Jenny Gets a New Coat - Part III

I walked over to a rack where Jenny was fingering the green scarf she had worn earlier  as well as another in a deep maroon shade.

"Ok, Jen," I said, using my most commanding voice, "You're getting the coat."

"But I can't--"

"No, not another word.  We're doing this for you because you deserve something nice.  It's about time somebody treated you to a thing like this, and we're doing it.  Somebody grab that coat before somebody else does.  Corey, give Jules your twenty.  I'll give her what I've got, too.  Jen, you get yourself a couple of scarves.  They're two for twelve.  You can afford that, right?"

"Yeah, I think so," came the shocked response.  "You don't have to do this."

"We know," Corey and Jules both said.

"We're doing it because we want to do something good for you.  How did you feel when you put the coat and the scarf on?" Jules asked.  "Pretty great, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Then let us get it for you."

"I'll pay you guys back when I get a little bit of money.  Really?  You're really doing this?" Jenny couldn't believe it.

I loved every bit.  "You bet we are, my dear."

We walked up to the register, where Julyn bought the coat.  We walked out to the car, where Jenny promptly put it on.  We arrived at the reception just barely in time to see the ring ceremony.

I've thought a lot about how great it made me feel to do something like this for Jenny.  I didn't feel any anxiety about giving up a chunk of money that could have paid for a tank of gasoline of a couple of nice dinners with friends.  I wasn't worried that I may not see that money come back to me for a while.  I wasn't upset about any of that because I was so happy to see my friend happy because she felt good about how she looked.  It was totally worth it.

We often hear about people giving the clothes off their backs to show love and support, and Jenny has always done that for all of our friends.  She has been one of the first to show love and the last to mete out condemnation when any of us have struggled.  She is a beautiful individual, and I want her to see herself as such.  I guess, in a small way, we kind of did that for Jen when we bought a coat to put on her back.  We did it because we're old friends.  We did it, because, really, when it boils down, we've become family.  And families -- including the ones we create outside our biological ones -- work best when we build each other up and help each other feel our bests.

And Jenny LOVES her new coat!  :D