05: I Thought About You

Cora was walking through the Domain shopping area with Jocelyn and Edra, Cora's closest friends. Both were doctors at Seton specializing in cardiovascular procedures. Edra was shopping for an upcoming formal Dell event she would attend with her fiance. Cora and Jocelyn were along for the ride.

Cora felt like she was most certainly out of her depth. "Edra, what are we looking for?"

"Oh, formal dress, but not a gown, and shoes." Edra laughed jovially. "Jay's treating me, he just doesn't know it yet!"

Jocelyn rolled her eyes. "Well, that must be nice! We're still paying off Brett's latest four-wheeled toy. How about you, Cora? Buying or looking?"

Cora laughed. "You're kidding right?! I'm pretty sure I can't even afford to look."

The women stopped outside a dress boutique. "Cora, are you still planning on leaving us?" Edra raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I'm looking into some options. I just feel like I've stalled a little bit. But I won't hear from the programs until early spring."

Jocelyn shot Edra a quick look. "Well, the hospital 'Casino Night' is in a few weeks. Are you coming? Bringing someone?"

"! I'm coming, it's for charity. Of course, I'm coming. But, Edra, Joce, ."

Edra pulled no punches. "Come on, Cora, you're almost 29, you barely go out, you've got half the nurses in a twist, gay and straight!"

Cora grimaced. "Yeah, dating a nurse worked out well for me. I had to change rotations for after Erin."

"Cora, that was a ago and Erin was just a little over zealous. She wasn't necessarily wrong about you two. You made sense together. It's time to get you back out there."

"How about we get Edra a dress that will leave Jay gasping for air first?"

Edra and Jocelyn sighed in temporary defeat but also happily refocused their energy to an intense period of dress shopping. By late morning, Edra had successfully found a stunning gold mid-thigh Marc Jacobs formal dress.

Edra grinned in victory. "Ladies, I'm starving, but shoes first then food?"

Joycelyn responded without hesitation, "Duh! I think there's a new shop around the corner. It's supposed to be the 'shoes for the ultra discriminating' so, ultra expensive."

Edra smiled wickedly. "I'm sure there's no harm in looking? Right?"

----

Cora strolled along with Edra and Jocelyn, enjoying the energy and fun of the morning. As they approached the shoe boutique, Cora's step slowed and she paused. Cora blinked, looking at the name on the window, speaking it softly in recognition. "Basilio."

Edra stood, holding the door open. "Coming?"

"Oh. Yes, I just saw something." Cora grimaced. "Nothing I could afford I'm sure."

Cora walked into the small space, and Edra and Jocelyn were already browsing the shoes. The two sales women were eyeing up the three and easily identified Edra as the serious shopper. Jocelyn drew some attention but Cora was rightfully dismissed as a window shopper.

Edra moved over to Cora. "Oh my God! They're beautiful." She was practically drooling. "So this isn't really a shoe store. They're a special order boutique. Sized, fitted, and handmade for you."

Cora smiled, whispering softly, "How bad is it?"

"Well, you could probably feed a small country, but it might be worth it. Four digits up to 5."

Cora's eyes widened but she held in the gasp. She knew that Jay wouldn't blink at the cost, especially for Edra. She smiled with compassion, knowing that her friend was struggling with the gluttony of the purchase. "Edra, think of the joy you'll bring to Jay when he sees you. How his heart will fill when all the 'big shots' at Dell see his beautiful, heart-surgeon fiance. ."

Edra grinned like a kid in a candy shop. "You're the best, Cora!" She kissed her lightly on the cheek before she moved back over to the sales woman.

"Hey, I'm going to walk back to Tory Burch. Are you okay to stay with Edra or do you want to walk with me?"

"I'll stay here, Joce. I'll text you when she's done and we can eat, I'm starving!" Cora moved around and browsed the shoes, looking carefully at the detail. She didn't quite see what Edra did but she appreciated the craftsmanship in the shoes.

----

Zola entered the boutique from the back. Her daily routines sometimes required her to move between the storefront location and the design & build offices in an industrial space. Their Austin location served five boutiques: Austin, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, and Charlotte.

" (good morning), Leah. Just stopping in to make sure you have everything you need for the displays. How has business been?"

"Good, Zola. January and February, so balls and galas in Austin. Everyone wants foot candy."

Zola smiled. "Let's hope so." Zola's boutique was a new player in the game but the market was strong in Austin and there was no shortage of money and elite. "I'm just going to take a quick look around before I head over to the offices."

Leah nodded. "I'll be right out. Rachel's helping a customer now."

Zola stepped into the front of the boutique and saw Rachel on the small loveseat speaking with a woman taking her through a fitting and timeline for delivery. Her eyes moved to another woman who appeared to be browsing.

Seeing only the back of the woman, Zola thought she looked familiar. Her eyes dropped to her feet and she followed the line of the woman from heels to head: Out of the box boots, 3" heel, fitted wool blend grey slacks covering slim-to-tone legs, long-sleeve cream cowl-neck sweater, brown, layered, shoulder-length hair. When the woman turned to make eye contact with the customer on the sofa, Zola recognized Cora Sims and her heart hiccuped in her chest.

Zola glanced back over to the woman getting fitted and she internally speculated about their relationship. She was surprised at how unsettled she felt as she moved over to the chaplain. She noticed that even after almost two years, the smell of the sandalwood on her skin was familiar and comforting. Her body tensed slightly at the olfactory memory and then relaxed.

