You reluctantly accept the makeover

You looked around, trying to figure out where Carol was, where the store’s exit was and took just a bit too long to make a move. You felt Shirley’s hands on your shoulders, guiding you towards the dreaded chair. You were now stuck getting yet another makeover.

She chatted away about the benefits of each cosmetic as she applied them. How the foundation she was applying took years off your appearance. How studies have shown men like women with full lashes as she applied false ones. How the red lipstick made your lips give a pop of color that made men want to kiss.

You sat there, mostly in silence, nodding every now and then as Shirley assaulted your face.

Carol returned, carrying quite a few large bags, and watched Shirley apply some cat eye liner to your eyes. She smiled and nodded in approval.

Shirley gave you several sprays of a floral perfume before Carol descended upon you yet again. “I picked out some jewelry for you too, Erica. To complete the look.” She smiled and she and Shirley replaced your earrings, put a necklace around your neck, slipped on some bracelets on each wrist.

“Now, take a look at the final product,” Shirley said, handing you a mirror.

You gasped, seeing the woman staring back at you. Shirley even had put a small beauty mark on your left cheek. There was no hint of any male staring back at you.

You stood and wandered over to a full length mirror nearby. The curves the bra and girdle gave you, the fitted dress, the heels... you were stunned into silence, wondering how soon you could get back to Marie’s and get this stuff off.

Shaking yourself out of your shock, you walked back to the cosmetic counter to find Carol paying Shirley for a bag of cosmetics and perfume.

Carol handed you your purse, the makeup, and several of the bags of clothing. “There. This is a start. Didn’t I tell you Shirley was a miracle worker?”

“Uh... yeah,” you said, hesitantly. “I really can’t see any of my old self in the mirror.”

Shirley smiled. “Well, Erica, now that I know your style and coloring, I’ll let you know when I get something new in that you may like. Have fun this evening, ladies!”

Carol began herding you out of the store. You realized that Carol had paid for everything out of the cash you had been paid with earlier. “Carol!” you whined, “My paycheck! Almost all my money is gone!”

Carol smiled. “True, you may be eating light this week, but you look amazing and you needed some new things. And as a single girl, you probably should watch your figure anyway. Now let’s go.” And she cut off any complaints about you now having a start on a feminine wardrobe.

You minced along in your heels keeping quiet for a few steps, then realized what Shirley had said. You began to get worried again.

“Carol? Have fun? What did Shirley mean? Aren’t we going home now?”

“Erica! You look amazing. Why on earth would we go home now? We’re going...”