The Makeover (27 page)

She swallowed
and walked to the closet to grab her shoulder bag.  “Uh, I guess we’re
friends, like you said.”  Her heart thundered in her core as she told
herself to be grateful she had such a gorgeous, sexy, helpful, kind…
friend
.

Paulo walked
over to Phoenix and placed a hand on her arm.  Startled, she flinched,
dropping the bag.  “I think,” Paulo said, leaning into her, “that you’re
getting past the point of being my friend.  Don’t you agree, Phoenix?”

She
gulped. 
He’s not interested in me.  No way! I mean we have
so-called breakfast dates every morning.  We haven’t been dating for real,
though, have we?  Phoenix don’t get carried away thinking—

“Did I ever
tell you that I love your eyes?  I found myself thinking about them all
day.”  Paulo reached down to grab her hand.

“What?” Phoenix
blinked.  “What?”

Paulo chuckled. 
“Why are you so surprised?  I was complimenting your pretty eyes.”

“Uh—” Phoenix
turned away.  If this was some kind of joke, she could not bear to be the
punch line.  “What is this, some kind of self-esteem building aspect of
our work together?”

And just like
that, the moment was gone.

Paulo tilted
his head, even as he rolled his eyes.  “It is so hard for you to accept a
compliment?”

“No.  It’s
just hard for me to
believe
a compliment.”

“I know,” Paulo
said quietly, looking down.  “But I did mean it.  I meant everything
I said.”

“You meant
everything you said, but I still can’t figure out what you’re saying,” Phoenix
quipped.

“I am saying I
love your eyes.”

Silence.

“I am saying
that I thought about your eyes…thought about you all day.”

A sigh.

“I am saying
that I like you as more than a client…and more than a friend.”

A gasp.

“And I am
saying that we should talk about this later.”

A groan.

“Let me get
your bag,” Paulo said as he bent to retrieve it, and its spilled contents, from
the ground.  He was filled with joy.  “You
do
own a Bible!”

Phoenix
grinned.  “Is that what you were scanning my bookshelves for so
carefully?  Of course I own a Bible!  Who doesn’t?  I just put
it in my bag earlier so I wouldn’t forget it.”

Paulo grabbed
her hand.  “It’s a good start.”

Paulo’s Bible
study group consisted of seven other people from his church.  There was
Sven, a middle-aged Swedish man and
Kwi
, his Nigerian
wife.  There was Mariana, Paulo’s cousin and her husband
João
, as well as their young adult daughter Giovanna. 
Also, Phoenix was surprised to discover that Cara and James, the mid-thirties
couple, lived in her own building.

They had
blessed the food, and what Paulo called “fellowshipped” together, while eating
the sliced fruit and veggies, blue corn tortilla chips, various dips, mini
quiches, and whole grain veggie quesadillas.  Following the time of
refreshments, Paulo began to read from the Song of Solomon, Chapter one.

“Please,
everyone let us turn to Song of Solomon—also known as the Song of Songs. 
The Lord laid this scripture on me this morning, during my prayer and study
time.  I know it represents the way the Lord sees romantic love between a
man and a woman, leading from courtship and later marriage.  It is also
believed to be a parable that represents God’s love for His people Israel and
also Christ’s relationship to His Church.  The Spirit laid it on my heart
that we should study these verses tonight as well.”

“I
love
Song
of Solomon,”
Kwi
breathed, glancing lovingly at her
husband.

“Me too,”
Giovanna sighed.  “I only wish the Lord will see fit to send me a husband
who sees me as Solomon sees his
Shulamite
wife.”

“Which is how
Christ sees his church,” Mariana added, “just as Paulo said.”

Phoenix could not
wait to see what the fuss was about.

After Paulo
asked Sven to lead the group in prayer that the Spirit of God would edify and
touch each member of the group, teaching each what they needed to learn, Paulo
read.

