Chapter 4
Bernadette Adams' appearance was striking; the word handsome was often used to describe her. Bernadette was forty six years old, yet she had a youthful appearance, but her face showed a lifetime of experiences, and a sort of wisdom you wanted to trust. Her body was mature but athletic; clearly she was a woman that took care of herself. That is not to say she wasn't feminine. She was; her face was angular but not chiseled, her hair was quaffed, but not restricted. She had the look of confidence in her face; however she carried a smile that made you think she knew things you didn't. Her dark hair was an indefinable color, somewhere between auburn, black and red, no hint of ever being dyed, and it flowed over her shoulders with ease and seemed to shimmer even in dim light. Women envied the way clothes fit her, a dress or jacket never seemed to look the same on anyone else, though acquaintances always tried to mimic her fashion style. Bernadette sat in her chair in a black skirt and matching black jacket, she wore a vibrant pink blouse under it that framed the outline of her breasts. Everything was in its place, as if she had been sitting there waiting for her to show up for hours. Everything about the woman was tailored and very expensive, straight out of Agnes B's in Paris. Mindy nearly peed herself at the sight of this majestic woman.
"Come in, you must be Mindy. Please dear, take a seat".
Mindy had to remind herself to close her jaw as she looked nervously around the room for a place to sit.
"Right here Mindy, I have always preferred to use the old fashioned Partners Desk, I prefer the intimacy it provides two people who will be working as closely as you and I will be. That's your seat right there Mindy, please sit."
Mindy smiled and looked into Bernadette Adams' eyes for the first time, and saw the feature that everyone who ever met her always remembered. Her blue eyes seemed to be electric, atomic even; they seemed to radiate a light when you looked directly into them. They weren't the pale blue "mouse eyes" that so many woman thought to be attractive, her eyes were a deep brooding blue, the blue of the Azurean Sea. Her gaze could take your breath away. Mindy fought the urge to stare at this beautiful woman that sat across from her, she didn't however do a very good job. Mindy was a tall woman, but she felt small sitting across the heavy desk, almost like she was sitting across from her principal in primary school.
"I was hoping to get here before you this morning Mssssss..."
Bernadette saw the young woman struggling to find the right words. She raised her eyebrow in a look of anticipation and waited just long enough to watch the girl feel uncomfortable, and then stepped in to help.
"Mindy, as you know my name is Bernadette. That is what people who do business with me call me. We will be working together very closely, some of what we do will be very demanding for you, so when we are at work I'd like you to call me Ms. Adams or just Miss if you prefer. I hope you understand that Mindy, its not that I need to hear your respect - which is something I am sure you'll earn - no, it just that it helps me think more clearly and it keeps me in the right frame of mind when I am working. However, out side of the office I would like you to call me Bernadette, eventually. Would you like that Mindy?" Mindy's was shocked by the straight forward nature of the woman's words. She made no pretense about her position of power over Mindy and she didn't shy away from her expectations of the girl's role as her subordinate.
"Yes, I'd like that Msssss...." Mindy corrected her tone. "I'd like that very much Miss."
Bernadette let the word hang in the air for a moment, and it gave her pause to smile as she looked at Mindy's nervous expression.
Over the next few hours, Bernadette Adams meticulously detailed the type of work that Mindy would be expected to perform for her. She outlined what a daily work day would entail, including what time she expected her to rise in the mornings, the type of clothing she expected her to wear, when she should take her showers, she told her how she was not to wear perfume to the office and in fact how she preferred the natural aromas of a woman over anything else in the whole world, and anything you could buy in a mall departments store would be a pail comparison. She spoke with authority, and in the same direct manner that Mindy had noticed earlier, she never seemed to use the word "um" or even pause between thoughts.
