Diva in Disguise Chapter 7

I drove downtown in something of a mental turmoil. My destination was the scene of the previous evening’s action. This part of town was quiet in the daytime, and it was easy to find a parking space close by. I checked the front entrance but found it closed, as might be expected at that time of day. However, I could see that lights were burning inside so I walked around to the back and banged loudly on the rear door. There was no reply. I tried again without result. I had raised my fist to give it one more go when the door opened abruptly, and I knocked on fresh air.

“You don’t need to hammer so loud.” The man who opened the door had a hand to his head and his eyes had a pained expression. “The boss told me you were coming so I’ve been expecting you.”

The guy was dressed in a loosely buttoned shirt and pants. I was puzzled by his remark. The only one who knew of my intended visit would be Karen and the person she had called and the latter had definitely sounded female. When he took his hand away from his face, a closer inspection revealed him to be none other than Adrian, the joker who had hit on me the night before. Then I’d taken him to be just another customer, but I guessed that he must be on the staff. Being employed at such a place must have been a come down from his previous professional role at the library.

He was obviously hung over. He looked at me blearily for a full minute before recognition kicked in.

“It’s Jenny isn’t it” he groaned. “I’d no notion that it might be you.” He cracked a smile, though it clearly hurt to do that much. “I’m pleased it is.
Mighty pleased. You’d better come inside.”

Gingerly I followed the guy into the recesses of the interior, wrinkling my nose. The place reeked of stale beer and cigarettes. He leaned across the row of bar stools and reconnected with his glass which contained an amber fluid. “Want one?”

“No thanks. A bit early in the day for me.”

“Never too early!” He took a deep swig and sighed. “That’s better.”

I hadn’t liked the man before but now I started to feel a little sorry for him. I figured that perhaps alcohol had played a contributary part in his downward career path. Who knows?

My guesswork was interrupted by his suddenly becoming business-like.

“Well, Jenny, if I can’t interest you in any refreshment we might as well get started.”

He pointed to a door opposite. “Have a look around the dressing room. It’s small but there will be everything you could possibly need in there.”

I was mystified by this odd choice of phrase, but following his direction, entered the little room.

It was indeed tiny. A desk doubling as a dressing table, a mirror circumscribed with lights, a washstand and a couple of hard chairs comprised the furniture. On the wall was something which stopped me in my tracks, a rail which was hung full of what I took to be theatrical costumes. The closest was the most visible and was quite a stunning piece, all silver satin and spangles. It was the kind of thing a showgirl might wear.

I was so intrigued by the sight that for the moment my quest was forgotten. I reached across and ran my hand over the shiny material. Its slippery feel was enticing. The thought of having it draped against my skin made me shiver. My curiosity fully aroused, I pushed the gown aside so that I had a view of the next piece, then the next, and the next, before returning to the original. These were all amazing creations!

I realised I was taking far too long in here and the thought brought me to myself. What would my companion be wondering I could be up to? Guiltily I resumed my search for Karen’s purse, though while I hunted around, I wondered with more than a tinge of envy who those clothes might belong to. It didn’t take me long to check every possible hiding place which the small room offered. There was no sign of my quarry anywhere.

Frowning, I leaned out of the doorway to ask Adrian exactly where he’d put the thing. Before I could interrogate him, however, I was met by a barrage of questions.

“Why are you taking so long? What’s the problem? Don’t you like that gear? Won’t any of those outfits fit you? They were all designed with stretch in mind.” Glancing pointedly at my chest, he added slyly “I think you’ll find they can accommodate even a girl with your dimensions.”

There was obviously some confusion here which I attempted to clarify. “I can’t find my purse.”

“No matter. If you want any cosmetics there’s every conceivable type in the top drawer. Feel free to use any you need.”

What?

“No. My purse. It’s a red one. I left it here last night. Do you know where it is?”

