Lies, Deceptions, And Misunderstandings

8. I'm Fine With What I Have

The entire ride, Taylor sulmed, keeping his gaze downward. In his mind he was fumming mad and telling his brother off with words he knew he could never actually say out loud without getting in trouble.

Finally Taylor looked up, and saw
they were pulling into the mall parking lot.

He caught a glimpse of a little smirk on his brother's face as he exited Carissa's car. Taylor was not happy, but what could he say?

Carissa took each of them by the hand and led them inside.

Taylor was ready to cry when they entered the first girls' shop and his eyes caught sight of rack after rack of dresses.

Carissa quickly began holding out tops and dresses against them as she ripped through the racks. They shopped for over an hour and a half, with Craig and Carissa chatting about everything in the world as they went from store to store browsing.

After the fourth store, Carissa's eyes lit up as they exited and she spotted a new store she had never been in before. She quickly dragged everyone inside.

"Why don't you girls go try a few of these on," Carissa suggested, handing them several hangers.

"I love this color for you, Taylor, and everything here is just so cute. Perfect for a young lady shedding some of her tomboyishness."

"Go ahead, Kaylee," said Taylor turning away.

As Kaylee headed to the dressing room, Taylor began, "I could never let my brother spend all this money on me, Miss Carissa. I'm fine with what I've got, and dresses just aren't my thing anyway."

"Awwwww! You're such a wonderful little one, aren't you, Taylor," said Carissa, opening her purse and taking out her car keys before turning towards Craig.

"You know Craig," she began in a syrupy sweet, flirtatious tone. "I just realized I need to get my oil changed, and tires rotated. You won't mind being a dear and taking my car to the service center on the other end of the mall, would you? We'll just do some more girl shopping and I'm sure you could use a break from all this, eh?"

"Um, sure," said Craig a little hesitantly.

Craig glanced over at Taylor and saw his face had an expression that pleaded, please don't leave me alone with them.

He gave his brother an I'm sorry look as he took the keys from Carissa and told his brother, "I expect you'll be on your best behavior, young lady."

Carissa winked at him and handed him two one hundred dollar bills. "You're so sweeet."

She kissed his cheek and whispering in his ear before speaking aloud again. "I got this, okay? Just text me when it's done and we'll let you know where to meet us. We'll just be having some special little girl time."

"Sounds good."

Turning to leave, Craig again looked at Taylor and mouthed, sorry.

Carissa strolled back to the rack, picking a few other items for Taylor and handed them to him. "Go try these on and come out and let me see how they look on you. If you need me to come in and help you, just let me know."

"But--" Taylor started to protest when Carissa immediately stopped his complaining. "No ma'am, I'm not asking," said Carissa, giving him a touch of attitude before piling another item on top.

"Now go ahead and stop worrying so much. I just want you to not be so concerned with money, and enjoy being pampered. Little girls shouldn't have to worry about things like money and not having pretty things. We understand each other right, and do you need help trying them on?"

"Yes ma'am, I understand," replied Taylor taking the items and turning away. He knew he couldn't have her in the dressing room with him, she'd discover his secret for sure. "No ma'am, I'll be fine."

"Good, then run along and be sure to come out so I can see every outfit on you," said Carissa, looking at Kaylee, who had just come out in her first outfit.

Taylor was steaming, but did as he was told, changing in the little private dressing room and coming out to model each outfit for Carissa. It seemed to last forever, constantly changing and being critiqued over style, color, and size with each change. He was at least happy they were all pants and not skirts/dresses.

Just as he thought he was walking out in the last outfit, Clarissa handed him another.

"That's gorgeous on you," said Carissa, spinning her finger for him to twist around. "Ok, just try on the smaller size and then we're done."

"Okay!" said Taylor, heading back in with the last outfit, happy it was about to be over.

"That's perfect," said Carissa, waving the sales clerk over, after having Taylor model the last outfit. "If you could just bag up these clothes here, she'll wear that one out."

"Of course," said the shop girl, removing an electronic tag from his top. "I'll bag up her old clothes for you, too, and did you want the accessories as well?"

"Please," said Carissa, flicking her wrist. "They can wear the jewelry out now and I'll take the clip set for later."

As the girl snapped the security tags off his pants, he was relieved this little dress up session was finally over. He looked across the room and realized he and Kaylee were now dressed identically.

The clothes Carissa was buying him certainly took him from a comfy casual to a dressier casual chic look. Gone was the simple peach striped shirt and leggings, replaced now with a lightweight blousy peplum top in a scarlet red color.

Spaghetti straps were the only thing across his shoulders in its tunic design, and the two layers of flared peplum hem daintily flowed, covering the top his hip bones. At the waistline and just above the ruffles, was a built in layer of sequins and rhinestones giving it a tapered waistline look, and a large matching silk rose offset to the waistline's left added an ultra girly flair.

On the bottom was stretch, Capri-length, stone-washed blue jeans, which had hand painted rose decals and scattered rhinestones at the pockets, and several distressed holes down each leg.

His feet were in white, open toed sandals with a tiny double buckle on the outside edge of each foot. Between his big and second toes sat a series of large crystal-like costume stones.

When the store clerk finished with his hands and wrists, he shook his right wrist as a thin silver bracelet dangled, and across his left was a thick red and silver costume bracelet.

Taylor had never had a ring on his finger before, and now had one on his left hand and one on his right. Around his neck was a necklace constructed with a series of interlocking hearts.

Carissa handed him his new red shoulder bag which was considerable larger than his old purse which she put inside the new one. She then slipped the strap of the new bag across his left shoulder, then spun him around, snapping a red double rosette scrunchie into the end of his braid as she pulled out the peach ribboned bow.

"Here girls," said Carissa, handing them each two shopping bags, before taking each of them by the other hand. "Carry these for me please."

Taylor didn't know if it was better or worse leaving the store in his new outfit, only feeling better not to be trying on things any more. He couldn't believe how much colder he felt in the new tunic top, and his ankles being on display in the capri's led to a little chill with the mall's heavy air conditioning.

They turned down a corridor towards the exit and he felt relieved seeing the bright light of the outdoors ahead. Moments later his relief turned to terror as they suddenly turned to the left and into the last store before the exit.