4. An Old Flame
Terry ignored the blaring horn of the taxi as he pulled out into the busy city traffic then turned right after just making it through the traffic lights as they flashed amber. It was always busy around here, even on this sunny Tuesday afternoon and he'd quickly learned to avoid the main roads and stick to the back-streets if he wanted to get through his deliveries by the end of the day. He pulled the sun visor down shielding his eyes, as he turned into the little alley behind Victoria Road then stopped by some waste bins and flicked on his hazard lights.
As he got out, the radio started playing that really catchy summer pop song and he whistled jauntily as he rang the bell below a handwritten label that read "Honeysuckle Lingerie". He pulled open the rear doors of his white van and neatly stacked the boxes by the entrance while he waited.
"Yes?" the tall blonde lady said as she opened the door.
"Delivery for Honeysuckle Lingerie. Where do you want it, love?" he said, picking up one of the plain brown boxes.
"Oh, okay, come in. Just here in the store room, please," she said, back and holding the door open for him.
Terry quite liked delivering here; the woman who answered the door at this store was a lot easier on the eye than most of his customers. Today, she was wearing a navy suit with an above-the-knee skirt that clung pleasingly to her trim figure. He lingered on the floor as he placed the last box, pretending to tighten the laces of his boots while he took a good long look at her shiny black heels and shapely legs.
"Here you go, love," he said, straightening up and handing her a clipboard. "Sign 'ere."
"What is this? Silk and Steel Ltd? I don't think we've ordered anything from them," she complained.
"It's definitely for you, see the address? Sorry I just deliver the goods, you'll have to take it up with the company," he said, shrugging his shoulders.
"Okay, fine," she said, checking the details then signing the delivery note with an angry flourish.
"Thanks darling, see you again," he said.
"Yes, thank-you," Stacy said as she closed the door behind him, making sure it was locked. You really couldn't be too careful in this part of the city, there were thieves and shoplifters everywhere.
"Dear God, what on earth is this?" she muttered as she tore open the top box and found a colourful selection of dildos inside. That sales rep. that Casey saw last week, wasn't she from Silk and Steel? She thought she'd expressly forbidden her younger sister from doing any deals without her approval; she'd have to have a word and find out what was going on.
--
It was quite busy for a Tuesday afternoon, but Casey noticed the young woman as soon as she entered the shop. There was something about her that made her stand out from the usual crowd of bored housewives and office girls on their lunch breaks. Perhaps it was her elegant jade green silk dress and matching handbag, which had the kind of quiet, understated elegance that only came with very expensive goods.
"Can I help you, Madam?" she said, stepping out from behind the counter as the young woman browsed some cami-knickers nearby.
"Yes, I'm getting married soon, and I was hoping to find something a bit special to wear on my wedding night," the woman said.
"Well congratulations, perhaps..." Casey started to say.
"Casey, sorry to interrupt but can I have a word?" Stacy said as she approached them.
"Stacy! What are you doing here?" the woman exclaimed.
"Fran! Um, well actually I own this shop," Stacy said, a look of surprise etched on her face.
"But isn't your shop in Clarence Road?" Fran asked.
"No, we moved here nearly two years ago," Stacy said. As the two women embraced, they hardly noticed Casey quietly moving back to her position behind the counter.
"Oh, gosh! I had no idea," Fran said, holding Stacy at arm's length as she looked her up and down. "Well, it's lovely to see you again, you look terrific. How long's it been? Three years? Four?"
"Nearly five years," Stacy corrected her.
"Has it really been that long? Wow, time flies, huh? So how have you been?"
"Fine, never been better. Business is great, hence the bigger store."
"Wow, it really is a surprise. Listen, I'm sorry about the way things ended between us."
"Yes, I left some messages on your answer phone but you never got back to me."
"Yeah, sorry about that, I guess I thought a clean break would be best for the both of us, I should have made an effort to explain though, I do regret that," Fran confessed.