Mindy's mind was spinning as the woman described how her entire family was in the Export business, and in fact had been doing such for generations. Her family was involved in the commerce trades between far off places, places Mindy had never even heard of before; Greek Islands, Chinese villages in Mongolia, locations along the Middle Eastern spice trade routes, African countries so small they didn't even have forms of government yet. Ms. Adams had traveled more places in her life then Mindy could ever have imagined, yet as she explained the volume of commerce that passed from place to place, how her family came from a "long line of traders," she never once mentioned what they exported. Each time Mindy would try and ask a question, the firm smile of this mysterious woman begged for her patience, as if all questions would be answered in due time; Mindy had to just trust her, she had to wait, she had to bend to the will of a woman the likes of which she had never seen before.
Mindy didn't even remember the bus ride home that day. She sat with her new laptop on top of her prettiest skirt, busily preparing the lists Ms. Adam's had requested earlier. She ran her fingers through her long blonde hair trying to remember all that was going to be expected of her in the morning. Her new boss had told her she liked her hair that way, something that thrilled the young woman to no end. She had felt the same hot stares from the bus riders on her way home that she did earlier that morning, but now she didn't care at all. She didn't care what anyone thought of her, she only cared that she pleased her new boss. Mindy's mind raced as she tried to replay all the conversations in her head. Her heart was still racing, as it had all day long. As she rubbed her temples she felt the onslaught of a viscous headache coming on. "You need to relax", she told herself.
Mindy closed her eyes and pushed out the thoughts of work for a moment, and just thought about the woman. As her head came to rest on the window of the bus, she pictured the woman's appearance, trying to recall even the smallest detail. She could see the way her high cheeks swept down her jaw line to a perfectly sculptured chin; the simple elegance of her beautiful face. She thought of the way those blue eyes made her feel when she looked at her... stared right through her was more accurate. In her mind Mindy could see the way Ms. Adams' vibrant pink blouse clung to her breasts and when she bent down to her file cabinet she could see the inside curve of her cleavage. She thought back to Ms. Adams standing up and the sound her skirt made as it slid across her silk stockings. As the bus squeaked to its last stop, she was suddenly aware that she was home. The sun had gone down and the walk home was chilly. She felt her nipples harden as the clicks of her heels quickened. Her long nipples began to ache as they brushed up against the lining of her new bra, a sensation that made her only want to think of Ms. Adams even more. She needed to get home and into the tub.
Mindy stripped her clothes off quickly, barely stopping to take off her skirt and shoes; she simply let them lay where they fell down. She looked at herself in the mirror in the bathroom before getting into the tub, and her reflection looked completely different from what it did this morning. There was an entirely new woman staring back at her. As she took off her bra and panties she was reminded once again that her body was clamoring for attention. Mindy was feeling sexual, not just horny; she had learned to live with that feeling. No, she felt a raw sexuality about herself now. She wanted to nurture that, to embrace it, rather than run away from it as she had always done. She wanted to feel like a slut sometimes. After all, she had known plenty of sluts in college; they all seemed to have fun. Why couldn't she embrace her sexuality in an open and raw sense? She knew that the sting of profane language in a sexual sense always turned her on. She decided to see just how much.
She grasped her nipples and gave a low moan as she gently began to turn them back and forth. The length of the young woman's nipples grew with each passing moment, passing the length of a common pencil eraser, looking more like the nipple you'd find on an infant's bottle. She pulled them outward and then up, whimpering like a chained dog. She supported the weight of them with her firm grasp as they swung side to side. She had never understood the concept of pain causing pleasure, thay had always been diametrically opposed things, but she had to admit the discomfort she felt in her nipples now seemed to have a direct relationship to the wetness now spreading across her inner thighs. Mindy looked at her flushed face in the mirror, and licked her lips lewdly, running her tongue around the edges as if to highlight them. She looked in the mirror and felt sexy, even slutty like a tramp, like a common whore as she continued shamelessly flirting with her own image. She had never behaved like this before, and she found the release quite profound. One lewd action led to another, until she was talking to the woman in the mirror as if she had never seen her before, and maybe she hadn't.
"You like that don't you? Yes I bet you do... tell me you like it. That's right you dirty girl, I bet you'd like you pussy rubbed too, wouldn't you?"
