Flapper Dick Ch. 12

Wake curled up on Fred and no idea why I woke. Just lie there for a moment then hear it, there is someone coming up the steps to the porch. Not just that, they seem to be carrying something, and a second person, so this is rather odd. Get up and exit our bedroom to find the front door is open and there is a colored fella heading for it carrying a table.

Not the whole table, the door isn't wide enough to get a whole table in easy. This table has screw on legs. At least I hope so since it is a table, but just the top of the table and no legs on it. Then the colored fella in the lead notices me and stops walking, gets the one behind to yell at him. So the fella is coming in with a grin.

Table is set down and the first fella is looking me all over, the second is Simon. So go over to him and poke at him getting his hands up quick.

"Didn't mean to wake you, figured on should have a table or two to put things on." Frown for a moment and nod since would be good, but then still winter and he hasn't moved in yet either.

"Still winter and you are not moved in." Simon rolls his eyes and the other fella chuckles.

"Pretty sure he is doing that today. Also surprised you are awake in your condition." I look at the other fella, suppose I don't look happy since Simon pokes me.

"Wearing naught it is obvious you are knocked up. I also have been telling him about you." Other fella is nodding so nod, then poke Simon.

"You did leave out the nookie part right?" Simon has big eyes, so does the other fella.

"You said you were only doing the other skirt." I am giggling now so Simon pokes me.

"You wouldn't give me any, said you got a good seeing to."

"Fred gives me plenty, it's just fun to make fellas think I give them a seeing to." Both fellas toss their hands then chuckle.

"I'm starting to think I need to put you in a nightgown." Fred says as he pulls me into his arms so I am looking up at him, he is looking at Simon.

"I brought a table so it is no trekking inside to finish off a burger."

"Also moving in I think." Fred looks at me then we both look at Simon and he nods.

"I asked Brian, my jalopy will be parked there until we find a house." Frown at that and shake my head.

"No house unless Audrey stays knocked up." Simon rolls his eyes.

"We don't know if we can go there, I mean our third month being together." I would comment but Fred puts his hand over my mouth.

"Betty is shameless so expect to see her in naught. Not to mention still working on designing satin dresses. She always sizes them for her first so you will be asked how she looks when you are here. Dark room in basement so ask if you need to go down there. Also going back to bed since you are up early." Grab Fred's hand so I can talk.

"This is Fred for the new fella, and you are allowed to parade in naught too." New fella snorts and holds his hand out to get it shaked.

"Franklin, I'm a bull too."

"Three of us in the same apartment building." Simon says getting me to nod.

"I believe you promised to bring all of them to set up the grill." Both are chuckling and shaking their heads.

"Only need us two, but there will be eight to come and put it in. We will add a roof so even when it is raining you can grill." This sounds good to me, though there is one thing.

"We will get Coca Cola to drink, though likely will be medicinal brought."

Fred snorts and pulls me along back to our bedroom. Curl up on Fred and shiver some, the door had been open so it got a little chilly. At first I am thinking I have to warm up to get back to sleep, but get warm and still not drifting off. Fred went back to sleep so I am rather jealous of him on that part, almost poke at him even.

Don't, just lie there trying to go back to sleep for a little while. Unable to do that though so finally I get up and get in my black suit. Grinning too since Simon likely will laugh about that. Out to the sitting room and sit at the sewing machine to ponder the satin dresses I can do. Not that I haven't gotten a design done yet, I took the design of the silk dress and made it satin.

Not that it is the same design, I adjusted the look of the dress since the satin isn't the squares of different colors. Sitting at the sewing machine I am trying to come up with a new design, and then think of the shoulderless dress. Would look just as good with the same design so I am cutting the satin out when Simon and Franklin come in carrying travel bags.

"I eat white skirt but you are not her." I am giggling then Franklin puts his hand up.

"I would, soon as you told me how." I would laugh but there is one thing I want to ask on.

"Are you both moving in?" Simon snorts and shakes his head.

"I have two uniforms that are bulky so both go into one travel bag, rest of my clothes go in the second."

"Why two uniforms?" Simon and Franklin roll their eyes.

