After lunch, Freddie and Amelia set about getting her school things. When they'd finished getting everything on her list, they got smoothies from a street vendor. Freddie sipped a mango banana smoothie as they wandered down the street.
"There's one more place I need to go," Amelia said, swirling her straw in her strawberry drink.
"Hm? We've gotten everything on your list."
"No, it's not for school, it's...well, follow me," she said, motioning for Freddie to follow her.
Curious, Freddie followed Amelia down the street then down a side street. She stopped outside of shop with lingerie-clad mannequins.
"Mistress Madeline's?" Freddie read the sign above the door.
"Yeah, I – I want to look sexy, ya know? I'm about to spend the next month with Brian. But I'm kinda nervous about going in by myself. Plus I need someone to tell me what looks good on me."
"Alright," Freddie agreed with a chuckle. "Fine."
"Yay! Thanks Freddie. Maybe we can find something for you, too – for Ryan," she said with a wink.
"Right," she said, following her inside.
They walked into the shop which had numerous racks laden with various skimpy outfits of silk and lace. Freddie followed Amelia around as she browsed the racks. She couldn't imagine herself wearing any of this stuff – scraps of fabric that barely covered anything. Corsets. Crotch-less panties.
"Here, hold these for me," Amelia said, shoving several items into Freddie's arms so she could stand on tiptoes to get a pink thong off a higher rack. "You want one? There's a black one, I know you like black."
"I dunno, Amelia, I'm not sure anything in here is really my style," she said uncomfortably.
"Well it's not for you, it's for him. And you only have to wear it for a minute."
"Bonjour ladies," said a woman with a heavy french accent. "Can I help you find anything?"
She was a tall, busty woman. She wore a flowy purple dress and had red hair done up in ringlets. She had on a lot of makeup with bright red lipstick.
"I'm good," Amelia said, flipping through another rack.
"I don't – I'm good," Freddie mumbled, shaking her head.
"Don't look so embarrassed, cherie, it's just us girls here. My name is Madeline," she said, extending her hand. Her nails were long and painted blood-red to match her lipstick. Freddie shook her hand dubiously.
"Freddie," she said as Madeline smiled at her.
"Wonderful to meet you, cherie. Now I would be delighted to help you find something special, something you will be comfortable in, yes?"
"I, uh...well maybe something that...covers more?"
"Ah, come with me darling," Madeline said, putting her arm around her. Freddie put her armload of Amelia's stuff on top of a rack and let Madeline lead her to the other side of the shop.
"Let's start here," she said, showing her to a wall of different style robes. There were satin ones, silk ones, ones that were brightly colored, and ones that were see-through.
"See anything you like?" Madeline purred.
Freddie touched a few items but here eyes were drawn to a sheer red gown made out of some material she didn't recognize.
"Aha," Madeline said, noticing her gaze. "A lovely choice. It's a blend of silk and unicorn hair."
She pulled it off the hook and held it out. Freddie touched the gown – it was impossibly soft.
"I guess that's not so bad," she murmured.
"Wonderful! Now, let's see what we can find to go underneath it," Madeline said, wandering over to a rack of corsets.
"Oh, I don't know about, uh..."
"Cherie, you are gorgeous. Beautiful. Tres belle. Show it off for your beau – or for yourself, if you do not have a man. Let yourself feel sexy."
"No, I have a – there's a guy," she said, feeling her cheeks grow warm. "A man."
"I'm sure he will appreciate your dressing up for him."
"Well he's...older," she said, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Amelia wasn't listening. She was across the shop, engrossed in the different types of underwear. "He's quite a bit older. Sort of old-fashioned and I...well, I worry he might think it's silly."
"Oh hush darling. Men of all ages appreciate a little something extra – something sexy, alluring. Provocative. Even if they've seen it all before, they never get tired of it. Trust me, cherie, he will love it."
Not fully convinced, Freddie nodded. She let Madeline pick out a few corsets and followed her to a changing room. She tried on the corsets, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Every one she put on instantly tightened magically, making her look even thinner than she was and squishing her boobs out the top. She put her sundress back on and came out shaking her head.
"You don't like them?" Madeline asked, crestfallen.
"Well they're sort of stiff and hard to breathe. Sorry," she said sheepishly.
"Do not worry, cherie! Our goal is to find something that makes you feel good and look good. I promise you we will succeed. We have plenty of options to chose from. Come."
Freddie spent the next hour trying on bustiers, chemises, camisoles, teddies, and a host of other lingerie she soon forgot the names of. She hated the garters as much as she did the corsets and thigh-high stockings. But in the end Madeline delivered on her promise and found things she did like. A green satin bustier with a black lace front. A black silk chemise that was see-through down the back. A sheer black camisole that ended in a large fringe just above her hips. And a host of new underwear and bras.
Amelia had a large bag full of stuff, all of which looked fantastic on her. Madeline thanked them for their business and they walked back out onto the street.
"I've got to go meet Brian in just a few minutes," Amelia said, checking her watch as they reached the main street.
"You want me to wait for him with you?" she offered.
"Nah, that's okay. Go get your sexy on with the mysterious Mr Ryan," she said with a wink.
"Alright," she chuckled. "See you on September 1st."