Mindy ran her hand into her blonde muff of fur and felt the wetness of her own pubic hair; dewy drops of lubrication clung to her neat labia and dripped down her thighs. She raised one leg up onto the toilet seat to see the pinkness of her slit better, she admired the symmetry of her sex, the way her inner labia folded perfectly over the swollen folds of her outer lips like the peddles of rose. Mindy wanted to witness her sex being used by the whore she saw in the mirror. Her words and deeds climbed higher with every passing moment.
"That's right, rub your little pussy for me, show me how wet you are. Yes... just like that. Uh huh... that's it, now put your finger inside you... Uggggghhh, yesssss, like that... now fuck that cunt you dirty girl... God Damn it, you are so wet.... fuck yes, like that. Come on, do it... DO IT, deeper!" The girl was out of her mind with lust.
She stared at her wet fingers plunging in and out of her sex. She had never taken time to look at herself like this before, and thrilled at the sight. She inserted a second, then a third finger into her dripping hole, and on and on the base insults continued, echoing in the cramped bathroom as if watching someone else use her. As if the hand of another woman fucked her so deeply... so completely... Three fingers now like a piston as they crammed themselves into her throbbing flesh.
"Do you want to cum slut? Do you? Is that what you need, you need to cum, like the then needy slut you are? DO YOU?"
That was it... the dam had broke. A day's worth of sexual tension released, or maybe it was a lifetime's. Mindy didn't even hear herself scream at first. All she could hear was the pounding of her heart and the deep throbbing inside her squelching cunt as she instantly poured the milky oil stored up over a lifetime of ignoring her sexual needs onto the tile floor of her bathroom. She had orgasmed before, but not like this. With one hand nearly tearing her nipples off, and the other fucking herself with a machine-like pace, the young woman's cunt gushed forth in a torrent of girl jizz, running down her legs and pooling at her feet. It came out with such force that it startled the young girl; never before had her body reacted to her climax in such a violent way. Her legs felt weak, but she wasn't done cumming yet. By sheer will she continued to stand. Mindy spread her legs obscenely and arched her hips upwards toward the mirror and with a scream that could be heard two houses away she reached the apex of her crisis. She flung her hand out of the grasp of her clutching cunt and rubbed her clitoris wildly as a final stream of milky girl cum squirted from her spasming hole in a high arch, quickly covering the space between her and the wall and flooding the mirror in front of her. She watched in lustful horror as the image of her own face became obscured by the murky fluids running down the mirror.
"Gaaaaaawdddddd!" The woman cried as she could barely stand. The orgasm was devastating, frightening even. This moment had been an epiphany for her; it was a new beginning, and a sweet end to a life of hiding from her own pleasure. Her vile words still echoing in the hard walls of the bathroom, words she didn't even recognize, words that didn't seem her own, and maybe they weren't. Maybe that wasn't her voice, if felt as if someone else spoke for her, as if someone else were controlling the things she said and did. A new force had entered the very being of Mindy Swanson, and her name was Bernadette Adams.
Chapter 5
Mindy woke from another restless night's sleep. She had spent much of the night tossing and turning, her mind never straying too far from the extraordinary events of the last 24 yours. After her shower, and new primping routine, the young woman spent a full 20 minutes staring at her bland wardrobe. She wanted to dress impressively for Ms. Adams, but she knew she couldn't match her sense of style or clothing budget. Finally she decided to put on the same bra and panties from yesterday, as they made her feel special and sexy, even though they were a bit ripe smelling from all her excitement. She finally decided on a black and pink dress she had worn to a failed Valentine's party several years ago. It fit her well and had just the right amount of sex appeal, as well as still being on the edge of business appropriate. The dress had a low sweeping neckline and cute ruffled half sleeves, and lay just above her knees. As she slipped on her stockings, she realized that she would stick out against the backdrop of the other tenth floor secretary staff, but she imagined the partner's desk she shared with her boss as her own refuge. She could stay in there all day as if in a cocoon made for the two of them. The thought seemed thrilling and romantic and Mindy couldn't wait to get back to work.
