PERFUME

PERFUME

A short story

By Author Kitty Boyes

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organisations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain, are the product of the authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2021 Kitty Boyes

All rights reserved.

PERFUME

Jenny peered down the long queue waiting to be served at the lunch bar. She should have realised her hour would be cut short by this wait. Normally it didn't bother her, but today there were so many appointments to make and a few to keep as well. She put tomorrow aside to do some serious girl shopping, but she needed time today to set things up. She withdrew a substantial amount from her savings account earlier to make sure she was ready for what needed to happen tomorrow night. It took careful planning to be all geared up to get started. Maybe she could skip lunch? Nah, she'd booked to leave work early today so she could fit in her important day. She needed lots of time to make everything perfect for Jake, because Jake, the man she loved for such a long time, finally asked her out. She desperately wanted to look special. Withdrawing a list from her handbag, Jenny looked over it to see what she still needed to do. Noticing the queue only dwindled slightly she ticked off appointments already made with her hairdresser and beautician for her nails, facial, leg wax and lash tint. Boy, she was going to look terrific! Jake would only have eyes for her.

Second in line now, Jenny tucked her list back into her bag and as she looked up, who should come into the lunch bar at that precise moment? Melissa. Melissa with her bouncing long blonde hair. Melissa with her grace, style and curves. Melissa, who caused heads to turn no matter where she walked, Melissa, who was always perfectly dressed and carried a delicate air of confidence. She, who had her beautifully manicured nails still embedded in Jake!

She stopped and eyed Jenny from top to toe with icy eyes.

"I hear you're going out with Jake." Putting her hands on her hips she leant towards Jenny and with a low contemptuous voice continued, "I don't know what he sees in you" she said letting her eyes travel up and down her body. Her nose crinkled. "Besides, everyone knows he still loves me." Jenny's mouth hung open; speechless. Melissa turned her back flicking her long hair and made her way to the front counter to collect her order. Why hadn't she thought to pre-order too?

Jake assured her that it was over between himself and Melissa, had been for months, but apparently, she kept throwing herself at him despite him telling her it was over, he was through with her and her spiteful, spoiled nature. That was all according to Jake after she asked him about his relationship with her. Melissa walked past her carrying her lunch and before Jenny could think of a response Melissa bashed open the shop door and was gone. Jenny closed her mouth and took a deep breath to help stop the thudding of her heart. With a shop full of people, she hoped nobody else heard Melissa's cruel words. Perhaps, she should just call the whole thing off, but she so hated the very thought she wiped it from her mind as the words "May I help you?" made her look up to see it was her turn at the counter. Jenny gave her lunch order and decided to make an even larger withdrawal than she originally intended. She was going to need it.

After lunch, Jenny returned to work, her mind constantly on Jake and what Melissa told her. Her thoughts turned to when they first met. It was five years ago and a close trusting relationship developed between them. But it seemed Jake only saw her as a friend, pal, buddy, or one of the boys, whereas she'd steadily fallen deeply in love with him. They did all sorts of things together with groups of other friends. He always seemed to want her along, but he never so much as held her hand. Her heart ached to have him closer, she spent nights crying into her pillow wondering what was wrong with her and why Jake didn't find her attractive enough to want to hold her hand, kiss her, hold her. She never told him how she felt as a consequence; she just knew it would make her look foolish and perhaps even cause Jake to pull away from her altogether. The inevitable happened when Jake met Melissa and Jenny cried for days. She knew then she definitely wasn't up to the standards compared to Melissa. Melissa had it all; she was totally gorgeous, smart and came from a rich family. Jenny didn't have anything like that to offer Jake. She'd been a fool and needed to try to move on. She knew this, but she wasn't able to shake him from her mind. Jenny had her chance again now and she was going to make every effort to make Jake notice she was all woman.

A few weeks ago, they bumped into each other in a supermarket of all places and after pleasantries were exchanged Jenny was finally able to quieten her beating heart. They were chatting about what they were doing these days when Jake said: "Gawd it would be nice to go back and do some of the fun stuff we used to hey?" His smile was in his eyes when he said this, and Jenny could only smile back at the fond memories it evoked. And as though some realisation just dawned on him, he said "Hey why don't we go out to dinner together some time? I'm at a bit of a loose end lately and it would be great to catch up." Jennifer positively beamed and accepted straight away. Who was she to refuse a date with Jake, the man she’d loved for so long?

