Annie L


Annie said please, so Ray knew there was something special about Tom. He couldn’t wait for the story. For now, he fished out part of the chocolate stash and placed it on top of the carrier where all three could reach it.

He noted that Denise made sure to make Pet part of the invitation and approval, though it was a done deal as soon as Annie asked. She probably wanted to know the story, too.

Up on the stage, Conrad pushed out the table with Electra’s shipping crate. The front had been removed to look like a little house.

Electra made a touching opening. Ray felt very lucky to be present. He made a mental note to send flowers to Deliah in gratitude. And to make sure Denise was okay with that, though he anticipated no problems. From glimpses to the side, his wife was as besotted with the experience as anyone in the room.

Ray was fascinated by the view of the inside of Electra’s home. It looked really cozy in there. He was glad that his pets had had a chance to spend a night.

The upstairs room looked almost familiar, as all the Fosters’ carriers were replete with cushions and throw pillows. Some even more gaudy than Electra would apparently tolerate.

They all cheered for every guest, and cheered extra loudly for Kerri, since they’d all met her.

Ray was amused to hear them talking about the complaints dates had made about Annie, though it was a bit of a shock. Electra and Kerri discussed it from the Sylph’s point of view. He’d invented the term JAMS (Just After My Sylph) but never considered anything like Master’s Date Is Watching Me…

The sylphs seemed to know the third guest, too. Lisa had been a science teacher when she sylphed. Three of her students thought it was hilarious to take an eyedropper and some chemicals to her. They liked to say that their teacher ‘dropped acid.’ She finally made her escape, though not without pretty horrific scars.

Electra showed the kitchen part of the tour when Lisa arrived and they sat at the table and shared a drink.

Lisa revealed details of the permanent population at the Center. In addition to being an advocacy, Amelia and Samantha had created a sanctuary. Sylphs had made their way here by stealth, or been donated, or sometimes purchased by the Center.

Ray knew there were a lot here, but hadn’t known there was an independent economy running between the walls.

Lisa mentioned that she ran a bar for the battered down in the lower levels and Ray noticed both Pet and Annie take Tom’s hand. They just had to do it one at a time, which was the first time Ray noticed Tom had an amputation.

For a brief second, he hoped that Annie hadn’t been the one to take the guy’s arm. Her head snapped around to glare at him. He bowed his head, contrite. She nodded and went back to the show.

He and Annie both were surprised to see Still Renee talking with Electra as they looked through the bedroom. She described sylphing on a highway, and living in the wild, and glossed over how she and her sister made it to the Center.

Since that glossing was a misdemeanor Ray had committed in college, he was rather happy that she did.

Nicky Knox got to sit in front of the big window in the living room while the scenery ‘outside’ cycled through places the Fosters did and didn’t recognize.

They did know when they saw themselves as Winter was served, tiny sylphs wandering amazed through the chocolate trees, kicking up drifts of coconut and throwing nougat-balls at each other. The audience laughed.

Nicky was explaining how her sylph-name was from a joke. “But frankly, I prefer to be called Froggie, you know?”

“Maybe,” Electra said. “I mean, I’m okay with ‘Electra,’ but I don’t think you hate my parents.”

Froggie laughed. “No, but see, maybe one guy in two hundred looks at my face and knows I was a Playmate. But if you say Nicky Knox, all BUT one in two hundred knows I was a centerfold.

“And if they know, then they assume they automatically have a right to see me naked.”

“Was it that bad before you sylphed?” Electra asked.

Froggie looked thoughtful. “I think they thought they had the right, but most didn’t have the nerve to ask me. Now, since I’m so small, they just start ordering me or Boss-man to take my clothes off.”

Nicky obviously reminded Annie of her friend, Cherry, a sylph who’d also posed in Playboy before The Day. She scooted over a bit to stroked Ray’s knuckle. He felt sympathetic to the woman on the screen.

He tried not to think about the fact that, unlike Cherry’s appearance, he’d seen Knox’s issue. He projected respect for the woman, for both women. For all women. Annie smiled up at him.



-----
Index

127. Annie K

129. Electra J