Ready To Go?
1860 Words
Nathan guided Sera through the revolving doors, and immediately the cool, perfumed air of the Grand Luxe Mall washed over them. The interior was even more impressive than the exterior—polished marble floors that gleamed like mirrors, crystal chandeliers hanging from impossibly high ceilings, and soft classical music drifting through the space like a whisper.
Two security guards stood just inside the entrance, their eyes sharp and assessing. They were trained to spot people who didn't belong, people who'd wandered in from the public mall across the street—the one that was open to everyone. This mall, the Grand Luxe, was different. This was for the wealthy only, and the guards took their job of maintaining that exclusivity seriously.
Their eyes landed on Nathan and Sera immediately.
Sera felt her stomach clench. She was still wearing her maid's uniform, plain and unremarkable. She must look completely out of place here, surrounded by all this luxury. She started to pull back, to suggest they leave before they were asked to, but Nathan's grip on her arm was firm.
The guards' gazes traveled from Sera to Nathan, then beyond them to the sleek black sedan still visible through the glass doors. One of them noted Nathan's casual but clean appearance—the black shorts, the white tank top. Nothing fancy, but worn with a confidence that spoke of someone comfortable in their own skin. More importantly, someone who'd just stepped out of a car worth more than most people's houses.
The guards exchanged a quick glance. One of them gave a subtle nod.
They stepped aside without a word.
Nathan walked past them as if he'd expected nothing less, pulling Sera along. She glanced back at the guards, half expecting them to change their minds, but they'd already returned to their positions, their attention shifting to the next arrivals.
"How did we just—" Sera started.
"The car," Nathan said simply. "And the way you carry yourself. They're watching to see if we belong here. So act like we do."
Sera swallowed hard and tried to straighten her posture, to walk with more confidence. It felt like playing pretend, like she was a child wearing her mother's clothes and hoping no one would notice.
Nathan, meanwhile, scanned the mall's interior with purpose. Boutiques lined both sides of the wide corridor, each one more elegant than the last. Designer names she recognized from magazines glittered on storefronts. Through the windows, she could see displays of dresses, shoes, jewelry—all with price tags that would make most people faint.
He spotted what he was looking for and changed direction, heading toward a large boutique on the left. The storefront featured floor-to-ceiling windows displaying mannequins in stunning dresses. A gold placard beside the door read "Luminère" in elegant script.
Nathan pushed open the glass door, and a soft chime announced their arrival. The interior was spacious and airy, with racks of clothing arranged by color and style. Plush white chairs sat in strategic locations, and mirrors covered entire walls. Three attendants looked up from their positions around the store—two women and one man, all dressed in crisp black uniforms.
Their eyes took in Sera's maid outfit, and Sera saw their expressions shift. Not quite hostile, but definitely skeptical. These were people trained to recognize wealth, and Sera clearly wasn't displaying any.
Then they looked at Nathan, noted his calm confidence, and their expressions softened slightly into professional neutrality.
Nathan didn't seem to notice or care about their initial judgment. He walked directly to the nearest rack, Sera still beside him, and turned to face her with a smile that made him look almost boyish.
"Pick whatever you want," he said simply. "I'll pay."
Sera blinked. "What?"
"Any dress, any outfit, anything you like." He gestured around the store. "Pick it, and I'll pay for it."
Sera stared at him, waiting for the punchline. This had to be a joke. A prank. Maybe he was testing her, seeing if she'd gotten greedy like Marie, if she'd take advantage.
But Nathan's expression remained open and sincere. He meant it.
"Nathan, I can't—" she started, but he was already moving, his hands running along the racks.
He pulled out a dress—a beautiful emerald green piece with delicate embroidery along the hem. Then another—a soft blue sundress with a flowing skirt. Then a third—a sleek black number that looked like it belonged at a formal event.
He gathered them in his arms and turned back to her. "Go try these on. The dressing rooms are in the back."
One of the attendants, a young woman with her hair pulled back in a tight bun, stepped forward. "Sir, would you like me to assist your companion?"
"Please," Nathan said, handing her the dresses.
The attendant took them with a slight bow and turned to Sera. "This way, miss."
Sera looked at Nathan one more time, searching his face for any sign that this wasn't real. But he just smiled and made a shooing motion with his hands.
She followed the attendant to the back of the store, where a row of dressing rooms lined the wall. Each one was larger than her room back at the Nashville estate, with full-length mirrors, plush seating, and soft lighting.
"Take your time," the attendant said, hanging the dresses on hooks inside the room. "Let me know if you need any help with zippers or buttons."