His eyes fell
on Phoenix before he read the passage from the Young Woman, in chapter one,
verses five and six, “I am dark but beautiful, O women of Jerusalem— dark as
the tents of
Kedar
, dark as the curtains of Solomon’s
tents.  Don’t stare at me because I am dark— the sun has darkened my
skin….” After reading from chapter one, Paul scanned the room, before bringing
a searing gaze back to Phoenix.  “I love this passage.  I especially
love how the young woman tells the women of Jerusalem that she is dark from
working in the fields, but she is still beautiful.  I love that. 
  She reminds me of my
mãe
,
who is very dark-skinned. 
Mãe
is so dark, her skin almost looks blue.  But she is beautiful and no one
can tell her otherwise.   I wish more dark-skinned women felt that
way about themselves.”

Phoenix’s
stomach twisted as she held his gaze.

It wasn’t until
Mariana cleared her throat that Paulo began reading from the text again.

But even as her
ears listened to his lilting, accented voice reading the scriptures, her eyes
remained on the words “I am dark, but beautiful.”

Following a
discussion about Godly love, Phoenix continued to “fellowship” with the
group.  She spoke briefly to Mariana, who explained that she and her
family had just moved from California to assist Paulo in opening a second
fitness center in New Jersey, where they lived, within the following
year.  Giovanna was also studying Nutritional Sciences at Rutgers, and
would follow in her
Tio
Paulo’s
footsteps, becoming co-director upon her graduation.  She spoke to Sven
and
Kwi
, IT Specialists who had lived in London until
the previous year.  Phoenix liked all of them.

Phoenix learned
that James was a Marketing Consultant who also ran a non-profit, Christian
organization for troubled teens.  She and Cara, however, bonded right
away, becoming instant friends.

“Girl, I have
heard so much about you!” Cara said, reaching over to give Phoenix a hug after
she and James had finished talking.  “How was the study?  Paulo
didn’t twist your arm to get you here, did he?”

At first,
Phoenix was taken aback at Cara’s open affection, but then she relaxed when she
realized how much she enjoyed it.  “Uh, yeah, you could say that. 
And I mean that literally.”

Cara waved a
hand.  “You ain’t got to tell me.  He is me and my husband, James’s,
best friend.  We know how he gets down.  He doesn’t play about two
things:  God and exercise.”  After a quick laugh, Cara gestured at
herself.  “I guess he got one down, one to go.”

Phoenix eyed
the beautiful woman, who was the same height as she and at least twenty pounds
heavier.  Phoenix guessed her to be a size twenty or twenty-two to her own
new size fourteen.  What amazed Phoenix, as she stared at the extremely
pretty Latina woman, was how her size did not hinder her beauty in any
way.  Cara’s hair cut was sleek and sassy, a feather-style that framed her
round face.  She wore a light gray eye shadow, a hint of blush and a
pretty lip gloss.  Her dress, a long empire-cut pink maxi dress, flattered
her busty, round frame.  She wore a cropped, sleeveless, leather jacket
over the dress that gave it the right amount of pop.  Her costume necklace
and bangles bore tiny crystals that caught the light at a thousand angles, and
her matching earrings grazed her shoulders.  She was sexy, stylish, and
sleek. 

She was
full-figured and gorgeous.

And Phoenix had
no idea how Cara managed to look so good.

James, Cara’s
husband, was a big and tall dude, African-American, at least six-two and a good
two hundred seventy pounds.  His caramel-hued, bearded face, topped by his
shiny bald head, reminded Phoenix of rap mogul
Suge
Knight. 

“Let me tell
you,
Chica
,
I had no idea you lived in
our building!  When Paulo mentioned how he was working with someone from
our spot, and he tried to describe you, I had no idea who you were.  Now
that you’re here, I realize I have seen you before.  You used to hang out
with that tall, Indian-looking guy right?”

Surprised,
Phoenix nodded.  “That was my ex-fiancé.”

“Oh okay, well,
sorry it didn’t work out.  But everything happens for a reason.  God
is in control.” Cara smirked.

Phoenix nodded
again, not knowing what to say.

“So how do you
like working with Paulo?  He’s been trying to help me and James get in
shape for the longest, but with our new baby, James trying to finish his MBA,
and me starting a business, it’s been hard.”

“Oh, what kind
of business?”