It was 6:45 in the morning when she arrived at work, anxious to be able to show her boss how dedicated she was to her new position. Once again her hopes were dashed when she turned the corner toward her special refuge with the mysterious Ms. Adams. The lights were already on in the corner office and she could see the shadows of other people milling around, whispering in hushed tones. Her pace quickened as she began to wonder if there was an early morning meeting she didn't remember. It was possible she had forgotten in all the excitement of yesterday. She nervously opened the door and was greeted with the stares of half a dozen women. Not just any women though; each of them were stunning in their own rights, impeccably dressed, so beautiful in fact that Mindy thought each deserved a brass name plate next to them like some piece of art in a museum. These women had the same look of elegance and success that Ms. Adams had. Each woman looked dramatically different from the other, all seemed to have different ethnicities, different skin tones, but each had a common element. They had the appearance of powerful accomplished women, and they somehow didn't seem surprised at all to see her, almost as if they already knew her.
Ms Adams was sitting at the partner's desk across from the most stunning black woman Mindy had ever seen. She was thin and tall, at least 5 inches taller than Mindy was, and she was as beautiful as any Paris model she had ever seen a picture of. Mindy had worked with and gone to school with many black women in her young life, but none of them had the dark complexion of this amazing creature. Her skin was as black as a moonless night. She seemed to shimmer, as if she had been covered in hot tar, smooth and supple. She had the kind of skin you just wanted to touch just to see if it was real. As Mindy stood in the door she noticed all but those two women had been staring at her. She had never been in a room with so many beautiful and impressive women in her life, it was an almost terrifying experience. The women looked at her like a pride of lionesses would a baby gazelle that stumbled into their den. They smiled and turned to whisper to each other, yet none of them offered her a greeting, or any warmth. She thought that this must be what a lobster feels like before its plucked out of its holding bath. As she walked closer to her boss, who had not yet noticed her, she swore she heard the stunning Asian woman sitting next to her growl at her backside.
"Ah Mindy, I'm glad your here, we were just finishing up a little meeting, we'll be out of the way here in just a moment."
Bernadette offered Mindy no explanation for this meeting, nor did she try and introduce Mindy to any of the women who were now molesting her with their eyes. Mindy stood awkwardly alone in the middle of the room waiting for her boss to finish up. She tried to read the writing on the stack papers on the desk. They appeared to be contracts of sorts, but she couldn't make out the language they were written in. Her boss spoke to the ebony queen in a foreign language that Mindy had never heard before. They bantered back and forth, appearing to haggle over something in the document. Occasionally both women would glance up at Mindy, then back down again, changing words on the contract and initializing the changes. The black woman said something of great importance, her hands waved in large circles and then she looked at Mindy... There was pause as all the women seemed to fix their laser stares at the young girl, making her wish she had worn something much less bold to work that day. After a tense moment of silence, the room erupted in laughter, all the women apparently understanding completely what was happening. Mindy hadn't a clue, but felt as if it had something to do with her.
There was a rustle of activity as the women each grabbed their folders containing contracts just as had been signed on the desk. They were sealed with a wax stamp and each of the women put their documents into their expensive brief cases. This was the conclusion of some sort of meeting that obviously had been going on for a long time. Mindy wondered what this could have to do with her company, but realized it was best not to ask just yet, remembering her boss' reassuring smile that all questions would be made clear in due time. The six women seemed to stand in a line to say goodbye to Bernadette Adams. As they approached the dark haired beauty, each would touch Bernadette with an embrace that was not at all business-like, in fact more like lovers would say goodbye. They each shared a brief hushed moment with her, smiling and whispering a personal message. There was real tenderness in their parting words, and each ended with a solemn kiss, the sort of kiss that seemed to seal a deal. But a deal for what, Mindy wondered.
