Behind Closed Lies

lace up my battered Nikes, and put in my earbuds. I listen to psychology podcasts during my fift

warming up outside. I brace myself against the slap of a sharp late-sprin

*

she explains, but her morning meeting was unexpectedly canceled. She’s petite, with wide-set eyes

on’t take me seriously,” she says. “I

ze has landed and she tucks her hands into the pockets of her blazer. I wonder how long she’ll last in her job. Maybe she’ll find

cil skirt and pat

hing brighter

te in next month, despite her lack of training, and the blind date her colleague wants to set

McQueen knit and I stop walking. I lift a hand and run

retty,” N

an evening when I wore a dres

ith a big white box

ampagne at the Alvin Ailey gala and laughed with his colleagues. His hand had res

okay?” Na

eatens to close up around the word

words came out too harshly. “This one.”

arments weighing heavily in my arms.

uld try them, beginning with a lilac jacket that will complement her olive skin. Jackets are the be

a few 0s for 2s. In the end, Nancy chooses the jacket, two dresses—including the red one—and a navy su

are on the rack. I scoop them into my arms and take them to

d and receipt by the time she is

r would have picked these, but I

ey causes most women to question themselves: Do I look heavy? Do I deserve this? Is it me? I know those doubt

s, and for a moment I wonder if Aunt Charlotte is right. If I keep mov

o the dressing rooms to restock unwanted items. As I smooth cloth

ated. I knew that waitress was lying whe

y and I attended numerous dinner parties and business events over the years together. I have listened to her opine on publi

here a sales g

other sizes,

llary, down to the matching ginger locks, that she can only be her sister. “M

range and the offending Alaïa is flung

ve this in

s, the commission is worth endurin

orgiving brand, no matter what you’ve eaten for lunch.

her sodium- bloated body behind the door. She shrieks and

e you do

in, “Hill, who a

e’s partners. Hang on a sec, girl! Let me just throw on some clothes.” When she rea