Surprise Gifts

“I just don’t understand it!” Lauren proclaimed, waving her hands about herself as Jodie pressed her foot on the gas cutting off another car. “We go shopping and I specifically said I wanted things more me, so I get looked at less. Less Jodie, I’m not like you and Tiffany. But what happens though!?” Jodie smirked a little, taking just a second to glance at Lauren as she continued complaining. “The two of you had me headed home with two pairs of heels, both four inch stilettos. Those are not office wear!” Jodie pressed hard on the break after cutting over to the turning lane. “Please, I’m driving in heels two inches taller than that. Tiff can be pretty persia… she gets what she wants.” Lauren blew a strand of hair that flew into her face with the sudden stop. “She is a force of nature, Ben is both a lucky man and has his hands full. And you… please no one by you my dear sister would wear those. I just don’t understand how you can do it all day.” Jodie pulled down the visor to look in the mirror while the light was red and uncapped her lipstick. “There are a few girls that wear them.” Jodie said touching up a spot on her lip that must have rubbed off on her coffee cup at home. “Yeah, well hopefully you get that promotion sooner rather than later so you don’t have to wear them. Jodie felt the stilt like shoes on the floor of the car, hardly remembering what life was like when she could wear sneakers. Her feet had grown so accustomed to heeled shoes she had to buy a pair of heeled sneakers just to have something for when she went to the gym. “Hey, I like my shoes, they are both cute and sexy. But… I wouldn’t mind swapping with what you are wearing today for a change.” Lauren laughed looking down at her footwear she had purchased the night before, a tall black heels with pink accents. “If you want to borrow them you can, but there is no way I’m swapping. If you do borrow them I expect them back.” The two laughed at the joke, both knowing how much of Jodie’s closet currently was hung up in Lauren’s room.

Once inside the building the two went their own ways, Lauren wanting to get right to work. Jodie looked at her phone and saw she had made great time this morning and decided to go down to the first floor instead of to her desk and see Tiffany at reception. “You know Lauren hasn’t like stopped complaining about what you made her buy yesterday.” Tiffany put down her colored pencil in the coloring book in front of her and closed it before looking up at her friend with a small smile. “Oh so we don’t say hello, how ya doing, are you getting enough sex, what do you think of the fall weather or any of that anymore?” Jodie giggled, leaning over the counter to see what her friend was doing, TIffany quickly placing her hands over the cover of the children's coloring book. “I like don’t think I have ever asked you that before.” Tiffany stood up from her seat after putting a magazine on top of her book, then reached over the desk so they could have a quick if a little awkward hug. “Well maybe you should, but since you asked it is good, like amazzzzzzingly good. I swear following your advice to make us like an official couple was the best thing in the world. I hope your sex life is half as good as mine.” Jodie looked around at all the people walking past to head to their jobs. “Tiffany I don’t think this is like the place to talk about that.” Jodie said whispering to her friend who was overly sharing. “Yeah, but you think I talked Lauren into buying things she didn’t want. I don’t think, no… I know that no one could talk that girl into something she didn’t already want on some level. So if you are wrong about her, you could be wrong about this.” Jodie bit her lip thinking about her current sex life, it was well… active. She used to get around with getting some girl, but had never been this active before, of course sex also used to be a lot different. She gave a small shake to her head trying to clear out the morning cobwebs and how without Eric in bed last night she had held the vibrating butt plug in her hand and considered messaging Adam before deciding against it. “I’m not wrong, but I like didn’t come here to argue with you. I wanted to see if you knew what you were wearing to the office party?”

Tiffany picked out her phone and pulled up a few pictures. “How have we not talked about this? So when I changed my hair to blonde and Ben said how it was like the opposite of Repunzel in the movie. Well I got an appointment to get my hair done before the party so it will be so incredibly long and they will style it so I look good and the next day I go in and have them transform me back into my normal, everyday amazing self.” Jodie blinked a few times, trying to imagine walking around with that much hair and how much time she was going to spend getting ready for an office party. Tiffany put her phone down in front of her friend so she could see the outfit she had bought laying out on a bed. “Oh that is cute! Tiff you will look like a princess in that! And.. wait, that totally isn’t your bedroom.” Tiffany slid the phone back to with a sly smile. “Well I have been spending more time with Ben, his bed is way more comfortable than mine, so I have a thing or two over at his place.” If Jodie knew Tiffany at all, a thing or two would mean taking up as much of his closet as he would allow. “Wow, I’m so happy for you that you two are moving in together!” Tiffany waved her words away. “No, sadly Ben thinks he is old fashioned and how that is something that you do after you get married. Like completely ignoring how often I’m there now, but I have a plan. Everytime I come over I bring a little more of my things with me, I like don’t even think he has noticed I have hung up a few of my photos.” Jodie bit her bottom lip imagining doing the same thing to Adam’s apartment to try and push him some more. “OMG Tiff, you are l ike a genius, I could just kiss you!” The book on wedding venues and Adam talking about Jodie sleeping over would be a great time to leave that on his coffee table and she could pick up a few little things to add a feminine touch to his place for a little added bonus. “Well I don’t want to get a big ego, so I will let you pass that rumor around and if you are going to kiss me maybe wait until everyone has had a few drinks at the party. Can you imagine Ben or Mr. Wesker’s faces when they see?” Jodie hardly thought about Tiffany in a sexual way, but still a part of her remembered and reacted to the idea of making out with the gorgeous woman, causing her to blush. “Aww yeah, well I like need to get up to work, Mr Wesker gets mad when I’m late.”