Ms. Adams walked the women to the door and said goodbye in six differently languages. There were parting embraces and understanding nods, promises were reinforced with smiles and as if on cue, the all turned on a heel and left. Mindy stood behind in the vacuum created by the departure of this indescribable collection of women. Bernadette stood silently for a few moments as if she were soaking in sweet victory, her eyes closing slowly as if to savor an image. Then she slowly opened them again and affixed her deep blue stare on the ever shrinking Mindy Swanson. Bernadette walked straight towards herr with an eyebrow raised. There was a moment of charged anticipation before Ms. Adams reached out to touch the young woman. She stood in front of Mindy and lifted her hair up off her shoulders and let it slide through her fingers like silky sand, examining her neck and jaw line as if to size it. With the soft touch of her finger, Bernadette moved Mindy's head to the side. The young woman's skin seemed to melt.
"Yes I do like your hair better down, but it hides your pretty neck, we will have to look into setting you up for an appointment with my stylist, she could do wonders with that pretty mop on your head."
And with a wry smile, she turned away and focused her concentration on the fresh stack of papers on her desk. She knew her new assistant had many questions about this morning's events, but it wasn't time to explain everything just yet. The rest of the day went on with the business of setting up the office and getting everyone situated. Mindy was getting used to the desk arrangement, she felt awkward at first sitting so close to the woman, but soon began to treasure the intimacy of their closeness. There was absolutely no hiding anything from her boss' gaze. Everything she did was seen, every phone call was noted, and every lapse of concentration caused a quick glance from across the desk. When she needed to use the restroom, she had to make sure her boss didn't need her for anything before she went, but it felt more like she was asking permission to pee. More than once, Mindy was caught staring across the desk at Ms. Adams with dreamy eyes; it was a look that did not go unnoticed. She had the feeling she was in some sort of athletic training.
They had worked straight through lunch, and the young woman's stomach had begun to rumble aloud. Bernadette set down her papers and glanced at her Petex Phillpe watch noting the advancing hour. She watched her assistant type away diligently on her latest project. She sat back in her chair, enjoying the momentary break from her work and soaked in the pristine beauty of young Mindy Swanson. She had good length of bone, a natural facial beauty, and despite her failed efforts to dress stylishly she could still see that her hidden body would be quite nice indeed to see in its raw form. She smiled to herself, knowing it wouldn't be long. Bernadette could tell that Mindy had felt her piercing stare by the way she nervously brushed her hair from her eyes while she typed and how she raised her chin in an effort to show off her neck. Yes, Bernadette knew that her small efforts would soon transform her new duckling into a prized swan.
"Alright Ducks, what do you say we call it a day? We skipped our lunch earlier, so why don't we go out for a bite to eat?" Mindy could hardly believe her ears.
She was absolutely famished as she had nothing to eat so far the entire day, even though she watched her boss munch away happily on fruit and vegetable snacks all afternoon. Mindy wanted any chance she could get to spend more time with the increasingly enchanting woman; indeed she felt as if she would be lost when she wasn't in her presence. After gathering their belongings, the two women walked towards the elevators, the older woman never having a phone too far from her ear. She chatted in French, to someone who Mindy could tell, sounded very excited. She wondered who all these people where; she didn't think her company did business in France at all. It was becoming clear that Ms. Adams had interests that lay outside the office; business involving a bevy of beautiful women, as it appeared.
As they left the building they were met by a gray Limousine. Mindy had never ridden in a Limousine before and was excited at the chance. The driver side door opened, and out climbed the largest person Mindy had ever seen. The stunning woman had a platinum blonde crew cut, it made her look taller if that was possible; her features were chiseled but beautiful. She stood at least 6'5" and had to weigh over 300 pounds, but she was lean and muscular, you could see the definition in her arms and legs as she walked towards the rear door... She looked more like a female wrestler than a chauffeur. She wore the largest pair of black leather pants Mindy had ever seen, and matching leather coat which concealed her bare chest, complete with a dangling female symbol chain.
She opened the door for Ms. Adams, and Mindy saw her boss run the back of her hand across her chauffeur's face as she slide into the dark. The wrestling chauffeur's smile towards Mindy was quite different, it was an all-knowing smile, almost as if she had ushered a thousand Mindies into the back of Limousines before her. It made the young woman feel uneasy. Bernadette had two more quick phone calls, one apparently in Russian the other sounding sort of like Arabic, but Mindy couldn't be sure.
