The nervous laughter was adorable. It made Agnes all the more attached to the sweet young driver who had agreed to hang with her today. She was so tender and sweet, like honey off the comb. It near made the insect queen want to smack her lips out of habit. But she would restrain herself for the time being. As much as she liked to jump straight into things, she really did want to take her mind off of Becca’s terrible decision making. So she needed to shop and she needed to encourage her new friend to fall down the hedonistic rabbit hole she had planned today.

Curling her arm into Thelma’s, Agnes’ broad smile carried them forward. It didn’t occur to her, in any way, that she was being too forward. This was actually tame by comparison. Agnes had no problem stating exactly what she wanted and acting accordingly. But for as cute and attractive as Thelma was, she knew when she had a shy fish on the line. this was going to take some finesse and careful planning. But first things first…


>>“Those are beautiful, by the way.”

She blinked, taken out of her thoughts. Turning back to Thelma she arched her brow in momentary confusion as to what she was talking about but realization quickly dawned on her. She grinned, glancing over her own shoulder at the wings that fluttered again. ”Mmm, thank you honey. Compliments make more than my heart flutter.” A coy wink and she pressed on.

Agnes stepped into the shop, strolling with an air of absolute confidence. She paid no attention to the attendees at the doors and instead just sighed to herself as she stepped in. Standing she peered around the interior, nibbling on her lip as she tried to focus her attention on where she wanted to begin. But it would seem that her focus would be draw away from her intended targets when Thelma seeming couldn’t help but bring her attention back to her mutation.

>>“This might be totally inappropriate to ask, but can you fly?”

A soft chuckle fell from her lips. It wasn’t the first time she was asked. She gave a small dip of her head as she beat her wings hard for a moment and started to lift into the air. It was only a couple feet, but as the light cascaded through the shop windows, Agnes was momentarily haloed in an aura of rainbows, giving her an unearthly, Fae-like visage. But this only lasted for a few seconds and Agnes slipped back down to earth with a sigh.

”I can,” she declared tenderly. Her head then tilted as he sapphire eyes locked onto Thelmaa with anticipation. ”That’s...okay right? Doesn’t change your mind about hanging with me today, does it?”

Thelma appreciated immensely the dramatics of Agnes’ response. She grinned at the unearthly spectacle, marveling at the colors the iridescent parts of each wing cast. Not only was the questioner mesmerized by the brief display, but so were a few others in the boutique. When it was over, Thelma was again reminded of her gratitude for a mutation others could not guess at by sight. Agnes’ wings were beautiful and she was obviously proud of them--Agnes also didn't (seem to) want to be an actress. Thelma wouldn’t work in the mainstream again if she sprouted wings (even if they were interesting and pretty). There was work for mutants in parts of the New York scene (especially in politically tinged theatre), but Thelma had never even dipped a toe in it. Anything that would have required to reveal the truth of her genetics was to be avoided--even opportunities. 

>> ”I can. That’s...okay right? Doesn’t change your mind about hanging with me today, does it?”

“That is way cool.” Her appreciative grin was still easy on her face when Thelma continued. “No worries on my end--I’m not a bigot if that’s what you’re worried about.” For more reasons than one. She’d had the unpleasant experience of playing host to some...aggravating opinions in her car before. It was always an awkward experience (even with her mutation being a secret). “I can about imagine what that can be like...”

Brown eyes darted back to the wings and then out to the nearest display. It seemed polite to change the subject to something a little more light. This was, after all, supposed to be a day for Agnes to relax and get away from whatever had been troubling her lately. She didn’t deserve Thelma (or anyone else) gaping at her...although, Agnes did seem very confident in her mutation and showing it off. 

“So what are we searching for today--clothes, shoes…?” Thelma gestured idly at the nearest mannequin. It was sporting a summery sundress with an open back. “That would look great on you.” It was fun to slip into the friend role. Thelma didn’t know her companion well, but she was well versed in the art of shopping. It felt good to relax into something familiar, even if it was only superficial. 

