(no subject)

[chantinellie.livejournal.com]

Date: January 19th, 2001
Status: Private (Sphinx, Ellie) - Complete
Setting: Around London
Summary: Girl's Day Out (or Katie Needs More Therapy.) Continued from here.

The cab pulled up in front of Selfridges and Ellie stepped out with alacrity, flashing Bob a brilliant smile and handing over a generous wad of cash to make up for the distinctly unsettling atmosphere of the ride. "Thanks hon." She hoped the store wouldn't be too crowded today. The Sphinx didn't strike her as much of a people person.

"Where shall we head first?" she asked her companion, running through the store's departments in her head. She was always on the lookout for nice lingerie, but the Sphinx needed more substantial wardrobe components, and of course there were accessories to consider, and shoes, and the cosmetics counter...on second thought, they probably wouldn't have time for the park, or for a very long lunch.

Comments

[no-npc-here.livejournal.com]

"My... hair?" repeated Katie faintly. She shifted the bundle of clothes in her arms in order to reach up and touch it. The hos were laughing at her hair?

For the first time, the girl's face showed some genuine emotion. Puzzled and a little hurt, she said, "My friend Stacy does it. She went to beauty college."

Stacy had assured her that Mr. Crowley would love it - assuming he ever came back - even if he was gay. Especially if he was gay, really. Katie didn't quite know what that meant, but she went with it.

Looking at Ellie, she added snidely, "Does madam wish for her telephone number...?"

[chantinellie.livejournal.com]

In point of fact, the girl's hair looked perfectly fine, and Ellie might have relented and actually asked for the number if it hadn't been for the snotty tone of the response. "No, that's quite all right," she said coolly, whisking the pile of clothes neatly out of the girl's arms. "Be a dear and see if you can't find a few minis in my size, won't you? I wear an 8." Which hadn't quite been true a moment before--she usually preferred a slightly curvier look--but it was now, specifically because she was certain Katie wore a 10.

Turning her back dismissively on the girl, she scanned the area for other customers as she laid the skirts out along with the other clothes the Sphinx had yet to try on.

[no-npc-here.livejournal.com]

Katie did wear a 10, so after her flat, "Yes, madam," she turned back to her department and made a face. Then she wandered off to look for miniskirts, choosing the ugliest and most expensive she could find. Mrs. Anderson couldn't get angry with her for doing was the customer asked, right?

[theban-sphinx.livejournal.com]

"That could have been more satisfactory", the sphinx commented, quietly. "But that's the problem with the more... indirect approach, is it not? It takes time to see the results." Playing like that could be fun, though. If one had nothing else to do.

"So, are we going to continue this act, or shall I go to try the clothes?" Sphix nodded towards the pile. "Those that are something I can actually wear, anyway."

[chantinellie.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I'm pretty satisfied," Ellie said serenely. "She'll fume all day, lose herself a few commissions by snarking at other thin customers, then go home and pick a fight with her boyfriend and maybe go on some crazy fad diet that will do nobody but Famine any good." She started picking through the stack of clothes. "Go ahead and try some of them on. I'll keep myself entertained..."

[theban-sphinx.livejournal.com]

"But we won't be able to see her do any of that", the sphinx complained. "And when has just knowing been anywhere as amusing?" She considered suggesting that they would follow the salesgirl when she went home, ambush her, scare her a little. But they were here for shopping, she reminded herself. It was better not to get carried away.

"I'll be in the dressing room, in case you need my opinion on anything", Sphix said and was off.

[no-npc-here.livejournal.com]

Katie returned with an armful of miniskirts in all materials and patterns from the ultra slutty to the terminally tacky and mostly from designers who tended to size too large so that their vain clients would feel thin wearing a size smaller than normal. Of course, that meant Ellie would be swimming in a size 8 because it was actually a size 10. They all said 8 on the tag, though, and that was the important thing. Especially for those few size 4s that she switched tags on...

"Miniskirts, madam."

[chantinellie.livejournal.com]

"Thank you," Ellie said haughtily, taking the armload from the girl and nodding across the sales floor. "I believe you've got another customer waiting..."

The young man she'd spotted eyeing a rack full of lingerie would provide a splendid diversion--she could sense thoughts of his sweetheart drifting across the surface of his mind, and with a subtle nudge, pushed his thoughts toward that phrase most dreaded by any salesgirl in any clothing store: Well, I think she's about your size...

[no-npc-here.livejournal.com]

With an insincere smile, Katie moved off to deal with the dull-looking man, temporarily relieved to be away from the two whores.