Diva Dismayed: Chapter 18 – Troubled water
The following day I spent perplexedly trying to understand what was going wrong in my relationship with my best friend. I was so preoccupied with my thoughts that I picked up a bottle of hair colour instead of shampoo when about to wash the hair of one of my customers. Fortunately I realised what I was about to do before the woman did, prompted by the disapproving look on the face of Claire. Otherwise the resulting pink rinse would have been interesting at the very least!

“What is the matter with you today?” she hissed at me at the first opportune moment. “It’s just as well Rosa didn’t notice anything just now or you would be in big trouble.”

When I did get leisure to think about my friend over my lunch break I still couldn’t decide what was causing the trouble between us. I couldn’t have done anything to upset her, could I? Certainly it would have been unintentional if I had.

I felt miserable. The apparent rift brought home to me that being in harmony with Rachel meant more in my world than anything else. Since the days when she used to babysit me she had always been my idea of female perfection. Becoming her best friend was an unbelievable attainment and something I hadn’t dared to hope for. There were times when I would fantasize about being more than that. Conveniently forgetting the five year age difference between us, and my ‘unusual’ bodily attributes, I had sometimes let myself foolishly imagine that she and I… well… you know.

Of course that could never be!

Unattainable as I judged her to be, how did she think about me? I guessed that she must probably think of me as she would a younger brother. Then I wondered if the footing we were on was perhaps more equal than that. After all she had seemed awfully glad that I had moved here and had treated me like an intimate friend rather than like a sibling. On deeper consideration of the rapport we shared I saw that we must be even closer than that. There had even been occasions when a physical side to our relationship had been revealed. Did that mean… might she… have feelings for me?

I dismissed the idea as a completely stupid one. Our night together, a treasured memory for me, had merely been a matter of helping her deal with her bodily needs. Nonetheless, on the bus ride home the thought came into my head again. Suppose she did have some feelings for me. Could that provide an explanation for this sudden coldness between us? That had started when I’d been trying to discuss Harvey wanting to go out with me, but why should that upset her? I couldn’t think of any logical reason, apart from jealousy, but I could rule that out. Neither jealousy on Harvey’s account or jealously on mine was at all likely. Short of asking her point-blank, how was I to find out?

That evening, after a further rehearsal for the fashion show I made my way to the bus stop in an unsettled frame of mind. It had been more difficult than ever to ignore the attentions of my teasing colleagues in their various stages of undress. I felt mentally drained and when a glance at my watch told me that I had just missed one bus, I actually welcomed the half an hour of idle waiting which resulted from my tardiness, before the next bus was scheduled. To kill the time I decided to walk along the route for a few stops. The exercise might serve to clear my head.

It was after I’d left the downtown behind me that disaster struck. The road was quiet after the evening rush had dissipated. I came to a place where a hydrant had apparently burst and a stream of water gushed along the road and even over the sidewalk in places. I started to pick my way gingerly around the puddles, anxious not to get my shoes too wet, when it happened. Without any warning a delivery truck roared past me and the driver ploughed straight through the middle of the flood, blasting his horn as he did so. The resultant deluge of muddy water was right on target. I was drenched from head to toe. This was just too much!

A full minute went by while I stood transfixed gazing after the vehicle in disbelief until the approach of a car galvanised me into action. I stepped hastily away but wasn’t clear of the water when it passed. This vehicle more considerately hugged the centreline however, so that only a few drops of spray reached me. They didn’t matter. I could hardly have been any wetter.

I felt like crying as I shuffled miserably along in my bedraggled state. I was cold and wet and my clothes clung to me uncomfortably. I knew there would be a further fifteen minutes before the next bus arrived. Worse, my friend was working on the evening shift so wouldn’t be around to comfort me when I did get home. Feeling intensely sorry for myself I even doubted that she would want to be there for me, however unjust such a surmise might have been.

I hadn’t gone very far beyond the water when another car passed me. An open-topped two-seater braked sharply and pulled to the side of the road ahead of me. The driver reversed back and stopped alongside. The person behind the wheel looked vaguely familiar.

