It was a typical day at the mall with her friend. Nadine was in need of a couple of new clothes for her upcoming trip to Florida. She had worked hard to save up for this week-long excursion, so now she needed to round out the final pillar.
She enlisted the help of her girlfriend Kris who was set to go with her on this trip. They had gotten a couple of cute outfits, some statement shoes, and even a fancy pair of pajamas. Now it was time to buy the dreaded piece. The one article that most women shrivle at the thought of yet obsess over the potential it holds.
The swimsuit.
Nadine had been doing a regular workout routine every morning that consisted of ab work and cardio. She had also incorporated an alternating, additional arms and legs workout. Her diet was better than ever and she had therefore earned a difference.
Her efforts resulted in her being down twenty pounds and a loss of about four inches around her waist. She felt good and even felt that she looked good. But how this would all translate into a bathing suit? That was a completely different prose.
So while her stomach had not transformed into the six-pack abs she had aimed for, it wasn’t the full muffin top that it was before. It still had a slight rounding effect, but she was feeling a little bold today. Nadine wanted to test the waters to see if she could pull off the coveted two-piece.
She found a beautiful piece with a solid black top adorned with gold beading and a solid black bikini piece that had gold slits inlayed in the piece. She took a deep breath and went into the dressing room to try it on. After a couple of minutes, she emerged from the room, hands on her hips, with a slight grin that grew across her face.
“You look BEAUTIFUL!” Kriss said.
“Yeah?” Nadine asked, lowering her head to avoid eye contact and to hide her dimpled cheeks.
“Girl, yasss!”
Nadine giggled. She hadn’t felt this giddy since the day she met her high school sweetheart. That was ages ago.
As Nadine was working the courage to walk towards the mirror, a couple of girls rounded the corner. They looked to be no more than fifteen, but they had the air of privilege of twenty-somethings.
One of them tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder and let out a laugh as she casually pointed towards Nadine. The other stroked her brunette locs and leaned in on her friend’s shoulder, smiling. The blonde then said “Preggos shouldn’t wear two pieces!”
The pair errupted in laughter.
Nadine froze in the mirror.
Kris rose to her feet and slowly walked towards the two. Feeling her presence, they quickly turned around and went the other way.
“Yeah! You BETTER RUN, BITCHES!”
At the sound of Kris’ words, the fitting room attendant magically appeared, requesting that Kris watch her tone.
“She just don’t know who she messing with! I will turn up in a minute!”
Looking at her reflection, Nadine was searching for the truth in their words. Was she that overweight that in a two-piece, she really looked pregenant? Then how would she look in a one piece?
The whole process was becoming more stress than she could handle. So she went back into the room and took off the bathing suit. She then told her friend that perhaps it wasn’t the best time for Florida and began to return all of her selections.
Kris grabbed her friend by the arm, spun her around and said “Hold up! You gon let the words of two teen heffas deter you from the trip you dun worked hard for? Girl bye!”
Her friend was right. She shouldn’t let the words of a few dictate her destiny.
But that had been the biggest struggle for Nadine all her life.
It’s what drove her to her career, which she isn’t too fond of because everyone told her how good she was working with others. Though she liked the children, the pay and all the other semantics left her exhausted every evening.
It’s what drove her to her now-failed marriage. Everyone told her that Hank, her high school sweetheart, was a catch. They forgot to mention his batting average while they were at it.
It’s what drove her to not move to Texas after the divorce. Everyone cautioned her about the congestion and chaos of the city that she as a midwesterner would not be accustomed. And it was ultimately this fear that was instilled in her that kept her in her home town. Thus running into her ex on a weekly and sometimes daily basis.
So was she going to continue to let the devil within succomb to the naysayers? Or was she ready to take that plunge into the unknown. Take a risk for a change. Maybe, just maybe, find herself pleased with the outcome.
“Well. I think you are right. I actually like the suit and I love the clothes. I do need this vacation.” Looking at her friend and resting her hand on her shoulder, she concluded “You know what? I’m going to buy it, wear it, and-”
“Look DAMN good in it! And dare somebody to say something!”
The friends laughed as they linked arms to reclaim the items that Nadine had given up on moments prior.
As they approached the checkout counter, they noticed a familiar sound. The two girls at the counter turned back and locked eyes with Nadine and Kris. The friends passed a friendly smirk at each other.
They then turned and glared at the girls, piercing them with daggars sharper than the Masai tribe’s.