He laughed. “You young women are always losing your things. As it happens, I have a good idea where it will be, but that will have to wait. A delivery truck has just arrived, and I need to oversee those guys’ every move. They cheat you blind, unless you watch them like a hawk. Hey! Why don’t you choose one of the dresses and try it for size? I’ll be with you as quick as I can… say twenty minutes.”

“Why would I put any of them on?”

Curiosity must have shown in my face. He laughed dismissively “Anyone can see you’re itching to.”

“But…”

“Go on. Humour me! While I’m busy it will give you something to do.”

Leaving me tangling with a growing conundrum he disappeared out of the door. I stared after my enigma in perplexity. Sounds of beer crates being unloaded followed his departure. This made no sense, but perhaps my own head was none too clear. I sat myself down on one of the stools to await his return. Then I would try and make sense of this labyrinth of confusion.

Meanwhile, patience has never been my strong suit. Adrian’s outlandish suggestion kept recurring to my mind. If I were to slip into one of the outfits for a moment, it might prove an agreeable way of passing the time. The moment I’d laid eyes on the intriguing collection, I’d been tempted by all that glitter. Images from the Dorothy Lamour and Rita Hayworth movies of which my mother had been a devotee and which we had watched together darted into my brain. That had regularly been one of the mother and daughter activities she’d insisted form part of my education. While thus engaged, I’d often found myself wondering what it would be like to wear something so exotic.

Here and now was a ready-made excuse for me to do just that. The recollection of those long-gone times with Mom made up my mind for me. Entering the little dressing room, I closed the door carefully behind me. Part of me knew that I must be I must be crazy even to think of doing this but the rest of me was consumed with an eager inquisitiveness. I divested myself of my top and pants knowing exactly which outfit I would try first.

You guessed! I took the silver ensemble down from the rail. The dress featured a low-cut bodice, cute little voile sleeves and a long, figure-hugging skirt. The main material was a satin brocade and sparkle had been added everywhere. I found the sight irresistible! An accessory bag was hung up with the dress and on inspection proved to hold pantyhose, a quantity of costume jewellery and a pair of strappy heels to support the whole glistening edifice. Wow!

It took less time than I expected to struggle into the tights, despite the lack of elbow room in the office. My technique must have improved overnight! The skin-tight dress was trickier, but I persevered and somehow managed to squeeze myself in without ripping anything. I’d removed my own underwear, guessing that a visible panty line might detract from the overall effect. Next came the jewellery and lastly the shoes. The latter were stratospherically high but surprisingly well-fitting as their straps had plenty of adjustment. When I was finally done, I was enthralled. To be wearing all this shimmering satin was a surreal experience, like I was clothed in light itself. The experience exceeded my wildest expectations.

The dressing room was too small to allow me to fully immerse my senses in the moment, so I tottered out into the bar, one wall of which I’d noticed was all glass. The image I saw there completely took my breath away. The vision would not have been in the least out of place in a one of those exotic movies.

Time stood still while I primped and posed, shamelessly indulging my fantasy. When I did check how the minutes were passing there was still no sign of Adrian’s return. Neither hide nor hair of the man was in evidence. What was I supposed to do now?

In for a penny, as they say. Purely to fill the vacuum of waiting, I took some of the other outfits from the dressing room and carried them into the ladies’ powder room where there would be more space to change and there was also a full-length mirror. I was wary of leaving my own purse untended so made sure I kept it with me. That was to be a fortunate precaution.

For my next essay into this world of glamour I picked out another floor length gown, this time in black. It was completely backless and featured a halter-style velvet bodice with a plunging neckline. The skirt section, which was sheer and trimmed with silver braid, had splits in both sides and they went all the way up my hips. Once again, the only undergarment possible would be pantyhose. Even so, I found that I needed to roll the top of the tights over to prevent their waistline showing.

The ensemble was almost indecently revealing but I loved every stitch that there was, or wasn’t, of it! Vamping it up in front of the restroom mirror I imagined myself as a gangster’s moll or a femme fatale in some film noir. These flights of fancy were so absorbing that I desired to stay like this for ever! I delayed the moment when I would have to remove my finery as long as I could.

