Diva Dismayed 28: Chapter 28 – A new perspective

The following day I was waiting in line at the bus-stop after what had seemed a lengthy day at work. Young and healthy though I was, I’d been on my feet for ever it seemed, and was looking forward to supper with my dear Rachel and a quiet evening. The nights were drawing in as the year wound its way towards its close. Dusk was beginning to fall, and I shivered. I was starting to regret the choice of dress I’d made that morning when sunshine had promised another mild day. Just as I consulted my watch for the third time, a screech of brakes made me look up. A small automobile came to an abrupt halt beside me.

“Want a ride?” called the driver and I looked to see Pete’s grinning features behind the wheel.

Once I was seated and we were underway Pete swung the two-seater right around, causing mild consternation in the drivers of the vehicles following, and a near coronary in the guy piloting the delivery van which was approaching.

An angry blare of horns greeted the final seconds of her manoeuvre, but Pete dismissed the protests with a shrug and an airy wave of her arm. “The old girl may have seen better days, but she can still lift up her skirts and run! I’ll be sorry to see her go.”

When I had recovered from the state of near panic induced by her erratic style of navigation, I took the opportunity to remark “Oh, surely you aren’t selling Athena. Why would you?”

She merely smiled at this.

I continued. “You know, she seems like a real person to me. I expect I’ll have a car just like her one day.”

My driver’s response was an appraising glance. I was relieved when she returned her attention to the road! Some minutes later Pete took an unexpected turn down a side alley. This wasn’t the way to my apartment.

“Where are we going?”

“There’s something I want to show you” she remarked casually, and I had to exercise my patience for the rest of the ride.

Eventually we turned off the street, and I recognised the parking garage attached to the block where the woman resided. Only then was an explanation provided. “It’s sad but Athena must go. The reason is that this week my new Jaguar has arrived, all the way from the mother nation. Wait until you see her.”

Pete’s face bore a self-satisfied expression. “I haven’t come up with a name for her, as yet, but I’m working on it.”

The object in question was parked in the adjacent bay and the sleek red automobile bore a passing resemblance to a rocket ship. I perched myself comfortably against Athena’s hood to take in the view. I was impressed. I duly listened, admired and praised Pete’s new pride and joy. Once my head had been filled to the brim with facts and features about this wonder, I had leisure to compare new with old. I couldn’t help but conclude that my preference was strongly in favour of the latter.

A silence fell until my reverie was interrupted by Pete. I looked up to see that she had been watching me intently, a smile across her face.

“Come along, sweetie. Let’s go inside. Coffee?”

Once I was seated with a steaming cup in my hand, my hostess placed an envelope on the table before me.

“Open it!”

I obeyed and a fold of bills fell out.

“That’s the first instalment of pay from your modelling contract. That’s what you will be earning each week while you continue. I can tell you there’s enough work to keep you busy until the end of the year and beyond.”

I was overwhelmed. “This is far more than I was expecting, Pete. Are you sure it’s right?”

“I couldn’t be more so. Are you happy to keep on with this modelling?”

I nodded gleefully. Arithmetic wasn’t my strong suit but, “At this rate I can clear Mom’s debt by Thanksgiving. Oh, thank you!”

I ran across to hug her, before remembering the trouble my hasty impulses had previously gotten me into. I quickly improvised a squeeze of her hands and peck on the cheek instead, hoping to pass these actions off as natural.

“No, I should thank you, my dear. Now. I have another proposition for you.”

Why did those words not fill me with delight? Pete’s powerful personality would make any suggestion of hers more like a command. I made the best of it, however. “Fire away” I smiled.

“When I bought the wonderful new set of wheels you have just been admiring, I asked the dealer what he would offer me for Athena. I regret to say that the amount he named was derisory. A few hundred dollars. Nor would he budge. I was partly relieved of course as I had a new owner in mind. I would dearly love to be sure that the old girl will go to someone who appreciates her and all her little ways.”

“Oh, yes. That would be so much better than her ending up on a used car lot somewhere.” Surprisingly I found my eyes had misted over at the thought.

“Someone just like you, perhaps?”

“Yes, someone like me” I agreed.

“No. Actually you!”

Me?

“Yes… but...”

“If you would like to own her then she’s yours. All I would ask in return is the paltry sum that the dealer offered me. That seems fair. If you are happy with that price, here is what we’ll do. You won’t need to make any payments until after Thanksgiving or whenever you have finished helping your mom out. After that you could take, shall we say, six months to pay?”

I was unsure about this. The possibility of having my own car hadn’t crossed my mind and I was unused to dealing with the sums involved.

“Take as long as you like to think about it and let me know when you decide.”

I decided! It may have been a mad impulse, but I felt certain that I wouldn’t regret this one. “I don’t need any time. The answer’s yes. Yes please!”

“That’s wonderful. I’m so happy she will have a good owner. Here are the keys. I’ll find you the papers.”

A thought struck me. “What about Fiona? Wouldn’t she like to own Athena herself?”

“Definitely not. She has been campaigning for me to replace the old lady for months. No. If you want her, she’s yours!”