"Two so that they can be washed and still have one to wear. They are slow to dry so you wash one and then can wear it again a couple days later." Sigh and shake my head, that is not nice.

"Do all bulls get two uniforms?" Both are nodding so toss my hands.

"Do the skirts in the station get a uniform?" Two sighs so I am frowning now.

"Lady bulls have the jacket to put on over their dress." Roll my eyes as both dash away, pulls giggles out of me then I hear someone on the porch.

Hop up and go open the door to find a fella wearing the mailman uniform but this isn't our regular mailman. He does smile at me and stops loading the mailbox, brings it over to me instead.

"First time I had mail for this house." I snort and grin with him as I look at the letters.

"Not our usual mailman."

"Weekend worker, there are less of us to do delivery, mostly we sort the mail to be handed out on Monday." Look up at him and he is rather young.

"So you are in training?" He snorts and shakes his head.

"I am a sorter for a good portion of the week, go in for a few hours tomorrow too, we pick up mail today." Nod and pick out one letter that I don't want to see.

"Blast it, almost want to send this one back."

"I can if you would like." Shake my head and look up at him again.

"This is a letter from the courts, they want us to look into a case."

"My condolences, and two of those are for a Simon, I was unsure on their being one here." I am nodding.

"He is moving in today, dating our nanny and perhaps will get one of these houses if anyone moves." Mailman nods then goes into his bag for a little while before producing a paper and envelope that he hands over.

"Just in case he hasn't yet, when you move we have a form to fill out. Change of address so anyone who hasn't been told yet gets their letter to you anyway."

"Suppose it is good that I didn't get bills and no family to send letters."

"We would like you to do the form too, but we haven't been getting letters sent back with your name either."

"I better let you get back to delivering mail, I am working on a new dress design and got a case."

He snorts but does tip his hat and get on his way. I shut the door and go back to the cutting table, do sidetrack to drop the mail on the joe table. Over to resume cutting and make a good showing of it. In almost no time I am sewing the dress together, get that finished and it looks good, just as good as the regular cloth version, then realize there is talking in the kitchen.

So head that way holding the new satin dress to find Audrey in here with Simon and Franklin. Audrey is wearing a robe so hand her the dress, and get pointed at the stove. She is making breakfast so I take over making breakfast while she is getting in the dress. Then she is helping, and adding in more bacon and sausage since I am up.

Two shakes later we have breakfast done so getting that to the table. Sit then hop up and dash for the mail. I forgot about it until I looked at the napkin holder that we use to hold mail. Audrey has big eyes when I hand two letters to Simon.

"You said you weren't seeing anyone else." Simon has big eyes, Franklin is chuckling.

"These are from my relatives, most of them can't afford a phone so there is plenty of letters." Audrey looks at me so nod.

"Fellas working in the train yard can afford phones but have to save up for a crib." Simon snorts and shakes his head.

"Not all of them get a phone, at least one street the houses pool their money to get a phone in one house for the street." Franklin is nodding.

"I was lucky to get hired as a bull, two fellas come in while I was filling out the information, asked for the job, and was turned away."

"Were they colored fellas?" Franklin shakes his head.

"Both white, got turned away on account of had enough. Both mentioned I was sitting there, sergeant had said I was hired to fill up patrol for the colored." Simon is nodding.

"He was hired on since there was another street turning colored." Franklin is nodding and winks.

"Factory hired on colored, I think most all of us had gone to get the job, pay is better than anything else." Audrey is frowning right along with me.

"What about those working in the diners?"

"Cook is looking at getting fifteen aces to start. Sometimes more it depends on the joint, waitress gets the same, but she also gets tips." Sort of knew that, diners are not expensive to eat in, a quarter can be left on the table to pay for the meal and a tip, though there is one thing I want to ask on.

"What about those working in the train yard?" Simon and Franklin sigh now.

"Porters are not bad, eighteen a month, though most are on the train so you don't see them that often. Those who handle the loading and unloading get fourteen. My dad works there." Franklin nods and puts his hand up.

"My dad is the same, we moved out to cut down on food." Audrey sighs and looks up.

"I think I better demand a cut of the sales out of the store so we can afford a house." I am giggling, Simon I'm pretty sure turns red.

