Jenni wrinkled her forehead in thought as she tried to figure out what else her father might have bought in the store. The tiny Ben Wa Balls were intriguing her and she was excited to find out exactly how her Daddy would use them with her later as he had promised.
She was so engrossed in thought that it came as a shock to her when the car stopped once more in another parking lot.
Smiling at her, her Daddy chucked her under her chin with a crooked finger, "Wakey wakey, baby."
His grin telling her that he knew exactly what was filling her mind. Taking her hand as they walked across the parking lot towards the stores Jenni felt like skipping for joy. The sun was shining brightly and the warmth of it on her upturned face was adding to her happiness in being out with her Daddy.
Shaking his head in mock exasperation at her youthful exuberance her father pulled his sunglasses slightly down on his nose and looking over them at her winked, "Happy, baby?"
"Oh yes, Daddy! I am so happy I want to sing and dance and," she broke off with a happy giggle as she wrinkled her nose at him.
They laughed together as he pulled her to his side and with her head leaning against his arm they walked, hand in hand, towards the stores.
Approaching a lingerie store Jenni felt her father pause as he looked at her, "Today, my sweet girl, you are going to be spoilt. I intend to buy you enough for our weekend and some other things we might have fun with in the future."
Jenni laughed as she saw the sparkle in his eyes, "I am not sure that they sell the kinds of things you are thinking of here, Daddy."
Shaking his head her father took her hand and pushed open the door to the store. The interior was lit with spotlights that highlighted expensive displays of silk and lace. Jenni felt instantly intimidated by the sophistication of the staff and the displays. She pressed closely to her father's side and dropped her eyes as a beautifully coiffed woman in her mid fifties walked towards them.
"Welcome to Molly's Closet," she murmured, her tone perfect for the ambience of the store, expensive and intimate.
Jenni flushed and gripped her father's hand as she heard him reply, "Thank you. We are looking for something special."
"But of course, Sir," the woman's eyes flitted over Jenni in a quick assessment. "Have you anything particular in mind?"
Jenni burned with shame as she felt the assessment, but within seconds realised it was a professional assessment of her size as the woman smiled warmly at her as she offered Jenni's father a seat while she took Jenni through a curtain to be measured.
Moments later as she stood stripped to the waist with the cool measuring tape wrapped around her ribcage she was comforted to hear the woman speak, "Don't be worried, dear, we are used to having engaged couples come in here."
Jenni's heart leapt as she heard the woman's kindly meant words. This was twice today there had been an allusion to something she knew could never happen. Tears filled her eyes and the woman tutted in a motherly fashion.
"It can be so overwhelming preparing for a wedding. Have you set a date, yet?" Her smile warm as she professionally measured Jenni.
Jenni shook her head, unable to trust her voice.
"Well, just leave it to me, dear. I will help you choose something that will just knock his socks off." With that the woman swept from the changing room, leaving Jenni standing topless and shivering.
Just moments later she heard the trill of the woman's laugh as the muted sound of her father's deep voice came to her ears. The woman came back into the room with her arms full of frills and lace.
"Your fiancΓ© definitely knows his mind, doesn't he?" The woman busied herself hanging a huge variety of bras and panties, teddies and corsets on the rail fixed to one wall.
"He seems determined that you have as many of these as you want." A mischievous glint came into the woman's eyes, "And if I were you I would take him up on the offer."
She chuckled lightly, "Once that ring is on your finger they seem to lose interest in buying lingerie."
She paused, for a moment, once more assessing Jenni's frame, "Though maybe, in your case, that interest is more in removing it."
Her laughter was infectious and Jenni was caught up in the excitement of trying on the wonderful lingerie.
It was half an hour later before a rosy cheeked Jenni emerged from the changing room, followed by the sales assistant who had a full armful of beautiful lingerie and corsetry that Jenni had tried on and found to be irresistible.
Rushing to her father's side she could not contain her excitement as she showed him a beautifully boned corset the colour of a robin's egg.
He saw the joy in her face and despite wanting desperately to kiss her full lips contained himself long enough to compliment the sales woman on her attentiveness and to thank her for making his Jenni so happy.
"Sir, I think that joy comes from her love for you," was the woman's reply as she carefully wrapped each item in the palest pink tissue paper sealed with a gold sticker displaying the store's logo.
Once all the items were wrapped they were placed carefully into a bag tied with a pink ribbon and emblazoned with the words "Molly's Closet".
Jenni was so excited she was literally bouncing from foot to foot and the shop assistant and her father exchanged smiles as they both watched her fondly.
Once he had paid for their purchases he slid his arm around her shoulders and together they walked from the store.
"Oh Daddy! Thank you so very much! I love all of them. I have never had anything so pretty!" Jenni's words tripped over each other as she gushed her thanks to her father.
"It is my pleasure, angel." And it was true; Jenni's father had never felt such joy in giving a gift before. Never before had he felt such happiness in shopping. Jenni was such a vibrant soul, a woman with a child's soul and sense of joy. She was so precious to him.
He guided her to another store where they selected matching weekend bags, hers with a matching cosmetic case.
Her pleasure at the idea of their bags matching on arriving at the hotel infected him to the extent that he added a suit carrier to their purchase, for which he was rewarded with an impulsive kiss on his cheek and a clap of her hands as he told her that he liked the idea of their being a couple in every way.
Their next stop was the exclusive make up counter of a department store where he instructed the delighted assistant to provide Jenni with every item of make up the range offered.