HerI reluctantly put the lingerie back on the rail and quickly walked out. Ichecked my little wrist watch and realized I was going to be late back int...e office. So I quickly walked in my new heels back to the shoe store.The assistant quickly gave me my bags and I then headed towards the mallexit. I'd spent close to 300$ and I couldn't wait to try everything on.Once out into the chill but sunny November air, I pulled my sunglassesdown over my eyes and headed over towards where I'd left my. Yes, of course, that would be nice” I said, suddenly my life was changing, he wanted to buy me a nice dress, obviously to show me off to his group of social gatherers, the shopping trip took a turn for the better, we were into some very posh gown shops, trying them on, Julia couldn’t resist the temptation to try a few on, the assistants were round us like bees round a honey pot, they could obviously smell a good sale brewing, I looked at a black beaded full length gown, low fronted, no back, it. Jake also was getting low on provisions. There was enough game on the plains that Jake could get meat, but he was missing bread, and cooking other than on his own campfire. He never regretted getting away from the large cities and patchwork farms in the East, but he appreciated an occasional town with shops and saloons.Jake counted himself lucky to survive the recent Civil War without losing a limb. He was a boy when he was drafted. He saw plenty of boys his own age dead and even more without a. They were about tensteps ahead of us, now being escorted a table off to the darker side ofthe restaurant. I noticed they all sat at the far end of the table. I sat as far away asI could from the group, my goal was to speak soft, say little and createas little attention as we could. A middle aged blond waitress who lookedlike actress Janet Leigh approached the table. "Hi everyone. My name isCarol. Welcome to Claytons. Is this anyone's first time here?"One of the men at the end of the table.