Savile Row shopping

"You do that well, Jack. I feel completely safe with you. Jack--tell me. Is Rob going to see me differently because I am pregnant? Will he stop seeing me as being attractive as I get bigger? I know all the stereotypical answers, but tell me the truth. How do I keep him from feeling guilty or like he did something awful to me, and how do I stay looking like someone he wants to be with?"

"You know something? I have had boyfriends before, but this feels so different. I would literally do anything to keep him safe, to keep our love alive, to not lose him. I love hearing his heartbeat when I lay my head on his chest. I love the scent he leaves on his pillow. I don't want to miss one moment with him. Sometimes I don't even want to sleep because I just want to hear his heartbeat and smell his skin. Does that sound silly?

"Um..lets try that store," She pointed at a nearby upscale expensive ladies shop. She led him into the shop and into the maternity section. The clerks presumed he was the father of Khaat's baby, and Khaat told them Jack was her brother in order to keep them from questioning. They helped steer her to beautiful dresses and tops, adn some essential pants, underthings, and nightgowns and robes. She depended on Jack's judgement to tell her if things were elegant enough and sophisticated enough. She wanted nothing to make her look "downscale." Even the casual clothes and every day clothes she bought had an elegant look to them. She found some beautiful shoes, but Jack protectively refused to let her buy high heels to wear as a pregnant woman, promising her it was a huge mistake to think she could wear them when she got to the point she could no longer see her feet. She even slipped in, secretely, a few gorgeous maternity dresses for Jess and a couple for Miseria, but she didn't tell jack who all these clothes were for.

After about 3 more stores, she suddenly felt herself getting very tired and almost lightheaded. She felt herself taking his arm, feeling very insecure suddenly. "Um, Jack, can..we find a teashop or something? I think I need a break for a few minutes. Things are starting to spin a bit."

'Thank you," She sighed, feeling more relieved by sitting down than she thought she would be. "I am determined not to show Rob that I ever have a bad day with this. I don't know how realistic that is, but I want him to relax and enjoy being with me and enjoy when our baby kicks, and all those silly motherly things. I don't want him to have to go through all that anxiety of worrying every time he leaves my sight.

"And you know what? I am so pleased I was able to find summer wear--sundresses and things, even though its really too early for those things to be out. If I go to a couple more stores, I might find I can get everything I want in one day. Unless you're getting tired and bored. We need to find a little back alley where I can shrink all these boxes and sacks and put them all in my leather tote bag so we don't have to carry all these things full sized. That will really help. You think Rob will like all these things?"

Khaat smiled. "You're absolutely right, you know. I do know how frustrated I got with jess for not being up front with you, and here I am trying to figure out how to do the same thing, for the same reasons jess doesn't talk to you like she should. Thank you. I will not treat Rob that way. He liked me because I could always be myself around him. I guess I wont change that now--good, bad or otherwise. Do you know how to shrink those boxes? If so, I'll let you take those things, and my big leather tote bag here and then just drop them inside. If you make them about Barbie doll sized, we'll have plenty of room for them and everything else we might buy. I'd let you do that while I drink my tea, if that's alright."

"No, I think I'm fine right now, but I'd like to get a good lunch if we're still shopping by then," Khaat said. "I think you're right that I just did a little bit extra than I probably should have. I feel much better now. Actually, I'm fairly pleased with all the things I have and the tailoring they've done to make sure what I bought is going to fit. Do you have the energy to stop at a couple more stores with me?"