She then picked up the Limo phone and gave the driver some directions; "Prendalo domestico. Prenda questo al foro di conigli."
"Sorry Ducks, but there has been a change of plans. I have some business to attend to, but Bianca will get you where you need to go." Bernadette placed her hand on Mindy's knee and leaned in closer, her voice spoke in hushed tones; her eyes were both sensual and serious at the same time.
"You have done well so far Ducks, and that pleases me. You will be rewarded for pleasing me. You want to please me don't you?" All Mindy could do was nod meekly. Her stomach felt sick with excitement and anxiety. For a moment she worried that she would actually be sick.
"Good, it's important that you understand everything that is going to happen. You are being taken to a special place, we call it the Cocoon." The woman's lip raised in a decidedly wicked smile. "You are expected there, you will be given a series of choices and how you choose will affect the rest of your life. You do want to change your life Ducks, don't you?"
Bernadette's hand slid up Mindy's thigh, pushing her dress up far enough to expose her panties which now absolutely reeked of feminine anticipation. Mindy forced a thin lipped smile, again fearing she was about to vomit in the beautiful woman's lap, and nodded;
"Yes Miss, I do want to change."
"I know you do Ducks, that is why you're being taken to the Cocoon. It's a place where changes begin. Now make me proud, and make your choices wisely."
And with that she leaned closer, letting her hot breath flood Mindy's face. She stuck out her tongue in an overtly sexual way and traced it round Mindy's mouth, causing her to whimper. Bernadette looked at the trembling young girl and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt she was ready.
"You have a lovely mouth Ducks." She ran her thumb across the girl's dry lips. "I have such plans for it. Will you give me your mouth? Will you let me have it, and use it as I see fit?"
The girl was speechless at the direct and undeniable implications of her raw words. She was in sudden horror as she realized she had just peed herself with the overwhelming emotions that were now swirling around her. Mindy forced herself to give Ms. Adams a meek nod.
"Good, I knew you would. Ohh, Ducks, you are going to learn so much... so very, very much."
With that the Limo pulled up to a tall black building. Ms. Adams' door opened, and Mindy could only see the chauffeur's black leather clad ass. She stared for a moment as the two women stood outside sharing some last minute instructions. She could see their bodies press close to one another, but couldn't make out what they were doing. She saw her boss' hand come down swiftly with a sharp "SMACK" on the leather-clad bottom of the large woman, and then she disappeared into the dark building. The opening of the door darkened as it filled the large face and gleaming eyes of the Platinum Warrior.
"Welcome to the Rabbit Hole."
Mindy sat, staring, trying to digest the words she had just heard. The large woman closed the door and went speeding off down the freeway.
Chapter 6
Mindy had no idea what she was to expect. In fact, she didn't really understand much of what has happened to her in the last 48 hours. Her head spun with the new images and words. Ms. Adams' secrets were promised to be revealed, but who were the women in her office at such an early hour this morning, and why had they treated her so strangely? Her boss' attraction to her mouth, while thrilling, was frightening at the same time. And what on earth is a Rabbit Hole? Just as she felt another headache coming on, the limo came to a stop, the wheels crunching on dirt. Bianca opened her door, and offered her a massive hand. Mindy wasn't sure what the Cocoon was going to be like, but she never would have guessed it was like this. The limo had stopped on what could best be described as, "The Other Side of the Tracks." They sat in the middle of a line of pawn shops, hourly rate motels, peep show houses and liquor stores. Mindy didn't feel safe at all, the stares they were getting from the rummies and prostitutes nearby was making her rethink her desire for change, but Bianca's reassuring smile and her muscular bulk, put her a little more at ease.
"Everything will be fine kiddo, just fine" the woman said in a deep and focused voice. "I'll get you to the door, and I'll be waiting for you on the other side."