Agnes surely loved to put on a display. She knew what she looked like. She knew the attention that she garnered. Because of that she made sure to use her assets to their utmost capacity. After all, she spent so much of her life ashamed of what she was, why should she continue to do so? Now that she was a bombshell, fearless, and pro-mutant, why should she hide what she really is? She shouldn’t, and that is a lesson that everyone who comes across her needs to be taught.

So when asked, she displayed. Hovering in the air like an ethereal vision of kaleidoscopic color, she wore the brightest and proudest smile upon her lips. It didn’t matter who was watching her, so long as they didn’t try to step over her boundaries then they were free to stare.

She settled with a slight flutter of her wings before they were pressed against her back once more. That was fun and the look of admiration that Thelma was giving her encouraging. Still, she asked, coyly wondering if this was going to change their dynamic for the day. Thankfully it seemed that wouldn’t be the case. ‘

>>“That is way cool. No worries on my end--I’m not a bigot if that’s what you’re worried about...I can about imagine what that can be like...”

A smile of relief swept across her lips. ”Oh good. I’m so glad to hear that,’ she said, stepping a little closer. She wasn’t outright making moves on Thelma, but a dipping a toe into the woman’s personal bubble was more than enough to keep Thelma guessing about her.

But they were getting off track. Thelma was supposed to be her shopping companion, wasn’t she? So why not embrace that and actually get some shopping done? Besides, much like a fish, Agnes was going to have to move carefully with Thelma, reeling her in close, but giving her slack to ensure that she still felt in control -- at least until she was ready to give it up to sultry, blue-eyed brunette. There would be time enough.

>>“So what are we searching for today--clothes, shoes…? That would look great on you.”

Her eyes followed Thelma’s gaze. Much like an interested friend, Agnes cooed at the sight of the dress that was being pointed out to her. Really she didn’t know what she was after today and expressed that honesty to Thelma. ”You know I’m not exactly sure what I’m after. But I know I’ll know it the second I see it.”

A devilish smile as she turned to glance at Thelma. But before any second meanings could be conferred she stepped away, her eyes following the dress that was pointed out. It was sleek and would have hugged every inch of her curves. It was exactly the kind of dress that she would wear. However she wasn’t going to just buy everything that she saw the second that she saw it. She needed to browse a little. This would certainly be on the maybe list though.

"This is absolutely gorgeous." Grinning at the skimpy number, she turned back to Thelma. ”You know you’d look pretty hot in something like this too." she mused. She turned back to the dress, tilting her head as she eyed it. "What do you think? Shall we try it?”

Once everything was sorted about Thelma’s opinion on Agnes’ mutation, they seemed to get back on track. The young woman didn’t necessarily notice the little body language the other woman was sending her way. It just felt to her like they were becoming comfortable in their spur of the moment plan. 

>>”You know I’m not exactly sure what I’m after. But I know I’ll know it the second I see it.”

“That’s fair--I usually need to go shopping with a list or I get distracted.” Or end up buying more fruit than budgeted for because it looked fun to try. Or coming home with a handful of DVDs of classic films already seen many times. Thelma rarely shopped with abandon--due to her budget she usually only shopped for the essentials. It was decidedly fun to window shop, however, and she looked forward to the day of ogling things she didn’t have a reason to own. 

>> "You know you’d look pretty hot in something like this too. What do you think? Shall we try it?”

“Oh, I’m sure I would.” Slightly airy and confident at once, Thelma’s accent replied. As if she needed to hear that she’d look good in a figure-hugging dress. The young woman was comfortable in her skin and unafraid to admit it. And really, the dress might’ve looked nice--so long as it wasn’t cut for someone of a taller build. Thelma worried about hemlines a lot--she hated to look shorter than she was. Her passenger could pull it off either way.

The dress wasn’t something Thelma would have a place to wear. It also was a bit more daring than she usually ventured (at least in terms of skin). With that in mind, there wasn’t a harm in trying it on--it would be fun, like playing dress up. She almost felt giddy, as if she was a teenager again running around unsupervised at the mall. The setting was very different, but the mood was something familiar. “Sure--why not?” Her tone was bright and willing as she stepped towards the rack holding a small handful of the dress. She’d grab her approximate size and wait for Agnes’ direction about whether or not they were heading straight to the dressing rooms. 