"Ah well, water under the bridge. So how are you? You look great. I heard you moved out of the city."
"Yeah, a while ago now. Listen, I met someone and we're engaged," Fran said, extending her hand to show off an elegant silver engagement ring complete with huge, sparkling diamond.
"Wow, that's some ring! So you're getting married then? To a man?" Stacy said looking a little surprised as she examined the ring. Although Fran had always claimed to be bisexual, she certainly seemed to be very much into girls when Stacy had last seen her.
"Yeah, in a month! I know! I can hardly believe it myself. My life has changed so much since I last saw you. It's just so weird seeing you again!"
"So what can we do for you?"
"Oh, yes! So Colin, my fiancé, is here in the city getting measured for his suit. So I thought I'd have a look around for some lingerie for my wedding night. I just picked this shop at random, I really didn't expect to find you here. Listen, I can try somewhere else if this is going to be terribly awkward for you," Fran said, glancing back towards the street.
"No, no, don't be silly. I think I know what would suit you better than some stranger, don't you? So what kind of thing are you looking for?" Stacy said, leading her towards the rear of the store.
"I was thinking something feminine and classic, but maybe a little daring and exotic too. Definitely white, you know to go with my dress," Fran replied.
Stacy's mind raced as they went up and down the aisles together, collecting a variety of underwear, all in various shades of white: pale silvery satin, china white cotton, pearl-coloured lace. Was her old girlfriend really going to get married to someone called Colin? He sounded like an accountant. Although judging by the ring, he must be quite well-off and Fran always had been quite materialistic.
"And you really must try this too," Stacy insisted, pulling a thin, lacy-white robe from the rack.
"Hmm, I'm not sure. I mean it's lovely but it does seem a little risqué..." Fran said.
"You've changed!"
"Well, it's just that Colin is quite conservative in his tastes. He doesn't know everything about my past, if you know what I mean, especially my time here in the city..."
"I see," Stacy said.
"So I just wonder if it isn't a little bit too, you know..."
"Come on, this is your wedding night, it should be risqué! Just try it, you don't have to actually buy it," Stacy said, adding it to the large, frothy pile of white over her arm as she swept on.
Finally, they made it to the large changing room at the back, Stacy holding the red velvet curtains aside for her ex-girlfriend, then pulling them closed behind them. She watched Fran slip off her heels as she placed the pile of lingerie over the back of the chair.
"I think we should start with something classic and simple," she said, searching through the underwear until she found what she was looking for.
"Are you staying then?" Fran asked as she unzipped her dress.
"Of course, unless you don't want my opinion," Stacy said, trying not to sound hurt as she watched Fran shimmying out of her dress.
"No, no, of course not! I just thought helping me choose lingerie for my wedding night might feel a bit weird for you, that's all," Fran said as she stepped out of the little pool of jade-green silk.
"Don't be silly, Fran, I think I can handle it. Why don't we start with a classic look and see where we go from there?" she replied, taking the dress, threading a hanger through the shoulder straps and hanging it on a rail.
Stacy pretended to sort through the rest of the underwear but couldn't help spying out of the corner of her eye as Fran slipped out of her black cotton bra and pants and threw them onto the chair, revealing her gloriously naked body.
"Okay, well I'm ready," Fran said, self-consciously her hands partially covering her generous boobs and bare thighs.
"Wow, you look just like I remember," she couldn't help saying as she ran her eyes over Fran's body. Her hair had changed; back in the day, her hair had been spiky, tousled and peroxide blonde but now it fell around her shoulders in soft waves in her natural colour, a medium chocolate brown.
In truth, she had put on a little weight too but in all the right places, her boobs and rounded hips making her look more womanly than Stacy recalled. She couldn't help wondering if her body still felt the same. Still responded in the same way. She had to stop herself reaching out to see if her tanned skin was as smooth and flawless as it looked.
"Hey, you haven't changed either. Five minutes alone with you and I'm already naked!" she joked, and they laughed, breaking the silence.