Sera stepped inside and closed the door. For a moment, she just stood there, staring at the three dresses hanging before her. Her hands reached out, touching the fabric of the green one. It was silk, impossibly soft, probably worth more than everything she'd owned in her entire life combined.
This couldn't be real. Any moment now, she'd wake up in her small bed at the Nashville estate, and this would all have been a dream.
But the silk felt real. The mirror showed her real reflection—tired eyes, tear-stained cheeks, a maid's uniform that had seen better days. And beyond the door, she could hear Nathan's voice talking to another attendant, asking about sizes and styles.
Slowly, carefully, she began to undress.
The green dress fit perfectly. When she stepped out of the dressing room, Nathan's face lit up. "That's beautiful. What do you think?"
Sera looked at herself in the larger mirrors outside the dressing room. The dress hugged her figure in all the right places, the color bringing out the silver in her eyes. She looked... she looked like someone else. Someone who belonged here.
"Try the others," Nathan encouraged.
She did. The blue sundress made her look young and carefree. The black dress made her look sophisticated and elegant. Each time she emerged, Nathan studied her carefully, nodding his approval.
"Do you like them?" he asked.
"Nathan, they're all so expensive—"
"That's not what I asked. Do you like them?"
Sera bit her lip. "Yes," she admitted quietly. "I love them."
"Good." Nathan turned to the attendants, who had been watching the exchange with growing interest. "Do you have more in her size?"
The attendants sprang into action. Within minutes, they'd pulled together a collection of dresses, casual wear, and even some formal pieces. They styled Sera, offering suggestions, mixing and matching pieces, creating complete outfits.
At first, Sera remained hesitant, uncomfortable with so much attention. But as she tried on more clothes, as she saw herself transformed in the mirror again and again, something shifted inside her. A smile began to bloom on her face—small at first, then growing wider with each new outfit.
She started asking the attendants questions. Which dress looked better? Did this color work with her complexion? Should she try the heels or the flats?
Nathan watched from one of the plush chairs, his expression content. This was what he'd wanted to see—his sister happy, smiling, enjoying herself without fear or obligation. For three years, she'd worn nothing but a maid's uniform, had owned nothing of her own, had been treated like she was invisible.
Not anymore.
After nearly an hour, Sera had tried on over a dozen outfits. She stood in the middle of the store, wearing a casual outfit—designer jeans and a soft cream sweater—and looked at Nathan with slightly worried eyes.
"Nathan, this is too much. I can just pick one or two—"
"We'll take all of them," Nathan interrupted, addressing the attendants.
Sera's eyes went wide. "What? No, Nathan, you can't—"
"All of the dresses and outfits she tried on," Nathan continued, ignoring her protests. "Pack them up."
The attendants glanced at each other, professional masks barely hiding their surprise. "All of them, sir?"
"Every single one."
They moved immediately, gathering the clothes with practiced efficiency. Sera grabbed Nathan's arm. "Nathan, that's at least a dozen outfits. Do you have any idea how much that will cost?"
He just smiled. "Don't worry about it."
The attendants worked quickly, folding each piece carefully, wrapping them in tissue paper, and placing them in elegant shopping bags with the Luminère logo. As they worked, one of them calculated the total on a tablet.
Finally, she approached Nathan with the tablet extended. "Your total comes to thirty-three thousand, five hundred ten dollars and ninety-nine cents, sir."
Sera felt the blood drain from her face. Thirty-three thousand dollars. That was more than she'd made in three years working for the Nashville family. That was enough to live on for months, maybe even a year if you were careful.
Nathan didn't even flinch. He pulled out his phone—the one that Marie had apparently returned—and held it over the payment terminal. The NFC chip activated, and within seconds, the transaction was complete.
"Payment confirmed," the attendant said, her professional composure slipping slightly as she stared at the successful transaction. "Thank you very much, sir. Would you like these delivered, or—"
"We'll take them with us," Nathan said. He stood and walked over to where Sera stood frozen, her mouth slightly open in shock. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Ready to go?"
Sera looked up at him, her eyes swimming with confusion, gratitude, and a dozen other emotions she couldn't name. "Nathan, what's happening? Where did all this money come from? How can you just spend thirty-three thousand dollars like it's nothing?"
He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently. "Like I said—stroke of luck. Now come on. We've got more shopping to do."
"More?" Sera's voice came out as a squeak.
Nathan grinned and took several of the shopping bags from the attendants, leaving the rest for Sera to carry. "More. We haven't even gotten you shoes yet."
As they left Luminère, the attendants watched them go with new respect in their eyes. The security guards who'd judged them on entry would have no doubts about letting them return.
Nathan had just bought his way into a world he'd been excluded from his entire life. And he was bringing his sister with him.
- Writer
