The rest of the week passes by fast, and right as planned, Monday morning after breakfast Tony and Lola are back with shoes, accessories, and many racks of clothes. Some are casual clothes, and many are upscale dresses. Then there is the rack with the most beautiful evening dresses I’ve ever seen. The last rack is filled with expensive lingerie. What the hell do I need with those?

Catherine and Fallon are in my room with us. They each sit down as Tony goes through some of his favorites he thinks are perfect for me.

I’ve never heard of some of the designers. I guess that’s because my mother never let me shop and never taught me about clothes; she just dressed me like some doll.

“Catherine, this is too much.”

“Nonsense. They’re all for you. Whatever you like, you can have.”

My head is spinning at how beautiful the clothes are. Tony gives me a bra and panty set to change into. As I leave the room to change, I start getting nervous. Mom always had me wearing cotton everything, and these are satin and lace, pale pink and sexy. I’m not used to seeing myself like this. I put a robe on, and before I can change my mind, I open the door and go back into the bedroom. Tony set up a large portable standing mirror and asks me to stand in front. Then he asks me to remove my robe. I’m not comfortable, and it shows. Tony comes stand in front of me.

“Do you trust me, Avery? I promise, besides admiring your beauty, I have no use for your body, and I don’t think Catherine or the rest do either. I would like for you to try to feel at ease with us; it will make this a lot more fun; here, we have some champagne. Take a drink and figure out how you want us to proceed.”

We all have a glass except for Fallon, who drinks apple cider. After I down my drink, I decide fuck it, let’s do this. I slowly remove my robe and let it fall to the floor. No one speaks. I look at Catherine’s face in the mirror, and for some reason she looks very pleased. I guess it’s from me having the courage to remove my robe and stand here for everyone to see. But it’s Fallon who shocks me. She crosses her arms and says, “I hate you right now. I hope you know that?”

“What? What did I do?”

“Give me a break. You stand there with your skinny ass, and I’m sitting here fat and pregnant.”

Everyone starts laughing but me. I have always been on the thin side, just small curves, nothing I would ever say was sexy. Even my breasts are a size B, nothing a man would be like, “Hey, look at her tits.” But I am nothing for Fallon to be jealous of. She is gorgeous even pregnant, more beautiful than most of the women I ever met.

While they still laugh, I go to put my robe on when Catherine yells out, “Don’t you dare!” She uncrosses her legs and stands, walking toward me; her face is stern. “Everyone out, now!” They jump at attention and leave the room. She then turns her attention back to me. “You will accept Fallon’s compliment and acknowledge how beautiful you are. Look at yourself in the mirror and see what we all see. You’re beautiful, Avery. You might be a little raw, but hell, you didn’t see me or Fallon before we remodeled ourselves. Look at your face’s bone structure, Avery, it’s what every model wants. Your skinny body is what every woman who has to work out daily and watch what she eats, prays for. Your breast might not be the largest, but they’re firm and lifted, and your ass is well-toned. I see what Liam saw in you. You are a beauty, and I feel sorry for your mother for never recognizing it. Now look at me.”

I have tears running down my face. No one has ever told me how beautiful I was, except Liam. But no one has ever described me like she has. My mother never referred to me or my body like I was a woman. Even the small amount of beauty I thought I had was removed after I was raped. I’m not really sure how I should feel about being beautiful or sexy. I’m not sure I want people to notice me anymore. Catherine lays her hands on my shoulders and begins to turn me. My face slowly falls, but she lifts my chin and looks me in my eyes, and I see tears in her eyes, too.

“Avery, I know you feel a certain way right now about your body, but you can’t let that man or any man rob you of your confidence and the ability to love yourself. You have to rise above your circumstances. Acknowledge what happened to you, but don’t let it fester, or it will destroy you, permanently. Fight it, Avery, fight him. Don’t let him win. Now look at yourself.”

I turn back around and look in the mirror.

