After the third off-key karaoke song, Kit stood on his chair and declared that I looked "emotionally drained but fashionably neglected."
"We are going to Harrods," Kit announced, pointing his spatula at me. "And we aren't leaving until the delivery trucks have to make three separate trips to the Watson estate."
"I don't need clothes, guys," I laughed, looking down at Keifer's oversized shirt. "I'm actually quite comfortable."
"Baby," Keifer said, his voice dropping into that smooth, protective tone that always made my heart skip. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me into his side. "If you want to wear my shirts for the rest of your life, I'm okay with that. But Yuri touched your things. He touched your luggage. I want it all gone. I want you surrounded by things that have never been near him."
My heart melted. Total Green Forest move. He wasn't just buying me clothes; he was erasing the trauma.
"Okay, hubby," I whispered. "But no karaoke machines."
The Convoy
The trip to Harrods looked like a presidential motorcade. Six black armored SUVs, a dozen security guards, and the ten loudest boys in London.
When we arrived, the manager was already waiting at the door, sweating through his expensive suit. He knew when Section E arrived, things either got very expensive or very broken. Usually both.
"Clear the floor," Keifer commanded as we stepped inside. He didn't even look at the manager. He just kept his hand firmly on the small of my back, guiding me toward the designer wing."All of it?" the manager stammered.
"Did I stutter?" Keifer's eyes turned cold for a split second—the 'Monster' peeked out just to make sure the man moved faster.
The Fashion Show
"Okay, weify! Sit!" Moya pushed me into a plush velvet chair and handed me a glass of champagne.
Then, the chaos began.
Kit, C in, and Denzel turned into personal shoppers from hell. They were running through the aisles, grabbing dresses, shoes, and bags like they were on a game show.
"Too plain!" Kit yelled, tossing a $5,000 silk dress over his shoulder.
"Too much like something a librarian would wear!" C in added, throwing a tweed jacket at Erdix, who was busy trying to find the store's Wi-Fi password.
Keifer sat next to me, looking bored with the world but intensely focused on me. Every time I tried on an outfit, I'd walk out and do a little spin.
"What do you think, babe?" I asked, wearing a deep emerald green gown that cost more than a suburban house.
Keifer's eyes darkened, a slow smirk spreading across his face. "I think I want to buy the company that made that dress just so nobody else can ever wear it."
He likes it!" Keiran cheered from the shoe section, where he was currently trying to see if he could fit his foot into a glass slipper.
The Teasing and the Totals
"Hey, hubby!" Moya came sprinting over, holding up a tiny, lacy black set of... well, it wasn't exactly a dress. "Do you think this fits the 'Green Forest' vibe, or is this more for the 'Monster' hours?"
The boys erupted. Calix and Felix started howling, while David pretended to faint
I turned bright red, burying my face in my hands. "Moya! Put that back!"
Keifer didn't even flinch. He reached out, took the lace item from Moya's hand, and handed it to the manager. "Add it to the pile. In every color you have."
"KEIFER!" I gasped, hitting his arm.
"What, honey?" he said, looking completely innocent. "You need options
Options for what?" Kit chirped, leaning over the back of my chair. "Options for making sure the 'Do Not Disturb' light stays on for another twenty-four hours?"
"One more word, Kit," Keifer warned, though he was fighting a smile. "And I'm making you walk home."
The "All of It" Moment
By the end of the two hours, the "pile" wasn't a pile anymore. It was a mountain. There were shoes, bags, jewelry, and enough dresses to clothe a small nation.
The manager approached Keifer, his iPad trembling. "Sir, the total is... well, it's quite significant."
Keifer didn't even look at the screen. He pulled out a solid gold credit card—the kind that doesn't have a limit because the bank is basically owned by the family.
"Just swipe it," Keifer said. "And I want it all delivered to the mansion within the hour. If one button is missing, I'm buying the store and firing everyone except the guy who made the pancakes this morning."
"Wait, babe," I said, pointing to a beautiful, simple sundress in the corner. "I didn't try that one on."
"Don't worry, weify," C in said, patting my shoulder. "We bought that too. And the rack it was hanging on. And the mannequin."
The Departure
As we walked out, the boys were still teasing us. Moya was trying to wear a woman's sun hat, and Keiran was carrying a bag of expensive chocolates he'd "borrowed" from the cafe.
I leaned into Keifer's side as we reached the car. "You really didn't have to do all that, hubby."
He stopped, turning me to face him. He ignored the boys' whistling and the cameras of the paparazzi who had gathered outside. He cupped my face, his thumb softly stroking the spot where the bruise was almost gone.
"I told you, baby," he whispered, his voice thick with that protective Green Forest love. "I want the world to know you're pampered. I want you to have so many beautiful things that there's no room left in your head for the ugly memories. You're my weify. You deserve the moon, but for today, Harrods will have to do."
"I love you, babe," I whispered, standing on my tiptoes to kiss him.
"GET A ROOM!" Section E screamed in unison, jumping into their SUVs.
"WE ALREADY HAD ONE FOR TWELVE HOURS!" Keifer yelled back, making me scream in embarrassment as he lifted me into the car.