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Ti tape "You need a bra fitting, irl I doubt if you’ve ever been properly fitted"
I stared at hio…"
"No bingo Now raise your arms, out to the side" He measured me around the bra band and then around the breasts "What size do you usually buy?"
Frowning, I tried to remember "I think a thirty-six B"
"You take a thirty-four C" He flipped through the leopard-print bras and brought one out "Go try this on Meanwhile, I’ll get Iris’s present out of the back for you"
I slipped back to the dressing rooht Suddenly ht and curvy And the bra fit a lot better Heading back into the eous cornflower blue peignoir It was perfect for Iris
"That’s gorgeous," I whispered The lace was hand-stitched, and it was made of sheer silk "Iris will love it So will Bruce, for that ift wrap it Did that bra work out for you?"
"Yeah In fact, I’ll take a few erie in back to wrap for the wedding, Caarnet and black bustier she’d found for herself She added it towith four pair of black cotton panties By the tireen che but sleep shirts, but it was too pretty to pass up
"Are you and Jason cohed as Ca "We wouldn’t miss it for the world We’ll be there with bells on Or so the reception, let’s try to carve out a fewI guess we’d better do so as soon as possible"
"I was thinking about the evening of the seventeenth? And Va hall, with protection included We can use the phone tree to let people know What do you say about eight pavelook I inclined ood Go ahead Meanwhile, we have a couple "
As we left the shop, Ti the leaders of our phone tree There would be a lot of buzzing lines this afternoon
Second stop: a little out-of-the-way boutique that sold the eous crystal I’d ever seen We’d ordered a set of cut cobalt crystal dinnerware, for when Bruce and Iris had their own house Once ere sure it was all intact, aited while the shopkeeper wrapped the boxes in gorgeous linen paper with an elegant ribbon After we carried the cake
As we pulled into a corner parking spot three shops down fro I paused, getting out of the car, to look around
A glance up and down the street showed nothing out of the ordinary Groups of passersby shopping, huddling against the chill of the rain and daht jeans and thick jackets loitered on the corner against one of the poles that stretched over the road, holding the streetlights But the looks they gave us were the salamour most of the time, now that people were used to us, and Caht always drew notice
Caly I shook my head "Must just be my nerves" I motioned to her and we hustled past the Thai restaurant on the corner, then past a snh the door, a bell rang and the clerk waved We’d come in with Iris when she put in the order, after she and Bruce had discussed what they wanted
They had opted for a three-tiered wonder in white, with elegant roses of blue and silver cascading down the sides The bottom and top layers were chocolate, with thewas a s between layers was a chocolate fraanache The s
"We’re parked three spots down; I’ that to the car," I said
"No probleot a cart and can e came out He was about twenty, ether adorable in his Arinned at us as Mariah loaded the cake onto the wheeled cart
"Hold on," I said "Give us six of those cupcakes, please" I glanced at Caaze was glued to theof the case "They should last us till we get home"
As Mariah boxed up the cupcakes--each with a thick topping of icing and multicolored sprinkles--Caned the receipt, Jorge followed us out the door, back to the car, cautiously pushing the cart with the boxed cake inside
As we nearedat us, as if they aiting Theythat soo down But as we neared the side of the car, I stopped, a sick sense of shaasp
Across the passenger’s door, bright red graffiti spelled out Go Home, Faerie Sluts! A wash of embarrassment swept over me--the same shame I’d felt when I was a child and we’d been tore--but then I slairl any down
The slanced at the rin, and I knew--I knew sure as I knew my own name--that he and his posse were responsible
Caaze "What should we do? Kick a little ass?" She stood ready to taketo wait here, though I don’t want a confrontation Not today Just avoid brushing against the paint Jorge, can you please transfer the cake into the back of e sputtered, his expression angry as he loaded the cake and cupcakes into the back of the car
"Leave it alone, Jorge I don’t want you hurt" I didn’t want hiet--so keeping an eye on the men, I pulled out ht, ht now, theIris’s cake hoo back in the bakery The cops may come to talk to you, but I don’t want you out here Please?"