Thelma was so unbelievably adorable. Of course she shopped with lists. The main reason was because she lived on a more restricted budget, a life that Agnes remembered quite well. It called for tough decisions and responsibility. She was glad that she wasn’t in such a state anymore. She wanted the freedom and the chance to be as irresponsible as she could. Why let everyone else live the life she wanted? Why not just go out and make such a life happen for herself?

That’s exactly what Agnes did and that was what she was trying to impart to Thelma. She had dreams of coming to New York and being an actress, then she needed to grab life by the balls make it turn into what she wanted. And the best way to do that was to forget putting restrictions on yourself.

First lesson of the day, pick out what suits you. So Agnes turned an eye to the dress that Thelma had picked out, noticed the gorgeousness of it, and commented that it would accentuate her new companion perfectly. Did she want to try it on? Agnes wanted her to. Not because she wanted the driver to feel the sensual material on her skin, but because, well, the insect queen wouldn’t turn down a free show.

>>“Oh, I’m sure I would.”

The confidence was truly alluring to Agnes. She cast a wicked and appreciative eye towards the woman. Mm, she loved it when they were strong and confident in themselves. There was something to be said for picking off and manipulating the weaker ones, but women like Thelma were a challenge that Agnes was more than happy to throw herself into.

As Thelma came closer to investigate the dress, Agnes watched her, gazing at the indecisiveness in her eyes as she looked between the dress and the possibility to wearing it.

>>“Sure--why not?”

Agnes purred in delight. A grin of agreement as she turned, looking for the same dress in her size. Once she plucked it out, she turned away, but not without glancing coyly over her shoulder to the young woman. ”Come.” She summoned sweetly and made a beeline for the changing rooms. Finding one for herself, she stopped, door open, and turned to Thelma as she made for one of her own. Agnes nearly offered to share but stopped herself before she stepped over the line. Instead she merely winked. ”See you on the other side, sweetie.”

She then stepped inside and pulled the door closed. She couldn’t wait to see the gorgeous bombshell in her complementary outfit.

>> ”Come.” 

Still strongly reminded of being a teenager again, Thelma followed Agnes to the dressing room area. They managed to avoid any attendants (a small blessing). The normalcy of the actions led the mutant to relax further into the day. Even though the dress she was carrying carefully under her arm was way beyond her price point, it still felt like trying on a cheaper, fast-fashion garment. 

>> ”See you on the other side, sweetie.”

“Godspeed.” The young woman replied solemnly (although her smirk ruined any intended effect). She stepped into the room she’d been led to and made quick work of changing.  

Thelma had had a sneaking suspicion that the slinky, summer dress would be too long on her and she was not proven wrong. Thin fingers smoothed the luxe material at her sides as she adjusted the dress in the dressing room mirror. From the waist up it was fine--nothing to write home about, but definitely ‘let’s go get drinks and sit on the patio’ passable. It chopped her off awkwardly between knees and ankles. She scrunched her nose at the view before turning to look at the back (or lack thereof). It was slightly too low due to her petite frame, so she hiked up the shoulders as much as possible before stepping back to get a better look at herself in the large mirror.

“I can admit when I’m wrong--this dress was not made for me.” She referred, of course, to her confidence from moments before. Bare feet turned her in a circle as she took in the triplicated reflection. Thelma laughed as she took one more look at herself in the mirror. “Please tell me you’re having better luck with it.” Agnes was at least a few inches taller and her frame screamed ‘I could pull off a potato sack’. Thelma appreciated her own body and was confident with it--the dress just wasn’t cut for her. 

Oh this was going to be fun. Standing at the entrance to her dressing room, she peered over her shoulder at the gorgeous woman as she crept to her own space. Really she wished she could be a fly in that room and, to be quite honest, the thought made her snicker a bit in amusement. Oh the irony. But she didn’t make any such forward proclamations and instead just smiled and waved Thelma off with hopes of good luck following her. She couldn’t wait to see the end result.