"I am getting two sawbucks a month plus what you make, we will have the dough for a house as soon as one of these opens up." Toss my hands.

"Just don't expect the street to turn colored." Simon snorts and shakes his head.

"I am the fifth bull on the street, Brian said there are a number that would like to get a house here." I get why, the houses are all two story, but not sure I would like that.

"I'm not sure I want that, I seem to have given nookie to most of the bulls."

Audrey rolls her eyes and points at the letter I have before me. I haven't even opened it yet so get the butter knife and open the letter. Audrey spends a bit sharing the story of the butter knife being a regular knife. I am reading the letter and frowning because this is not good. There was a murder, the offed fella is colored and the detective assigned hasn't made progress.

"Simon I think you will be helping on this. Murder with the offed fella colored." Simon and Franklin sigh.

"We heard about it, sergeant brought it up. Mostly that was in case we hear anyone boasting about it." Audrey frowns now.

"Where was the fella offed?"

"Alley, the odd part is simply he wasn't in the colored housing, close but three streets off." Simon and Franklin roll their eyes.

"We are allowed outside of there." Roll my eyes since they missed the point.

"I know that, but how often do you leave there besides for shopping and going to work?"

"I'd like to mention this dress is heavenly." Audrey says getting me to grin, also good since Simon and Franklin didn't seem to have anything to say.

"Gives me two designs for satin, plus what Kelly has come up with. She perhaps has that one since it is simply the shoulderless dress in satin." Audrey is nodding then Simon finds his voice again.

"Couldn't you add some lace to that?" I am frowning now, Audrey looks puzzled, then I put my hand up since perhaps.

"I think lace the top and then the loop. Perhaps add embroidery around the bubs." Audrey looks down with a frown then nods.

"I'm unsure on the embroidery, points out where the bubs are." Snort and shake my head.

"Fellas always know exactly where they are." Simon and Franklin are nodding so we are giggling.

Breakfast finished I get the dress back and Audrey is whistled at. Simon whistled with Franklin so Audrey is grinning. At least until I mention she should take them upstairs to get shared for nookie. Simon and Franklin are chuckling, Audrey pokes me until I dash for the sitting room. Do the lace edging first and this is not precisely easy.

Mostly because the lace is a little tough to sew into the loop, and then have to cut it out to go in certain places. Do add it in there so when I finally finish doing the lace part I just look. The loop split above the bubs means the little look at the bubs afforded there is gone now. Which is alright, but then I think fellas would not like that.

Undecided on it so I make up a second dress and lace that one with the inside of the split bare of lace. Both look good, so basically there will be two designs. At least to start so we can see which sells better. Then comes the embroidery and I add that in how I said, sort of cups the bubs. Slip in the second dress and look down to find I can see my bubs.

Which is more or less the point of the dress anyway so that is alright. Also find that the embroidery does cup my bubs because they are sticking out a little better in the dress. Then I am getting whistled at so look to find Franklin and Simon.

"Not sure you should wear that, puts your bubs on display." Simon says with Franklin nodding, and grinning.

"Sort of the point, the sure thing dress is selling, so are the panties. I figured those are for the wedding night finery but the panties are sold separate and selling." Franklin is nodding.

"Last week I got me a skirt who was wearing panties. I asked on them, I mean get under her dress and she is wearing those, I thought was that time of the month." Simon snorts and pokes Franklin, then takes up the story.

"He shared with me, skirt had said not that and pulled the panties to the side. Why she had them on was a little odd, I mean she felt better looking, and then won't have his enjoyment of her running down her legs." Open my mouth then close it since I don't really have anything to say on that, at first.

"Wasn't the idea of the panty to begin with, but that is an interesting thought. I enjoy feeling it go down my legs, but then with panties on perhaps it is easier to get knocked up." Audrey comes into the sitting room and then stops staring at me.

"I didn't expect you to be so brazen." I am giggling now and shake my head then hold up the first dress with more lace.

"I made two versions, more lace covers the bubs better so we can take both to Kelly and see which sells better, or have two designs of the same dress." Audrey nods then slips out of her dress to get the satin dress on. "Oh my, now I see what you meant Simon, these perhaps won't sell." Audrey's bubs are looking big and then also split up a little so you can tell what they are.

