One Night Only by Emma Heatherington

off! ”
    “ Y o u exaggerat e terribl y , T ess, ” Poll y tol d he r . “Bu t I lov e it . D o yo u reall y thin k I ca n ge t awa y wit h it ? It ’ s sleeveles s an d shoulde r -les s an d shor t an d – ”
    “Di d yo u pu t fak e ta n o n befor e yo u left?” “ Y es. ”
    “Di d yo u shav e th e bit s tha t nee d t o b e shaved? ”
    “ Y es. ”
    “ Y ou r hai r look s fab , you r ski n i s clea r , you r leg s are lon g an d yo u ar e a Siz e 10 . Pu t i t on . No w . ”
    A s always , Poll y di d wha t sh e wa s tol d bu t o n this occasio n sh e wa s quit e gla d to . T es s di d hav e a point . She wa s a Siz e 10 , sh e wa s petit e an d sh e di d hav e goo d skin. Th e long-leg s bi t wa s a bi g fa t li e bu t sh e appreciate d her sister ’ s efforts . An d sh e di d ten d t o dres s lik e thei r mother wit h he r apro n coverin g u p he r thirty-five-yea r -young figure . Sh e woul d wea r th e jumpsui t an d sh e woul d wear i t well . S o there .
    “Wha t abou t you? ” Poll y aske d he r siste r wh o funnily enoug h wasn ’ t a s decisiv e whe n i t cam e t o selectin g her ow n attire .
    Unlik e Polly ’ s dail y unifor m o f legging s an d tuni c tops covere d i n breakfast , lunc h an d dinne r , T ess ’ s wardrobe wa s burstin g wit h designe r label s an d sh e ofte n talked abou t ‘stapl e items ’ an d ‘necessar y basics ’ whe n sh e had bee n o n a shoppin g spree . He r stapl e item s an d necessary basics were flattering black trousers, well-cut jeans, classi c cris p whit e shirt s an d a seasona l coa t o r jacke t that wen t wit h almos t everythin g fro m th e ver y upmarket Bella ’ s Boutique . Polly ’ s stapl e item s an d necessar y basics wer e spuds , milk , bab y wipe s an d supermarke t bread. W it h thos e item s i n stock , sh e coul d conque r th e world .
    “I’ m tryin g t o decid e wha t approac h t o tak e t o the evening, ” sai d T ess , holdin g ite m afte r ite m unde r he r chin a s sh e gaze d int o th e massiv e mahogan y mirro r a t the othe r sid e o f th e room .
    T ess ’ s da y an d nigh t alway s ha d t o hav e a n ‘approach’. Sh e wa s a meticulou s planne r wh o wa s alway s prepared fo r last-minut e actio n an d n o doub t ha d a suitcas e on standb y packe d wit h al l th e necessitie s al l yea r round. On e fo r eac h season .
    “I’ m wonderin g . . . ah , fec k it, ” sh e said . “Let ’ s g o the whol e hog . I a m goin g t o ge t glamme d u p to o an d feel great . W e ar e i n th e middl e o f nowher e an d ther e i s n o one aroun d t o admir e ou r beaut y bu t it ’ s ho w w e fee l inside that ’ s important . I’l l wea r this. ”
    Poll y looke d a t he r an d gulped. “Where ’ s th e res t o f it? ” sh e asked. “Th e res t o f what? ”
    “Th e – um , th e outfit ? Th e botto m half ? That ’ s no t a dress , i s it? ”
    T es s didn ’ t answe r he r bu t instea d bega n t o stri p off an d pu t o n th e teeny-ween y , silk y , sex y white , um , ‘dress’ tha t sh e ha d packe d fo r th e occasion , whateve r that occasio n wa s t o be . Poll y ha d n o idea .
    “Wha t d o yo u think ? T o o short ? T o o slutty ? D o I look lik e a teacher? ” sh e aske d an d Polly ’ s eye s widene d a t the sigh t befor e he r .
    Sh e didn ’ t loo k slutt y a t all . Sh e mos t definitel y di d not loo k lik e a teache r eithe r . Sh e looke d outstandin g an d all o f a sudde n Polly ’ s re d sati n jumpsui t fel t a bi t plai n in comparison .
    “Ca n I d o you r hair? ” T es s asked , sensin g tha t Polly wa s stuc k fo r words , an d withi n hal f a n hou r sh e ha d her full y coiffed , he r blond e hai r tie d u p int o a loos e bun , her cheekbone s highlighte d wit h som e o f he r fanc y make-up an d he r lip s (whic h wer e b y fa r he r bes t feature , o r s o she wa s ofte n tol d i n day s gon e by ) plumpe d u p an d painted i n th e mos t gloriou s shad e o f re d tha t