Mastrom's was Blythe's favorite department store. Catering to an upscale clientele, they carried the latest in high quality fashion in a wide variety of styles. They took pride in their hands-on and solicitous customer service. After a shopping excursion, Blythe often left the store fully satisfied and upbeat.
Today, she was looking for a few items to add to her summer wardrobe. Her cotton, floral sundress with wide shoulder straps and a low cut neckline revealed a hint of cleavage. It was very comfortable and in a style she favored. While she didn't want to get in a fashion rut, Blythe wanted to demonstrate to the sales staff the type of look she was seeking and one that usually flattered her body type.
Her long neck was accented by her recent short hair cut for the summer. Combined with the low bodice and the above the knee hemline, this exposed a lot of skin. It put her in a youthful frame of mind and the bounce in her step created an eye-catching swing to her body and dress. The thought that she could still turn a few heads was great for her ego. She put an extra sway in her walk without being so blatant that her husband, Kabron, would think she was being flirtatious.
Riding the escalator to the third floor, Blythe scanned the mannequins displaying the featured items. She got a small rush when a couple items caught her interest. It was usually a good sign that there'd be a lot for her to explore.
With Kabron trailing behind, Blythe did a quick sweep through the floor to get a flavor for the season's merchandise. Along the way, she picked up a couple of outfits for her initial scrutiny. As usual, Kabron was quickly bored. Typically, after a short period, he would leave for the mall bookstore, while she finished shopping. This freed Blythe to take her time and get lost in the pleasures of trying on as many items as she desired.
Before he left, she liked to ask Kabron his opinion. He had little interest and rarely had anything of substance to add. However, occasionally, he would explicitly express a dislike of an item or convey the same opinion through his body language. In any case, she wanted to have him feel involved, especially, when the expenditures could be quite pricey.
"Darling, let me pop in and try these on. I'd like to hear what you think." Blythe said over her shoulder as she headed for the dressing rooms.
"They look lovely." Kabron said in reply. He knew his role in this interchange and didn't want to pretend that he had any expertise in the matter. In fact, he believed his wife looked great in almost everything she wore.
Blythe chuckled, "Wise guy. You're supposed to wait until I try them on, dear."
There were plenty of well-appointed dressing rooms. Mastrom's kept them clean and quickly removed the unpurchased clothes left by patrons. Each room had large front and back mirrors, a padded bench and lots of clothing hooks. She picked one toward the back. Light rock instrumental music played gently in the background and there was an attractive fragrance in the air. Blythe was shrewd enough to realize these amenities were all carefully researched and designed to increase the likelihood of purchases. That was fine with her. She liked the touches of elegance and it put her in a more relaxed frame of mind.
Hanging up the items she'd brought in, Blythe kicked off her sandals and slipped out of her dress. After placing it on a hanger, she paused for a quick glance in the mirror. While few women are completely happy with their bodies, she was generally pleased. She'd only gained one dress size in the ten years since school and she was still shapely in all the right places. Running her hands across the hi-cut, lavender hip huggers, the feel of the tight muscles made the time spent in the gym worthwhile. The matching lace-trimmed bra complemented her bust line with appropriate lift.
Not wanting to keep Kabron waiting too long, she quickly tried several items. A couple were easily rejected either because the size wasn't right or it didn't look as good on her as it did on the hanger. The third dress had more appeal. It was a stylish black on white print with thin straps that had a nice cut and a flattering drape.
Blythe went to model it for Kabron. He was leaning against a wall with his arms folded and a bored expression. Blythe did a twirl for his inspection. "What do you think?"
"That's very pretty. You know I love you in black." He said with a nod of appreciation.
"I know you do, dear. If you had your way, black would be most of my wardrobe."
Smiling his agreement, Kabron added, "Well, it does look great on you."
"I'm going to browse a few more items and see if I can get some help from a sales associate." Blythe said.
That was the signal that Kabron was free to go. "I think I'll check out some books and get a coffee."
"OK. I won't be too long."
"Yah."
"Before you go, could you help me carry a few things back to the dressing room?" Blythe asked.
With a sharp eye and moving like a seasoned pro, she soon had selected almost a dozen sundresses or skirt and blouse combinations. Kabron transported them back to the changing rooms and handed the pile to his wife. He marveled silently over her definition of "a few items" and her concept of time that allowed her to believe that she wouldn't "be too long".
As he prepared to leave, Kabron said, "Have fun."
Blythe leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek. "I'll have a ball. See you in awhile." Then, she turned and entered the dressing room to get down to the pleasure of trying all the new things.
Kabron watched her until she disappeared. He appreciated both her svelte appearance and the joy in life that was evident in her effervescent movement. Blythe's upbeat nature and free spirit had originally attracted him, and it was still one of her best characteristics.
He walked toward the escalator and rode it down to the second floor that opened into the rest of the mall. Before leaving the store, Kabron stopped to examine a few ties and tried to picture what he had at home.
Upstairs, Blythe added her new selections to those already in the dressing room. She did a quick sort to group them according to the styles she had in mind for different activities. It included hanging a few sundresses together with the one she'd worn for easier comparison to help in the later winnowing process.
Stripping off the black and white dress, she hung it on the wall with the thought that it would be one of the finalists. The next dress she picked to try on was one that she had some doubts about because it was the shortest and most revealing of the lot. Stepping into it, Blythe shimmied and pulled it up her body. After tying the straps behind her neck, she smoothed and adjusted the fabric.
Turning to the mirror, her first look confirmed her suspicions. It was much more revealing than her typical picks. The hem of the light material wafted around her legs and settled at mid-thigh. The low cut top and empire waist accented her breasts. Looking over her shoulder, Blythe saw that it dipped deeply and left most of her back uncovered. Nonetheless, she liked the blue batik print and the sexy ambience. She couldn't decide if it was appropriately racy, or if it crossed the line into risqué.
As she was turning back and forth to check all the different angles, the lights suddenly went out. Startled, Blythe quickly inhaled. The unlit changing area was pitch black. She stood there motionless. After a few seconds, she felt for the wall, made her way to the bench, and sat to wait for the lights to come back on.
Downstairs, Kabron was about to leave when the lights went out. The second floor was dim, but some light from the mall was filtering in. Mastrom's appeared to be the only store affected. Several minutes later, store security personnel passed the word that they were working to restore power. In the interim, they directed shoppers to make their way to the mall.
Concerned about Blythe, Kabron thought about heading back to the dressing room. However, looking to the third floor, it was even darker. He approached a well-dressed and official looking woman standing next to the escalator.