>>“Godspeed.”

She winked, stepped inside, and closed the door behind her. It was time to get ready.

As Agnes shimmied out of her tight-fitting clothing, she sighed as she kicked away her jeans and top into a corner and took a moment to stand and admire herself in her undergarments in front of the mirror. Her lips pursed as she looked over her soft, pale curves. Vaguely she remembered what she used to look like and could even pick out where the scars had once been placed. That thought made her stop dead in her tracks.

She stopped, staring at herself in the mirror. Where once there had been pure, conceded admiration, she now stared at herself with something more akin to remembrance. Even with her eyes open, she looked past her reflection and towards the meek, unsure woman she used to be. The woman who had scars all over her body thanks to her parent’s close-minded views on mutants. Just thinking about them made her lips snarl a bit in distaste. Last she heard they had died in jail. Good. If they weren’t, she would have found a way to do it herself -- nice and slow. She could only hope that they were burning in the same Hell that they had condemned her to so long ago.

Blinking, she stopped when she felt something odd rolling down the corner of her cheek. A swift brush and she held her fingers in front of her; it was tear. With a small, shuddering sigh she flicked the drop away. That would be the last bit of emotion her past would ever earn from her again.

Agnes eyes drifted over to the hanging dress and her smile returned to her. Plucking it from the hanging, she sighed as she began to slip it on. Oh the feeling the expensive fabric against her skin was like smooth balm against her sore wounds. It felt so heavenly that she had a difficult time containing herself. She practically purred at the sensation. As the dress hugged her hips and open back cooled her skin, she smiled at her reflection. She did look heavenly, didn’t she?

With a sigh she started to run her fingers through her hair when her companion’s voice echoed out from the neighboring booth.

>>“I can admit when I’m wrong--this dress was not made for me. Please tell me you’re having better luck with it.”

She cooed. ”Oh it’s very sweet on me,” she replied. ”Maybe a little long but nothing overly bad.” With a grin on her lips she stepped out of her booth and stood in front of Thelma’s. When she spoke again, suddenly her voice would sound so, so much closer to the driver. ”And it sound’s like you need a second set of eyes.” Cheerily she knocked on the booth door. ”Come on. Give us a peek.”

>> Maybe a little long but nothing overly bad.”

“Oh, I can show you a ‘little long’.” Thelma joked, fidgeting in the soft dress. 

Her mother used to hem things for Thelma when she was a child. The young woman had vivid memories of always being just a little too short for everything in the store--jeans, skirts, dresses...sometimes even tops were too long on her small frame. She’d finally hit her growth spurt in mid high school, but never reached the ‘dream’ height of her favorite actresses. As her mother always said: “That’s what God invented heels for, honey. Act tall and no one knows the difference.” 

Heels would not save the dress she had on. 

>> ”And it sound’s like you need a second set of eyes. Come on. Give us a peek.”

Thelma jumped when she heard Agnes’ voice right outside of her door. She’d been distracted by folding the hem up to a more flattering length. The smooth material fell between her fingers and lay once more at the awkward spot between knee and ankle. 

“I think your eyes will see the same things mine do.” She laughed and rolled her eyes at the reflection in her peripheral vision. “Give me a sec.”

She unlatched the door and pulled it gently inward. Thelma extended both her arms in her best impression of a showgirl. She laughed at the gesture. Despite her best efforts in acting tall and keeping a smile on her face, the dress made Thelma look short and awkward. Brown eyes scanned her companion--suspicions about Agnes’ figure and clothing confirmed. From her angle, the young woman couldn’t see Agnes’ back, but she hoped that the iridescent wings added drama to the low backed dress.

“It definitely is sweet on you.” Her tone was honest and complimentary. Thelma considered a self-deprecating joke about needing a good seamstress and new legs but decided against it. She was confident even without clothing suited to her frame--especially when interacting with a stranger. Agnes was fun to be around, but Thelma had only known her for an hour or two, tops. She’d barely let that mask off if her roommates were her shopping companions. The easy grin she sported stayed locked into place. 

