Love In the time of covid

Chapter 31

***2 weeks later***

Giselle lifted her hands out of the water and could see the wrinkled lines that covered her fingertips, another sign it was time for her to get out of the bath. The water had gone cold 20 minutes ago and all the bubbles that covered her naked body under the surface had started to dissipate.

"The driver will be here in about an hour. Did you want me to help with your hair?" Trina asked from behind the bathroom door. "I was thinking we could straighten it but add big barrel curls. I think it would look pretty with the dress you're going to wear."

Giselle took a deep breath and released it into the air. She just wanted a little more time, even if it was 5 more minutes. But like many things in life, you can't always get what you want. No matter how much you wanted it. "I'm coming." Giselle responded as she lifted from the water and stepped out to grab her towel. She opened the door to her best friend that was putting on her 'everything's fine' face. As hard as Trina tried to pretend it was just a normal day, it was anything but. The pity that she was holding back behind her eyes shined through. "Ok, I'm ready." She said as she walked across the room to sit down at her vanity.

While Trina flattened her friend's hair in sections, then curling them into large curls that fell over her shoulders and around her face. Giselle worked on her make up, applying concealer under her eyes and waterproof mascara. She kept it simple, not bothering with eye shadow, just small dabs of blush on her cheeks and a subtle red lipstick.

"Alright. All done. Do you need help with getting into your dress?" Trina asked as she unraveled the last curl and switched off the iron.

Giselle looked back at her in the reflection of the mirror and offered her an appreciative smile. "No. I got it."

"Ok. I'm going to go sit with Jackson while you finish getting ready." Trina said softly as she bent down and left a kiss on the side of Giselle's head.

Once Giselle was alone in her room, she walked to her closet and picked out bras and panties. The dress that she had picked out a few days ago was a black crew neck with lace across the collar, down the sleeves and covering the top half of the back. The waist was cinched just under the bust and the skirt was A-line and stopped just below the knee. She slid it off the hanger and over her head, trying to be careful not to ruin her hair in the process.

Once it was on, Giselle stood in front of the wall mirror and thought to herself how much her mother would have loved it. She chose a pair of black flats, put in a pair of pearl earrings and grabbed the matching double strand necklace before joining Trina and Jackson. Just as she was reaching the end of the hallway that opened to the living room, she heard them talking about her.

"Are you going to stay here with her tonight?" Jackson asked softly, trying to keep his voice down so that it wouldn't carry throughout the apartment.

"I don't know for sure. I know Chris is meeting us there." Trina responded. "She'll probably want him to stay instead of me."

"Can you help me put this on? I won't be able to do the clasp." Giselle asked, interrupting their conversation as they jumped apart from where they were sitting on the couch.

"Of course, sweetheart." Trina said as she joined her behind the couch.

As Giselle delicately moved the hair off her neck, Trina stood behind her and clicked the lock together.