Behind the wheel of my very own car for the first time, all I could do was to sit, spellbound. I was too stunned to take the idea in. Where would she take me? A whole new perspective seemed to open before me. Wait until I showed her to Rachel! I felt sure that she would be just as excited as I was.

As I parked the little convertible outside my apartment block for the first time it was another person that I encountered instead of Rachel. Harvey stood transfixed as I got out of the car. When recognition struck, predictably his enthusiasm was obvious. He walked right around the two-seater twice without finding words to express his approval. Finally, “She’s beautiful!”

“I’m glad you approve!” I laughed.

“Approve. I’m green with envy! How come a car like this is yours?”

“Well, she isn’t paid for yet, but I’m working on that. Want to take her for a spin?”

I had an ulterior motive for letting Harvey take the wheel and I was correct in guessing that when he’d driven her, he would be unable to refuse any request I made. When we got back from the drive, I was proved right. So far, my plan was working well.

The next day I drove to college. It was hardly any distance, but I had a reason. The little car proved nimble and was a delight to steer through the rush hour traffic. I had often parked Mom’s car on the driveway and once I got used to the stick shift, I felt completely at home in her. Once lectures were finished, Alice and I left the building together and I led the way to where Athena was parked up.

“Where are you going?” The girl looked confused.

I merely smiled in reply and unlocked the door for her. “Get in.”

“What?” She obeyed although clearly mystified.

“Don’t you like my car?”

“Your car?”

“The very same! She was christened Athena by her last owner and it’s unlucky to change the name, so that’s what I call her too.”

“It’s… she’s… wonderful. I love the colour.”

“Me too! Now, on Saturday you and I are going out. There’s a record hop across town.”

“Are we?”

“We are. Have you anything suitable to wear? A poodle skirt? A swing dress?”

“No” she said sadly. “I’m hopeless at dancing. They tried to teach us a quick step and waltz at school, but I never could get it. So, the only frocks I’ve ever bothered to buy apart from those for every day are some dresses for Sunday best.”

“That’s all about to change. We’re going shopping.”

Ten minutes later we entered the store I had decided on as the likeliest one to suit our purpose. We soon found a clothing stand exhibiting a range of party dresses and spent some happy minutes going through the entire rail. The assistant came over and under her guidance we came up with three or four possibles worth trying. Alice took them with her behind the curtain. She liked them all but kept returning to one in pink gingham, with full skirt and halter top. I could tell she had set her heart on it.

Once it was decided on, however, Alice started to lose confidence. “It’s gorgeous and I love the material, but… don’t you think it draws attention to my hips.”

“That’s the idea. It makes your figure seem curvier and that’s bang on trend.”

“Look at the price tag!”

“Don’t worry about that. I’m paying.”

“Oh no. I can’t let you do that.”

“Yes, you can. I will most likely ask you to lend it me to wear myself some time.”

There was only one problem that I could see with her choice. Alice’s bust didn’t fill out the top of the dress sufficiently. To remedy this failing, however, I thought I remembered enough about the way Rachel had padded out mine, when I’d no clothes to wear and had borrowed some of hers.

Back in Alice’s apartment I put theory into practice. Achieving a natural enhancement of the bustline requires careful positioning of padding in the bodice of the dress. I handed Alice some tissues and wads of cotton wool to insert, but it was soon clear achieving an acceptable outline was much harder than expected.

“This is hopeless. I’m all lumps and bumps” she cried disconsolately.

Alice had removed her bra when trying the dress on to prevent its straps being visible. I suggested that the lack of its support might be compounding the problem.

“Perhaps it would help if you wore a brassiere. Do you have any with removable straps?”

Luckily Alice had such a one. “It’s part of a set. I’ve never worn it as it’s much too pretty for everyday use.”

“Show me.”

The girl retrieved the lingerie from her dresser, and I quickly unclipped the unwanted shoulder straps and handed it back to her.

“Thanks” she remarked casually and then without the smallest hesitation she unzipped and dropped the top of the bodice. Shocked I could only gape with my mouth open wide in the most uncouth fashion. I had just time to close it before it was noticed when she looked up to see me staring.

“What?” Then, indicating her breasts, “I know. I hate their being so small!’ Unconcernedly she positioned the modified bra across her chest and turned so I could hook the back.

With the dress’s bodice once more in place Alice made another attempt to pad out her bust.

“No good!” she exclaimed and thrust the materials into my hands. “You try!”

It seemed I had no choice. With a great deal of trepidation, I set about positioning the padding. After considerable squeezing and tweaking of her chest I managed to produce a satisfactory result.

Observing the starry-eyed expression on Alice’s face, I guessed that the sensations which had sprung from my vigorous manipulation had been the source of some innocent enjoyment for her. Alice’s next remark removed any doubt.

“Oh, that felt so good” she gasped. “They may be small, but they work!”

I was lost for words. Apparently, an even greater degree of intimacy now existed between us than before. My attempt to cool the relationship between us was already beginning to unravel.

Nooo!