Agnes smirked at Thelma’s comment about showing her exactly how long the dress could be. Thelma was a bit shorter than her and if the insect queen was already heading length problems with the dress on herself, she could only imagine what it would look like on the driver. The thought brought a smile to her lips, imagining the curvy woman in a dress that pooled at the bottom of her feet like a gold melting off a statue. Quite the image. But she wasn’t going to think on it too hard when she clearly had the option to step right out and see it face to face.

Boldness had been Agnes’ middle name ever since she came back. She stepped out from her dressing room, her wings fluttering in anticipation. Immediately she knocked on Thelma’s door and requested entrance to see her in the dress. It probably wasn’t necessary for her to invade the other’s space but this was a girl’s day out, was it not? Agnes was planning to thinking as little as possible and acting when the mood struck. And, right now, the mood struck her to see Thelma in a dress that was most certainly too long for her.

>>“I think your eyes will see the same things mine do. Give me a sec.”

The squeak was adorable but Agnes said nothing. She merely nodded as she crossed her arms under her chest and waited for the door to open. When it did, it was done with such fanfare that Agnes had to snort in laughter. The performance was on point but, decidedly, Thelma was right about the dress. Agnes let her eyes wander down, looking over just how much it pooled around her ankles. In all honesty she looked like a little girl who tried to put on her mother’s dress. It was adorable and humorous.

Agnes clapped her hands over her mouth, shaking her head. ”Wow. You can practically make another dress out of what’s hanging past your ankles.” She snorted again, and tilted her head. Crystalline eyes drifted over her. Still, while the bottom half left much to be desired, the way it hugged the woman’s curves from the waist up, Mmm, made her mouth water a bit. But she contained herself and sighed. ”Yeah, we definitely need to get you out of that dress.” Innuendo was totally accidentally. Totally. But Agnes pushed passed it and pursed her lips. ”Shame. The color is so pretty against your skin.”

Oh well. There were plenty of dresses. And now that the attention was back onto her, she beamed proudly as Thelma gave her a once over. The dress still hung a bit low but it hardly seemed a detriment when compared to how it fit across the rest of her. It was, at most, a most minor job for a seamtress, hardly a reason for Agnes to not purchase it. But, later. For now she just smiled as Thelma complimented her.

>>“It definitely is sweet on you.”

”Mmm, isn’t it, though?” A small breath of satisfaction fell from her lips. She began to turn around, giving Thelma full view of the front, her curves, and the plunging open back where her wings spilled out. She also totally added a little wiggle from of rear for kicks. When she turned back around, she locked eyes with Thelma and beamed. ”What do you think, hun? Yay or nay?”

Thelma felt laughter bubble out of her throat at Agnes’ reaction to the dress. It was a ridiculous choice all around--and a warning against trusting the way things looked on the hanger. It felt good to laugh and to see her shopping companion doing the same--the snort was definitely a cute touch. It made her seem a little bit less surreal. 

>> ”Yeah, we definitely need to get you out of that dress. Shame. The color is so pretty against your skin.”

“I don’t know…” She pretended to be contemplative. “It’s almost like a tent--I could just sleep in it.” There was still laughter in her voice as Thelma joked. She smiled at the idea that the dress looked good with her skin tone and absently stroked the soft fabric. It felt nice against her skin. Tent jokes aside, she could go for a pair (or probably several) made from the dress. 

>> ”What do you think, hun? Yay or nay?”

“Hmm, I think you look like a babe--especially with the back.” She paused, quirking her lips. “But I also suspect that most things here would do the same thing.” Thelma playfully teased. “So, my official opinion is that if you love it, it's a yes, and anything else is a think on it.” Old habits die hard--Thelma wasn’t one to buy clothing unless she truly needed or loved it. The same theory applied even with wealthy Upper East Side ladies footing their own bills, apparently. They could always give it to an attendant and decide later. 

