Goddess of Love (12 page)

“I'll just take them back with me. I mean, it's not like I can't get Persephone to help me carry them,” Venus told Chloe, who was curled contentedly by her feet.

Then she began surfing using random words and phrases, like “romance” and “love” and “sex” and “erotica,” quickly discovering a fabulous site called Smart Bitches Trashy Books dot com that had her laughing and reading the archives for hours. She especially appreciated the women's intelligent insight into how men so often underestimate and discount things labeled as “for women only.” Of course she also appreciated the Smart Bitches creative cursing, and promptly decided to add several of their favorites, like asshat, assburger, man-titty and “Bitch, please!” to her already formidable selection of genital curses.

And, finally, she settled down to the more serious task of figuring out a way to finish helping Pea. Googling “Tulsa Community College,” she educated herself on Pea's employer before typing in her job title and reading exactly what it was she did for a living.

Fully informed, as well as impressed by Pea's responsibilities, Venus Googled “Tulsa firemen,” and settled in with her cup of coffee to go through the 113,000 entries.

She almost choked on her sourdough cookie when she clicked into the firemen's calendar entry and beheld a half-naked Griffin on the cover of the latest edition.

“Bitch, please!” She breathed heavily as she tested out one of her new curses and fanned herself with the half-eaten cookie.

Griffin was, without a doubt, edible. She would like to eat him. Actually she would like him to eat her—

“No! Pea wants him. So Pea will get him.”

She clicked out of the dangerous calendar site—after ordering a copy. For Pea, of course. Then three sites later she cheered aloud, waking Chloe abruptly and sending her into a barking frenzy. Venus grabbed the little Scottie and hugged her. “That's it, Chloe! That is exactly how I'm going to get Griffin and Pea together, and it's happening tonight!”

Then, realizing how much preparation there was to be done in the three hours she had left before Pea got home from work, Venus got busy.

“H
oney, I'm home!” Pea joked as she hurried in the front door. Chloe
rushed to her,
harrumphing
happily while Max rubbed around her legs.

“Finally! You simply must hurry. Being fashionably late is usually in good taste, but tonight I don't want you to miss one moment with Griffin.” Venus spoke quickly, motioning for Pea to follow her back to her room. When she didn't move, the goddess turned back and placed her hands on her hips in annoyance. “Pea. Stop staring and start moving. I said we are going to be late.”

“You're…you're…” Pea swallowed, eyes huge. “Wow! Look at you.”

Venus's annoyance faded. “You like my regalia?” She turned slowly so Pea could get the full effect.

“It's incredible. I mean, you're beautiful anyway, but in that…uh…whatever it is, you're breathtaking.”

“This”—Venus gestured grandly at the almost transparent mixture of fabrics that draped seductively around her body, clinging and molding perfectly to the goddess's exquisite body—“is what a Roman goddess is expected to wear when seen in her full glory. Tunica.” She pointed to the short cream-colored underdress that left much of her lovely legs bare. “Stola.” She held out part of the draped fabric that crossed from one side of her body to the other and was a silver-white color that complemented her hair. “And, finally, the palla.” With a flourish Venus spun gracefully around causing the piece of violet silk (the exact shade of her eyes) that was attached to the back of her silver shoulder clasps to flutter in the goddess-made breeze like a diaphanous cape.

“Absolutely beautiful,” Pea said. “Are you dressed like this because you're going back to Olympus? Is the portal open to you again?” She smiled, but it didn't stop her face from looking sad. “I didn't think you'd be leaving so soon. Can't you at least stay for dinner and maybe one more night?”

“Darling, are you filled with happiness and ecstasy?”

Pea's brow wrinkled as she thought about Venus's question. “Well, I'm happy, I mean work was great today—you should have seen the way everyone looked at me. Everyone looked at
me
. Like I'm not invisible anymore! And I can't tell you how many compliments I got on my hair.”

Venus smiled at Pea's exuberance. “Yes, you're happy. But are you filled with delicious, seductive, passionate ecstasy?”

“I really don't think so.”

“Neither do I, and until you are, I'm not leaving.”

“Then why are you dressed like that?”

Venus rolled her eyes. “All this talk has made me forget. Follow me back here and I'll tell you while you get changed.”

“Changed? What am I changing into?”

“Your own goddess regalia,” Venus said.

