[Eelskin]

9

We showered, got dressed and frantically finished dinner, and Marie-Eve was, mercifully, late by about half an hour. By the time she arrived at Veronica?s, we were just about ready. I was setting the table and Veronica got the door. I could hear them exchange pleasantries as I placed the utensils, and they came into the dining room. Marie-Eve handed her umbrella to Veronica and gave me a hug.

?Hey David!?

?Hi Marie-Eve, long time no see.?

?I brought some wine!? She produced a bottle of white wine and seemed quite proud of it. ?I just tried some last weekend, and I think you will really enjoy it.?

Veronica spoke up. ?I?ll get some wine glasses. David, could you put this in the bathroom before it makes a mess?? She handed me the umbrella.

?Sure thing.? As I took the umbrella from her, I let my eyes travel up and down her body quickly, pausing at a few choice places. The dress she was in made her look fantastic. It was a blue, knee-length dress that hugged her sides. She had received it as a gift a couple of years ago and hated it, claiming that she felt it made her look fat. She had never worn it, but she was feeling more and more self-confident and was willing to try it out. And I was certainly not complaining, because everything she had hated about it, I loved. Sadly, it hid her thighs, but the contours of her belly and hips were plain when she wore it. The neckline was also low enough that her generous cleavage was exposed at all times, but not tastelessly so.

By the time my eyes came back to her face, she was looking into my eyes with one eyebrow raised. I winked, and left the room to open the umbrella and let it drip dry in the tub.

Dinner went well. The wine Marie-Eve brought was really good, and, being in a good mood, we drank the wine more quickly than we had expected to, Veronica began to snort when she laughed, which was a dead giveaway for her. Marie-Eve?s face got flushed, which was her indication. The music was lively and the food was good. Time passed quickly, because we were having fun.

After about forty minutes, I picked up the bottle and realised that it was almost empty, so I poured what little remained into our three glasses. As I emptied the last drops into my own glass, I looked up to see Veronica scowling at me.

?What?? I asked, but she just turned back to Marie-Eve and laughed at the joke she had just told. I looked at our guest, to see if she understood what had just happened, but she hadn?t even noticed. I shrugged it off and put the bottle down.

Once we finished our refilled glasses, being a good host, I decided to fetch another bottle. As I stood up, I realised just how much the wine had gone to my head. My balance was off and I had to concentrate not to bang my chair against anything when I moved it. I?m not sure what I did, but the girls certainly noticed.

Marie-Eve laughed. ?J?pense que t?en as eu un peu trop, David!?

I slurred my words and stumbled around in an exaggerated way. ?Wha- why d?you shay tha?? The girls laughed, I straightened up and went into the kitchen to get another bottle. When I came back, Veronica widened her eyes at me and rolled them towards out guest, hinting at- what? I couldn?t figure it. I turned up my palms and mouthed, ?What is it?? but Veronica just clicked her tongue. I had no idea what she was hinting at. I sat back down and uncorked the bottle to let it breathe.

Marie-Eve pushed her chair back- even more clumsily than I had, I might add- and announced that she was going to the bathroom. She walked off, listing slightly to one side as she did.

Once the door closed, Veronica turned to me. ?Would you cut it out please??

?Cut what out?? I wasn?t joking; I had no idea what she was talking out.

?Oh come on David. You?ve been ogling me all night. And you know I love it, I really do, but not now! I thought you were going to control it while Marie-Eve is over!?

?I?m not ogling you.?

?David, I can feel it! And you?re drunk!?

?I don?t know what to say! Yeah, I?m drunk, but I?m not doing that. Are you sure you?re feeling the bracelet??

?Yes, I?m sure! David, I-? Her breath caught in her throat and she closed her eyes. She opened them again a moment later. ?Okay, right there! Don?t tell me that wasn?t you.?

I shook my head silently, my eyes wide. ?That wasn?t me.?

?Well what else could it have-? And her eyes widened again. ?David??

