The Stepbrother // Luke Hemmings

Vicinity of Aussies

41
Vicinity of Aussies

My wrists are burning.

That's the only thing running through my mind as I trail my mom throughout Victoria Secret, trying and pretty much failing at holding all of her shopping bags on both of my arms. My face scrunches in pain and I slide the bags up into a somewhat better position; trying to ignore the reddening skin of my wrists. I blow a stray curl from out of my view and maneuver around two girls hovering over a messy sale rack to catch up with her.

"Mom, you don't think it's just a little bit creepy that you're buying your bridesmaids gifts from Victoria's Secret?"

Ever since yesterday, with Chelsea and Luke and the sudden realization that all of this, my mother's wedding and her and Andrew's happiness and all of my new friends, could be gone in just a second, I've been trying to be less selfish and make her whole getting married experience a little easier for her. Granted, it's all easier said than done

We've been in this store for almost a full hour and every time I meet the gaze of a suspecting employee or a customer, I can't help the blush that blankets my cheeks. Everyone wears underwear, that's not the problem, but the idea of actually shopping for lingerie with my mom is extremely embarrassing. I can't imagine her buying anything with any extra fancy embellishments for Andrew to see her in it. I shudder slightly in disgust and for the hundredth time today, I find myself once again shifting around shopping bags to my opposite hand, so that I can flex life back into the other.

"Oh relax, Annie. You're acting like I'm buying them thongs." Then with a slight smile, my mom glances over her shoulder at me, raises her eyebrows suggestively and then laughs. "I'm only kidding, I would never. Plus, underwear aren't the only things that they sell, you know?" She motions towards a small pink bottle in her hand, "Speaking of, let's say you were one of my bridesmaids, would you want lotion in your gift basket or perfume?"

"Technically, I am one of your bridesmaids," I announce, stepping up next to her. "Just more respected."

She laughs, repeats my last statement in amusement and rolls her brown eyes. "I respect all of my bridesmaids, Annie."

"You only have four," I announce. "I'm one of them."

"Your point?"

I shake my head, dismissing my statement. "Anyway, where are they? Shouldn't they be here, helping?"

"Helping me pick out a gift for them?" My mom looks back at me like I'm crazy and then she laughs and says, "Liv's daughter is coming over tomorrow to help you with the centerpieces. That should be fun, right?"

Liv is one of my mom's yoga friends. She talks way too much, is almost always incredibly, and because she's a hairstylist she thinks it's okay to pick through my curls and tell how damaged it is. I don't particularly like Liv, and I don't really remember her daughter that much, but I'm not complaining. I could use the help. "Splendid."

"So, what would you want?"

Shrugging, I manage to take the bottle of perfume from her and hold it close to my nose. And okay, it does smell really nice. But still, "Honestly, if I had broke my back for three months helping to make sure you had the perfect wedding, I'd be pretty pissed off if all you gave me was a bottle of perfume."

"Hey, watch it. I'm not one of your friends," she scolds lightly, and then she's turns back to the display. "I'm not just gonna buy perfume, Annie. Hence the term, gift basket."

"It's up to you. But can we hurry, please? I'm starving."

The perfume is left at the stand and we're moving again around the store; I stifle the urge to groan. "We just had cookies, Annie." Tucking a strand of her hair behind her hair, she gently bites her lip in thought, "What about pajama sets?"