A Second Opinion

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER FIVE

      “Ugh!” Kate threw the fifth dress on the bed in frustration. Nick would be here any minute and she still hadn’t found something to wear. She hadn’t planned on going to the reunion...not since Bryan. What possessed her to ask Nick to go? So she could show him off—her inner devil reminded.

      She sat on the bed and buried her head in her hands. She should have planned better. She couldn’t show off Nick while her love handles bulged through the dress. She definitely should not have had that much wine last night. Or the pasta that Nick had ordered. Or the Tiramisu he fed her in bed last night. She’d have to be more careful. 

      She went to her closet. She had wardrobes in three different sizes. The front of her walk in closet held the size she tried to keep. The middle was the one she sometimes slipped into when she wasn’t careful and the back was the size she never wanted to touch. She stopped in the middle and picked up a dress. She tried it on. It was a little loose but better than the snugness of her front closet wear. It was a red sheath with a generous side slit and a cowl neck. Her chest tightened as she looked in the mirror. 

      It was the dress she had worn the night Bryan proposed to her. She’d been expecting it, and it went exactly the way she knew Bryan would plan it, at her thirtieth birthday party.  He’d been profuse in his proclamation of love. It had been the best night of her life. Until he’d said the words that forever haunted their relationship. “And we’ll both go on a diet together so we can look good for the wedding.”

      At the time, she’d been thrilled to fit into the red dress. Because it used to be in the front of her closet. At least she had Bryan to thank for pushing her to lose more than she’d ever thought possible for herself.

      She looked at his side of the closet. His clothes were gone. He’d been quick to move out. She moved her dresses so they filled the empty space.

      She took the dress off and went to a dresser drawer. She pulled out red silk underwear. She felt the silk between her fingers. She’d bought the fine lingerie back when she thought it would be fun under a white wedding dress. She slipped it on now. 

       She went back to the full length mirror on the back of her closet door and studied her reflection. She sucked in her stomach. Nope! Bulge was still there. She turned around. Is that back cleavage? She’d gained weight since she’d bought the lingerie. She took it off and threw it into the back of her closet.

      She closed her eyes and took some deep breaths. She visualized how she should see herself. She reminded herself of the things she was most proud of---her practice, the way she cared for her patients. I am measured by my accomplishments. Not the way I look. I am a physician with a successful practice. That is who I am. It’s the technique she taught her patients. To focus on the positive when there were setbacks. She went back to her drawers and pulled out a different set of lingerie. One that was a size larger than the red silk she had just cast aside. She put it on and grimaced. Deep breaths Kate. Deep breaths. Just need to be more careful for the next few weeks. Fluctuation happens. Discipline will get me back to my goals.

      She heard the doorbell and swore under her breath. She looked frantically around the room. She could throw on a robe but she didn’t want a repeat of this morning. She quickly slipped on the red dress. It would have to do.

       She ran to open it. Nick stood there looking… like he always did. Drop dead gorgeous. He was wearing a collared pink shirt with a black blazer and dress pants. He was freshly shaved and his hair glistened. He looked breathtakingly handsome. Her stomach flip flopped. It was so easy for him. His hair was still a little wet from the shower.