Chapter three
"Man, I have so much to do today…again. Honestly I don't think I'll ever get a day off, well, maybe when I'm lying six feet under…" Helen chuckled at the thought, her whole day was booked full of errands again. She was driving down her street, finally getting sick of the music, she switched the radio off . Pulling into her driveway she removed Jack-Jack from his car seat and went into her home. An empty house and a note on the door greeted her.
"Dear Helen,
Took the kids fishing and to see a movie, figured you could use the time to yourself. We'll be back around dinnertime, but if we're late, I will call, brought your cell phone with me. I promise I won't forget. Emptied the dishwasher for you already too.
Love,
Bob, Dash, Violet, and Jack-Jack
PS there is no catch to this. You seemed like you were stressed out this morning so I figured I'd get the kids out of the house for a little while… XOXOX"
Helen couldn't help but laugh at the last statement. "I swear that Bob has telepathy and he just doesn't want to tell me. It's like he knows exactly what goes on inside my head…men… Well, he gave me a little bit of time off, so I guess I'd better enjoy it. I have been meaning to check out that new department store anyway…" Turning around and going back down the porch steps, Helen got back into her car and headed for the city once again.
" I'm already three hours late today." Mirage was thinking to herself. "I still can't believe I fell asleep on the floor like that, imagine that, me! Someone who was the spitting image of the perfect businesswomen falling asleep on the floor like a worthless nothing. I have too much on my mind right now… I wonder if anyone has ever had his or her head explode from overloading their brain capacity. I think I may be the first…" walking quietly amongst the people of Metroville, Mirage blended in with the crowd, at least to them, to herself, she stood out like a sore thumb. She walked down the street to a little art gallery. She had grown fond of the gallery during her travels through the city. Day after day she would walk in and gaze at the numerous painting and sculptures without ever having any intention of buying. The people in there knew her well and always greeted her and made her feel welcome. Her favorite employee was a man named Paul.
" Hello there Miss Mirage, back again today I see, how's life in the city? "
" Hello Paul, busy as always, I'm late in my travels today though, I guess I slept in a little too late this morning."
"Nothing to stress about miss, it happens to all of us. Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea?
" No thank you, I'm just here for a quick visit, is Sasha here today?"
" No I'm afraid she's not, her grandmother passed away last night."
" Oh, that's terrible, well, if by chance you see her before I do, give her my sympathy."
" Will do miss Mirage…. Will do."
An awkward silence passed between the two, It was apparent to Mirage that Paul didn't like the subject of death, not that she did either, but he was particularly bad about it…
" So Paul…. Do you have a favorite painting in this gallery?"
" Hmm? Oh, yes, actually I do." he pointed to a large painting with three men playing instruments, each one a different instrument, and each one distorted in their own way.
" Ahh, I see you're a Picasso fan huh? I like Picasso too, but if I had to choose a favorite painting, I would have to say that one." Mirage pointed to a beautiful painting of a river filled with brightly colored plants and a bridge hanging just overhead.
" Jean Claude Monet. You have very sophisticated taste miss Mirage, and it just so happens that that is our most expensive painting we currently own…hmmm, you're still staying in that hotel right?
" Yes, why do you ask?"
" I'll tell you what, It's been such a pleasure talking to you, and even though you haven't bought anything, you are our most valued customer. You have brought life to this little art gallery and made work fun for all of us. So, as well as regular visits, come back to us when you have found yourself a real home, and I will give you that painting as a token of appreciation for all you have done."
" Oh no, I couldn't accept that, its too expensive, I couldn't take something like that for free…I will giv…
" You will give us nothing, you have already given us so much, this is just paying you back."
" But."
" But nothing, we will give you this painting, and you will take it, without paying." Paul smiled, because he knew that Mirage didn't like to take anything without paying. This was his idea of a joke. He would get her to take it somehow without payment, but he loved to see her reaction.
