to see Bella's attendant watching them and she played along. Of course, he only said that because someone was watching. "To be fair, I did try to warn you."
"Yeah." Leila resumed pushing him, stopping when they were close to the top of the stairs. "Just go, Kev."
The attendant cleared her throat. He put an arm around his wife's waist. Leila rolled her eyes but stayed by his side. "Miss Madonna is here, Sir."
Kelvin thanked her and the attendant scrambled off, leaving two of them alone for Leila to tackle him.
"Madonna?" Leila had one hand on her waist and a big scowl on her lips. She promised to fix a date with his sister but too much had been happening for her to remember. "Why would you invite your sister here?"
"I thought you would appreciate the help."
"But-"
Kelvin kissed her. "But nothing."
Someone clapped behind them. They separated but Kelvin's hand lingered on her shoulder. Madonna lips lifted in a mocking grin with one foot flat on the stairs and the other on the floor of the corridor. She wasn't in scrubs. If Leila hadn't seen her in her uniform once, she wouldn't believe this stunning goddess was a nurse. She stopped a foot away from her sister-in-law.
Last time they spoke, she was cool with her but over a month had passed since their last chat. Madonna saved her the confusion by pulling her in for a hug.
"I missed you," Madonna said. She pinched Leila's cheeks and laughed. "He has been keeping you away from me, right?" She didn't reply because Madonna was already dragging her into the dressing room. Leila dreaded going back in without her husband. Kelvin must have read her mind because he followed behind them but Madonna shut the door in his face. "Go away. It's girls time."
Kelvin knocked harder but Leila didn't move for fear of getting on Madonna's bad side. "Should we let him in?" Madonna mouthed to her and she nodded. Her sister-in-law laughed. "You're such a simp for him."
The door opened and Kelvin was inside in no time. He cornered Leila, eyes worried.
"Will you be okay with her?"
"Sure." They were whispering. "She's cool. I like her."
"Give me a call if you want to leave," he said. Leila kissed him. She kissed him so he could stop worrying. She kissed him because it felt right. "I'll be outside waiting, okay?"
The dressing room was cast in silence after he left. She felt the stares of her sister-in-law but didn't look up. Shuffling to the dresses, she picked one and held it against her chest in front of the mirror. Not bad at all.
"You love him."
Her cheeks were a dull red. "No, I don't."
Love was a strong word. It couldn't be what she was feeling for him. A strong likeness or affection was more accurate to describe her feelings for her husband. Madonna stopped behind her. Her shoes made her an inch or two taller than Leila. The woman shook her head.
"But you really, really like him."
"Yeah," Leila whispered. She could not deny this. There were butterflies in her stomach at the mention of his name, and a fluttering in her chest too. "I really do, sis."
Madonna's grin tugged at her heart. Her sister-in-law squeezed her shoulders and hugged her briefly. "I think he likes you too, sis. Maybe more than you do."
It was impossible to tell who liked who more but Leila didn't want to argue with her sister-in-law. Madonna scooted to the couch overflowing with gowns, she picked one and shuddered. "Where shall we begin?"
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