I can't ever remember receiving pocket money. Both Mom and Dad firmly believed that there should always be an equitable exchange where money was concerned, so from a very early age we had to do small tasks around the house to earn any money that came our way - well, except for the occasional birthday gift of money when we got to those ages where it seemed impossible to find suitable presents.
When my brother and I got to our early teens, it was therefore a natural progression to start looking outside for small tasks that would bring us in some extra spending money. For my brother it was things like car washing or helping neighbors in their gardens, and for me it was baby sitting. It wasn't that I particularly liked young kids, but I did seem to have a natural talent for looking after them, and it wasn't long before word spread and I had more requests for help than I could actually cope with, and although the money was never that great, it did get better as I got older and was able to look after older children, and it certainly beat the only other realistic money making opportunity for girls in my area which was the local fast food outlet.
So all though my late teen years I managed to get in a couple of nights a week baby sitting and do my schoolwork at the same time. I met some really fascinating people, and saw some really crazy domestic situations too, and I guess that helped me to grow up with my eyes a little wider open than if I'd just had my rather conservative family as role models. I even baby sat for one couple that were on the fringes of the fashion industry, so I used to get to try on some really lovely clothes and learn a little about make up too.
They were a really sweet couple, in their late 40's, but so focussed on their careers that sometimes I wondered why they'd bothered to have a child at all! especially such a belated one, but they did surprise me on my 18th birthday by having delivered some really lovely flowers and a sensational cocktail dress that they'd designed. I thought mom and dad would faint when I put it on and paraded around, it was in some kind of new material composite that really molded to every curve of my body - and by this time I had really developed some enticing curves - and was so tight over my breasts that I hadn't been able to wear a bra with it, so my nipples really stood out.
Dad kind of frowned, and mom blushed, but neither actually said anything disapproving as they didn't want to spoil my birthday, but I could see what they thought reflected in their eyes and in their somewhat tight expressions. It was left to my brother to boost me up again when he followed me down the corridor towards my room and said "Wow, Sis, I didn't realize you had such fantastic tits!" Crude, I know and typical of him, but it did make me feel a little better, although I wasn't sure if I'd ever get the opportunity to wear the outfit, I mean if I put that on to go out I knew my dad would freak. So, for the next couple of months it sat in my wardrobe, almost teasing me every time I opened it to get something, almost daring me to put it on, but I couldn't risk it in the house just in case mom or dad wandered by.
Then I got a call to ask if I'd baby sit for a new couple that had moved in to a house that had been built a couple of streets away. They were only in their early 30's but were work friends of the designer couple, who had recommended me to them. Even with the recommendation, they still wanted to interview me first, particularly as they would be going to an event that was going to last well into the night and I might be required to stay over, a situation that dad didn't really like, so insisted on coming to the interview with me so he could check out their suitability too. At first, that embarrassed me, but then I realized that he was only being protective and caring, so I let him come along.
Jeremy and Francine turned out to be a delightful couple, charming, well educated, erudite and both quite beautiful in their own different ways, so I was enchanted with them straight away. Surprisingly, so was dad, especially when they commended him on his thoughtfulness in coming and checking them out - he did have the grace to blush at that! The end result was that all of us were satisfied, so made the arrangement for me to be at their house by 6pm on the Friday night. It was as I was thinking about the baby sitting job, and the fact that they were in the fashion industry too, that I got the sudden idea to pack my new dress in with my night attire.
I'm sure they wouldn't mind if I changed into it when I was there and walked around a bit just to get the feel of it, but I'd have to reassure them that I hadn't organized to have a boyfriend over or anything, I decided to tell them the truth about mom and dad's reaction and how I didn't think I'd ever get to wear it out anywhere.
So, when I arrived at their house at 6pm on the Friday, and Francine had talked me through where everything was that I might need for young Jamie, I confided in her about the dress, and she laughed, telling me that her parents had been exactly the same, and when she'd actually gone into modeling and then the fashion industry they'd practically disowned her. I blushingly told her I could tell she was a model, she was so beautiful and sophisticated. She laughed lightly and gave a little curtsy, "Why thank you Felicity, it's nice to know I haven't lost it all together, but modeling is in the past, that's for gorgeous young creatures like you" she said. I blushed furiously, and just at that moment, Jeremy walked in.
"Hey, what's this about gorgeous young creatures?" he asked in a bantering tone.
Francine grinned, "Oh I was just telling Felicity that I've past the use by date for models, and it's gorgeous creatures like her that turn the heads now"
Jeremy walked over and hugged her, "Nonsense!" he said, "You'll never be past the use by date, and you'll always turn heads, because you're absolutely beautiful."
I thought that was the most fantastic thing I'd ever heard a husband tell his wife, and I could see that Francine was pleased too, then he turned to me and quickly looked me up and down, causing me to flush slightly, "But at the same time, I have to agree with Francine, you certainly are a gorgeous young creature and you'll be turning people's head for many years to come." He said, and I really did blush furiously. Then Francine told him about the dress, and his eyes lit up, "Oh, one of Mavis and John's designs, I wouldn't mind seeing that myself, they do some super gear" he said, then looked at Francine and looked at his watch, "Do we have time for Felicity to put it on now so we can see it?"