", do you like what you see?"

Cora looked up and her breath caught. Zola Basilio looked amazing. She was older and more beautiful, healthy. Zola's soft brown eyes now sparkled with pleasure. There were no bags, there was no cloudiness, her shoulder-length hair was thick, dark, and softly framed her face, and her skin was glowing.

"Ms. Basilio." Cora smiled slowly.

"Chaplain Sims." Zola both grimaced and smiled. "It's good to see you again. I'm afraid you met me at a challenging time in my life." Zola shifted slightly under Cora's steady gaze. "So? Do you? Like what you see?"

Cora's eyes drifted quickly over Zola. She was wearing an expensive-looking, mid-weight, knee-length, tailored dress with heels that made her legs look flawless. Cora had a full crooked grin and Zola's heart fluttered at the sight and the memory of the woman.

Cora blushed. "Well, yes. You look wonderful. Beautiful. Healthy and happy, and ... safe?"

The sound of Chaplain Sims' voice was audio deja vu for Zola. She sighed softly. "Oh, yes. I'm in a much better place now. Thank you. But I meant ..." Zola nodded to the shoes.

Cora flushed with embarrassment and Zola grinned with amusement. Cora chuckled lightly, "I'm sorry, Ms. Basilio. Yes, I do like the shoes but I'm a little out of my depth here."

Zola sensed that Cora was uncomfortable with high-end boutique shopping. "You're here with your friend, then?"

Cora looked back over her shoulder and Edra looked up and made eye contact, raising an eyebrow, causing Cora to flush again. "Oh, yes. I'm here with my friend. Dr. Sarin."

Zola nodded, following Cora's eyeline. She saw Dr. Sarin's silent communication and Zola was still not clear on the women's relationship.

Cora turned back to Zola. "I'm happy to see you here. I've thought about you and your friend."

"Oh?" Zola searched the chaplain's thoughtful eyes. They seemed to strobe with consideration.

Cora grinned. "Well, yes. I was worried. And, you don't still have my sweatshirt? Do you?"

Zola laughed and shook her head in an apologetic manner. ", yes, I do. I'm so sorry. I should have returned that to you. But, I found it comforting."

"Oh, well then, please keep it Ms. Basilio. I'm happy to hear that."

"Please, call me 'Zola.' I'd love to keep the sweatshirt, Chaplain, but it must be important to you." Zola's eyes shifted and looked past Cora to the now approaching Edra.

"Hello. Cora, are you ready?"

"Oh, yes. I am. Edra, this is Zola." Edra let her eyes move over the young woman. They widened slightly at the beauty and presence of the woman.

"Very nice to meet you. Do you two know each other?" Edra's eyes moved between the two women.

"Yes." Cora glanced at Zola. "We met a couple of years ago on a cold night. I lent Zola my sweatshirt." Zola smiled in thanks and she felt her heart skip a beat again. Her heartbeat was singing in her ears at the memory of Cora's kindness.

Zola turned and extended her hand to Edra. "Nice to meet you. I hope you found everything to your liking today."

"Oh yes! This is a lovely shop. Not an everyday place, but the Dellionaires are sure to be impressed this year." Edra grinned at Cora.

"Well, I'll let you go then." Zola smiled, stepping back. Zola was disappointed by the interruption and the cryptic nature of Chaplain Sim's relationship with Edra.

"It was nice to see you again, Zola." Cora's voice was soft and her eyes lingered, but Edra was leading them gently away.

Once the women left, Zola made a mental note to look up Chaplain Sims at Seton Medical. Her heart rate accelerated as she thought she might be willing to give that sweatshirt back, in person.

----

"Cora! was that?!" Edra could barely contain herself long enough to exit the shop. "Oh wait, there's Joce. ! Over here. !"

Joycelyn laughed and lifted a shopping bag. "I saw some something incredible too! What did you see?"

Cora turned bright red as Edra recapped witnessing her conversation with a "dark-haired beauty."

"Joce, she was gorgeous, sexy, and totally fixated on Cora. So?" Edra turned as the continued to walk away. "Who was that?!"

Cora grimaced. "Zola ... Basilio." "! Basilio shoes? As in the owner?" Edra's head was swimming.

Cora considered for a moment. "I assume. She never told me what she did for a living when we met." Cora could see now that it made sense; the wealth, style, and the way she examined her shoes.

Jocelyn was Googling. "Are you me?! Edra? This Basilio?" Edra nodded and her eyes widened at lead hits for "Basilio, shoes, Austin." There were company logos, family pictures, and one was a head shot of Zola. The picture was extremely flattering and still did not capture wholly her beauty. Jocelyn giggled. "Oh my, look at her brother Dominic! He's beautiful. Oh damn, married."

Cora rolled her eyes. " married too Joce."

"Cora! You have to go back! Right now! She was flirting with you!"

"No Edra, she was not. That would be so awkward. It's complicated. She's involved with someone."

"Well, she certainly wasn't thinking about her when she was talking to you!"

"Okay, okay, can we eat now? I'm starving!"

The ladies enjoyed the rest of their afternoon together. Cora and Zola's interaction gave way to Edra & Jay's fall wedding and Cora was relieved. That night, she felt unsettled and considered calling Edra and asking her if she could return with her to pick up the shoes when they were ready.