“You better be,” she snapped then looked at me. “Tube top and tank. And I saw a cute dress out there you’re gonna try on, girl. I don’t care what you say. And if it looks as cute as all that,” she pointed a finger at me, “I’m gettin’ all of it for you.” Her upraised hand snapped into a palm out position when I opened my mouth. “No lip,” she ordered. “Not lost on me you’re a sister whose current circumstances say you can’t treat yourself, and no sister of mine who looks that good in that top, that tank, and probably that dress you’re gonna try on doesn’t get a treat. Comes around goes around. That’s life. You’ll have your shot. Now it’s my turn.”

Then, taking Travis with her, she flounced on her deep purple suede stilettos out of the dressing room.

I looked to Tyra.

“You’ll learn Elvira’s ways and bow to them like the rest of us,” she informed me.

I had a feeling I would.

“And she’s right,” Tyra continued gently. “You need a treat, Carissa. You’ll enjoy it, but trust me, as much as you do, she’ll enjoy giving it to you more.”

I felt a stinging in my eyes and bit my lip that had started quivering. Since I had to do that, I didn’t answer.

I just nodded.

She kept hold of my gaze and kept talking gently. “You’re going to be okay.”

“You’re all helping a lot. Too much,” I replied, my voice quaky.

She stood and got close. When she did, she placed a hand light on my cheek and leaned toward me.

“We’ve all had our times. And if we’re lucky, we’ve all had people that took our back during those times. You’ve been unlucky, honey. But your luck has changed. Roll with it.”

I stared into her eyes.

And with lips again quivering, I nodded.

Thirty minutes later, we all left the store, me pushing Travis’s empty stroller (Tyra had ahold of him now), and in it was a bag that held a cute tube top, an awesome tank, and a fabulous petal-pink sleeveless tee dress with a boat neck, blousy top, and side-ruched skirt that wasn’t exactly me.

But it was perfect.

Better, it was a treat. And I hadn’t had one of those in a long time.

We had lunch at the food court while Rider and Cutter terrorized all the children in the play area.

And I ate, chatted, and even laughed… feeling it.

Feeling it like I felt it when I was riding with Snapper.

But this time, that first-time feeling wasn’t feeling free.

It was feeling lucky.

CHAPTER NINE

You Like Mexican?

Carissa