“And since this, “ A final turn to look at the terrible proportions in the mirror. She shook her head. “Is a definite no, I say we get dressed and check out the rest of the store?” The end was a hanging question. It was, after all, Agnes’ day. Thelma was just along for the ride. 

Agnes was, admittedly, having fun. This was exactly the tonic that she needed to counteract the B.S. that was Rebecca Grey. The woman had been a thorn in her side for many years, making mistakes and dragging Agnes into the midst of them. It was to the point that she was downright sick of the redhead and her inability to do anything right. All she wanted when she came back was to turn her into a submissive, mindless slave! Really, what was wrong with that? Agnes couldn’t see any downfall. They would finally strip their relationship down to its most basic core and it was ideal for the both of them.

But, of course, Becca had to go and make things difficult. Mirror, god how she hated that gendershifter. They were the bane of her existence -- but at least they were a good piece of ***. They could have been awful at it. But that was besides the point. That last jab seemed to have been the killing blow for Becca, something that made the insect queen immensely happy. Now she just had to wait unitl Becca decided what she would do next. And, until then, she had a lovely second-place trophy standing directly in front of her.

Thelma really was a knockout but it was true, the dress wasn’t all that flattering on her. She had plenty of curves to show off but the outfit hung so long it pooled around her feet. That was unacceptable. Needless to say it wasn’t going to be a purchase for Thelma, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t find anything for her throughout their day. Agnes would be sure of it.

>>“Hmm, I think you look like a babe--especially with the back. But I also suspect that most things here would do the same thing. So, my official opinion is that if you love it, it's a yes, and anything else is a think on it.”

After her little turn she gave her a wide, full smile. Thelma really was just the sweetest thing. She paid her compliments left and right. There was the distinct possibility that she was lying just because Agnes was paying for her day off, but she chose not to think of it like that. Instead she would just accept it at face value. Besides, she would hate to upset her hunt with scaring the prey off on accusations of lying. Instead she just beamed and gave her a playful wink.

”Mmm, you’d be surprised what looks good on me.” Another grin as she turned to the mirror in the waiting area and gave herself a once over. Thelma was right, she wasn’t going to waste her money on something she didn’t love. But this, it was too yummy to do away with. Besides, all it would need is a quick alteration; something she could easily handle on her own.

>>“And since this...Is a definite no, I say we get dressed and check out the rest of the store?”

”I couldn’t agree more,” she announced. She made for dressing room, unzipping the dress without shame in front of Thelma. ”I’ll be right back.” Once in, she closed the door behind her, let the dress fall and proceeded to gather her clothing. It was only a few more minutes before she was stepped out, dressed in her standard clothing once more. Her eyes fell to Thelma as she looped the dress over her arm. ”This is too good to pass up. Come on! We’ll pay for this and check what else is available before we hit the next store!”

[[So sorry about the delay--between wedding planning and house hunting, my week got crazy! Let me know if you need edits/feel free to take them wherever.]]

Thelma freed herself of the dress without another glance in the mirror. The soft fabric pooled around her ankles like some kind of luxurious puddle before she stepped from it and back into her fast fashion outfit. Her jean shorts felt suddenly rough and cheap against her skin--something she hadn’t noticed before. Thin hands adjusted her pullover before Thelma stepped back into the common area where Agnes was waiting.

>>”This is too good to pass up. Come on! We’ll pay for this and check what else is available before we hit the next store!”

“Sounds great--lead on.”

And so they did. A few more trips to the dressing rooms were in order as they wandered the rest of the store, stopping whenever something caught their eyes. It was leisurely and Thelma quite enjoyed herself--no list, no goals, just some girl time with a charismatic woman. Nothing had caught her eye, besides a few smiles from her passenger. The young woman was in bright spirits and ready for wherever the rest of the day led her.

She blinked in the too-bright late afternoon sunlight when they finally exited the first boutique. Her car was still right where they’d left it. Thelma checked the time on the meter before unlocking the trunk. Hot metal felt like summer under thin fingers as she popped it and moved to the side. The trunk was clean and empty aside from a roadside emergency kit and a beach towel. 

