On Monday Jessica decreed that it was time for a shopping expedition. Celeste needed new clothes and seemed like she would be fun to shop for, so the four of them piled into the car and drove to the mall.
This being the day after Christmas, it was tremendously crowded, and they were forced to park far away and walk. Almost immediately Jessica noticed the reaction that her entourage drew from passers-by; men looked on with undisguised lust, women with naked envy, possibly lust also. It continued as they walked into the mall, heads turning left and right; two men walking in opposite directions collided and glared at each other.
They set about finding a new wardrobe for Celeste, the three of them buzzing around her, suggesting things for her to try on. Seemingly everything she tried on looked amazing; she was just one of those people who made clothes look good. They spent a lot of time in dressing rooms, passing clothes in and out, debating what went best with what.
At one point Jessica went off on her own to get coffee, and waiting in line she saw a familiar face from yoga class. And what a face it was -- chiseled cheekbones and big blue eyes set off by a mane of long brown hair. The superb body underneath was currently hidden by unflattering sweats, but Jessica remembered its contours quite vividly from studying it at length in the yoga studio.
"Hi, I know you from yoga," she said. "Jessica," she added, and extended her hand.
"Yeah, I recognize you," said Tanya, smiling sweetly. "Tanya."
The line was long, so they had some time to talk. Jessica laid on the charm as thick as she could, telling funny stories, throwing in subtle flattery here and there. She wasn't sure exactly what she had in mind for Tanya, but was curious what might be possible.
As they walked away from the coffee stand with their steaming cups in hand, Tanya said, "Listen, we're having a cocktail party at my house tonight. A fundraiser for the homeless shelter. Why don't you drop by?"