“I thought I knew you. It’s Jennifer, isn’t it? You’re very wet!”

Dully, I recognised the woman from the club who had given me her card. Paul… no… Pete! Yes that was the name she had given.

Shivering, probably as much from shock as from cold, I managed to utter a muted greeting. “Oh. Hi.”

“Well don’t just stand there. You’ll catch your death. Get in!”

I stared uncomprehendingly.

“Wait a sec. I’ll cover the leather.”

My Good Samaritan reached a blanket from behind her and spread it over the upholstery then opened the door and ushered me in.

I hesitantly explained what had just occurred, though what had happened was self-evident enough.

“That was awful bad luck, honey. Some people are so mean! I don’t suppose you got his licence plate?”

I shook my head.

Pete put the car in gear and we set off. “No witnesses, huh? Difficult to get anywhere without a witness. You need to get out of those wet clothes.”

Realising my rescuer would want to know my address. I made an effort to rouse myself. “You don’t know where I live.”

“Doesn’t matter, sweetheart. I’m taking you home.”

“But…” I couldn’t think what to protest. It didn’t seem to matter. My new companion had taken charge.

After ten minutes we pulled up outside an apartment block. I vaguely recognised the neighbourhood. It was not far from the club I’d been taken to the previous evening.

“Come on.” I was bundled out of the car and into the building. We reached a door on the second floor and while Pete fumbled for a key in her purse I glanced around. There was an air of luxury about the place, with polished wood in abundance.

“Come on, honey. We need to get you out of those wet clothes.” The apartment was a studio flat, all one room apart from a bathroom and kitchen. The room was expensively furnished but the style was mannish, not at all what you would expect of a woman’s home. My new acquaintance turned me around and unceremoniously unzipped then stripped off my wet dress.

“That’s expensive underwear you’re wearing” she admired. “I get it. Pretty on the outside, sexy on the inside!”

She took me directly over to a sofa and before I knew it my bra was unhooked and lying on the floor. While I tried vainly to cover my bust with my hands my garter belt followed. Then the woman knelt, took off my shoes and peeled off my wet hose.

“Hmm. I guessed there might be more to you than meets the eye.” She was correct of course but her observation was ambiguous and I was anxious not to explore its possible meanings any further.

Although kind, her manner was forceful. I didn’t seem to have any choice but to let her do whatever she liked with me. Her body was stocky and powerful and the skin-tight pants she wore didn’t hide much. I found it hard not to keep glancing in the direction of her broad hips. My over-stimulated imagination was racing and to my further embarrassment, I was conscious of stirrings down below. After all the exposure to female flesh I’d experienced earlier in the day it didn’t take anything much to get me going. I sat on the arm of the sofa and crossed my legs and was hopeful that there was nothing for her to notice.

I must have looked forlorn sitting shivering in only my panties. After a moment regarding me, she fetched a fleecy white robe. She wrapped me in it and she hugged me against her bosom comfortingly. In response to this tenderness I dissolved into tears. It was like a dam bursting and I sat on her bed and sobbed and sobbed. I felt really stupid, crying there over nothing but I guess the hormones I was taking each day had more than a little to do with my emotions.

“Let’s have those panties too” she commanded. “They look as wet as if you’d peed yourself. You haven’t, have you?”

I couldn’t manage a reply.

“Just kidding! For heaven’s sake, cheer up. It’s only water!”

The woman reached up under the robe and next thing I was aware of was that my panties were sliding down my legs. Once she had removed them, my hostess departed with my wet clothing. In the meantime the threat of exposure had shocked me out of my lethargy. There didn’t seem anything much I could do but I wrapped the robe tighter around me, wiped my tearstained face on my sleeve and pulled myself together. I could hear the sound of running water and before long Pete called me through into the bathroom. A steaming bathtub of foam confronted me.

“You’re to have a good long soak. Now in you get!”

I was turned around and the robe swiftly removed from my shoulders. To hide my nakedness I stepped hastily into the tub and plunged myself under the foam, hoping that by keeping my back turned and my hands over my groin nothing had been revealed. I caught the slyest of knowing grins from my hostess as she left me to my ablutions. Had she seen? There was no way of knowing without asking, and that was out of the question. I decided that while that point was in doubt I had better play along with her. All I could do in the meantime was try to soothe away my cares in the scented warm water.

