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?"
Jessica smiled. The door was open just a crack. "I'd love to."
Saying goodbye to Tanya, Jessica found Marie, Jane, and Celeste waiting for her with a huge pile of clothes. They headed for the checkout counter, where the total was high enough to make Jessica blink a couple times; they could afford it, but it was more than most people would spend on clothes in five years. She shrugged and handed her credit card to the clerk.
Next they headed for the lingerie shop, where they spent a delightful hour with a beautiful redhead whose nametag said "Claire." They bought a bunch of things for Celeste, and Jessica let Marie and Jane pick out a few treats for themselves as well.
Back at the house Jessica started thinking ahead to the cocktail party. Should she go alone or take someone with her? After awhile she decided to bring Celeste; they had bought her a black cocktail dress that would be perfect for the occasion. Yes, she wouldn't be able to talk to anyone, but maybe that would be an advantage; she could stand there with a glass of champagne in hand, looking alluring and mysterious.