Cara ran a hand
through her hair.  “I run an online beauty and fashion blog and magazine
for plus-size women,
Chica
.  It’s been
great.  I used to work as a fashion buyer for a plus size fashion chain,
but my husband hated my being away so often.  When I realized I didn’t
need to have tons of start-up money like I would need for a print magazine, I
asked myself why not?  James had been waiting ages for me to be ready to
start a family.  I prayed on it, and the Lord gave me a release to start
this business.  It’s been wonderful!  I work from home.  I get
to raise my son while still making an income.  Best of all, I get to keep
all the free samples the plus-size designers send me, not to mention the makeup,
shoes, and accessories galore!  More and more women are subscribing every
day and I get to work toward my ultimate dream freely.”

“What’s that?”
Phoenix asked, in awe of the energy this woman emitted from her every pore.

“I want to
design clothes for women like us.  Funky, youthful, chic clothes for
plus-size women and teens that don’t make us look twenty years older, like some
of the clothes they sell us out there.  Just because you may wear a size
fourteen or twenty-four, don’t mean you can’t look trendy!”  Cara’s eyes
scanned Phoenix quickly before she averted her gaze.

“I agree with
you,” Phoenix said slowly, wondering what Cara saw when she had scanned the
outfit she had on.  “I always
want
to look nice, but can’t ever
figure out what to wear.”

“Girl, say no
more,” Cara exclaimed, with twinkling eyes.  “We live in the same
building, right?  I am on the eighth floor, you?” Cara asked, as she waved
goodbye to Sven and
Kwi
.

“Sixth, why?”

“’Cause I got plenty
of clothes, more clothes I know what to do with.  I know you’re working
out with Paulo and that’s fantastic, but there is nothing wrong with looking
your best
now. 
Let me give you a makeover.  Now, I am not
saying this to offend you, but—”

“Are you
serious?” Phoenix’s eyes began a tremble that matched the ones on her lips.

“Listen, I’m
sorry if I said something to—”

Phoenix was
already shaking her head.  “No, please don’t apologize.  I know I
need some help.  Are you serious?  Are you actually offering to help
me?”  Before she could stop herself, she grabbed Cara’s hand and
squeezed. 

“Yes, that’s
what I’m saying,” Cara laughed as she squeezed back.  “What are you? About
a sixteen…fourteen sometimes?  I get samples in all sizes.  I like to
feature fashion for various sizes and shapes of plus-sized women—pear-shaped
like me, apple-shaped, triangular-shaped—all types!  I have a bunch of
clothes I can’t fit into that I usually give away to friends or donate to our
church.  They are samples for photographs, so the designers don’t ask for
them back because they are getting free advertising.  I have a trusty
sewing machine, so anything that needs to be altered, I can do it right there—”

“Are you
serious?” Phoenix repeated, louder this time.

“Oh yeah! 
Of course I am.  Why do you keep asking me that?”

Phoenix was
overcome.  “First Paulo, now you?  It’s like God is answering my
prayers left and right…at least most of them.  I just can’t believe you
would offer me your help.”  Phoenix looked down.  “But the thing is,
paying my way through grad school, I am not sure how much I can pay you for—”

Cara placed one
hand on a round, thick hip and let her neck do the talking.  “Uh, excuse
me,
Chica
.
  Did I offer you
services
or did I offer you help?  I ain’t ask you for no money!  I said I
got clothes I can
give
you that I have lying around my house. 
These are clothes designers and stores sent me
for free
that I am
willing to
freely
pass on to you.  Who said anything about money?”

“Now I am sorry
I offended you,” Phoenix said with a grin.

“Yeah, well
don’t let it happen again.  I am a Christian, not a door mat. 
Anyway, I want you to meet my friend, too,” Cara continued, with a slowly
remerging grin.  “She is this Dominican girl I know.  She works for
my mom at her salon.  She does weaves, braids, and also regular styles and
cuts.  For a small amount of cash, she could hook you up!”

“Really?”

“She did my
hair cut for like thirty dollars.  Because of my mom, she didn’t want to
charge, but the Lord wanted me to pay her what I owed, so I paid.  Either
way, this cut
coulda
been, like, way more than that
somewhere else.  I am telling you, she is the bomb!”

“I would love
to get my hair done.  I stopped going to my own hair dresser ‘cause she is
so expensive and me and my ex were going through a tough time and I couldn’t
afford it.”

“Well I got a
solution for you, Girl, but we’ll talk about it later.  Can you make it
tomorrow?”