It was nice just to immerse myself and be still. I started to unwind, but before too long I heard Pete’s heavy tread approaching and next minute she was with me again. She perched herself precariously on the side of the path and regarded me thoughtfully.

“Feeling nice and relaxed?”

“Thanks. Yes, I feel so much better…” I began. I might have added that I would have done better still if I wasn’t being subjected to her appraising stare right then. Despite my being hidden from the neck downwards beneath the bubbles, her scrutiny was intensely embarrassing.

“Good. That’s good. A kid like you needs to take good care of… herself.”

Why the hesitation?

She handed me a large towel saying “Now you need something to put on. There’s nothing I have that would fit that slender little body of yours apart from that bathrobe, darling.” She paused and corrected herself. “No. I’m wrong. Fifi may have left something here.”

“Fifi?” Was that a cat, a dog or what?

“Fiona. She was more your size. Fabulous figure. She left me about a month ago. We had a huge row and that was it.” She left the room remarking over her shoulder “Imagine. She thought I was too controlling!”

Actually, I could!

I took advantage of my temporary solitude to step out of the tub and begin to dry myself. I heard her rummaging in some drawers for a minute then “Eureka!” she cried triumphantly. Hastily I wrapped myself in the robe as she re-entered. She was carrying a tiny bra in a bright shade of red. It was accompanied by a matching pair of panties.

“That’s all I’m afraid. These were supposed to be a fun present from me but she never wore them. Too small, I guess. I’ll leave you to try them.”

I could see at a glance that both items were skimpy in the extreme. They were like something a burlesque performer might wear. The bathroom door was ajar which left me wondering uneasily whether I was being watched but I removed the robe and hurriedly stepped into the briefs. Once I was covered down below I slipped into the bra in a more leisurely manner. It had the weirdest arrangement of straps that had me baffled at first, but I figured them out in the end. Embarrassingly, my boobs spilled out everywhere. I then took some time to achieve the best tuck I could without the benefit of my roll of tape.

When I’d done, a check in the mirror told me that I was almost decent, even if I did resemble some sort of half-dressed show girl. I hoped that when wearing the robe in addition to the lingerie, I would maintain some semblance of modesty, and secrecy.

“My, my! Are you something else, honey? You sure you’re only sixteen?” Pete had entered the room unannounced.

As nonchalantly as I could I put on the robe, wrapped it tightly around me and tied the belt. I took a deep breath. “I should be going. I reckon my dress will be okay now.”

My interlocutor smiled and shook her head. “Not yet, I’m afraid. Your clothes were all so muddy that I rinsed them out. It would have been a shame to leave them all stained. They’re hanging up to drip dry.”

I started to panic. “I have to go to work tomorrow. I need to get home.”

Pete smiled encouragingly. “It’s plain to see you’re overwrought. Now just sit quietly for a moment.”

She held out a glass to me. “Here, have some hot milk. I find it really soothes me when I’m upset, especially if I take a couple of these. They’re just a mild sedative but they help enormously.” She dropped two pills into the glass.

“But… You must have something I might borrow” I protested.

She made no answer but held out the drink to me.

As if mesmerised I took it from her hand.

She stood over me, hands on hips, until I had finished it and then shook her head again. “No, there’s nothing to be done just yet. Relax.”

She made me lie back on the bed against a pillow and arranged another under my head, then sat herself beside me. It was stuffy in the room and the fluffy robe was warm against my skin. It was hard to focus.

“Close your eyes now.” She spoke softly then began to gently stroke my brow and temples. I started to feel more and more tranquil. It would be so easy to sleep. Something still bothered me, however.

“How come you’re called Pete?” I murmured drowsily.

“Oh that? It’s short for Petronella. Some mouthful! My mom must have wanted to me to be different to your average female in calling me that. I guess she got her wish.”

“Yes” she mused. “Wouldn’t she be surprised though?”

I hardly heard her words. After that I remembered no more.