The Date

In a couple of days I will celebrate my 28th birthday. A lot of things in my life have changed over these past 10 years. For starters, there's my employment. This former waitress became an RN, having studied at U-Mass Amherst. The charge cards in my wallet these days_ a Master Card from Bank of America, and a card from Forever 21_ are my own. Reimbursing my mom $160 for that charge on her credit card from Body Art by Jen left my savings badly depleted. Needless to say she didn't like the way I had used her plastic.

There's the change that makes me feel very good about my body. Implants done by my employer have turned this girl into a C cup. I hated being just an A.

There's also a major change in lifestyle. I got engaged 6 months ago to a neurosurgeon named Jon Crowe.

A Sunday morning sees me having morning coffee with him on his deck. I don't live with him yet but I spend more time at his place than at my own.

He knows nothing about a certain incident in my past, an incident I would love to repeat. I'm not ashamed of what I did that day. As I sip my coffee and puff on my ciggy between sips my brain formulates the words.

"When I graduated high school I went to Body Art by Jen. Her shop is downtown. I had a pink lace cami and skinny jeans painted on my body and went on a date that night."

"You went on a date naked?"

I gave a grinning nod.

"We need to go grocery shopping and I want to go painted."

"My future wife wants to go naked in public."

"People will think I'm wearing actual clothes. I did it once already and no one even suspected anything."

"Ok go for it girl," said Jon resigning himself to my will.

"Will you walk with me?"

"Of course, and since you have a birthday coming up I'll pay for it. That will be your birthday present."

"Thank you for that. That's exactly what I want from you for my 28th birthday. It's just a question of what I want to wear."

He asked, "what did you wear ten years ago."

"Lace cami and skinny jeans but I don't want the same outfit," I replied.

At 2 P M on my day off, a Tuesday, Jon and I came into a familiar shop and saw a familiar face. Jen greeted us with her warm welcoming demeanor.

"I was here once before, ten years ago. I'm Stephanie Tattaglia."

"Welcome back Stephanie," said Jen. "What can I do for you this time?"

"I want this sweetheart-neck floral cami top." I showed Jen the printout from my computer just so there's no confusion about what I wanted. It's multi color though predominently black.

"Ok let's talk business."

Having said that, Jen and I walked to the counter. Jon took a seat and watched. Unlike my girlfriends of ten years ago, he would not leave me there.

"I want it with blue denim ankle jeans."

The price had gone up since I last came here. Jen billed my Master Card for $250. No biggie. It's affordable on a nurse's salary.

"You know the drill."

I hung my jeans and teeshirt on the same pegs that I used as a teen and laid bra and panties on the same bench.

I stepped onto the platform. I wonder if she notices my new bigger boobs. I'll tell her about the implants if she comments.

Like before, I watched Jen and an assistant filling cups and laying out brushes. As always she worked meticulously creating fake clothing.

When I was a teen a paintbrush stroking my boobs felt good. It still does. I wish I was lesbian right now. Jen no doubt is one. A brush stroking my ass feels just as good.

A few hours passed. "You're all done."

I looked at my printout then looked at her artwork.

Awesome, Awesome job, worth every penny, I thought.

She seemed to not remember me having small boobs. At least she didn't make a remark.

Jon had, before we left the house, put the grocery list on his phone and sent it to mine. We came to the store located just minutes up the road.

Starting at the produce section, I pushed the shopping cart through each adjacent aisle. This is good, I'm actually naked in the store except for my booties. I love times like this.

Jon took the half full cart letting me just add to it at my discretion.

"Hon I'm going to the deli counter."

"OK," he replied.

I saw six people ahead of me buying deli meats and or cheeses. One of them turned out to be Jackie Longfellow, a talkative nurse in Ambultory Surgery, the department near MICU.

"Hi Stephanie," said Jackie.

"Hi Jackie."

This would be the first real test of how convincing body paint can be.

We chatted briefly while she was waiting for her number to come up on the overhead display.

Being so close to her was making me nervous. Does she recognise what I'm wearing, or not wearing? She will talk if she does.

Several minutes after that encounter at the deli counter Jon and I came into line at register 2. Two shoppers had fully loaded carts in front of us. A third load covered the counter top.

Someone, perhaps the cashier or the kid bagging groceries, might notice that my outfit is illusory. Call me paranoid but I could not help thinking that.

Back inside the car I breathed a sigh of relief. No one made a comment about me being naked.

As we approached the exit to the road I made a few remarks.

"It's funny how we change. When I was 18 I was sumpremely confident that I could go out in public painted and stay out all day. Now I'm only like 95 percent confident. That little bit of doubt was making me nervous in the store."

"Stephanie you need to take a long walk wearing absolutely nothing, not even a painted suit."

I laughed loudly for several seconds.

Two months passed. Though summer was rapidly coming to a close, days were still warm and fairly long. I entertained a radical idea.

"Stephanie, you're becoming a regular here."

"I guess I am."

It's only my third visit since I was 18. Is that what she calls "a regular customer"?

"What can I do for you today?"

Like the last visit, I showed her a printout, this one from Kohls website. The model was wearing a Warner Cloud Nine full-coverage wireless contour bra.

I said, "that and bikini panties."

"OK," said Jen fighting an urge to laugh.

"By the way, I wear that Warner. It's very comfortable."

"I see," said Jen.

This time I had a different plan in mind. I would undress down to my undies in the living room then take a shower with Jon letting him witness the paint being washed away.