The gown Tod loaned me was black satin; the skirt had a bias-cut, was ful and had a beautiful drape. The dress was boat-necked, sleeveless and seemed elegant but plain… until you saw the back.
It was total y backless, al the way down passed the smal of my back, just barely, but not quite, to indecent level. Tod had explained he’d never worn it, hard for a drag queen to go backless, even though he tried. He’d bought it on a whim and tried everything he could think of to pul it off but it never worked.
As far as I was concerned (and as far as Stevie, Tod, Jet, Indy, Annette, Al y and Daisy were concerned), it worked for me.
I put on a pair of black, strappy, high-heeled sandals, the diamond studs Bil y got me and the diamond tennis bracelet Mom and Dad bought me as a bribe to graduate from Purdue in four years rather than the five I was heading for in my junior year. I didn’t have a wrap or coat so I was just hoping Hank’s 4Runner heated up quickly.
I grabbed my bag and ran to the kitchen.
“Ready, ready, I’m ready,” I said, looking through my bag. “Shit! Not ready.”
I’d forgotten my lipstick.
I whirled and ran back through the bedroom, to the bathroom and pawed through my makeup, grabbed my lipstick and liner, shoved it in my bag and, on the way back through the bedroom, col ided with Hank.
The room was dark but I could see Hank from the light coming from the kitchen.
“Sorry, I’m ready now,” I told him.
His hands were at my waist and they slid around my back. I felt them leave the satin and hit my skin and I shivered. His fingers trailed the edge of the material, just above my bottom.
“We’re comin’ home early,” he said quietly.
“What? Why?”
He didn’t explain, instead he said, “I’l arrange for someone to bring your parents home later.” His fingers dipped into the material. “A lot later.”
Holy cow.
“Okay,” I agreed instantly.
I saw his shadowed grin.
“I take it you like the dress,” I said.
“Yeah,” he replied. “I like the dress.”
I thought he was going to kiss me, a kiss that would necessitate me fixing my hair (again), but he moved to the side, one hand coming away and one hand sliding around my waist. We walked into the living room together.
Dad and Mom watched us.
“She’s stil wearin’ the dress,” Dad said, somewhat bizarrely, to Hank.
Hank didn’t respond.
“I thought you went in there to tel her to change outta that dress,” Dad went on.
“No,” Hank replied.
“Herb –” Mom started but Dad’s eyes were bugging out of his head.
“She can’t wear that dress! It’s indecent. Her ass is hangin’ out.”
I looked behind me. I couldn’t see my ass because Hank’s arm was around me but I was pretty certain it wasn’t hanging out.
I turned back to Dad. “My ass is not hanging out.”
“It’s almost hangin’ out,” Dad replied.