Chapter 47

It was a week from Christmas and Thompson's Publishing was hosting a black and white themed party towelcome in the New Year with friends, family and clients. Everyone was welcomedto the party, friends of friends, families of clients and employees.

Jules had no idea what Ivy was going to wear to the party. So, she went out shopping with Andy and Sofi.

"What about this one?" Andy asked as she held out a cute black dress.

"No." Jules said "It's too frilly. I want something she'll be comfortable in."

"Like this?" Sofi asked.

Andy and Jules turned to look at Sofi who held out an A-cut white dress with only a tiny black belt on the waist. They all looked at Ivy - who was on Jules' hip - when she cooed at the dress. They all laughed.

"Guess we've found the dress." Sofi said

"Yes, we have" Jules said.

"Now let's pay for it and go get ours." Andy said

A few minutes later, they were in another boutique for women's clothing. Andy, Sofi and Jules were yet to get a dress to wear for the party.

"What do you think?" Sofi held out a white floral length dress that had too many ruffles.

Na-uh.

Jules thought.

"No." Andy voiced Jules' thoughts as she searched the racks

"Definitely not." Jules said.

Sofi sighed and put it back on the rack searching for something else.

"I think I've found mine." Andy said. Sofi and Jules turned to look at her.

She held out a black floral length dress with one shoulder hand, it looked simple but yet elegant.

Jules smiled.

"That's pretty." Sofi said, "You should try it on."

Andy gave a little squeal before she went to the dressing room to try it on.

"I think I've found something for you." Jules said to Sofi.

"Let me see it." Sofi made her way to her.

Jules pulled out a white dress from the rack and held it out for her to inspect. It looked like a wrap dress but it wasn't because of the band at the waist that held the front of the dress in place. It had a deep V cut at the neck and a sort of diamond brooch on the band at the side.

"I love it." Sofi said, smiling.

"Try it." Jules said pushing the dress into her.

Andy walked out a moment later and Jules stared at her.

"Oh. My. Goodness." She said

"I know right." Andy said as she looked at herself in the mirror "It fits perfectly."

Jules smiled.

"It does."

Sofi walked out then and caught sight of Andy.

"Oh. My. Goodness."

Jules smiled

"That's what I said." She turned to Sofi "Wow!"

Andy turned to Sofi

"Get. Out." She said, "You look freaking sexy."

Sofi smiled

"It's a New Year's party." She said as she walked to the mirror, Andy stepping aside for her "Need something to use to get me a good-looking man."

Andy and Jules rolled their eyes with a smile on their faces.

"I guess me too." Andy said and they both turned to her.

"Really?" Jules asked

"Yeah." She sighed "It's been three months since I broke up with Danny. I need to move on."

Sofi and Jules smiled at her. They were glad she had finally come around and decided to try seeing someone that wasn't Danny.

"Good for you." Sofi said

"Yeah," Andy said, more to herself than the both of them. "It's going to be good for me."

A moment passed and they both got changed and came out of the dressing room.

"Now it's your turn" Sofi said.

"I found something but it's a little big." Jules said.

"What colour is it?" Andy asked

"It's black." She replied, "I wanted to get something different because I wore a white dress to the Christmas party."

Andy and Sofi shared a look.

"Why don't you get an entirely different colour." Andy said

"Yeah." Sofi agreed "Like Red."

Jules turned to them.

"It's a black and white themed party. I can't show up being the only one in red."

"Yes, you can." Andy said as she went over to the rack and went through dresses after dresses trying to find the perfect one for her, Sofi following her lead while she waited for them.

"Found one!" Sofi called as she pulled out a dress from the rack.

Jules walked to her to see the dress.

"Hmm..."

"Wow. That's really pretty." Andy said as she took the dress from Sofi. "Looks big though."

"Excuse me?" Sofi called one of the workers.

"Can I help you?" She asked when she joined them.

"Yeah." Sofi said, "Can we get this dress in a smaller size?"

The lady looked at the dress with Andy and they told her the size they wanted it in which she went happily to get for them.

Wendy the worker lady came back with the dress and Jules couldn't lie, it looks amazing.

"Should I try it on?" She asked them

"Na-uh." They said.

"It's going to look perfect on you." Sofi said

"We have the perfect pair of heels to go with it." Wendy said.

They all got a pair of shoes and went to pay for them.

"Guys, I'm not sure about the dress." Jules said when they reached the counter

"We promise it's going to look good." Sofi said

"I know it is but the colour." She said

"So, what?" Andy said, "People would think you didn't get the memo."

"Just what I need." She sighed.

"Do you like the dress?" Andy asked

"I do, but..."

"No buts!" They both exclaimed.

"Debit card or cash?" The woman behind the counter asked

Jules reached into her purse for her debit card out

"Here." She gave them her card

"What?" Sofi asked

"Here's my card." She said in a 'duh' tone

"We don't need it." Andy said

"I don't want you guys paying for me." She said, "It's kind of...pricey."

"Who said anything about us paying." Sofi said, "Your man gave us his card."

"What?!"

Andy smiled as she collected the card from the lady waiting for the bags.

"I don't want to use his money."