Jodie minced quickly to her desk after getting off the elevator, she had spent more time talking to her friend then intended and was running a little late, but she arrived Mr. Weskers office window was still dark. When Jodie looked at his calendar she saw he was busy for the first off the day with it blocked off for a meeting she didn’t remember scheduling for him. Her to be filed tray was empty, she didn’t have to get him coffee so she mostly had to be around for phone calls. Pulling out her phone Jodie turned on the camera to check her makeup, happy that she had an easy day ahead of her. She went back to searching for wedding venues, getting annoyed when the stupid firewall would block a site. One of the small images from a search showed a beautiful vineyard and she glared at the blocked site message, trying to think about how she would get around it. She knew there was a way, but just couldn’t remember how she used to do it. Tapping her phone she pulled up Laruen’s contact and sent her a text.

Jodie: I need your help and it is like realllllly important!

Laruen: Are you okay? Did Adam do something?! What can I do?

Jodie: He isn’t even like here till later, but like I’m trying to go to a web site and it wont work.

Jodie: Can like you unblock it or like tell me how to go to it without the firewall?

Laruen: No, I cannot do that, what is so important you have to go it now instead of later?

Jodie: I totally know you can, I just like don’t remember how. I’m trying to look at pictures for a little chapel that is also a vineyard.

Lauren: No Jodie you did not, and you cannot get past the fire wall.

Lauren: Why do you think you need to go to that website? Why is it “realllly important!”

Jodie: ,,,

Lauren: Well?

Jodie: I will ask Steven, kk thx <3 U

Lauren: WAIT! ARE YOU LOOKING UP PLACES TO GET MARRIED!?

Jodie: Please don’t say anything to Eric!!!

Lauren: Have the two of you talked about it!? I know I didn’t see a ring on that finger this morning and he hasn’t been home for a few days.

Jodie: …

Lauren: If I have to tell one of the guys here to turn off your internet to get answers I will!

Jodie: He said he would still love me even if we were married for twenty years.

Lauren: That is so cute! You are so lucky he listens to my advice.

Jodie: What advise?

Lauren: Little things like stop being a moron, marry that girl already, stop acting like you are my parent. Normal stuff.

The phone vibrated again, but Jodie got distracted when a man came up to her desk carrying some white boxes with large bows around them. Giving the man a perky smile Jodie stood up to look him in the eye and examine what he was holding. “Welcome to Mega Corp, I’m Jodie. Can I help you find someone?” Shuffling his hands around he looked at a little tablet. “Says here this is for a Miss Applegate and I was told to come talk to you. You her?” Jodie nodded looking at the boxes again as she bit her lip.”Thats me!” The delivery man put the packages down on her desk and handed over the tablet. “Sign here… Jodie.” The man said looking at the name tag on her desk. When he walked away she pulled on the ribbon to untie the bow and was surprised to see inside a pair of heels inside. Reaching inside she slowly pulled out a sapphire blue five inch single sole heel that had a silver strap that would go across her ankle.”Oh that is just gorgeous!” Jodie heard the voice to her side, surprised to see Mary, one of the other secretaries, had come over to see what she had gotten. Before she knew it a few more had come to see what the commotion was about, it not being common for one of them to get a delivery like this. “Whose is it from?” One of the others cried out, the question causing Jodie to look around the packages again, but didn’t see a card attached anywhere. “Here it is!” Mary had called out, pulling a small envelope from the box with the shoes. Jodie reached out her hand, but the nosey woman flipped it open to pull out the tiny card. “Hey, that's like for me!” One of the younger girls, that Jodie was sure couldn’t be older than nineteen, took the card from Mary and held it to her chest. “Come on Jodie, some of us are trying to get what you have and are living vicariously through you.” The idea that a woman, a real woman, would be envious of her was crazy. “Your like living vicariously?” She wanted to make sure she heard that correctly. Another one of the girls laughed, it was Bridget and Jodie could see her shaking her head. “It is different then bi-curious if that is what you are thinking. It means she is imagining life from your position, wishing she could share in it.”

