“Are you still going to the Halloween masquerade ball Brennan’s hosting? Susannah asked, swiping through the clothes in her closet.
“It’s mandatory. Not like we have any say in the matter. It’s just like regular days except this time we fraternize with the guests.” Lydia replied drily as she lay on the bed puffing out a thick coconut scented fog. She glanced at Susannah searching frantically in her wardrobe and frowned. “What are you looking for?”
“My bloody shawl. The dress I’m to wear has no sleeves and I need it to cover my chubby flabs.” She huffed angrily, searching deeper amongst her stuff, half her body disappeared into the closet. “I knew that design was terrible.”
“For fuck’s sake.” Lydia muttered irritatedly. She left the room and returned a couple minutes later holding a black shawl which she tossed to Susannah sitting desolately on the bed.
Desolation vanished from her face replaced with relief and happiness at the long material on her lap. Susannah fixed grateful eyes at her friend, “I could kiss you right now.”
“Save it. I’ll borrow you for this night only since you’re so conscious of your arms but not your overflowing breasts.” She remarked with a pointed look at Susannah’s bosom. “You don’t even have stretch marks.”
“I don’t need to have stretch marks to cover my arms, Lydia."
Lydia pushed away from the door and moved to lay on the bed with a sigh, taking a thoughtful drag, her eyes moved to Susannah, “You don’t need that shawl either to cover your breasts. From the way Ebere designed that dress, you’ll have a lot more to worry about than you sense of modesty.”
Susannah laughed lightly and fell to the bed. “Your sister’s going out with a couple of her college friends for a Halloween party.”
Lydia lashes swept down to conceal her eyes. “It hasn’t even been long since she started school and she’s already going to parties with strangers…or friends.”
Susannah watched Lydia in thoughtful silence. Lydia was uptight. That was the summary it all. That was why she practically tossed Martin out by the ear that day he arrived unannounced, had she not intervened. Her fingers reached out to touch the soft spongy mass of Lydia’s dark hair. “She will be alright, Lydia. She isn’t a child anymore.” Susannah whispered. “Besides she’s out with a respectable girl I know. Janine’s her name.”
“It’s always the respectable ones that do the most devious things. One can’t possibly know the other too well. We are all fashioned that way.” She replied, rubbing a weary hand over her face.
“You really need to loosen up a bit.” was Susannah’s dry retort. “You’re fucking uptight.”
Lydia glanced at her with a rueful smile. “Fuck off.”
“You fuck off.”
Lydia’s grin disappeared with a worried sigh. “I just can’t shake this feeling of paranoia.”
Susannah stroked her hair soothingly. “Nothing is gonna happen. You’ve raised her well enough.”
⸙
Martin glanced around the room filled with colorful guests, some women dressed in so many strings of pearls to make a mermaid proud with such low-cut neckline he was surprised their nipples hadn’t popped free yet. He turned to Brennan watching the mingling guests with a thick brown wrap of tobacco between his lips half way finished. A thin trail of smoke curled lazily at the end. “What possessed you to host a 19th century masquerade ball, Brennan? It’s Halloween.”
Brennan withdrew the cigar from his lips, puffing out a thick cloud. “Would you have preferred slutty nuns and mischievous devils? As amusing as I find it to see men and women interact on such base levels, I will not have here being turned into a sex party.”
YOU ARE READING
Feel Me
Romance"Exhibitionism is something I haven't tried." She whispered, loving the dark wash of jealousy and anger on his face. He seized her by the waist crushing her against his solid frame, his eyes bright with anger. "It took me a long time to forgive you...