I had just reluctantly decided I should ought to get changed back when I heard someone clattering about in the bar. Adrian must have returned. Perhaps familiarity does breed contempt, but I felt confident that I could stay in control around this particular guy and boldly, I stepped out to meet him.

“Well? How do I look?”

The man just stared. He was actually speechless, and I wasn’t all that surprised. The ensemble had taken my breath away as well. I walked towards him and took on what I deemed to be a suitably provocative pose.

Then I turned on my heel and walked away, allowing my butt to wobble freely from side to side as I did so. I turned again and smiled as seductively as I knew how. “Will this do?”

He just gaped. It was so easy to twist this guy’s tail!

At last Adrian found words. “You’re hired! You can start this evening. We open at seven, so get here in time to change. It pays well and you’ll have a ball.”

It was my turn to be left without words. Not for the first time I’d been caught out by my own frivolity.

Encouraged by my silence, he filled in some background. “It’s only for a few days, as a stand-in, covering for the girl who normally works here. Her mother’s sick, or so she says.”

I needed to negative the proposal before it got too far. I shook my head.

“Help me out here, won’t you? The boss told me we only had the one reply to our small ad. If I don’t hire a replacement today, it will be me who gets sick. I’ll be fired! Mrs Bell doesn’t take prisoners.”

“Mrs Bell?”

“The boss.”

“I’m sorry but…”

“Please, honey. Anyone can see you would make a great hostess. This is a classy joint, no funny business. You can earn good money here. Come on, sugar. Give a guy a break!”

The light had dawned. He apparently thought I had turned up to interview for a job. A bar hostess no less! Although I could understand the reason for the confusion, what he had asked was about the most off-beam idea I’d heard in a long time. I did feel a little sorry for him. If the woman he’d referred to as the owner of the place was the Mrs Bell I knew, it wouldn’t do to get on the wrong side of her!

How to let him down lightly? Before I could gather my wits, he ploughed straight on. “I’ll let you think about it while I talk to her. Then I can say you haven’t turned me down.”

“But when are you seeing Mrs Bell?” I managed to blurt out.

“Right now!” He pointed to the dressing room which doubled as an office. “She’s just arrived for a meeting and she’s not in the best of humours, I can tell you. Don’t disturb us, please. I gotta go!”

He mouthed “See ya later. If I still have a job, that is!” and with a final pleading look he crossed the room and left me to my own devices.

I stood in my borrowed finery wondering what on earth I ought to do now?

Not only was the man depending on me to join his staff but he’d seemingly forgotten that my street clothes were in the doubly purposed room. I could see the outline of the back of Madeleine’s head through the frosted glass. It was she, all right and her presence raised a complication. He’d asked me not to interrupt them and anyway, I really didn’t want an encounter with her while dressed like some kind of chorus girl, else I could have straightened the matter out in a twinkling.

I returned to the powder room considering my options. It would be best to make my departure and then later on I would telephone and sort everything out, but there was no way I could drive home in the middle of the day dressed as I was. What was I to wear?
Of the outfits I’d taken from the rail the least conspicuous was a strappy little number in a shimmering fabric. The skirt was very short and its shape reminded me of a tulip flower, but in a subdued shade of grey it offered a potential solution. Though the frock was very revealing it would probably ‘do’ to get me home.

I wriggled out of the black gown and hastily squeezed into the grey dress, then took an appraising glance in the mirror. Oh, my goodness, it was skimpy! Vainly I tugged at the neckline to cover more of myself. It would have to be okay.

Something about my image made me pause. The muted shade of grey did things for me, I reckoned, making me look older somehow, but there was no time to linger. I grabbed my purse and stepped as confidently as I could out of the restroom.

A glance at my image in the glass wall as I passed it made me aware that I still was wearing all that trinketry, but just then I heard the sound of chairs scraping in the office. The occupants were getting to their feet. It was too late to do anything about the jewellery. Neither was there any time to search for Karen’s purse, my original reason for calling in there.

I simply fled.