Pure Redemption (Tainted Legacy) Read Free Page B

color therapy. And if anyone’s mood needs to be lifted, it’s yours,” Julia informed her. She held up a lemon yellow pair of shorts.
    Ava took them from her and held them to her friend’s waist.
    Julia gasped. “Not for me!” she cried making Ava laugh because she knew this already and had only been teasing. “ These are for me,” Julia said, holding up a pair of khaki shorts that would surely come to her knees. “These,” she said as she pointed at the short, yellow pair, “are for you.”
    “Aw,” Ava said, “they would be super cute on you, though.” She tried passing them off to Julia once more.
    Julia shook her head, looking startled. “No. No way. I could never,” she gazed at them a moment, as if contemplating but then firmly shoved them back to her friend. “I could never pull those off.”
    “Come on, Julia, live a little,” Molly urged. She held up the shorts, appraising them. “I realize they’re short but I promise you’re not going to contract pneumonia or anything.”
    Ava was surprised that Julia looked like she was possibly considering.
    “No,” she finally sighed. “But I think Ava should get this.” She held up another sundress, coral this time. “The color would be fabulous on you.”
    Ava shrugged. “It would look good on you too. It would really bring out your eyes.”
    The dress was short with thin strips. Not necessarily skimpy but far too skimpy for Julia’s taste. Ava could swear she looked at it longingly for just a moment but the moment passed in a blink.
    “I couldn’t.” She looked appalled at even considering it.
    Ava took it from her. “I will then. And if you ever want to borrow it, it’s yours.”
    “Good choice Ava,” Molly added on. “These vibrant colors compliment your lovely olive skin tone and that gorgeous dark hair of yours. Which means they compliment my skin tone and hair, too,” she said as she dramatically flicked a strand of her long, dark, curly hair over her shoulder. “Which means my wardrobe just grew because I’m for sure planning on borrowing just about everything you buy.” She frowned. “Except you’ve got to stop losing weight. I had a hard enough time squeezing into your clothes before. Pretty soon, nothing of yours is going to fit me.”
    Ava smiled. The action felt almost foreign to her and she decided her friends were right. She needed to work harder at pulling herself out of the gloominess that she had become entangled in. By no means did that mean that she was over Gabe or that she was going to forget about him but Julia was right. Gabe would want her to be happy. She was sure of it. And while being happy might not be obtainable yet, she could at least work at not being so miserable.
     
    ***
     
    Several shopping bags later they were on their way down to the riverfront.
    Julia had been insistent that she try on everything first. She’d gone into a dressing room and her friends had handed one thing after another over the door. Then they’d had to approve each item. She’d then returned the favor as Julia and Molly picked out a few things for themselves.
    By the time she was done, she was feeling better. Molly had been right. Shopping had been therapeutic. Of course, it wasn’t the spending of money that felt so good. It was that fact that she was doing something normal. Something fun. Something that at any other time, she would’ve enjoyed.
    Molly was satisfied that Ava had purchased multiple tops, two sundresses, a pair of shorts and even a new bikini. She had faltered at the choice of swimwear but her friends were both persistent.
    Sometimes it just made sense to not argue.
    After the first boutique, Molly had ushered her into another. Ava was also now in possession of a new pair of sandals and an extra pair of sunglasses because Molly insisted she needed them. Fortunately, the money had run out after that and the shopping excursion was complete.
    To her astonishment, she was almost enjoying herself. Perhaps it was