Chapter 390

• I get up with renewed vigor the next morning. I’ve slept better than I have for days, and somehow, I’m more able to cope. I eat and wave Sarah off to work, telling her I have a day off to prepare for the gala. It’s not a complete lie as I intend to get ready in grand fashion, going to lengths I’ve never bothered with before. Wilma is right; a good dress and a girly night with Leila will help. Something she taught me on the yacht was that pampering is an enjoyable girly pursuit and can almost fool you into believing you don’t have a broken heart. She also told me that a good night with a girlfriend can change your whole outlook on life. I intend to follow Leila’s example.
• I manage to book an appointment at a beauty salon for just after noon, and I will have the works: nails, hair, waxing, and make-up. I have a room full of people to impress who have seen nothing but gaunt and lifeless Emma for weeks. Carrero Senior will be there, and I want to regain some of my pride in front of him. This event means so much more than a night of fun for me; it’s a chance to save face and present my old self again, Emma, reborn as who she used to be.
• I spend the morning trying on dresses and finally settle on a long, slinky, red dress. It clings to every curve with a low-cut back, corseted front, no straps and falls in a pool of fabric on the floor. At Jake’s request, Donna had chosen this dress for an elegant banquet weeks ago that we never attended. She’s his personal shopper and shops for anything he needs on demand. His Armani tux was sent back, but this was mine to keep. Jake never expected me to return anything bought for me; always generous to a fault. I find the shoes to match in the pile of unopened boxes in my bathroom. Donna’s gone for Hollywood glam, vintage heels in matching red satin. Jake always said red suited me, and I hope he’s right. It’s a color I’ve only worn once … at his insistence on that damn yacht.