"Same as the ball gown we made." Audrey says getting me to snort.

"Not as obvious, though if we cover the bubs in more lace it would be hidden a little better." Audrey looks down and nods, then grins.

"So three designs of the same dress."

"Also will have to get Kelly to order the lace in sheets." Audrey is nodding, then frowns.

"There is one thing, why didn't you put in the brassiere section in this version?"

"Mostly because it doesn't work that great, so adding it in is extra work with little gain."

"Would have the bubs together better." Franklin says then Simon is tossing his hands.

"I like them like this." Snort and check my watch, Fred will be up in another hour.

"Audrey I think we should go over to the store, Fred will be up in an hour so I will enjoy him then get to work on this case."

"Yes, but I don't want to get in the breezer." Snort and hold my hand out to Simon who shakes his head.

"I will drive you both in my jalopy. I'm not going to ask to drive your breezer." I snort since John simply said he wants to.

"John said he wants to drive it, not to mention go around in it. I promised to drive him around in the summer."

Audrey snorts and goes upstairs for her coat, so I go get my coat. Also groan because I haven't done the design of the dress yet. Coat collected I sit down and get to work on sketching the design and writing down the measurements. Luckily that doesn't take very long then we are climbing in the jalopy and taking off.

Reaching the store, after a long walk since there were no parking spots, we go in. Instantly there is a screech and cry of more fellas so I am looking around and there are a lot of fellas in here. All with skirts so a number of them are taking their wife to the store. Weave our way through the skirts and fellas to Kelly who is bent over the sewing machine looking a little harried.

"Got a second design." Kelly leans back and looks at me with a smile so hand the sketch over.

"We do this design already, though you took out the brassiere part."

"Added lace to it, looks good like this and puts the bubs on display with the embroidery. So it has a brassiere just doesn't work like one." Kelly frowns and looks at me so open up my coat, her jaw drops.

"Oh my, that is better than the ball gown."

"We have a third design, with lace covering in the embroidery so the bubs are not as prominent." Kelly snorts and nods.

"I'm not sure it would help but would be a different look, and then can take that part and put it on a nightshirt. Course two of these are the same thing with slightly less lace on one." I am nodding and wink.

"Audrey is wearing the full lace, I looked down and no bubs so did a second dress. So you show the top of your bubs or not and mostly just want to see which sells better." Kelly nods and looks up.

"I am thinking we have enough designs to do an opening run of the satin line. Ball gown is satin too so would be part of it. Seems most are putting the satin on the outside of the two color dress so there is a desire to wear that and not feel it against the body." I am nodding since the satin looks really nice.

"I enjoy the feel of it but it does look nicer than just cloth. What about silk?" Kelly sighs and shakes her head.

"The factory our supplier signed on with is doing a retooling so no silk for a while yet. He said he was told we would get the silk for less so we can sell it cheaper." Smile since that is great, though there is one thing I want to ask.

"So the retooling is to make more silk?" Kelly sighs and shrugs.

"No idea, according to him the retooling may be rebuilding the factory. China isn't doing as good as we are. He also said that perhaps because we are ordering silk they have the backing to afford a bigger factory so they do it now." I am nodding since the last one is a good thought.

"Possible it is the last one, bigger factory so more silk made and better pay to them since it's hard to find in affordable prices."

I think we all nod to that and then getting back to the jalopy. Fred will be up soon so I can enjoy him, and then get to the case. Finally back home inside we go with me checking my watch. Find it is a little after Fred gets up, and I do hear the shower, and then see Fred frowning on the sofa. Frown myself since that is odd, but do go over and climb in his lap.

Fred comes down and gives me a kiss so squirm a little and get out of my coat. Fred looks me over then sets on the floor so twirl for him and he is grinning.

"Almost the same design as another dress." I am nodding and wink.

"Took out the brassiere and then adding in the embroidery means there is a brassiere that works wrong." Fred snorts and shakes his head.

"Looks rather right from over here." I am nodding and then shrug.

"It is a good look, but then I am a flapper too. No telling if these will sell to those who are not." Fred sighs then shrugs.