“Exactly.”
“We don’t have it anymore, but we have a similar style. I’ll bring it out to you.”
I was only distracted while I was talking to the customer. As soon as I was on my own in the back, searching for merchandise, my thoughts were a blur. And my feelings were all over the place. I couldn’t make sense of them. My hands were jittery. Hope and fear were so deeply interlaced that I had no idea where one ended and the other began.
I returned a few minutes later. The customer was waiting in the changing room.
“I have three options for you.” I held all of them for her to see.
“Oh, they are beautiful. And just my size.”
I winked. “Guessed it right away.”
“Whatever you do, don’t let me buy all three.”
“Can’t make any promises.”
Twenty minutes later, she left happily with all of them.
As the afternoon rolled around, things became even busier. Tess bought us tacos for a late lunch, which we ate standing.
As soon as we turned the sign to Closed, I dropped on the couch in the back. I had no energy left for packing bags for the online orders. Toeing off my shoes, I lay down.
I closed my eyes, pressing the heels of my palms over my eyelids. The couch caved in as Tess sat at my feet.
“How are you feeling?” she asked.
“Tired.”
She massaged my feet and my calves, and it was pure heaven.
“You’re my favorite sister,” I said.
“I’m your only sister.”
“Only in the strictest sense. Josie is family too.”
“Are you trying to make me jealous?”
Tess pinched my toe. Shrieking, I pulled my knees to my chest, opening one eye.
“I’ll downgrade you from favorite if you keep doing that,” I warned.
“Just found out I’m not your only sister. A downgrade can’t hurt as much.” She brought one hand to her forehead theatrically.
Giggling, I laid my feet back in her lap.
“It’s a sign of trust. Don’t make me regret it,” I warned.
“You’re the one changing rules of sisterhood and threatening to downgrade me,” she pointed out.
“True.”
I placed one hand on my belly.
“I want to know,” I whispered. “But I think the nearest pharmacy just closed.”
Tess nodded. “I, er, bought two pregnancy tests when I got us lunch.”