Jenny was oblivious to her good looks and maybe she wasn't what some people termed a stunning beauty because her nose was slightly out of alignment, only slightly, but she was very attractive with thick, long dark hair framing a face with peach skin and sparkling emerald eyes. She was tall with a tiny waist, full bust and shapely legs. But Jenny didn't see these qualities in herself because she tended to only see her slightly crooked nose.

She'd booked the next day off, so she could spend it shopping for her dress, shoes, handbag and delicious new underwear. Arriving home, she was pleased to see a case of her favorite red wine from Bright Cellars had arrived. Juggling her shopping she opened the door to take everything inside and put them on her bed before retrieving her case of red wine. A half an hour later, sipping a glass of Merlot her beautiful and very expensive new things were displayed on her bed. She took inventory to make sure nothing had been overlooked. This was simply the most important date of her life. She had to look the part. A dress rehearsal ensured everything was perfect. She would look great. The phone rang and although she didn't recognize the number, she wasted no time in answering it.

"Hello, Jenny speaking."

"Hi there. It's Jake here. Just called to see if you're all set for tomorrow night? I'll pick you up at 7.30 Okay?"

"7.30?"

"Yeah. Hope you like Italian cuisine."

"Love it!"

"Great. See you tomorrow then."

" Jake, I w..." Click. A man of few words she smiled as she dressed for bed.

It was mid-morning when she emerged from the hairdresser with a flattering new colour and style. The beautician was in the same building where she had her nails and waxing done. Jenny bought some new cosmetics, including the exact right shade of lipstick that would accentuate her coloring and flatter her emerald green dress that matched her eye colour. She ate a leisurely late lunch and finally went home to spend a few hours relaxing and reading.

After a luxurious bubble bath, complete with bath salts and light fragrance, Jenny spent all the time she needed in applying her make-up. She exercised all the skills she learned and produced a face that was transformed from very attractive to stunningly beautiful. She donned her exquisite white lacy underwear and her expensive silk stockings then her long, figure-hugging emerald green dress. She was quite satisfied when she checked herself in the mirror and little did she realise she far outshone the likes of Melissa.

She imagined all the things Jake might say to her when he saw her look this way and amongst them, she hoped he would at least want to hold her hand. But most of all she needed him to see her as a woman, a woman in love with him wanting him to hold her. Whilst Jenny was daydreaming about an outcome for all her efforts the front doorbell rang. A quick glance at her watch told her Jake was 10 minutes early! She panicked as she realized, she didn't feel quite ready. What was missing? Of course! Perfume! In her rush to get to the front door to meet Jake, she hastily grabbed the first bottle of perfume within reach and dabbed a drop here and there. This action seemed to be the only one that involved no forethought on her part in contrast to all the planning, expense and time that was put into her wardrobe and self. Making her way downstairs she drew in a deep breath. This was the big moment she’d waited for. The moment where Jake would see her as a woman who loved him instead of a buddy, a spare part to fill in the gaps in his life, one of the boys to make up the numbers for a bowling game or a someone to use as a sounding board when the next girl he liked came along. No, tonight he would see all woman; a woman who desired him, one that's truly in love with him and one he would want to marry. She pulled open the door.

There he stood, tall, lithe, bronzed and blue-eyed gorgeous Jake. The man of her dreams dressed in a suit which fitted so well she could envision his broad shoulders and conjured up the muscled arms and six pack beneath his thin blue shirt. Jenny looked hungrily into his handsome features. This was the moment she dreamed about finally becoming her reality. Only a single moment passed since Jenny opened the door. A single moment spent waiting to witness his reaction to who he saw standing in front of him now. A single moment to see all she'd done to make herself look as beautiful as possible; to look like a woman who's hand he would be proud to hold. Someone worthy to love and to marry...Then it came; his lips began to move...

"You smell nice Jenny, come on, let’s go. I brought a few of our old friends and they’re waiting in the car for me."

Shocked that this was still about him and his mates. Furious he hadn’t noticed how she looked but rather noticing her cheap perfume instead, she slammed the door in his face and fetched a glass and a fresh bottle of Merlot.