“I see you, Avery. I see the part of you that is broken and fragile, but I also see the beauty that is begging to be released. Fight, Avery. Don’t let that man steal another day from you. He took enough. Do you hear me? Feeling sorry for yourself and wallowing, is letting him steal your future.” She backs up and crosses her arms. “That body you see in the mirror is your body. You display it the way you want, and you let who you want to touch it, when you want. Be proud of who you are and what you came through. Men who rape don’t do it because of the way women act or how they dress. They do it because they're sick in the head and need the power trip. You did not ask or attract what happened to you. It just happened, and it will never be one hundred percent over in your mind, but you need to complete the steps to heal. Now what do you want to do? He didn’t give you a choice, your mother didn’t give you a choice, but I’m giving you a choice. What will it be? Are you going to let that sick son of a bitch steal another day from you?”

I stop crying and think about what Catherine said. What do I want, and what do I need? She’s right, I was never given a choice. I never look at it like that. I want choices, and I want my life the way I want it. She’s also right that I am letting him steal from me, but not anymore.

“No, no, I’m not. This is my body, and I want to feel good about it. I’m not going to let him take any more from me. Tell them to come back in.”

“Good, Avery, very good.”

Catherine opens the door and tells them I’m ready. Upon entering, Fallon gives me a big, knowing smile. Tony starts off with the casual clothes and then we move to the rest. The evening gown portion is the best, I feel like a princess all dressed up. The clothes are all classy and elegant, and yes, sexy. I have to admit, I love feeling sexy, even though I maybe shouldn’t, but I do. After it’s all settled and done, Tony was right, he did know what was best for my figure. Now he’s talking about my hair, saying I should try something new, and I decide I want that, too. I need a change.

I turn to Catherine. “Do you think I can have someone cut my hair?”

“Already done, Avery. Bridgette and her team will be here after lunch.”

This woman thinks of everything.

“Catherine, as soon as I can, I will pay you back. I promise.”

“No, you won’t. It’s all for you, my gift.”

“Thank you. You don’t have to do any of it, but I appreciate it.”

“You can thank me by coming to supper with the family tonight. “

“I’m not sure if I’m ready.”

“We’ll see how you feel by this evening.”

* * *

After lunch, the doorbell rings. Jeffery announces the arrival of Bridgette and her crew. Catherine, Fallon and I lead them to my bedroom. Bridgette introduces everyone to me and then gives me a consultation. She also informs me we will be starting on the worst part of my appointment, the grooming. She starts waxing my eyebrows, making a perfect arch. Then she asks me to lay down on a table they have set up. When I question what’s about to happen, Catherine says she has business to tend to and will see us tonight. Fallon stays with me, and I’m thankful for it, especially when I find out why they wanted me to lay down.

Bridgette proceeds to ask, “Clean up, bare, or landing strip?”

I look to Fallon for an answer.

“Don’t look at me, Avery. I wasn’t given a choice. Catherine knew Gabriel liked bare, so I became bare. What do you like?”

I have no idea. I’ve always been natural, and as far as what a man likes, I have no clue. Although I know Liam always said he liked the natural look.

I decide and tell Bridgette, “Landing strip.”

“Oh my God, that hurts. Shit!”

Fallon and Bridgette laugh, and it pisses me off, then Bridgette asks me to turn around. “Oh shit!” She rips the wax off me fast without warning as she waxes my backside. Damn, I didn’t know they were going to go into all that detail.

Fallon’s still laughing and asks, “How do you feel?”

“Naked.”

All my hair is removed from my body except for my pretty little landing strip, and I love it.

We decide to cut my hair to a medium length and add a few highlights to my already blonde hair. Then they tell me they’re going to teach me the basics on how to apply and wear my makeup. They also have a bag of makeup for me to keep.

I love it all. By the time they’re finished with me, I feel beautiful. I still look like me, just better, the me I always wanted to be.

Fallon calls Catherine to let her know Bridgette and her crew are finished with me. A few minutes later, Catherine walks in and says, “Beautiful, simply beautiful, Avery. I hope you’re not too tired. You look too good to sit in this bedroom all night. Please come and join the family for dinner. You already met everyone except for Gabriel, and he will be the perfect gentlemen.”

“I think I will, but what do I wear?”

She walks to my closet that was organized by Lola and picks out a bronze lace cocktail dress and matching Jimmy Choo heels.

“That’s not too much?”

“Not tonight. Fallon and I will be dressed similarly.”

I agree to the dinner and the dress, then wait alone in my room till it’s time.