"He didn't actually give us an option." Sofi said

Jules exhaled slowly.

"Fine." She said.

She was going to deal with him later.

"Thank you." Sofi said to the lady and turned to us "Let's go."

Andy checked the time.

"The party is in four hours." Andy said, "I'm never going to shop at the last minute."

"We still have time to grab a bite." Jules said

"A bite? Really. We need to go get ready." Sofi said, panicking.

Jules raised her brow at them. She was not one to take so much time to get ready. But she had to get Ivy ready. That would demand extra time.

"Sure." She said "Let me drop you off"

"No, we'll catch a cab." Andy said dropping the bag with her things in the front seat as she fastened Ivy into the car seat.

"Oh, c'mon let me drop you off." She urged them.

"Jules you have a few hours to get you and Ivy ready for the party. Just go home and get started." Sofi said

"Doesn't take much time to drop..."

"Taxi!" Sofi hailed a cab

"Bye Jules." Andy leaned into the back seat and kissed Ivy's cheek

"Byyy." Ivy said

"Bye honey." Sofi waved as she waited for Andy to get into the cab.

Jules waved at them.

"See you soon." She called before the car drove off.

They're a handful.

"Let's get you home." Jules said to Ivy

Ivy cooed and smiled.

Jules got into the car and drove off to Ceaser place.

Their place.

She needed to get used to saying that.

Hours later...

She was running late and she didn't like it one bit.

Ceaser had called to inform her that he wouldn't be able to pick her up. She had insisted on driving myself but he said he already sent Patrick for her and Ivy.

Jules was pacing the living room when she heard a car in the driveway.

"Let's go honey" She said as she picked Ivy up and balanced her on her hip, carried Ivy's bag and her clutch. She left the house and was glad for the automatic lock Ceaser had.

"Good evening Jules. Let me help you with that." Patrick said, smiling

"Thank you, Patrick." She said handing him Ivy's bag.

"Pa-chic" Ivy said

"Yes Ivy, Patrick" Jules said, heading to the car.

Patrick smiled as he opened the car door.

"Thank you." He handed her the bag after she got in with Ivy in her lap.

They were on their way and she started to get nervous. She was starting the New Year with Ivy, Ceaser, his parents, Sofi and Andy and a lot of other people she didn't know.

"Thank you." Jules said minutes later after Patrick helped her out of the car with Ivy's bag with him. Her phone rang.

"Yea?" She answered

"Where the heck are you?" Sofi's voice blared from the speaker

"Outside. I just got here."

"Okay," she said, "We're coming out."

Jules hung up and made her way up the stairs to the entrance. She walked through the double doors into the hallway leading to the hall which Andy and Sofi came through. They stopped when they spotted her.

Jules walked towards them

"What?" She asked.

Silence.

"Wow." They both said.

Jules' gown had a thin strap and a v neck dipping a little low with a thick bodice that fitted her perfectly before it fell to the floor from her waist, a slit ran from her ankle up till her thigh.

"You sure it isn't too much?" She asked

"Na-uh." Sofi said

"We are going to break hearts tonight, including you Ivy." Andy said, "And Ceaser's going to fall in love with you all over again."

Jules blushed.

"Well let's get in there." Andy took Ivy from her and as Jules reached to take the bag from Patrick, Sofi beat her to it

"Give me that." Jules said to Sofi "You guys are meant to have fun tonight and not be on baby duty."

"Ivy is fun to be with." Sofi said

Jules couldn't argue with that but tonight was different.

"Besides we rarely get to play with her." Andy said.

Jules' brow rose at Andy.

"Ok, maybe we do but we want to be with her tonight."

"Let's go find your man." Sofi said.

Jules smiled at them as we all walked into the hall.

"Thanks."

Then it all happened in slow motion. As they stepped into the hall, all eyes turned to them and Jules wanted the ground to open up and suck her right in.

How many people were here?

"Is it just me or is everyone staring?" Sofi asked

"Yea. Well, who can blame 'em" Andy said "Jules just walked in."

"It can't be me." Jules said "It's one of you guys."

"Oh shush." Sofi said "You don't see either of us wearing something that stands out"

"Wh-what?" Jules turned to them "You guys told me it would be fine."

"Well, you shouldn't listen to everything we say." Andy smiled at her

"Ugh." Jules rolled her eyes

She was like a wolf in the midst of sheep.

"Oh goodness." She mumbled, "I think I'm going back home." Jules turned back to leave.

"Whoa" They both stopped me "Let's get you something to drink."

Ivy cooed and Jules smiled at her in Andy's arms. It made her forget everything for a second as they pulled her through the ocean of people towards the open bar.

"We'll have one glass of stork club and two island breeze." Andy said to the bartender

"Coming right up." He said and got to it.

Jules scanned the crowd for Ceaser or anyone familiar.

"Here you go." The bartender said a moment later placing the drinks in front of them.

"Thanks." They said and began drinking.

"Feel better?" Sofi asked

"Maybe after a few more glasses." Jules smiled.

Jules stayed till she finished her drink.

"I got to go look for Ceaser." She said

"Sure." "Alright." They said.

She placed a kiss on Ivy's cheek before she left making her way through the crowd.