Author's Note: Sorry it took so long! This site wouldn't let me upload for a while. Thanks to everyone that reviewed and voted. Anyways, the poll was pretty evenly split. I think I'm going to have to make the decision on my own.
The Block Estate
The Kitchen
October 24th
8:45 a.m.
Kendra sighed with impatience. "Move that box carefully. It has antiques." She was frazzled after spending only an hour with the cheap moving men from the phone book.
"We need to do something about this," she mumbled to herself as she heard yet another crash and the tinkling of glass. "Inez, can you do me one last favor?" she turned to the live-in housekeeper who was drinking a lemonade by the counter.
"You know I don't work for you anymore, Mrs. Block," Inez reminded Kendra after she took a sip.
"Yes. I know, but this is really important. Can you do me the favor as friends?" Kendra pleaded.
"Very well. My cab is not coming until noon. What is it that you want me to do?" Inez reluctantly gave in.
"I just need to run out and get some job applications anywhere I can. I just need you to watch the moving men and make sure they don't break any" Kendra was interrupted by another crash.
"Sorry," a voice from the living room called.
Kendra put her hand on her forehead before continuing. "As I was saying, make sure they don't break anything else."
Inez nodded and smiled. "I am happy that you are getting a job. It is good for you."
Kendra gave a brief smile before grabbing her Marc Jacobs purse and heading out the door. "Thanks, Inez. By the way, please don't tell William or Massie."
"Alright," Inez responded wearily.
The Westchester Mall
Level II
October 28th
12:43 p.m.
"So, what are we doing for Halloween, anyways? We don't have a place for a party anymore," Massie twirled a piece of hair between her fingers.
Dylan and Massie were at the mall once again for their weekly shopping trip. Usually, Massie avoided borrowing money because she hated using Dylan, but sometimes she scored a few shirts or a pair of jeans.
"Hmm," Dylan made a low humming noise.
"What are you doing?" Massie giggled. "This isn't yoga class."
Dylan giggled at Massie's tiny joke. "I'm thinking. Duh!"
Massie rolled her eyes and laughed. "So, seriously. What are we going to do? We don't even have costumes yet."
"Well," Dylan suggested. "Why don't we have a party at my house. We can share it with my sisters. High school hotties, you know." Dylan raised her eyebrows and paused for a moment to think of the high school boys.
"Dylan, that's perfect," Massie gasped. "No one will want to hang out with Claire's crew when they could be partying it up with high school A-listers! Wait, your sisters are A-listers, right?"
Dylan arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "Um, earth to Massie. Our mom is Merri-Lee Marvil. My sisters and me not being popular is like Bean not being a dog. Impossible."
Massie smiled. "You're right, Dyl. So what do you want to be for Halloween?"
"Um, let's think it over in the food court. That way, we can pick up a Starbucks, too." Dylan led the way.
After they had paid for their drinks and sat down, they started to confer again.
Massie pulled out a list from a clutch that she had made from an old grade-school backpack.
"Cute clutch. Who designed it?" Dylan noted.
"Me. Totally took me a whole week to figure out how to do it." Massie beamed when she saw Dylan's awe-filled face. "Want me to hook you up with one? I know how to do it now, so it could totally be finished by school on Monday."
"Uh, definitely! That's cuter than mine." Dylan gestured to her own Prada snakeskin clutch.
"Anyways, what should we be? Here's some suggestions I thought of already." Massie tried to get back down to business, but her voice betrayed that she was still elated that Dylan loved her clutch.
Dylan ran a light pink nail over the list. "I like this one," she said, stopping at one near the end.
Massie craned her head to see which one Dylan was talking about. "Innocent but sexy kittens? That was my favorite, too," Massie approved while smearing her mouth with her favorite Dior lip gloss.
"Then it's settled. Let's buy our costumes today," Dylan squealed excitedly.
"Alright." Massie linked arms with Dylan as they strolled away from the food court.
"So, I was thinking," Massie began, "tight black leotards, kitty ears, makeup for nose and whiskers, and I'll make the tails?"
"Done. That sounds great. The high school boys will be all over us," Dylan shrieked excitedly.
"Ow, my ear," Massie complained good-naturedly.
"Sorry," Dylan apologized.
The Westchester Mall
Halloween USA
October 28th
1:48 p.m.
"Is it just me, or was this store not here before," Dylan mused while sifting through piles of costumes.
"Definitely wasn't here before," Massie confirmed. "Aha! Here's a stack of leotards."
Dylan walked over to the bin Massie was leaning over. After they found their sizes, they also bought two pairs of cat-ear-headbands.
"I'll fix these up tonight and bring them to school on Halloween." Massie fingered the soft material on the headbands.
"Okay. And since you're doing that, it's only right that I buy them." Dylan spoke with a no-nonsense tone that implied that she would not take no for an answer.
The Westchester Mall
Sephora
October 28th
2:26 p.m.
"We better hurry up at Sephora because I told my mom that I was studying with you at the library. If she knew that I went shopping every week, she would totally kill me," Massie groaned.
"Massie?" Dylan hissed as she poked Massie's arm, but Massie was still complaining about the little amount of time they had to shop.
"Massie? Massie!" Dylan jabbed Massie so hard that she actually fell onto the display of make-up cases. Every head in the store whipped in their direction.
"Massie?" This time it wasn't Dylan that was speaking; it was Kendra. "Massie, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at the library?"
Massie froze for a second before returning with, "Aren't you supposed to be at home?" Then, Massie noticed the workers-only smock that Kendra was wearing. "Why are you wearing that?"
"Honey, tell me first why you're here. I thought we agreed no more mall until our economic situation gets better," Kendra commanded.
"I'm not using our money. Dylan's buying me some stuff, and usually I don't buy stuff. Dylan and I just browse around and she shops. The only reason I bought something today was because we forgot to buy Halloween costumes and we decided to while we were here today. Your turn," Massie ordered.
"I got a job so I could help out at home. Remember, sweetie, before I married your father I was a make-up artist for countless celebrities. Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Anna Nicole Smith…"
"and Cameron Diaz," Massie finished with a hint of whininess in her voice. "I know, but why did you get a job here? Why not for all of those fabulous people again?"
"Sweetie, I can't immediately start where I left off. It's been a lot of years since then and they probably don't remember me. Anyways, this way, we get free cosmetics," Kendra explained.
"This is so humiliating," Massie moaned.
"If I'm so embarrassing, then I'll quit." Kendra's voice was controlled and firm.
"No, mom. Don't do that. It's fine, really," Massie reassured her mom. "I just need some time to get used to this.
"Okay, honey. I won't tell your father about our little run-in if you don't. I'll even let you keep coming as long as I don't see too many shopping bags in your hands." Kendra smiled and gave Massie a hug.
"Deal." Massie returned the hug and started to browse the store with Dylan, once again returning to a semi-normal weekend.
Author's Note: Please review!