Tennessee

My work consumed me for the next couple days. Mary's coaxing words to investors had worked and I had a fashion show in the city. With all of the work and worries of my incoming exhibition, I shut myself away. I was constantly thinking about patterns, needles and cuts... along with Ben Sydney.

Birds had taken a backseat and Lydia understood. I still showed up to work but left two hours earlier to continue sewing at the apartment. Luckily, Mary got me a present to make up for my lack of life. She got me the cutest puppy, an adorable pug who I quickly named Ferdinand.

Ferdinand tugged on the hem of my maxi dress and I laughed as I petted him and returned to sewing. I was working on my final piece, a crème gown with gold accents. I took off my thick glasses and rubbed my tired hazel eyes. Suddenly the doorbell rang and I picked up Ferdinand as I went to get the door.

"Who could it be, Ferdi?" I asked the pup, who writhed and piped in my hands.

My smile was gone when I realized it was Ben. Ben, who I avoided the entire week.

I sighed and Ben frowned. He wore tight black jeans, a white v-neck and a tan cardigan over it. I almost smiled at him, but then remembered I couldn't.

"Hi," he whispered.

"Hi," I said back and stepped aside to let him in.

"Wow," Ben murmured as he entered, glancing around the rooms only to see mannequins wearing dress after dress. I smiled and murmured, "I have a fashion show in two weeks."

"Really?" Ben looked at me and smiled a genuine and hearty grin.

"Yeah," I said, excitement leaking through my words.

Ben opened his arms and I ran into them, jumping up and smiling.

"It's everything you ever wanted," Ben said proudly as he hugged me.

It was true. When we had been together, I had raved and ranted about my dreams to have a fashion show, to have everything I had worked for recognized. I giggled and nodded into his shoulder, "It happened, Ben. It really happened," I whispered. We stood there swaying happily for a couple seconds before Ferdinand's hilarious attempts at barking pulled us apart.

"Oh, Ferdinand," I said, pulling apart and looking at the small dog on the floor, "You know you're the only boy for me."

Ben laughed as I bent down to pick the needy dog up again.

"Sorry, Ben. This is my son, Ferdi," I said, letting the dog lick me.

Ben laughed as he reached over to take the dog from my hands. Ferdi loved it; he continued his love fest with Ben, licking and rubbing his face into Ben's large hands.

I laughed and walked over to continue sewing. Ben sat down on the couch and continued playing with Ferdinand. It felt complete and that was something I hadn't felt in a very, very long time.



Unfortunately, Ferdinand hadn't taken much liking to Paul. It seemed that every time Paul tried to make towards Ferdi, the dog would go ballistic and throw a fit. I would think it was funny but Paul didn't and started calling my beloved Ferdinand 'The Devil.'

Like, "How's The Devil doing this morning?" or "Did you get The Devil his dog food? That Devil's gotta eat!"

Paul had come with me to my model cast and sat beside me with an exasperated look on his face. "You don't have to stay," I murmured.

His face was replaced with a smile and said, "No, I'll stay."

I began to wonder if Paul only treated me like he cared because he felt he had to. I thought he was starting to get tired of the fact that I hardly ever paid any attention to him anymore. It really hurt me to think that I had given everything up only to be with a person who felt like he had to like me. Which was why I distanced myself and tried to give him space.

"Next model," I called.

A slew of tall and beautiful girls came in and out. I would take notes and two hours later, I had picked out fifteen girls to model my clothing. Paul and I walked out into the summer air, hand in hand and both in our own thoughts.

"Look, Tenn," Paul said abruptly as we walked down the street.

I stopped.

"I have to tell you something."

I watched him carefully.

"What?" I asked.

His blue eyes looked pained as he said, "I slept with someone else."

My first instinct was to slap him. And I did. Then my next reaction was to walk away in fury, fists clenched and anger welling in my chest. And my third was to let it go because I realized with embarrassment that I had done the same thing.

"Tenny, listen to me!" Paul called after me and I stopped walking.

He reached me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"I just –I saw a text from Ben Sydney on your phone, and I got angry. I was drunk," he pleaded, "I was drunk."

I looked at him.

"Then Lydia told me Ben was working on graphics for the store and I realized I had just assumed and-"

I cut him off.

"Do you love me?" I asked, my voice hurt and soft.

"Yes," Paul said, his eyes not matching his fervent voice.

I sighed as I remembered something Poppa would say when I was little, when I got in trouble and he would punish me, "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."

I nodded and grabbed his hand again, looking forward as I said, "Then that's all I need to know."