" Well, I'd better be going, I still want to make it over to that new department store before the crowds come…I need something else to wear than just the usual thing.
" Well, I won't deter you then, can I count on seeing you tomorrow?"
" Most likely, unless I get sick and I am incapable of walking in some freakish epidemic that causes its victims to succumb to the sickness in a matter of seconds."
" I'll… take that as a yes, now don't be wasting time, its almost eleven, the worst time to go to any store is lunchtime, so you will have exactly one hour and then you'd better hightail it out of the store unless you want to get stampeded." He stopped mirage as she was walking out of the door. "Miss Mirage!"
" Yes?" she called back from the door."
" Might I suggest something black for your new outfit, it makes your eyes and hair stand out, very flattering for one such as yourself, and yes, that was a compliment." That last statement was added by Paul as a resolution to the quizzical look that overcame Mirage's features when he spoke.
" Compliment accepted, I will try to remember that, see you tomorrow!"
" Good day miss Mirage!"
The little bell on the door jingled as Mirage walked out of the gallery. She thought to herself, " If I can get over to the new store in less that fifteen minutes, I can avoid all of the crowds." She made her way through the bustling crowds, ever closer to her destination. She rounded the corner and began to walk down the sidewalk when a passing man, a very heavy man stepped on her foot. She cried out in pain and shouted back at the man… "OUCH! Hey! Why don't you watch where you're going?" the man replied, " duh, I'm sorry." She rolled her eyes and kept on walking. "This must be stupid citizen week…. Oww, my foot." She looked down at her foot and noticed that the area was bruised and gave her a slight limp. She chuckled aloud. " Well, as if anything else could happen to me. I already look like a hag, why not make it worse?" making her way down the street, she was very careful in avoiding heavy people and people who looked like they were in their own world. The department store, (untitled), was within her sight range. Crossing the street, she reached the glass doors of (untitled). The pain in her foot started to ease, but she still had a slight limp when she walked. She entered the doors mumbling o herself, " Idiot, I know I have small feet, but he could've been watching a little more carefully. If he wants to stare at the clouds like that, he should take a picture." She came to a stop when she got inside. The sights she saw inside the store amazed her. She had never seen a department store quite like this one. The first thing that came to her mind was the sheer size of it; to be blunt, it was just plain huge! She walked past the theft detectors and into the heart of the store. " Gosh, this place is huge!" Helen said to herself as she entered (untitled) and went into the women's department. "Now, I need to find something new to wear, something casual, and maybe a new pair of pajamas." Just as she went to a rack of shirts, she saw a woman walking to another rack of black halter-tops. She was tall, and had the most beautiful blonde hair. " Hmmm, that looks a lot like…" "ATTENTION SHOPPERS! WE ARE NOW HAVING A GRAND OPENING SALE ON ALL CLOTHING ITEMS! EFFECTIVE UNTIL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT!"
" A sale!" Thought Helen. " This must be my lucky day!"
" Wow, a sale already!" thought Mirage. "Maybe I should buy another outfit then."
"Man, I hate long lines, why do people have to buy so much stuff?" Helen said to herself as she was waiting in the checkout line." "At least this girl in front of me doesn't have too much stuff, she looks so familiar! I cant remember her name though, darn it I hate that!"
" That will be 73.25$ ma'am." Said the cashier when Mirage was at the front of the line. Mirage handed the man her money and collected her bag. As she turned around, she went to look at the woman behind her and she almost jumped out of her skin. She dropped her bag, mouth agape, and finally managed to speak.
"Mrs. Incredible!"
"Mirage!"
To be continued…
Well, that was chapter three. I apologize for it being a cliffhanger, but I felt that it needed to be done . I hope you enjoyed chapter three. Keep checking back, cuz chapter four is not too far behind. Cya l8er!
Next chapter: well, it's happened, Mrs. Parr and mirage have met once again, will tension arise, or will a newfound friendship surface? Keep reading and find out!