“Me? Why?” she asked, but followed Venus eagerly.

“Pea, my darling, we are going to a masquerade party.”

Pea stopped in the hall outside her room. “Venus, what are you talking about?”

“I found out about it while I was on the Internet today. Which, by the way, is a simply marvelous type of magic. Did you know there are ninety-one million sites about me? Ninety-one million! And not even four million about Persephone—and she's always so smug about—oh, never mind. I'm getting completely off the subject. While I was looking up pertinent information about your fireman, I happened to find an advertisement for a masquerade gala event being hosted at that fabulous restaurant where you and I met.”

“Lola's?”

“Exactly. The announcement said that they are trying to raise money for new equipment or some such for the Tulsa Midtown Fire Station, which is the exact station your Griffin is from.”

“Defibrillators,” Pea said.

Venus raised an eyebrow.

Pea shrugged. “It was on the news. The fire station wants two new defibrillators for their paramedic units. So the masquerade is a fundraiser.”

“You already knew about it?”

“I suppose. I didn't really think about it. It isn't exactly something I would go to.”

“It is exactly something you
are
going to go to—actually, we're going to go to.”

“But we have to have costumes…” Pea's voice ran out as her eyes widened in understanding.

“Yes, darling, we do have to have costumes.” She took Pea's arm and pulled her into the bedroom. “Hurry! I spent all afternoon conjuring things from Olympus; I can't wait to show you how to truly dress like a goddess!”

 

“Are you sure I shouldn't be wearing panties?” Pea nervously smoothed her hands down the front of her robes as if she was afraid a wind might spring up and lift them above her head.

“Of course I'm sure. Nothing should bind your delicate woman's lily under the silks of a goddess's robes. Besides, going without underclothing is a freeing experience. You'll see. And stop fidgeting.” Venus gave Pea's curls one more scrunch. “It would have been much easier to prepare with the aid of a score of nymphs, but I am pleased with our end result.” She stepped back to survey her work. “Okay, you can turn around and look at yourself now.” Together they gazed at the goddess in the mirror.

Pea's tunica was the same seductive cream color as Venus's, and it left exposed more of her legs. Venus examined them critically and nodded in silent approval at how long and strong and shapely they looked. Her stola was a sweet, blushing pink. A color that should have seemed innocent, but draped silkily around Pea's body, tucked and folded cunningly here and there to accentuate the indentation of her waist and the perfect roundness of her breasts, the maidenly shade of pink became alluring and seductive, conjuring images of hidden parts of her body. Her palla was liquid gold and it glistened with even the slightest of Pea's movements.

“Simply lovely. I knew the stola would complement your—” Venus broke off when she saw the tears pooling in Pea's eyes. “What is it, darling?”

Pea shook her head back and forth as she began to cry. “It's a beautiful outfit, and, yes, it's fit for a goddess. But in it I look like a sparrow trying to wear the feathers of a peacock.”

Venus blinked in surprise. “That is simply not true, Pea.”

“Yes, it is.” She sobbed. “I know it is. It's always been true.”

Venus took Pea's hand and led her to the bed. “Sit,” she told her as she turned to retrieve the box of tissues from the bathroom and hand them to Pea. “Blow.”

Hiccupping, Pea did as she was told. Then Venus sat beside her and took her hand.

“Now, tell me what happened to make you have such a distorted view of your appearance.”

Pea sniffed. “It—it wasn't just one thing.”

“Tell me,” Venus repeated gently.

“Remember I told you about the dance squad I was on in high school, and how I thought I fit in, but that I really didn't?”

Venus nodded.

“Well.” Pea sighed. “There was more to it than just not fitting in. I know it sounds silly, but I used to not realize that I was so dorky looking. Really. I thought I was normal. Like everyone else. I mean, I had friends—not on the dance squad, but friends. I just didn't think it would be a problem making friends with a new group.”

“What happened?”

Pea blew out a shaky breath. “I made the squad with no problem. I've taken dance since I was five, so I really knew what I was doing. Anyway, I made the squad the first year I tried out. I was the only freshman who made it.” Venus noted that she didn't seem to have any pride in the fact that she'd accomplished something so difficult. “So I was going to the very first meeting of the new squad. I was really excited and unbelievably happy—basically just looking forward to making new friends and doing a lot of cool dancing. As usual, I dorkishly spilled a bunch of stuff out of my purse right outside the girl's locker room door, and while I was picking it up I heard them.” Pea swallowed, fighting back more tears. “They were talking about me, making fun of me really. They said that no matter how much dancing I did, I'd never dance away from all of my ugly. And—and they called me broccoli head, because of my hair.”

