man.
Removing his lips from mine, he takes a step backwards and pushes his hands in his pockets. He drops his chin to his chest and closes his eyes, like he’s ashamed of what he just did. Still numb from his kiss I stand there, speechless.
“God, Hope, I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to…” Joey rambles, trying to justify his actions.
“I liked it,” I admit, cutting him off.
Looking up at me, surprised by my confession, he takes a step forward and removes the space between us. “I liked it, too.”
Driving home from Joey’s house, I have a smile plastered on my face and I feel…happy. No shame or guilt is holding me back. I’ve broken through the mold and I’m accepting this new me with someone new. I’ve been denying myself happiness for over a year and it feels great to finally let it back in, like taking a breath of fresh air.
Ahhhhhh…
It’s Sunday, and my day off, so Joey and I are going out on our first real date. I was given the “wear something nice” order, so I’m pulling everything out of my closet, frantically looking for something nice to wear. Doesn’t he know I’m a plain Jane, and my wardrobe consists of jeans, shorts, t-shirts, and cami tops? The closest thing to nice I have is the black pants I wore on Christmas and, well, thinking about what happened the last time I wore them, it doesn’t seem appropriate to wear them on my first date with Joey. Not to mention it’s the summer and too hot to be wearing black pants anyway.
“Honey, is everything okay in there?” my mom yells from the living room, obviously hearing my frustrated rant.
Stomping my feet down the hallway, and huffing to myself, I meet her in the living room.
“No! I’ve got a date tonight, and I’m supposed to be wearing something nice, but I don’t own anything nice,” I blurt out in frustration.
“You have a date? With who?” she asks with a big smile.
Smiling at her enthusiasm, I answer, “A customer from the restaurant.”
“That’s exciting! When did you meet?” she continues.
“Well, uh…we met last summer, but didn’t talk much, but now he’s back and…”
“Does this have anything to do with you and Trent breaking up?” she asks with a skeptical look.
“Kind of…let’s just say he left a lasting impression on me last year and seeing him again this summer made me realize a lot of things,” I respond, cutting the story down to just the basics. The important stuff.
“Do we get to meet him? It’s such a joy seeing you happy again.”
Looking at her confused, she continues, “Hope, your father and I had noticed for a while that things were going downhill between you and Trent. You lost the sparkle in your eyes and the pep in your step. We’d known for a while that Trent wasn’t the one for you, but we wanted you to see it for yourself.”
“And you see it now? The sparkle?”
She smiles that loving smile that only mothers have.
“I do.”
Smiling at her, and realizing that Joey does put the pep in my step, I answer her previous question. “And yes, you do get to meet him. He’s picking me up in…” I pause to look at my watch and check what time it is. “Oh crap! He’s going to be here in a half hour!” I panic, not even close to being ready.
“Wheel me in my room. I might just have something for you.”
Desperate for help I follow her orders and wheel her into her bedroom.
“Open the closet door,” she asks once we get in there.
I do, and find a line of beautiful dresses hanging in the closet. I’ve never seen them before.
“Mom, these are beautiful. Where’d you get these?” I ask, looking at them all.
“Oh, honey, I’ve had these since I was your age. Sadly, they’re all back in style again,” she chuckles.
Checking the tags, I find they are exactly my size. Sighing in relief, I pick out a beautiful strapless pastel yellow sundress.
“That’s one of my favorites,” my mom adds behind me.
Excited to go and try it on,
Removing his lips from mine, he takes a step backwards and pushes his hands in his pockets. He drops his chin to his chest and closes his eyes, like he’s ashamed of what he just did. Still numb from his kiss I stand there, speechless.
“God, Hope, I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to…” Joey rambles, trying to justify his actions.
“I liked it,” I admit, cutting him off.
Looking up at me, surprised by my confession, he takes a step forward and removes the space between us. “I liked it, too.”
Driving home from Joey’s house, I have a smile plastered on my face and I feel…happy. No shame or guilt is holding me back. I’ve broken through the mold and I’m accepting this new me with someone new. I’ve been denying myself happiness for over a year and it feels great to finally let it back in, like taking a breath of fresh air.
Ahhhhhh…
It’s Sunday, and my day off, so Joey and I are going out on our first real date. I was given the “wear something nice” order, so I’m pulling everything out of my closet, frantically looking for something nice to wear. Doesn’t he know I’m a plain Jane, and my wardrobe consists of jeans, shorts, t-shirts, and cami tops? The closest thing to nice I have is the black pants I wore on Christmas and, well, thinking about what happened the last time I wore them, it doesn’t seem appropriate to wear them on my first date with Joey. Not to mention it’s the summer and too hot to be wearing black pants anyway.
“Honey, is everything okay in there?” my mom yells from the living room, obviously hearing my frustrated rant.
Stomping my feet down the hallway, and huffing to myself, I meet her in the living room.
“No! I’ve got a date tonight, and I’m supposed to be wearing something nice, but I don’t own anything nice,” I blurt out in frustration.
“You have a date? With who?” she asks with a big smile.
Smiling at her enthusiasm, I answer, “A customer from the restaurant.”
“That’s exciting! When did you meet?” she continues.
“Well, uh…we met last summer, but didn’t talk much, but now he’s back and…”
“Does this have anything to do with you and Trent breaking up?” she asks with a skeptical look.
“Kind of…let’s just say he left a lasting impression on me last year and seeing him again this summer made me realize a lot of things,” I respond, cutting the story down to just the basics. The important stuff.
“Do we get to meet him? It’s such a joy seeing you happy again.”
Looking at her confused, she continues, “Hope, your father and I had noticed for a while that things were going downhill between you and Trent. You lost the sparkle in your eyes and the pep in your step. We’d known for a while that Trent wasn’t the one for you, but we wanted you to see it for yourself.”
“And you see it now? The sparkle?”
She smiles that loving smile that only mothers have.
“I do.”
Smiling at her, and realizing that Joey does put the pep in my step, I answer her previous question. “And yes, you do get to meet him. He’s picking me up in…” I pause to look at my watch and check what time it is. “Oh crap! He’s going to be here in a half hour!” I panic, not even close to being ready.
“Wheel me in my room. I might just have something for you.”
Desperate for help I follow her orders and wheel her into her bedroom.
“Open the closet door,” she asks once we get in there.
I do, and find a line of beautiful dresses hanging in the closet. I’ve never seen them before.
“Mom, these are beautiful. Where’d you get these?” I ask, looking at them all.
“Oh, honey, I’ve had these since I was your age. Sadly, they’re all back in style again,” she chuckles.
Checking the tags, I find they are exactly my size. Sighing in relief, I pick out a beautiful strapless pastel yellow sundress.
“That’s one of my favorites,” my mom adds behind me.
Excited to go and try it on,
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