Material girl

Anais had an amazing last night. So, when she woke up, she was happy yet sore from waist down and had a great appetite for food. But she was in no condition to go down so she asked Froote to bring the breakfast upstairs to her room. Her mother will shake her head at her but it was well past the time for breakfast. Her mother usually had a lot of things to say.

Anais couldn't be bothered anymore to take her mother or the rest of the family seriously anymore besides maybe Irvine. The rest of her family was a circus that she couldn't be bothered to deal with. Usually, she turned her ears out when they said something silly or argued for petty reasons. Those conversations entered her head through one ear and left through the other.

As she ate her fill, she had ramifications of last night's lovemaking. Oh, how she had loved him. She wanted more pieces out of that man. As she was reliving those memories, her sister busted into her room.

"Didn't I tell you to knock before entering?"

" Oh, never mind, mother is taking us out for hat shopping" Evie her second sister was jumping out of happiness. She was the material girl. Left too many broken hearts in her awake despite having no brain on herself.

She decided she will forgive her sister this time. She was in a mood so good nobody could ruin it for her.

"And nobody thought to inform me?" Anais raised an eyebrow.

" Don't you make that face? I couldn't find you anywhere last night. Where were you?" Evie sat down at the foot of the bed with her legs crossed and looked at her in anticipation for a great story. Story she was not going to get. Shucks. Evie, the sister always up for a good gossip.

"I don't require anything as of now. There is no need for me to tag along" Anais looked out through the window. She could see green mountains in the distance. And beautiful Tuscarora crape myrtle blossoming in the garden. The cold breeze blowing into her room and the rustling of leaves coming from the trees below, a blessing to her soul. She could get used to this. The wide expanse of land filled with different trees and plants. She briefly wondered if she imagined the shadow that was stalking her. She had sharper senses than humans as a vampire. She should have had Froote launch a search the day after to see if there was any unwanted company on their property.

"Well, you ought to come. Mother said..." She glanced at her sister to see what stopped her. Usually, she talked her ears out.

She was looking at Anais's neck. Suddenly Evie reached out and wiped her hair out of the way.

"Just what are you doing?" Anais was startled by Evie's action. She didn't like to be touched without knowing. Not quite a touchy person.

"Who were you with last night?" Evie asked. Not judging, just curious.

"Wait, what?" Anais quickly got up from the bed and rushed to the mirror. There it was. A red smudge or a love bite whatever you call it. It was startlingly obvious despite her darker skin tone. She rubbed at it to make it go away.

"Oh, don't do that, girl. It will just worsen the mark."

"But, how do I hide it?" Anais wasn't an expert in things like these, unlike Evie who went through that phase long ago.

A few moments later she was ready to head out. Her mark, carefully hidden beneath a high collar morning gown. Evie sure knew her craft. Anais decided she didn't give her sister as much credit as she deserved. So, she offered her a good meal down at the Schinder's.

Evie had different things in her mind though. She would rather know who was the distinguished gentleman to get her sister in such a delicate state. Some habits were hard to let go of. One of them might be gossiping.

Irvine decided not to show up for their little adventure to the hat shop. On the way, they had to stop for the seamstress's shop to collect her mother's ball gown for her cousin's wedding.

Evie wanted one for herself but you see, they were on a budget for her mother had spent all the money for her brother's baby shower. Her father was reluctant to give more money but Marianna, her mother knew how to press all the right buttons to get the money out of those pockets. That's how they found themselves inside the newly opened hat shop on Schinder's street.

The lady was a French woman who dressed up as a man. Cowboy boots, shirt and trousers, and shoulder-length red hair completed her appearance. She was really tall and had broad shoulders. If she did not bear a feminine and pretty face on herself, she might just pass for a man. Yet Anais was quite taken with her. What does it feel like to break all the rules society imposed? she wondered. Only this pretty French lady would know.

Despite her domineering presence, mademoiselle Rosa was quite welcoming. Even her mother madcap who would sneer and badmouth ladies such as hers was melting under her influence. There were no other things to consider. Mademoiselle Rosa was simply awesome.

They had entered the shop and was looking for elegant hats for her mother and Evie. Evie took after her mother for sure. Sometimes they talked so synchronized that they looked more like close sisters than mother and daughter. So, naturally, Evie inherited her gossiping nature and good taste in clothing. They both knew their craft and often remembered to polish it. Too bad Anais and Irvine inherited none of those.

"Oh, mother! look at this one" Evie exclaimed, she had found herself a purple hat and was turning it upside down checking all the delicate handiwork. Her mother turned from her selection and glance at it for a few seconds

"Evie, this one won't go well with your red gown. Put it back" With the command she went back to her browsing.

"But, it's so pretty. Look at all those delicate details of the embroidery..." Even though Evie was unwilling to leave the pretty hat behind, she put it back. At least she knew not to demand too much.

But she didn't get to linger for too long as her mother dragged Evie to another section to track down more styles.

Anais turned back to the yellow hat she was looking at. She could guess that she was on the ugliest section for nobody dared enter here. Almost as if the section was set up to repel customers.

She wondered what purpose it served as she took in every corner of the sectors. Then she saw it, they're hidden beneath the showcase of the hats was a pair of ballet shoes. She assumed it was a personal corner. Before she got to find more, mademoiselle Rosa dragged her out of the section to show her a limited piece that she claims 'just came in yesterday '

She had no care for hats so she refused but mademoiselle Rosa was persistent. She continued to show her more pieces in different colours with the hope that Anais will take a liking for one.

It seemed the mother and daughter were done with their selection because they choose that exact moment to join them at Rosa's front desk. Her mother dragged a now happy Evie behind her. It turned out Rosa managed her little fancy shop alone. When her mother saw the fine working on the hats, she too insisted Anais choose one.

"Choose one matching for your gown," she said. So, Anais turned for darker colours and finally settled on one that was the colour for her gown. Dark green, Sacramento. The choice was elegant. Her mother approved.