322: Shopping Day

322: Shopping Day
Ella’s POV

The week had flown by in a blur of work, stolen moments with Shawn, and the comforting chaos of life with Lily. But as the weekend approached, my focus shifted to one thing: Lily’s birthday. 

My little girl was turning another year older, and I wanted it to be special. I’d been planning her party for weeks—balloons, a cake shaped like her favorite cartoon character, and a small gathering of her friends from school. 

But the most important part, at least for Lily, was the dress. She’d been talking nonstop about wearing something “sparkly and princessy,” and I wasn’t about to let her down.

So, on Friday afternoon, I left the hospital a little early, my scrubs swapped for jeans and a sweater, and headed to Lily’s school to pick her up. The moment she saw me, she came running, her backpack bouncing on her shoulders, her curls wild and free. “Mommy!” she squealed, throwing her arms around my waist. “Is it time for my birthday dress?”

“You bet, sweetheart,” I said, kissing the top of her head. “We’re going to the mall to find the perfect one. Ready?”

“Yes!” she shouted, practically dragging me to the car, her excitement contagious.

The mall was bustling, filled with the hum of shoppers and the bright lights of storefronts. Lily skipped beside me, her hand in mine, pointing at every sparkly thing we passed. “Look at that, Mommy! Oh, and that one!” she said, her eyes wide as she spotted a display of glittery tiaras in a store window.

I laughed, squeezing her hand. “We’ll find something even better, I promise.”

As we wandered through the stores, my phone buzzed in my pocket. It was Celeste. “Hey, where are you?” she asked, her voice bright and teasing. “Don’t tell me you’re knee-deep in patient charts on a Friday.”

“Nope,” I said, grinning. “I’m at the mall with Lily, hunting for a birthday dress. Want to join us?”

“Be there in ten,” she said without hesitation. “I’m not missing out on this.”

True to her word, Celeste showed up not long after, her heels clicking against the polished floor as she strode toward us, her signature confidence radiating. “There’s my favorite birthday girl!” she said, scooping Lily into a hug. “Ready to find the most fabulous dress in this whole place?”

Lily giggled, nodding enthusiastically. “It has to be sparkly!”

“Oh, sparkly is my specialty,” Celeste said, winking at me as she took Lily’s other hand. “Let’s do this.”

We dove into the first children’s boutique, racks of dresses in every color and style lining the walls. Lily was in heaven, twirling in front of mirrors and holding up dresses that were increasingly extravagant. Celeste was her perfect accomplice, pulling out options and holding them up for Lily’s approval, her laughter mixing with Lily’s as they debated sequins versus glitter. 

I stood back for a moment, watching them, my heart swelling with gratitude. Celeste had always been there for us, not just as a friend but as family, and seeing her with Lily made me feel like we weren’t alone in this.

“Okay, this one,” Celeste said, holding up a pale pink dress with a tulle skirt and tiny rhinestone embellishments. “This screams princess, don’t you think?”

Lily’s eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands. “Yes! Can I try it on, Mommy?”

“Go for it,” I said, smiling as she grabbed the dress and darted toward the fitting room. Celeste and I followed, settling onto a plush bench outside the curtained stall.

“She’s growing up so fast,” Celeste said, her voice softening as we watched Lily’s little feet shuffle under the curtain. “Hard to believe she’s almost another year older.”

“I know,” I said, a pang of nostalgia hitting me. “Sometimes I look at her and still see the tiny baby I used to rock to sleep. Now she’s fighting dragons and demanding sparkly dresses.”

Celeste laughed, nudging my shoulder. “She’s got your fire, that’s for sure. Speaking of fire…” She raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “How’s it going with a certain someone? You and Shawn seemed pretty cozy the other day.”

I felt my cheeks warm, and I glanced away, pretending to adjust my bag. “It’s… good,” I said, unable to keep the smile off my face. “Really good, actually. He’s been coming over a lot, spending time with me and Lily. It feels like… maybe we’re figuring things out.”

“Good,” Celeste said, her tone firm but warm. “You deserve that, Ella. And so does Lily. Shawn’s one of the good ones.”

“Yeah,” I said, my voice quieter now. “He is.”

Lily burst out of the fitting room then, twirling in the pink dress, the rhinestones catching the light. “Look, Mommy! I’m a princess!”

“You’re the prettiest princess I’ve ever seen,” I said, my heart melting as I knelt to adjust the skirt. “What do you think, Celeste?”

“Perfection,” Celeste declared, clapping her hands. “This is the one, Lily. You’re going to steal the show at your party.”

Lily beamed, twirling one more time before reluctantly heading back to change. With the dress decided, we paid and moved on to another store, this time for me. I hadn’t planned on shopping for myself, but Celeste had other ideas, dragging me toward a lingerie boutique with a wicked grin.

“Oh, no,” I said, laughing as she pulled me inside. “I don’t need anything from here.”

“Oh, yes, you do,” she said, her voice dripping with mischief. “You’ve got a hot boyfriend staying over. You need something to keep him on his toes.”

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t deny the flutter of excitement at the thought. Shawn and I were still finding our footing, but the idea of surprising him with something special felt… fun. “Fine,” I said, giving in. “But you’re helping me pick.”

“Deal,” Celeste said, already rifling through racks of lace and silk. Lily, oblivious to the adult nature of the store, was happily distracted by a display of sparkly hair accessories nearby, giving us a moment to browse.

Celeste held up a deep red lace set, her eyebrows waggling. “This one screams ‘Shawn’s not sleeping tonight.’”

I laughed, swatting her arm. “You’re ridiculous.”

“And you love it,” she shot back, tossing the set into my hands. “Try it on. Trust me.”

I ended up picking out a couple of pieces, including the red set, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement as I paid. It had been a while since I’d let myself feel this way—playful, desirable, like I was more than just a mom or a doctor. Shawn had a way of bringing that side of me out, and I was starting to realize how much I’d missed it.

As we left the store, Celeste looped her arm through mine, grinning. “You know, you should let loose more often. You’re glowing lately.”

“Yeah, well, maybe you should find someone to make you glow,” I teased, nudging her. “You’re too fabulous to be single forever.”

She rolled her eyes, tossing her hair dramatically. “Please. The man who can handle a woman like me? He’s not just any guy. He’d have to be extraordinary.”

We both burst out laughing, Lily joining in even though she didn’t know what was so funny. “What’s so funny, Mommy?” she asked, tugging at my hand.

“Just Celeste being silly,” I said, ruffling her hair. “Come on, let’s get some ice cream before we head home.”

We were heading toward the food court, Lily chattering about her birthday party, when I stopped short. There, across the mall, were Amanda and Bea, their arms loaded with shopping bags. 

Amanda’s eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, the air seemed to thicken with tension. Bea’s expression was shocked, and Amanda’s lips tightened, her gaze flickering between me, Celeste, and Lily.

The moment stretched, uncomfortable and heavy, as we stood there, staring at each other across the crowded mall.