Chapter 14 : Manicures and happiness

Ella:

The following morning, I got up earlier than usual, feeling so elated I scream out loud after it further dawns on me that nobody’s home . Mary won’t barge in shouting orders at me. This was my house again and today was the 31st, my first anniversary with my first boyfriend! Joe had hinted he had a huge surprise for me in store.

I imagined how the whole night was going to pan out. He would pop a ring into our glass of champagne and when I would find it in my last gulp, he would get up and go down on one knee in front of everybody and ask me to marry him!! I cry softly even thinking about it!

After brushing my sparkling white teeth, I drop in for a shower. I want to pamper myself to the hilt today and look super special for the dinner tonight. After pouring in some bath-salts, I soak my Five feet six inch body in the tub and lather myself with The Body Shop’s Tea-Tree Shower Gel.

“Hmmmmm, this will help rub off all of Mary’s antics and last week’s gruelling office schedule. Thank God, Joe works in her team, dating your colleague does have it’s benefits. He understood my workload, virtues and the situation at home.”

Dating someone with virtues in the 21st century especially in New York was definitely not as easy anymore. My friends would claim relationships don’t work if it lacks sex. I would call it lack of commitment. I had seen how several of my girlfriends were dumped after one night stands or even long-term relationships after giving up their virtues.

“If someone truly loved me, they would rightfully propose and then we would consummate our marriage.” No matter what Helen said, I had found that someone in Joe, I mattered more to him than just my body. This is why he did not force me to get physical with him again after the file room incident.

See? I would be lost in my own thoughts for hours if left to my own devices. I look at my badly chipped nails and realize how badly I needed a manicure especially tonight, after we changed our relationship status on social media.

I quickly head out of the shower and slip into a plain white tee and distressed blue jeans, my staple go to outfit and a life saver. Once I’m dressed I wear my comfy wedges and comb through my long curly dark-brown hair. The weather seems fine, it’s warm and bright so my hair will dry itself in no time. I need a hair serum though to not look like a floor-mop!

We lived in a fairly modern neighbourhood so all the convenience stores, salons, restaurants are in close proximity to each other. As soon as I enter the salon, I see Daisy, my favourite manicurist and psychologist, every girl needs to have one.

Daisy was my mother’s best friend and soul-sister. Mary never lent even a single cent to me. After college, I worked part-time at her salon to afford my day-to-day expenses. She was quite a business savvy lady and even had a designer boutique besides her salon.

“Good afternoon Miss Ella,” she says with an endearing smile.

“One quick french manicure Dr.Daisy” I replied back with a huge smile. This day was going to be beyond awesome :)