And she grew. It was very subtle, but by this point I was certainly able to tell. The top of her head rose about a centimetre higher than it had been before. And there she stopped, but the gravity of what had happened sunk in.

?Veronica? what if the bracelet isn?t working properly??

A look of horror crossed Veronica?s face. ?What do you mean??

?I?m not thinking about you right now, Veronica. I think you should take it off right now, while you can.?

Veronica shook her head. ?No.?

?What? Why not??

?It?s mine. I want to keep it on.?

?Veronica, it isn?t working properly! It?s unpredictable! You need to take it off right now before something else happens!?

?It won?t!? She began to panic, very slightly. ?You just need to control yourself!?

?It isn?t me, Veronica. I don?t know why it?s doing-? And her eyes lost focus as she grew another couple of centimetres. Her dress was beginning to strain, and her already beautiful cleavage began to press out of her neckline.

She looked at me again, angry. ?Okay, fine.? She reached down to pull it off, and grimaced as she tried to slip it over her wrist, but it was too late. It wouldn?t move. It was on her until she shrank down to her normal size.

She looked back up at me. ?Now what do we do??

?I? don?t know.?

There was a moment of silence while we contemplated our options, which ended abruptly with a squeal from Veronica as she expanded again. Ever so slightly.

?Okay?? I thought out loud. ?Well? first of all, we need to ask Marie-Eve to leave.?

Veronica nodded. ?And I need to get out of these clothes.?

?So why don?t you go to the bedroom and get undressed. I?ll see Marie-Eve off. I?ll tell you you?re feeling sick.?

?What, I got sick just in the last minute??

?Do you have a better idea??

She thought for a moment. ?No.?

?Alright, so go. I?ll be with you in a few minutes.?

?Okay.? Angrily, she pushed her chair back and walked off to the bedroom. I went outside the bathroom door and waited for Marie-Eve to come out.

Before long, the door opened and she emerged. She started when she saw me, hiccoughed and grinned. ?All yours,? she said, pointing at the bathroom.

I grimaced. ?Actually, Marie-Eve, I?m really sorry about this, but Veronica?s feeling really sick. She just got a really terrible headache and she had to go lie down.?

Marie-Eve had a look of shock on her face. ?Is she ok??

?I think she?ll be ok after she sleeps, but right now she?s really feeling terrible. I?m sorry, I have to cut the evening short. Can I call you a cab??

?I?ll go say goodbye.? She began to walk toward the bedroom.

I moved to block her path. ?She?s in a bunch of pain. I?m sorry, but we really need you to go.?

Disappointed, she turned. ?Ok, I?ll go get my shoes on.? We both walked to the front door and I got her jacket for her. As she was putting her second shoe on, she snapped her fingers- or tried to. The wine was challenging her motor skills. ?David, I forgot my umbrella in the bathroom. Could you get it please??

God dammit, just leave! I thought to myself, but out loud, I said, ?Sure, no problem. I?ll be right back. I turned around the corner to find the umbrella. It was still quite wet, so I shook it twice into the tub and then came back to the front door.

Marie-Eve was gone.

I swore and threw the umbrella on the floor. ?Where the fuck is she?? I said, out loud. Suddenly I heard a scream come from around the corner. ?Oh shit.? I ran toward the sound and stopped when I saw Marie-Eve standing in the doorway to the bedroom, in shock. I walked up behind her and looked over her shoulder, and saw Veronica sitting on the bed totally naked except for the bracelet, trying to cover herself with a bedsheet, and growing, slowly but steadily. She was probably about two metres tall. Neither of the women said anything.

?Marie-Eve,? I said. She turned around, startled. ?Marie-Eve, you need to go.?

?Mais?? she stammered. She turned back around to look at my girlfriend. ?Mais? qu?est-ce-qu?y est arriv??? The corners of her mouth turned up in a slight smile, as surprised as she was, and it was then that I realised. I looked at Veronica, who gave me a look back that confirmed that the same thought had occurred to her.

The bracelet is working just fine. It doesn?t need my desire.

It?s picking up on Marie-Eve?s.