Jodie pouted a little, that even the other office girls thought she had no like sense of diction. The word diction caused her to giggle a little, as the young girl started to read the card. “Dearest Jodie, I have taken your words to heart. Tonight I will take you out on the town, you will be wined, dined and spoiled. In boxes you will find what you will be wearing tonight, and I truly hope you love your gifts and I cannot wait to see you wear them along with the silver sapphire necklace. You asked for a reason to wear it, and tonight is that night. Love Adam.” The girls let loose a chorus of ahhs. “Shh, there is more! P.S. I have taken the liberty of booking out the nail salon you like to go to that is near the office. The place is all yours for whoever you want to bring starting at three thirty today.” Jodie could feel, not just see all of their eyes turn to focus on her. “So Jodie, who are you bringing along?” Biting her lower lip she looked at the other boxes again. “Like all of you of course and like a few others.” They were all nice enough, even if Bridget seemed to look down on her, but she seemed more than willing to participate in Adam’s generosity. Jodie imagined telling her how she knew exactly what vicariously meant and how she could just stay here since she thought so little of her, but seeing everyone smile at her good will made her feel good. Jodie moved to the next box while the girls passed around her new shoes. This box was longer than the others and when she opened it she saw why. Inside was a gorgeous silver mermaid style, sleeveless dress by Jovani and the store had accidentally left the price tag on. Jodie could clearly see the seven hundred and forty dollar tag, it was way more than she would ever spend on an article of clothing. While in the last box Jodie found a pair of sapphire blue lace panties, garter belt, sheer lace top stockings. The people around her made comments about how they wish they had a man that would do something like this and Jodie mostly tried to leave them to talk about what was happening as they looked through her presents, like this was a communal things, while she picked up her cell phone texting the girls group chat.

Jodie: If I told you that all of us could go get our nails done for free, but it had to be today like would you do it?

Tiff: Are we leaving now?

Janet: Why is it free?

Jodie: Slow down girl lol

Jodie: Adam may have sent a card saying he rented out a nail salon starting today at 330

Lauren: That asshole? Why?

Tiff: Don’t be mean Lauren he knows how to spoil a gal

Janet: I still want to know why though

Tiff: Jan don’t ruin this!!!

Janet: Tiffany I told you to please not shorten my name.

Tiff: But it is so cute!

Janet: It makes me think of the brady bunch

Jodie: OMG I forgot about that shoe

Jodie: I mean show

Lauren: I doubt shoes are ever far from your mind

TIff: True!

Tiff: So… Jannet :-p are you coming?

Tiff: Or am I going to come up and visit you till you come?

Janet: I don’t think I need it, but I could always go for a pedicure

Tiff: It is settled then!

Jodie: also… like all the secretaries from my floor are coming.

Lauren: Admins Jodie, your job title is Administrative Assistant

Tiff: Potato, Potato

Tiff: Same job

Lauren: Hmmm that doesn’t work on text very well with them spelled the same no matter how you pronounce it.

Tiff: It works fine, just imagine I like said it exactly the same both times cause like it maters just as much as calling someone an admin

Janet: You are too much

Tiff: I”m just enough

Janet: Just enough for what?

Tiff: To be almost perfect

Lauren: ego

Tiff: No, I heard a rumor today that I am a genius and if I had a big ego I would be telling everyone.

Jodie: That was me, I like said that

Tiff: I know know honey

Janet: Low bar to be a genius compared to some

Lauren: Janet!

Janet: Hey I didn’t say any names

Tiff: Ladies, Jodie and I know exactly who we are and are proud of it! She isn’t going to go win the SATs, but I wouldn’t like want anyone else in my corner that our lovely Jodie.

Janet: You don’t win the SATs, it is just a test.

Tiff: I rest my case!

Lauren: I can’t imagine ignoring this chat, it is a joy.

Jodie: I totally did well on that test

Janet: I recall you saying you only took the practice and slept through the real test

Jodie: That sounds right

Lauren: You know they hold the test more than once

Jodie: I’m not Janet who took it multiple times to try and get a better grade

Tiff: Is it really that hard>

Lauren: I did okay, but I was only doing community college

Janet: dropping the subject, I am not reliving my parents telling me I had to get a perfect score or I wouldn’t get into any college that mattered.

Tiff: Awww I’m sorry Jan

Janet: Argh! We just went over this!

Lauren: I bet she did it on purpose lol

Tiff: No I would never

Tiff: I’m just a girl with a small mind remember?

Janet: If I apologized would you stop?

Tiff: My Daddy always said never apologize unless you mean it.

Janet: I’m sorry to both you Tiffany and Jodie for suggesting you are not intelligent.

Janet: Good now?

Jodie: Yeah, but like did you mean it?

Janet: … I was having such a good day before this conversation

Tiff: Still coming to get a pedicure?

Janet: Yes

Tiff: Good because I’m going to sit next to you :-*

Looking up at the girls still around her desk she saw one of them holding the dress up to herself and smiled. On the phone they were talking about that dreaded test back from highschool and she couldn’t have imagined sitting here like this back then. She couldn’t imagine ever wearing heels back then either, but what did her past self know. Back then she was unhappy to say the least, now she had more friends than ever. A steady job that for once wasn't a contract, that was less work, less stress and paid more and on top of that she just got a steady side job playing music at a place people would be clapping for her. The word stuck out in Jodie’s mind, she wondered when using female pronouns became her normal. Thinking about being a male while looking at the pair of heels on her desk made her feel uncomfortable and thought it best to think about later.