2.
~ "You'll feel a lot better once we have our day out." Sadie was saying as the leggy woman and the petite Architect exited the cab. "You must feel depressed looking like this." She added.
Ariadne sighed. Sadie could be so blunt sometimes. It had always been her way. Ariadne caught her own reflection in the mirror and had to concede that her friend was right. The Architect didn't look like her old self. Her face was worn and her hair was lank and dull. She wore too big clothes and just hadn't taken the time with her appearance that she used to.
"I'm not depressed." Ariadne lied. "It's just being a mom changes you."
"Well you can still be a mother and look good." Sadie said harshly. "There is no excuses for this." She added plucking at Ariadne's favorite T shirt. A shirt that was old and faded and stretched out of shape.
"We need to buy new clothes after leave here." Sadie added.
"I don't need new clothes." Ariadne said sounding like Darcy whenever she didn't want to do something.
"Yes, you do." Sadie snapped. "How can you feel good if you don't look good?"
Ariadne said nothing. Her mind working to the last time she and Arthur were making love. She just hadn't been in the moment with him. It wasn't anything he did, it's just she couldn't get in the mood as easily as she used to. The whole thing had felt like a chore and it had never been like that with Arthur.
She felt guilty for blaming her son for her drop in her libido. She just had trouble thinking of herself as a sexual creature lately.
"Full body waxing... facial... mud wrap." Sadie commanded the over eager attendant. "I also think a new haircut and maybe some highlights... definitely makeup."
Very quickly, the Architect was stripped and hearing the painful ripping of the waxing. She gritted her teeth as that feeling of being more naked then normal came over her as she was now removed of all hair. The cool air hit her defenseless body and she was glad for the robe the attendant gave her.
~ The facial was much nicer. A pleasant attendant used aroma therapy to relax her before giving her massage and wrapping her face in a hot cleaning cream.
"Sadie?" Ariadne asked as both women looked like something from a science fiction movie. Their bodies smothered, cocoon like, in a mud wrap.
"What?" Sadie said crankily from her green face mask.
"Have you ever had trouble... I mean... when you and Eames are... together?" Ariadne asked. Not sure how to ask these things.
"That man is nothing but trouble. I hid that cane and he just went and bought another one." Sadie said relaxing back into her wrap. "He never takes into account that I'm the one who has to be seen with him."
"No, that's not what I meant." Ariadne said feeling her pours open up under the facial mask.
"You and Arthur aren't fighting are you?" Sadie asked.
"Not really. Just when were together... I can't seem to get into it." Ariadne said feeling silly.
"You need to get naughty. You have your own part in making love. It can't just all be on him. You have a role to play as well." She said simply.
"What should I do?" Ariadne asked.
"Well, when the thrill started to go with Eames, we played tie up and spanking games with each other." Sadie offered.
"Oh." Ariadne said feeling nauseated.
"But I doubt your Arthur would be any good at that." The leggy woman said carefully sipping some champagne through a straw. "You can always do a little role playing." She offered.
"Not what I had in mind." Ariadne sighed. This was no help at all. She could never imagine her and Arthur doing those kinds of things.
"Fine, you prude." Sadie said. "But if your not having orgasms, it's something that won't fix itself."
~ Ariadne let the hair dresser talk her into a style she wasn't used to. Straitening her dark hair and sweeping it up into an elaborate twist.
"Make up!" Sadie shouted as her own tresses were having unfortunate red streaks put in.
The make up artist didn't ask Ariadne's permission before she started applying heavy shades of dark eye liner and shadow.
"Make her look more sophisticated. Darker." Sadie instructed as she had her own nails painted neon pink and green.
When her makeup was done, Ariadne gasped in horror. She didn't recognize this person in front of her. Her eyes looked bigger and brighter. The dark lipstick made her lips look fuller and her skin looked shockingly good and brighter.
"Much better." Sadie said as Ariadne thought she looked like a movie star. "We'll take products!" Sadie barked at the oh so happy attendants.
~ "Sadie, I don't think so." Ariadne laughed at the tacky see through teddy the leggy spider woman showed her.
"Why not?" Said asked feeling insulted. "Look, it comes with edible nipple covers!"
"No." Ariadne hissed flushing red as she looked over more conservative slips and gowns.
"There is nothing wrong with acting a little naughty with your own husband." Sadie scolded. "And get away from those granny gowns. I bet you have thousands of them at home!"
"Well, I' not wearing that!" Ariadne huffed looking at the zebra print two piece Sadie was holding up.
"This isn't for you. It's for me. I'm dressing like a zebra and Eames is going to hunt me!" She growled.
~ "I'm not sure about this." Ariadne said looking at her reflection in the mirror. With the dark makeup and heavy eyeliner, the black see through nightie made her look like someone else entirely. Sadie had sworn that it would be better without panties and bra but a sales lady was kind enough to bring nude colored underwear.
"It looks fabulous." Sadie said as she looked appraising over the Architect.
Ariadne had forgotten how much the waxing made her delicate parts feel so much more exposed. The silky underwear made her squirm as she tried to find comfort.
"We'll take it." Sadie said to the hopeful sales woman.
~ Even though Ariadne had plenty of clothes at home, Sadie insisted on shopping for new ones. Ariadne was happy that she could fit into her old size with ease again. She had allowed the leggy woman to talk her into a slinky black dress that hung on her body like it might fall off and complimented her dark make-up.
"During dinner, take your panties off at the table, so no one can see, and put them in Arthur's pocket." Sadie told her as they caught a cab home. "He'll love it."
"No, I'm not doing that!" Ariadne barked as her body flushed red.
~ Ariadne wasn't the type to spend a lot of money on anything. She never bought clothes for herself or anything over the top without speaking to Arthur about it first. He never had a problem with her spending and encouraged her to buy what she wanted. But she wasn't raised with the kind of money he was and still wasn't used to this lifestyle.
She was not looking forward to explaining the exorbitant price tag of her day out with Sadie. She had bought makeup, hair products, underwear and clothes. All of it making her head hurt with the excess of it.
~ Sarah still had the kids and a voice mail on her cell let her know they were fine as the Architect retouched her makeup after she dressed in the black dress. She really did look another person. An alternate universe version of herself. Someone who was dark and sexy. Someone who was dangerous to even look at. She felt very confident as she looked at herself in the mirror. It was so strange how such a thing as new hair and makeup, combined with new clothes had boosted her self esteem.
She heard the door slam and hoped off her vanity chair to greet her husband.
Arthur hadn't noticed the Architect right away as he strolled into the bedroom. He was so used to seeing her, he just took for granted she was the same as always.
"I'm going to have to fly to New York next week. Mcline thinks we have a buyer for the company but I have to ensure they won't break it up and outsource the workers." He grumbled. The selling of his father's company was becoming harder then he thought.
"Arthur?" She asked. Her voice small and timid.
~ The Point Man turned and had to look twice at the woman there. She was his wife, yet she wasn't. Her makeup was darker and more professional then he was used to. She looked like a movie star from the forties. Her hair strait and wrapped elegantly away from her face. Her black dress cut low on her body that caused his breathing to stop for a moment.
"You... you had a nice time out with Sadie?" He asked as she looked worriedly at him.
"She wanted me to get ready for my birthday dinner." Ariadne explained.
"I see." Arthur said feeling his mouth grow dry. His dislike to Sadie subsiding a little.