Reality Bites - Wattys 2018 Shortlist

Chapter 84 - Wicked Things

Mom had been right about the everyday bras. They were wonderful! As she'd suggested, I'd ended up buying one in every color plus two in black, two in white and two in a pale bronze that matched well with my skin tone. And for each bra, I'd also bought the matching panties. I tried on various fancy sets and bought a dozen of those, too. I'd never been hugely into underwear – but I know how much Dimitri enjoyed seeing me in pretty matching lacy things, and I enjoyed his appreciation. I'd left his four selections for last – not that there was any doubt I'd be getting them. If he wanted to see me dressed that way, then I'd happily oblige him.

Once I'd decided what I'd be taking, and was changed back into my clothing, I let the attendant carry it all to the register while I wandered next door to the Moroi section to see Lissa. To get there, I had to walk past the Guardian lounge at the front. Dimitri was standing drinking a coffee as he waited. His eyes met mine as I walked past and I raised both my eyebrows with a 'really Comrade?!' look. I was rewarded by him spluttering into his coffee and flushing bright red again. Poor baby... Wait till he saw me wearing one of his selections!

Next door Lissa was also shopping up a storm.

"Just me Lissa – can I come in?"

"Yeah," she said distractedly. She was standing in a change room with at least thirty bras surrounding her. "I never thought I'd say this, but I think there's too much choice here!"

"Come on – try them on, and I'll rate them," I said, flopping down onto a padded velvet chaise lounge in the gargantuan change room. She was standing there trying on bra after bra for my perusal. While she was swapping them over, I told how I'd asked Dimitri to make some intimate apparel selections for me. "You should have seen him, Lissa – he was so cute" I giggled. "He went bright red, but he chose four sets. I promised him I'd wear a set tonight when we're out for dinner with Adrian."

"Were they nice?"

"Let's just say you couldn't get four more different sets of lingerie!"

Eventually, Lissa had narrowed her choices down to around fifteen bra and panty sets, so she changed back into clothing, and her attendant took her purchases to the register.

Out the front, my items had been rung up and bagged. The total cost was truly alarming, but I was taking Baba at his word that he was happy with me spending an obscene amount. There were six large bags, and that was just for me. Beckoning Dimitri over I explained Mom, Lissa, and Suzanne had also gone nuts and perhaps he'd be best bringing the van around.

"Just make sure you know where you put my bags, Comrade. Wouldn't want my special selections to get mixed up with anyone else's now, would I?" I teased him.
He blushed again and promised to make sure my bags were put separately to everyone else's.

As I'd anticipated, the remaining space in the trunk of the van and the backmost seat was filled with Madam Zsar Zsar bags. Mom and Suzanne were all but shopped out, but Lissa wanted to look at some casual wear for Europe, and I had my dress alternations fitting to attend.

"Roza? Since I won't be in uniform in Europe, I might quickly pick up a few things for myself?" Dimitri suggested. I nodded, secretly wondering where he was going to stow anything he bought within the already overflowing van. We split up – Dimitri walking me to the boutique for my fitting before heading close by to look at a couple of shops. Mom and Suzanne were accompanying Lissa to other shops and we were all due to meet back at the van in an hour.

Entering the boutique, I saw my dress hanging in pride of place towards one end of the store. Slipping it back on, I was pleased to note the shoes were a perfect match. A Dhampir seamstress attended, carefully pinning the bottom of the dress, asking me to spin and try and dance backward. After three or four iterations of this, she declared herself satisfied with the length and fit.