Allyson Ch. 06

When Allyson had lived with John she'd worn her hair much like this when she had to do housework. She didn't tell Audra this because, though it was more a work 'do' she preferred it to the childish 'dos' Hannah and John made her wear. Actually she thought it looked quite nice. She said so, "I like it very much."

Audra was a little disappointed. She'd hoped for a better response. That was OK; she still had the make up to do, "Now I'm going to do your make up."

Allyson shrugged, "OK."

"Turn around' I don't want you to see till I'm finished." She pulled out some of the 'war paint' she'd brought down.

Allyson looked at the colors. There was nothing there she normally used. Most of the things she'd always worn were pale blues and some greens.

Audra went to work. She used combinations of light to slightly darker browns around Allyson's eyes and cheeks. She applied a very dark colored, not black, mascara. Out of nowhere a very dark lipstick emerged. "Pucker up."

Allyson puckered her lips.

Audra applied some of the lipstick. She took a napkin and put it the younger woman's lips. "Press down."

Allyson did as she was told.

Audra applied a tiny bit more; then wiped some away so that there were only traces around then inner portions of her lips, "Now turn around and tell me what you think."

Allyson turned around and looked in the mirror. It was still her, but gone was the insipid little girl. Audra had made her up to look like a grown woman, a real movie star, not some ingénue. The dark and lighter browns accentuated her green eyes and the luminescence of her hair. She felt silly and out of sorts, "Wow! You did this?"

"You like the look?"

"Like it? I love it!" She turned around, put her left hand on the older woman's cheek, leaned forward and kissed her. "I never thought..."

Audra smiled, "You want to play a trick on Paul?'

"A trick?"

Audra gave her a mischievous grin, "You know this is my house. I clean and cook. I also do my share of snooping." She opened the top drawer of the bureau they'd been in front of. "This is Paul's little hide out." She reached in and pulled forth a small cardboard box.

Allyson watched with disbelief. She would have never done anything like this.

Audra opened the box, "Look!"

Allyson looked inside, "They're jade!"

"I know. Paul's been buying you jewelry."

Allyson blushed, "This isn't right."

"Maybe not. Let's see how it looks anyway."

"Well I guess..."

"Nonsense, now sit still." Audra got out the earrings. They were delicate teardrop jade stones with a simple hook designed to go through a pierced ear. She slipped them through the small piercing in each of Allyson's lobes and sat back. "Yes, now for the necklace." She pulled forth a delightful necklace, not more than twelve inches in circumference, an ideal size for Allyson's long thin neck. The necklace was a mix of alternating stones, a small diamond then a small jade. She fixed it around the young woman's neck. She reached into the box again, "Ah, the bracelet." The bracelet was an exact match of the necklace. She placed it on Allyson's right wrist. She looked back in the box, "There's one more piece, a ring, but I think maybe that would be going too far."

Allyson said, "Get it out. Let me see."

Audra got out the ring. It was an interesting piece, one large diamond surrounded by six tiny jade stones. Audra held it up, "Maybe you shouldn't wear this."

Allyson took it and held it in her hand. Profoundly tempted to try it on she looked at it for several seconds. She handed it back to Audra. "We're not quite there yet are we Mrs. Hanson. In fact I don't think..." She started to take off the earrings.

Audra stopped her, "No leave everything else on. I don't want to tell you what to do, but wearing the necklace, bracelet and earrings might tell Paul you're interested. Not wearing the ring could tell him you just haven't decided."

Allyson wasn't so sure, "I don't know. It might be cruel to even admit knowing about these things."

Audra put a finger to the woman's lips, "Oh no. I think it would send just the right message. I know my boy." She took her finger away, "Hey wait. I've got one more thing."

Allyson looked at her dumbstruck. This was too much.

Audra reached from the pocket of her bathrobe and pulled out a wristwatch. It was old looking and it looked cheaply made, "Put this on."

"Whose is it?"

Audra smiled, "It's yours."

Allyson wasn't sure, "All right. Whose was it?"

Audra didn't give the answer she wanted, "It doesn't matter. It's yours now. It doesn't matter who used to wear it."

Allyson knew this time she was being manipulated. It belonged to somebody once, somebody that mattered. If she wore it downstairs today people would see it. They'd know. They'd think things. Suddenly she didn't care. Whoever owned it before didn't matter. Audra wanted her to have it. It would tell Paul something. Maybe she wanted to tell Paul something. Heck, she thought, she wanted him to think...well think what she wanted him to think. She held it in her hand; then put it down on the bed. Signaling to Audra she said, "You put it on me."

Audra took the wristwatch and clumsily placed it on her left wrist and hooked it in place. She looked at Allyson, "Let's get you dressed."

Oh no Allyson thought.

++++++++++++

Downstairs Paul was busy helping his father with the food, "I'm scared dad."

