Each of the nicer neighborhoods in Davidson had its own community center and Mrs. Danielle Parnell's was no different. In fact, the Parnells and the fifty or so other families who lived in Davidson's
nicest
neighborhood, each on at least an acre, in homes that started at around 5000 square feet, shared a clubhouse, an Olympic size swimming pool and a lovely dock and boardwalk both of which nestled up to the West River that ran through the community. It was here that parents socialized, children played and dogs ran along the "beach" that the neighborhood association had created specifically for the residents' enjoyment.
It was also here that Mrs. Danielle Parnell exercised her favorite pastime - looking down her nose at Davidson's other women while slyly currying the attention of its most affluent men and boys -- their husbands and sons. The 43 year-old beauty particularly enjoyed "catching" one of those men as he stared at her spectacular ass or pert 34C breasts, the former most often accentuated by high heels the latter by a push-up bra under a stylish top, and then castigating him in front of his wife by loudly chiding, "it's very impolite to stare you know, you should be ashamed of yourself - how inappropriate."
What she enjoyed most though was the humiliation she knew the wives experienced as she publicly emasculated their husbands. She reveled in how the gaggle of soccer moms, brownie leaders and church volunteers all but disappeared when she cast her spell over their pathetic mates. After all, she was a gorgeous high-powered lawyer and they were . . . well . . . nothing.
On this October day, as she stepped out of her brand new Range Rover Sport, Danielle was taking her daughter Maria to the community center kids' Halloween Party - a neighborhood staple that was followed in the evening by the annual Halloween Formal. The latter -- also a tradition -- required attendees to either come in black tie or costume. Mrs. Parnell, of course, would opt for the former and planned to wear a spectacular couture gown. Although her two older kids were already out trick-or-treating, the nine year old Maria still loved to participate in the party.
As Danielle led her daughter into the clubhouse lobby, whiplash quickly struck the neck of every man who saw her - followed by a rush of blood from each of their big heads on downward. Her black suede stiletto-heeled knee high boots, over a pair of black leggings that snugly cradled an ass that appeared chiseled from marble, confirmed for them again that Mrs. Parnell was a vision of refined sexuality. On top she wore a tight black turtle-neck sweater that emphasized the swell of her ample bosom but left no doubt as to the tautness of her midsection or the tone of her arms. Over the sweater she wore an incredibly stylish lynx fur vest that came down to just above her waist. Open in front the vest permitted onlookers a view of the oversized D&G buckle that fastened her black leather belt. Although she didn't acknowledge the men - not a one -- she knew that they couldn't take their eyes off her and she loved it - so typical, so pathetic. But it was the sleeve grabbing, arm punching and throat clearing of the assembled wives as they tried to regain their drooling husbands' attention that really made Danielle's day. She loved how her radiance blinded these foolish men to the existence of their frumpy wives.
Maria meanwhile was dressed as witch. She wore green face paint, a witch's frock and a jaunty, pointy, black witch's hat. Of course, she also carried a broom and, being somewhat of a tomboy, had additionally managed to sneak out of the Parnell house with her brother Will's tarantula - George - hidden in a plastic pumpkin. Her mother, who was petrified of spiders generally and George in particular, knew nothing of her daughter's hitch hiker. Had she even a whiff of it, Mrs. Parnell would have taken Maria right home and given her a very stern lecture about her inappropriate behavior.
As mother and daughter walked into the main ballroom where the party was getting into full swing, Maria headed off to join her friends. Danielle on the other hand, had no intention of staying. In fact she had already tasked the Parnell family nanny, Alia, with picking up Maria after the party so that Danielle would have ample time alone to prepare for the formal. That said, given the nature of any children's event, Danielle could not avoid "engaging" with some of the other neighborhood moms, most of who were in costume both for purposes of chaperoning the children's party and for attending the formal later that evening.
Katherine Wray, the willowy and waifish runner of the neighborhood was dressed as Peter Pan.
"She certainly has the chest of a boy," Danielle thought to herself, emphasizing her own assets as she smiled falsely at the flat chested Mrs. Wray.
Mrs. Rebecca Ross wore the costume of a wood nymph on her body topped off with a wonderfully done paper mache donkey head on top. The somewhat Rubenesque blonde high school English teacher was costumed as Nick Bottom from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
"That's a big ass on that big ass," Mrs. Parnell chuckled inwardly as, beneath her stylish sunglasses, she rolled her eyes at Rebecca. Although Mrs. Parnell looked down her nose at Davidson's men and women alike, even she had to admit that Rebecca's husband, Adam Hess, was a very handsome man. Too bad he's a chubby chaser she laughed to herself.
Finally, Danielle acknowledged, barely, Mrs. Nicole Silver and PTA President Rachel Miras, the former, a curvy, buxom red head, outfitted in an ill-fitting "sexy police woman's" costume and the latter as a character from the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
"That Silver woman should be ashamed of herself," thought Danielle, "stuffing her oversized body into that inappropriate costume. Talk about cops as pigs!"
As for Mrs. Miras, Mrs. Parnell merely snickered under her breath, "of course she's a Hobbit."
As she turned to leave on a very high heel of one of her black suede boots, Danielle felt the familiar joy of superiority swelling up insider her. Strutting away from the "lesser" moms she mused, "wait until this load of costumed circus freaks and their drooling fool husbands see what I'll be wearing to the formal tonight," all the while thinking of the exquisite black gown hanging in her closet. Thank God there'll be alcohol there to drown these women's sorrows.
Back in the clubhouse it was Rebecca Ross who gave voice to what all the mothers were feeling. "Just once I'd like to see that imperious snob get taken down a peg or two," she seethed. "And I don't like the way she looks at my husband." No one disagreed with either sentiment.