“If you want to drop anything off, we can lock it in the car.” Thelma didn’t have anything she needed to deposit, but she always hated carrying around shopping bags. She leaned against the red Subaru and felt the heat of the metal against the back of her bare legs. It felt good, even through the scratchy jean shorts. One thing she missed about being home was the heat. New York City got hot, and she reveled in those days, but early summer was not quite up to her standards. Sweatshirt covered arms lifted her petite shoulders in a languid stretch. 

“Have we done enough damage, Agnes? Or are we headed to the next one?” She gestured with bobbing curls at the rest of the busy street. Even more pedestrians were out now that it was closer to leaving time for the droves of office workers that swarmed around the glittering skyscrapers of downtown. Looking out at the street almost looked like a very posh anthill--designer sunglasses and shoes the only discerning features in a blur of suits. Thelma did not envy them anything but their shopping money. Besides, Agnes was proof that you didn’t need a nine to five to have a healthy budget--Thelma suspected managing a nightclub wasn’t something with regular hours. 

“Do you ever wonder what that’s like?” It was an absent minded question, directed in the general direction of a group of business people crossing the street for a table at an outdoor patio. “I mean,” She caught herself. “Maybe you’ve had those jobs before--but I don’t imagine you have to wear a suit to work.”

[[No problem! Perfectly understandable. ^_^]]

>>“Sounds great--lead on.”

Agnes wrinkled her nose sweetly as she walked out of the changing rooms with Thelma. There was still plenty that this store had to offer and Agnes was fully prepared to bend it over a barrel and make it scream uncle. Maybe that was a bit graphic of a mindset to carry with her, but Agnes refused to be subtle anymore. Too much time was wasted tip-toeing around other people’s sensibilities. In the end, it was easier to ask for forgiveness instead of permission. That was how she lived her life now and she hoped, that with this little glimpse, she could encourage Thelma to walk the same path.

***

The store didn’t take up too much more of Agnes and Thelma’s time. Yes, there was a lot to look over but for the most part Agnes couldn’t find anything to truly grab her attention. There was a quite bag, and a few baubles to wear on her wrist that were attractive enough, but aside from that it was hardly going to break her pocket book. No, this store was tapped out and as Agnes left with Thelma at her side, she realized that she didn’t feel the least bit satisfied. No, they needed to go somewhere else.

Moving along with the woman, they stopped at her car where Thelma kindly popped the hood of her trunk and offered it as a temporary shopping storage space for any and all of Agnes’ packages.

>>“If you want to drop anything off, we can lock it in the car.”

”Mmm, good idea,” she nodded. She then waited until the car was opened for her to deposit her bags and stepped back. Her arms free again she stretched them out before placing her hands on her hips. She then turned and swept her gaze out over the remaining storefront.

>>“Have we done enough damage, Agnes? Or are we headed to the next one?”

”Oh I think there’s still plenty damage to be done. But…” she waved to the set of tables and chairs sitting outside of a coffee shop. ”Let us take a little rest, shall we? I can use a bit of a caffeine boost.”

Agnes sighed as she strolled to a table and slipped into a seat. With a satisfied smile she stretched out in her seat and watched with Thelma as people bustled around. Suits and other work attire passed in front of them and Agnes smirked. Vaguely she remembered her short lived music career. She didn’t dress like that every day but there were enough nights where she couldn’t perform in just jeans and a tank top. Sometimes she missed that life, other times, she was glad for its end.

>>“Do you ever wonder what that’s like? I mean...Maybe you’ve had those jobs before--but I don’t imagine you have to wear a suit to work.”

She shrugged, eyes hidden behind her sunglasses. ”Usually it was something black and nice fitting,” she confirmed. ”I used to be a musician. Violinist, actually. More often than not our performances required us to dress extremely nice.” She exhaled and pursed her lips in thought. ”I don’t miss it. I have so much fabulous skin to show.”