A MONTH after the last of my scars healed, Kelvin decided to throw me a party. Of course, I declined when he told me of his plan, so we settled on going to the club to celebrate my newly healed body. I backed down as the day grew closer so we postponed it over and over again. Although I felt brand new and reborn, I couldn't help being nervous and terrified at the idea of being in a large gathering surrounded by so many people. Kelvin wouldn't bulge though, he wanted me out of my comfort zone and there was nothing I could do about it. Apparently that was one of his grand ideas of self-discovery.

I chewed on my nails as I stared into space and thought of something to wear. The day was drawing near and I still had most of my old clothes which were now very loose on me. I was several dress sizes down and I had nothing manageable to wear to the club. We had a new date planned for the outing and I knew it was compulsory for me to go on a shopping spree for clothes. I had terrible taste in clothes so I needed an intervention. I didn't want to go to the mall on my own and end up with the usual style of clothing I got at the maternity section.

As the clock struck 5 p.m. I took my handbag and rushed out of the office. Kelvin was already by the car leaning casually against it like he was in the middle of a photo shoot and his face brightened when he saw me.

"Hey, Fatimah."

"Hey," I replied.

"So how was work today?" he asked as I threw him the car keys.

"You're driving and work wasn't fine. I've too many things to do with too little time."

"Doesn't everyone?" Kelvin asked.

I sat in the passenger seat and he drove out of the car park. He honked to say goodbye to the security man.

"That's not Dwayne."

"He's a new employer."

"And you're friends with him already."

"I'm friends with everyone."

"You don't say," I said, sarcastically.

"So, are we still going to the club this weekend?" he asked, turning down the volume of the radio as an afro pop was blasting out of the radio.

"Yes but I don't have anything to wear so I have to go shopping soon."

"I'm coming with you."

"You don't have to." It was going to be embarrassing and I didn't want him with me.

"I've seen your clothes and trust me, you need my help. In short, you should beg for my help."

"I'll ask Seye. I think the girls will handle it better," I said, playfully.

"That's sexist."

"Is it?"

"Don't you see how Seye dresses? She hates girl's clothing, I on the other hand know everything I need to know about fashion. It's my forte, I used to dress my sisters when we were kids."

"There are attendants in the stores that can assist us so we'll be fine."

"Well, I offered."

"And it's appreciated. Why don't we shift this clubbing to your birthday, it's soon right?"

"Right, but we're not doing that. I want you to meet new people and Alex is planning something for my birthday already."

"You can't blame me for trying. Apart from the office, I don't think I've been to enough places. It's scary out there, don't you know?"

"I know the club is not your thing so if it doesn't work out we'll try the libraries where nerds like you are bound to be."

"I'm not a nerd."

He raised his eyebrows at that and laughed. "It's nothing to be ashamed about, embrace it."

"Not ashamed, just correcting you."

"I wasn't wrong."

"Hmm." I didn't have the nerdy look, my eyes were still 20/20 vision so I didn't need glasses. My dress sense was the only problem and that was going to change soon.

AS THE MALL building got in our view, I looked over to Seye for reassurance. Instead, she blew a bubble from her chewing gum and cheered herself.

"You're such a child," I said.

"Guh-guh-gah-gah, bitch."

"You're a clown too." I shook my head.

"Let's do this," she said as I drove into the mall. "Shall we?"

"Uh-huh," I said in affirmation. I found a good spot for the car and we walked inside the mall.

"I know a boutique at Lekki that my sisters always gush about."

"Why are you just saying that? We would have gone there instead."

"I'm sorry, skipped my mind. We can find something here, that'll be the backup if we don't get something nice here."

It was like we both planned our outfits because I was wearing a shapeless, faded, black dress and Seye was wearing baggy shorts and shirt. It was easy to see we didn't care much about our appearances. We took an escalator and I sighed when we spotted the women's store on the third floor of the mall. We entered the store and was met by a sales rep. She was in a plain starched white shirt tucked into a skimpy skirt.

"How may I help you?" the sales rep. asked nicely.

"We want trendy clothes, really fashionable and chic," Seye spoke before I could answer.

"You've come to the right place. Follow me," the attendant said.

She took us to the trendy sections and I shoved clothes aside as I looked through the rack. I got suggestions from the sales rep and I picked the clothes she selected. After few minutes of shopping, Seye's hands were loaded with clothes, from bodysuits to jeans, designers to basic, overly expensive to affordable and we were not done yet.

"Do you like this?" I asked coming out of the changing room.

"It suits you but it's a size too large," Seye said about a sundress.

"I'll exchange it for a smaller size then. I'm thirsty and tired, can we go home?" I took a seat beside her and drained the glass of orange juice on the table.

"That should be my line, I'm the one carrying your clothes. You haven't picked out swimsuits and undies yet and you only picked casual clothes, what about office wears?"

"Oh no, we can shop online. I'm beat." I was closed to tears.

"We are here now so let's just finish up and never return till next year or next century."

"When you put it like that, it makes it more bearable."

I went back to the changing room to try out the clothes I picked. The sales rep came in and added to the pile and I sighed. Never in my life had I shopped this much, usually I stuck with the neutral colors as they didn't call attention to my obese form. There wasn't much style to shop from anyway in the maternity section.

I had trouble zipping one of the gowns and I poked my head out of the curtain to ask for Seye's help, she stood lazily and joined me in the changing room. When she noticed the untouched pile of clothing on the bench she grimaced.

"Gosh, we are really doing this."

"I asked to leave, but you wanted me to shop for a lifetime. I need help with the zip."

"I got you."

"That's it, thanks," I said when the zip of the red dress went up.

"I'll be outside if you need anything."

"Alright."

I finished trying on the clothes after adding blazers and some silk shirts in the pile for work. I paid for the clothes and we left the store with several shopping bags. Seye carried more than half and I was left with the rest. It was a miracle our arms didn't fall off from all the load. We dumped them in the boot and stuffed some at the backseat. Seye wanted pizza so I went with her to a pizza shop as she ordered for a plate. We were asked to wait while it cooked and we got frozen yogurt before sitting around a table.

"You're awfully quiet, what's the matter?" Seye asked.

"Just tired. I ache all over, I need a soak in the tub," I replied.

"We have to get you ready for tonight. Are you excited?"

"Sincerely, no."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. I'm kind of nervous."

"It's fine, only a little bit of partying."

"You're joining me, right?"

"Of course. I need to get home first, get some clothes and go back to yours to help you get ready."

"You've done enough today already, I think I can handle this. You go home and relax, we'll meet at the club later this evening."

We devoured the pizza as it arrived and left the mall. I dropped Seye off in her house and went home. I dragged my feet as I entered the house and fell on the couch to rest for few minutes before going back to the car to get the shopping bags. It took three trips to get the bags from the car, it could have been more but I was lifting four bags in each hand.

I hung the clothes in the closet as quickly as I could and arranged the shoes in a shoe rack. My old clothes were discarded on the bed so I folded them and placed them in the shopping bags. I shoved the bag into one section of my closet. I had to get rid of them.