Chapter Seven
“Welcome to Seraphine’s Disguise, I am Seraphine.” A woman, barely five feet tall and looking older than Mr. Sandman smiled at Asald and Penny. Her eyes landed on Sarah and her weathered face slackened. A shudder wracked Sarah’s body, the woman’s intense stare made her uncomfortable. The ancient woman shuffled closer and held her hands out towards Sarah. Unsure what to do she placed hers in the woman’s much tinier ones.
“Oh my, this is an unexpected turn. I’ve wondered how long it would be but now I have my answer.” She smiled as one hand reached up and cupped Sarah’s cheek. “Perfect, you will be perfect.”
She was so close Sarah could see every wrinkle etched on her tiny face. She couldn’t help leaning in, she wasn’t sure if she was imagining it but she wasn’t, she had one emerald green eye and one violet eye. It took a pretty cool senior to wear colored contacts.
“What is your name my dear?”
“Sarah.” The name barely came out, her throat had gone dry. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could take the woman staring.
“What brings you to my store Sarah?”
“Um, well, they were invited to a costume party tomorrow night and I’m tagging along.”
Her face transformed into excitement. “Perfect, this will be perfect. Come along, let’s see what we have for you.”
They followed along as Seraphine mumbled to herself as she pulled outfits off various racks. The store was packed but she didn’t let this stop her. She paused in front of a young guy trying on a gold crown. “No, no, no Mr. Silver, that is all wrong. Here, this is for you.” She handed the bewildered looking guy an Egyptian looking costume and shuffled on.
“Ma’am, would you like me to carry some of those?” Asald looked concerned at the pile of costumes Seraphine was building. Any more and she wouldn’t be able to see over it.
“Do I look like an old woman to you? I’ve got this.” She shook her head at him and grabbed another costume to add to the pile. “Okay, let’s get started.”
“You’re up first handsome.” She held the curtain open expectantly.
“Oh, sorry, I already have a costume. We’re here for the ladies.”
Her one green eye squinted at him, silently waiting for him to cave. It didn’t take long before he cleared his throat nervously.
“Since I’m here, what’s the harm in trying a few on.”
Sarah and Penny shouldn’t have laughed, it really was rude but how do you not when the first costume he walked out in was a court jester with tights and a pointy hat.
“This is not happening.” Asald’s pouty face only made them laugh harder.
“But baby, those tights are hot. I know what I’m getting you for Christmas.” He shook his head and disappeared behind the curtain.
The next three costumes were equally as embarrassing. “It’s a good thing you have another costume, none of these are going to work. Oh well, time for the ladies to try on some.”
“You never intended to find me a costume, did you?”
Her devilish smirk said it all. A deep growl rumbled from him before he went back behind the curtain to change.
Back in his clothes he stomped out of the dressing area and sat on the couch they just vacated.
The first costume hanging up was a purple and black pirate costume.
“Um, I think you gave me the wrong size.”
“I never get it wrong, let’s have a look at you.”
Sarah poked her head out of the curtain, “No really, there isn’t enough material with this one.”
Penny strutted out in a sexy Red Riding Hood costume, she had as little material as Sarah did but she was happily flaunting it. “Get your cute butt out here and let us see.”
Seraphine’s intimidating stare told her she was going to agree with Penny on this one.
With a deep breath, she stepped out and hugged her arms around her waist.
“Oh my god girl, I didn’t know you were so sexy!” Penny’s eyes lit up with excitement.
“I am not wearing this, if I pull it up to cover my boobs my ass sticks out but if I yank it down you can see my nipples.” With a hand covering her cleavage, she backed into her changing room and took the outfit off quickly. The next two outfits were as tiny as the first one. “Oh, come on, if Walt Disney could see what they’d done with their Minnie Mouse costume.” Sarah shook her head at her reflection, “Of course, if she had worn this maybe she and Mickey would have had kids by now.” She muttered to herself.
“You can’t say something like that and not let us see.” Sarah heard the laughter in Penny’s plea.
With her mouse ears still on she popped her head out from behind the curtain. “Seraphine please, you have to have something a little less revealing?”
She shrugged and grabbed a costume she just happened to have hanging over the back of her chair. “Perhaps this will make you more comfortable.”
After a quick-change Sarah sighed with relief, she might not get a guy’s attention wearing this but lord knows she would be able to relax and have fun. “This is perfect, I’ll take it.”
With a flourish, she threw back the curtain. Penny’s bulging eyes and open mouth were clear indicators she did not approve of my choice.
“You can’t possibly want to wear that, no offense Seraphine but that is horrendous.
Asald, say something, she just had her hair done all pretty too.”
“Don’t get me involved in this, this is her first night out in years and if this is what she needs to wear to have a good time than I say so be it.”
The mirror across the room caught her eye. “It’s not all that terrible Penny, stop being so pouty.” She could admit the mad scientist look wasn’t something a normal single girl would want to wear but there was nothing normal about her. The white lab coat and steampunk goggles gave her a sense of security. She wouldn’t admit it out loud but she needed them to hide behind if she got nervous.
“Alright then, let’s check out.”
“Um, excuse me, Ms. Seraphine.” The shy looking man from before was nervously standing off to the side.
“Yes Silver, what is it dear?”
“I appreciate your help finding me a place to stay and inviting me to this party but I can’t possibly wear this.”
Sarah could relate, he had the same look she did. Obviously, whatever she gave him was more revealing than he would like.
Her wrinkled hand came up and she waved him down towards her. She turned that intense stare fully on him. “I am never wrong, trust that I am doing what is best for you. Now let’s get you out of here, Adam is waiting for you at his apartment.”
Obviously, he couldn’t resist her gaze either as he nodded and headed towards the register too.
“Don’t worry my dears, everything is going to be perfect.”
There she goes again, she had to be the most optimistic person Sarah had ever met. For her love life’s sake, she hoped Seraphine was right.