What could PRINCE have to worry about? He's gorgeous, talented and successful And as a bonus, his insecure girlfriend Penelope Smith has become a little more confident while growing her photography business.
Penelope is still asleep as usual when I wake. Despite being nude, I get up and try to move the tall, heavy mirror. "OH SHIT!" I exclaim as my junk bangs into the mirror frame.
"Uh...Sugar, are you okay?" Penelope removes her shoes, puts on her robe and rushes to my side.
"Stubbed my toe"I lie.
"Of course" Penelope replies, clearly not believing me. "Why are you naked moving that mirror?"
"I want it over there."
"Let me help you" she eagerly agrees.
Moving the mirror to a different spot means Penelope will never be forced to see herself nude in it-unless she wants to. "Penny, I realized that you had to walk past that after your shower. So it needed to be moved."
She hugs me, "What woman needs a regular reminder than she could use lipo?"
"Penelope..." I use my warning tone.
"Can't spend the thousands on lipo when my business isn't it where I want it. Besides, if I have children I might need the operation more than I do now" she laughs.
"Then again, you might want to save the money to start college funds for the children, like your parents did."
"Yeah, I'd rather have smart kids than less fat." she smiles.
Now I'm getting aroused listening to her talk like that: thinking about the future, about making babies and starting to have her priorities straight.
"You against all plastic surgery?" she ponders.
"Mainly I'm against lipo on a girl who would only need a few months of training and diet to look like a fitness model." I insist. Her eyes stare at me in disbelief, she's having a hard time processing that one. "Doesn't Jasper tell you that?"
"Ha! Most I get out of him is 'hamstrings shaping up'. " Penelope shakes her head. "Got to hand it to him though, he's the reason I look how I do."
"Nope, YOU did every sit up and squat-not him. Well, you need to go back to bed for awhile before you have to go to work." I tuck her in.
"What's the agenda for you?"
"Rehearsal and Marilyn Sinclair is coming over. Remember her? My opening act's manager?"
"Can't forget" Penelope groans, "Andy died and the next day she was telling me to sell the portrait he did of me!"
Blasphemy in Penelope's world. I stroke her hair and softly sing a soothing song that's stored in the vault. "Sweet dreams, Penny"
Penelope narrates:
Once I've worked out and showered, I can't get Prince's words out of my head, that I of all women, look almost like a fitness model! Living with me, you learn what a fitness model looks like real quick. They grace the magazines I read and are photography subjects of mine. And Prince wouldn't give such a specific compliment if he didn't mean it.
Shirt lifted, I look at myself in the mirror, letting Prince's high praises ring in my ears. Clearly the twenty pounds I've let get in the way of living life are long gone. Nutritionally and physically, I treat my body right, yet I cannot give it what it needs emotionally? Why is this? No, don't blame Sabrina for winning pageants. Don't make being bullied an excuse. Be done with the whining about not being as sexy as Prince's previous girlfriends.You're a grown woman-time to say fuck it and move on.
Ready for work, I rush to Prince where he's setting up for rehearsal with his band. I throw my arms around him and kiss those famous lips. "I love you,'I murmur. Normally, I wave at him on the way out during rehearsal. Puzzled, he looks at me then guides me out of the room. "Everything alright?"
"Couldn't be better!" I enthuse, "Had an epiphany when I woke up to see my incredible man moving a mirror for me first thing."
"Yeah?"
"Time to grow up and really get over my shit. Not giving up on my fitness lifestyle though. A good diet gives me the stamina I need for you in the sack and touring the world. Literally if I still weighed what I did when we met, our sex life would suck because of my lack of energy."
"Good to hear." Prince replies as he holds me, "Now if you want to go therpathy, just send me the bill"
"Thank you. But we'll see. Just relieved you didn't give up on me. I'd have left a while ago if I was you "
"If I was younger, I would have broken things off because of your insecurity. Initially I thought you were just worried about your weight and once you lost it, everything would be fine. So when you still weren't okay with yourself, making remarks about your legs, joking about liposuction, worrying about your scar-that was concerning."
"When we met I was about to turn 23, some of us are still dealing with girlish hangups at that age. But I think I'm finally growing up some and I'm happy you are the man who's been there for me."
Prince narrates:
Penelope excuses herself to go to work.I did notice a weight seemed lifted off her shoulders.Hopefully this is a permanent change and not something fleeting. During our conversation, I was calm on the outside but inside I was feeling like:
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She's sexier as she matures. Needless to say I'm delighted we're still together. When I get some alone time, I'm going to start thinking about that proposal. It needs to be romantic. Walking on air, I go back to rehearsal in the best mood ever.