Venus shook her head. “Young women can be so pointlessly cruel, especially when intimidated by another's talent.”

“They weren't intimidated by me!” Pea said quickly.

“Weren't they? How long ago did this happen?”

“It started a little over ten years ago, but it went on for all four years of high school. I know it's stupid to still let something bother me that happened so long ago, but—”

Venus's raised hand cut off Pea's words. “It isn't stupid that something that happened during your formative years still affects you. That isn't why I asked how long ago it was. I asked because I want you to realize that you are now an adult, a successful, independent adult, looking
back
on events that happened to a child. You can now see them through an adult's eyes—a viewpoint that should make issues like the other girls' jealousy and insecurity clearer.”

Pea chewed her lip. “I guess I never really thought about it like that.”

Venus pulled on Pea's hand and led her back to the mirror. “Think about it.”

“I'll try,” Pea said doubtfully.

Venus sighed. “I do wish you could see yourself as others see you.” Then the goddess's eyes widened. “That's it!”

Pea frowned. “What?”

“I shall simply give you the ability to see yourself as others see you.”

Pea took a step back from the goddess's already glittering fingers. “I'm really not okay with that zapping stuff you do.”

“Oh, darling, I'm not going to zap
stuff
this time. I'm going to zap you.” Then while Pea stared wide-eyed at her, Venus said,
“Allow her mind to believe the beauty in her others perceive!”
Then the goddess flicked the glittering dust of her magic on Pea.

The little mortal sneezed tremendously. Venus sighed and handed her another tissue. Then she took Pea by the shoulders and turned her so that she was looking at herself head-on in the mirror.

“Oh, my…” Pea breathed deeply, lifting a hand as if to touch the girl in the mirror. “I—I never imagined I could look so beautiful,” Pea said. “It's magic. It'll disappear.”

“Of course it's not.”

“But you just—” Pea waggled her fingers, imitating Venus.

“Darling, I didn't make you look different. I just allowed you to see yourself as others see you. This”—she pointed at Pea's reflection—“is utterly real.”

“Are you positive you didn't use magic to make me look like this?”

“This is exactly what I've been trying to tell you. Pea, darling, you have your own magic. Your beauty and kindness and intelligence are enough to enslave any man.”

“But I don't want to enslave Griffin.”

“Don't you?”

Pea blushed. “Well, maybe a little. I guess what I really mean is that I don't want magic to be the reason he wants me.”

“Don't worry, darling. The only magic you'll use tonight is the eternal magic all confident women have access to. Simply believe in yourself. Then relax and allow your inhibitions to be freed. Give yourself over to passion and ecstasy, at least for this one night.”

“Okay. I'll try, but it might take one or two of Lola's pomegranate martinis.”

“Whatever works for you. I'm bringing the lovely credit card.”

“Whoever said you can't live off love was absolutely wrong.”

Venus sniffed daintily. “I would certainly never say anything so blasphemous.”

“Me, either. Or at least not after the last couple days.” She grinned at her amazing reflection. “I'm ready. Let's go before I forget I look like this.”

“Wait, I almost forgot.” Venus riffled through the piles of discarded fabric on Pea's bed. “Here—this one is for you, and this is for me.” She handed Pea a spectacular half mask. It was covered with tiny slivers of gold crystals and it tied on with a pink velvet ribbon. The one she kept for herself was much like Pea's, except it was covered with what looked like tiny glittering diamonds and tied on with a silver ribbon. “The Internet announcement said that all costumes were welcome, and the only requirement was that everyone wear some kind of mask.” They tied on each other's masks and then took one more look in the mirror.

Slowly, Pea reached out and took Venus's hand. “You've made me into a goddess.”

Venus squeezed her hand and smiled. “No, my little mortal friend. All I did was show you how to release the goddess that had been within you all along. Now let's get in that fabulous car of yours, drive to Lola's masquerade, and commit some goddesslike debauchery.”

Laughing, Pea said, “Hey, who am I supposed to be? I mean, you're obviously Venus. Which goddess am I pretending to be?”