Mindy wasn't sure what that meant, but she was glad the woman wouldn't be far away. The large white haired woman knocked on the door and was greeted by a face she obviously had known quite well. "I've got her from here doll, thanks. I am surprised she has another one so fast." Mindy looked at the woman inside the door, and was not sure what she was talking about. It was the sort of woman Mindy didn't usually make eye contact with, or maybe it would be more accurate to say they never seemed to look at her. She was short and heavy, not at all like the statuesque women Mindy had seen around Ms. Adams thus far. Her body was covered with tattoos and piercings. At first glance, Mindy counted 5 on her face alone, not to mention the facial tattoos and purple hair. She had a nice smile about her, and under everything she had a very pretty face. Mindy thought she would be very cute without the ... well without everything else. She was the kind of girl you always wonder what had happened in her life to make her want to change herself so completely this way. Mindy thought about that for a moment and it dawned on her that maybe they weren't that different after all. She too was in the process of some sort of change, maybe she was just a taller, leaner version of the woman before her. She was changing alright; but into what, she had no idea.
The gigantic blonde leaned in to give Mindy one last piece of advice; "You're here because she chose you, none of this is an accident. Trust your instincts kiddo and you'll be fine." Mindy turned to walk into the Cocoon.
"My name is Cherie, and you must be Mindy, you're as scrumptious as a cupcake. Not sure I have ever met a Mindy before. The name doesn't really suit you, you're far too pretty to have such a dorky name. You look more like a Domenique or an Angelica to me. Not that it really matters; you'll be renamed soon anyway, right?
The stout woman was talking very fast as she walked quickly through the dimly lit store. Mindy was surprised at how clean and organized everything was. There were service counters, like you would find in a jewelry store, but there was nothing in them. In fact there wasn't much at all in the store that Mindy could see. There was a line of built-in drawers along the far wall, none of them marked. There was a changing room in the center of the store, but it didn't have a door on it. In fact the only thing that made Mindy even think she was in the right place at all were an identical set of ivory carved skulls sitting on a high shelf, the exact same ones that were on the back of Ms. Adams credenza. Mindy was eyeing the chubby girl, she could see her mouth moving, but couldn't make out the endless stream of words that flowed from her.
"Do you know where you're going yet? Most girls don't know, but some request certain assignments. Some girls are just born with natural gifts, I guess. Have you been fitted yet? I can usually guess sizes pretty well.... geez you're skinny as a rail, you're a zero, or a one on a bad day, right?" The girl giggled at her own lame joke. "And your legs are what? 34 ... 36 inches? Don't sweat it doll, no one knows their tail sizes quite yet, will you need a tail fitting today?"
Mindy's eyes snapped to the girl, her face looking like it was about to explode.
"WAIT!" Mindy shouted. "Slow down, I don't even know what this place is or why I'm here. My boss wanted me to get a haircut, I remember that much, maybe some clothes, but .... Just .. Just slow down."
Cherie realized what was going on. This was a rush job and she obviously didn't get all the information first. She knew she needed to shift gears quickly or risk losing her. She reached out and took Mindy's hand in her chubby little fingers, and took a deep breath. She looked up into the tall woman's eyes and with an elf like giggle she started over.
"I apologize, I thought you had been told some things already, let me see if I can help you here."
"Yes please, I have a million questions." Mindy interrupted and began to talk almost as fast as the tattooed girl had done, not really making much sense at all. "What is the cocoon and who were those women I saw this morning, what does she export, where am I right now, and what is the...."
Cherie reached out and stopped her before she began to cry. She pulled her down to a leather couch and sat down beside the frantic young woman; she placed her hand on Mindy's knee and gave her a little squeeze.
"Hold on, Dollface, I just work here, most of your questions I can't answer for you, but if you'll just sit still for a minute maybe I can help."
Mindy felt better, she was calming down. Cherrie had surprising warmth in her eyes and Mindy felt she could trust her. The girl's chubby hand felt comforting on her knee; in fact it felt better than that. Mindy tried to focus her attention on the girl's mouth and understand what she was saying, but once again her body had a mind of its own.