Over the past several months, I had bought the clothes gradually. I was not someone who spent freely on herself. I often felt guilty buying something I needed, which is an unhelpful habit when your ordinary pants stop fitting. I had bought trousers one month, a cardigan the next, and dresses when I found a sale.
By October, I had spent about $1,380. I knew the amount because I had kept the receipts with my maternity leave paperwork.
One of the dresses mattered more to me than the others. It was sage green, with a flowing skirt, soft fabric, and a small belt above the waist. I had found it online in August and kept it in my cart for several days before deciding to buy it.
I had booked a maternity photo session beside a lake for October 24. I wanted pictures of myself looking like myself, not in scrubs after a long shift. I wanted something I could show Nora someday. The dress was the one I had pictured wearing.