"Why?"

"She wanted to talk to me. We haven't yet."

"Don't worry. It'll be all right. I have a feeling about these things."

++++++++++++

Back upstairs Audra laid out some of things the girls had bought, "They bought a lot of things, but you know I really like this blouse and slack outfit. What do you think?"

Allyson looked at the blouse, slacks, and accoutrements; she liked them, but wanted Audra to make the call, "I like it if you do."

"Great, let's see how they fit." She pulled out a pair of light green panties and light green camisole, "I don't think a bra is a good idea today. Your back you know."

Allyson took and slipped on the panties and camisole, "OK, if you say so."

Audra held up the blouse, "Try this on." It was a translucent white long sleeved item with an open necked ruffled collar. It buttoned up the front. Audra helped her button it leaving the top two buttons undone exposing the necklace.

Allyson fell in love with it; it was perfect fit, and she felt no pressure on her ailing back. She told Mrs. Hanson, "I love it."

"Good, now let's try the slacks and shoes. Shoes first." After slipping into some light brown knee length stockings Audra helped her into the slacks. They were dark brown, loose fitting, and pleated in the front with graceful cuffs at the bottoms.

Audra said, "Now the shoes." They were a simple pair of very slightly lifted brown heeled shoes. Designed for comfort first; they still had the look of discreet elegance.

Before Allyson could comment Audra pulled out the last thing, "Hold still while I slip this over your head." It was a beautiful pale green cashmere V-necked sweater, a perfect finishing touch to a perfect outfit.

Allyson looked in the mirror, "I'm pretty aren't I?"

Audra smiled brilliantly, "Yes you are."

Allyson turned to the woman, "No I mean I really do look pretty, not in a childish way but in a womanly way."

"You're perfect."

Allyson looked at the slacks, the simple brown belt, the shoes, the blouse and sweater. She looked at the earrings, touched the necklace, and looked down at the watch and bracelet. She felt really odd, really funny, "I think I need the ring."

Audra was slightly surprised, "You sure?"

Allyson looked at the older woman, then her hand, than back at the woman, "I'm pretty sure."

Audra got the ring and slipped it on her finger, "Paul's going to make some important assumptions when he sees this."

Allyson held her hand out and looked at the ring on her finger, "I want him to." She looked back at the older woman, "I only hope I'm good enough."

Audra's eyes misted up, "You're fine. Let's go downstairs."

++++++++++++

Downstairs Paul had showered, shaved, and pulled on a pair of khaki slacks, a simple blue button down shirt over a white Tee-shirt and a pair of slightly scuffed loafers, sans socks. He scuffed through his hair, splashed on a little of his father's Old Spice and stepped into the kitchen. He looked at his father, "I look OK?"

"You look fine."

Together they heard footsteps. People were coming downstairs. Paul gulped. Jeremy looked at his son, "Stop worrying. It'll be all right."

Paul grimaced slightly, "God I hope so."

Jeremy took his son's arm. Come on let's catch them as they come downstairs. Together, arm and arm, father and son walked through the dining room toward the stairs.

++++++++++++

It was Thursday, Thanksgiving, an enormously important American holiday, a time when everyone gave thanks for all the good things that had come their way, a time to enjoy a big meal with loved ones, a time to think about and plan for the future.

Allyson was upstairs with Audra and had gotten dressed and prepped for her first big day with a lot of new people. Paul was downstairs with his dad, thinking about what to say and how to behave. Audra's mom and dad, one of her brothers and their two children were on their way. Lauren, Ariel, Aubrey, and Wayne were all someplace nearby getting dressed.

Yes it was an important day. What might happen? Where would it lead?

++++++++++++

Meanwhile across town at South County General Hospital the paging service was contacting Dr. Marcus Brolyn. Marcus Brolyn was a new doctor at the fastest growing new hospital in the burgeoning suburbs of the fast paced new satellite city in the Pacific Northwest. It was the same city the Hanson's and Allyson called home. Marcus Brolyn was a graduate recently out of the Cardiac unit of the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, the best medical facility on the planet. He'd left with an impeccable professional if not so impeccable a personal record. At thirty-two he presumably had it all.

Though recently divorced with no children, he had that air of warmth and poise, and the charm that drove the women wild. In fact it had been his philandering that had driven his wife to a lawyer.

Not to be deterred he'd moved on, found a pretty good institution, a new position, and had already found more than enough young fillies to keep him in sexual oats for some time to come. That didn't mean he wasn't always on the lookout; anytime a new sweetie showed up he was always more than willing to put his brand on her. On thing for sure, he liked them young, and he liked them best when they were lost and on the rebound.

Yes sir, the job was great and the sexual pickings were even better. Pretty soon he heard a whole new flock of little pigeons would be signing on for some kind of medical training. He thought about that. Don't you worry little chickadees, I'll be there.