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Maria's sense of acute embarrassment only deepened She abruptly flinched, as she heard the locks of the shop click closed behind her

She turned to see the neon sign in thego fro "Open" to flash "Closed" She turned back to the shop owner in ti a hidden space that lay behind the sales counter

"Follow et you outfitted What's your size honey?"

Maria told her and the older wo for you! We'ze gonna load you doith surprises for Mr Gideon!"

Maria hurriedly stuttered out, "I…… I don't want lingerie……"

"Lingerie!" The shop owner screeched out indignantly She picked up an auto on a nearby workbench and emptied the entire clip into so with sun in hand the black woman jerked a thuerie ever do that before for ya?"

Maria peered around the woman at the evidence that was plain to be seen and stated softly, "I can't say that it has"

The shop oent on as if she hadn't heard Maria, "This ain't lingerie! It's art!"

Maria stepped past her and picked so up, "Do you have this in my size?"

"The older woman smiled richly, "You bet I do honey! Wait till you see what else I got in your size!"

"What does this do?"

"Oh no honey! You don't want to touch it like that! You'd get an awful nasty surprise See what I mean?"

"I see what youeffectiveness of the object in question

"You make sure you tell Mr Gideon about that before he takes it off of you! Wouldn't be wanting hioodies My land's child you sure do blush a lot! How long you say you two been together?"

"Two days"

The shop owner guffawed into another fit of laughter, "You got a lot et ya! You hang on to hiood for you!"

"What did he do for you?"

"Somebody done stole my son from off school property and Mr Gideon was the only one who knehere to look He helped give me back my soul, when he saved my son Then he set me up with this store so I could support myself I sell the stuff out front to the freaky people ant to go whaling away at each other for no good reason, while I get to practice aith my art in here and sell it on the side to people recoh setabout it is Mr Gideon just ain't never aged I sure has though!"