Shop by deirdre I didn't know why Helen was insisting. We had come in to look at skirts, and she was showing me this little bikini and insisting that I try it on. It just wasn't like Helen at all. Helen and I were looking at clothes and we stopped in this exclusive little store that I never usually visit. Their clothes were the best if a little conservative and I'd love it if I could afford to shop there all the time. They had just the kind of skirt that I was looking for, but somehow Helen got off the subject at hand. "Come on, just try it on," she insisted, "It's *perfect* for you." No matter how often I explained I wasn't looking for swimming suits, she still insisted. "It *would* look good on you," added the saleslady. I looked at her. She was holding up the suit and looking back and forth between it and me. She looked perfectly serious. "Just go put it on," said Helen. "Well, OK," I finally said. I really didn't want to try it on, but they were being so insistent that I just wanted to get them off my back. In went into the changing room and looked at the bikini. I couldn't believe that I'd agreed to try the thing on. It was so tiny! I thought about backing out. Finally I got up my nerve and undressed. I put the suit on and looked in the mirror. I'd never been in such a skimpy suit before. My body isn't bad and I didn't really look bad in it, but it just wasn't like me to parade around in something like that. I turned each way and looked at my silhouette and my back. "Are you done changing?" It was Helen calling through the curtain. "Er, yes..., but don't come in." "Why not?" asked Helen coming through the curtain. "Come on out," she added, grabbing my arm and starting to walk out again. "Helen! No!" I was surprised at my own voice. Was it anger? Fear? "Don't be silly," she returned, "come on." She dragged me out. I guess I let her, but I don't know why. The saleslady was there and she immediately looked me up and down. "It looks pretty good on you," she finally said, "turn around slowly." I don't know why, but I did it. I felt so naked. I was afraid other people would come in the store and see me. "It looks *great*," added Helen. I had completed a slow turn and was facing them again. "Not bad. Put your hands on your hips," said the saleslady. I did it. She looked for a few seconds and then said, "Good! Put your arms up over your head." "I...," I was going to tell her I didn't want it anyway and I was going to change out of it. "Come on, just for a second," She had interrupted me, but I had been stammering so much it was no wonder. I held my arms up. I felt even more naked if you can imagine. "Mmmm, men would *adore* you in that," said Helen with a grin on her face. "Try taking the top off," said the saleslady. "What!?" It came out as a reflex. "Take the top off," she repeated, outrageously, "let's see what it looks like." "You can't be serious!" "You should always check out a bikini with the top off. You might go to some European beach, or..." she tailed off. "I'm not going to any beach like *that*!" "What about your husband?" chimed in Helen, "you might want to wear it without the top for him." I couldn't believe it. *Helen* talking about it too. I wasn't even going to *buy* the bikini. "I... think I'll go change back..." I said. I wondered why I was so indecisive. "Come on," said Helen, "your husband would like to see you in that bikini, wouldn't he?" "Well, probably," I said. "You *know* he would, and without the top, too. Right?" "She's right, you ought to try it without the top." It was the sales clerk from the front desk! She had walked up while I wasn't looking. "I'm going to change back," I said. "No! Let me... put on this suit first!" said Helen. She grabbed a light colored one-piece and zipped into the changing room. I stood there stunned. What was going on? I felt so embarrassed standing in front of the two sales ladies. "You have a little time," said the sales lady, "let's just see it now." She and the sales clerk were still standing there looking at me. I couldn't figure out why they were taking such an interest in this. I noticed a woman who was looking at some dresses look up and see me and walk over towards me. "It won't be too bad," said the sales clerk, "It's best to just see what it looks like." The other woman had approached and was standing there with the two of them, facing me. It was so ridiculous--like a strange dream. "No! I don't do that sort of thing." "But it's just for a minute. Don't worry about it. It's best to get our opinion." "I'm not going to buy the suit!" I finally blurted. I wondered what was taking Helen so long. "No need to get upset," said the saleslady, "I'll go see what's holding up your friend." She went over to the changing booth and slipped through the curtain. I stood there in front of the two women not knowing what to do. Another woman had joined the sales clerk and the woman shopper. "Well," said the saleslady after a couple moments, "you might as well take this time to check it out." Was she telling me to take off my top again? "Yes, it looks stunning on you," said one of the two shoppers, "you should make sure it's OK without the top. Don't worry about us." "No!" I said a little to loudly. A woman and her daughter who were browsing on the other side of the store looked up when I said it. They started coming over. I couldn't believe this. "I'll see what's taking them so long," I finally blurted and went into the changing room. It was a spacious room and they were both standing in there, Helen in the one-piece, posing, and the saleswoman looking at her with a considering look. The suit was really skimpy! It was cut very high and showed a lot of Helen's hips and quite a bit of her rear! I stared. Helen held her arms straight up. She glanced at me. "We'll just be a minute," she said, "can you wait outside?" I left and there were all those women again. I felt so foolish standing in front of them like that. "They'll be out in a minute," said the sales clerk, "just try it without your top for a second." The woman and her daughter were right there with them, watching me and another woman was coming over. They were all so well-dressed. The daughter was glancing at me and whispering to her mom. "No!" I said, "I don't... do things like that." "You know you're husband would love that suit," said the sales clerk. "Let's just check it and see if it would show you at your best without the top." "Please! No!" I said, feeling desperate. I didn't know why they thought I'd really do such a thing. It was so weird. "It *would* spark up your sex life," added one of the shoppers. "You owe it to yourself." I began to wonder about Helen's *minute*. It was so nerve-wracking debating all those women at once. I just wanted to get out of the store. "What's taking them so long?" I said and ducked back into the changing room. I stood there in shock! Helen was wearing just a bikini bottom. It was a thong! She stood staring at the saleslady, a couple of inches from the wall, but with her hands flat on the wall. She looked like she was in a trance! The saleslady was wearing the one-piece that Helen had had on before! She was staring just as intently at Helen! I stared at the Saleslady--her body was spectacular. I hadn't seen anything *like* her before--like a model or something. The two of them just stared into each others' eyes. "Helen?" I asked, dubiously. Neither of them moved a muscle. Helen's breasts were right there--she was dressed like they were trying to get me to dress. I almost went into a trance myself, trying to figure it out. No answer! What should I do? I saw my clothes and grabbed them. I'd find another changing room. I left the changing room and looked around. The women were still standing there, watching me. I didn't see another changing room. "Where is another changing room?" I finally asked. I didn't want to talk to them. "We only have one," said the salesclerk. I could have strangled her-- she looked so smug. "Don't worry," she added, "your friend will be out in a minute; let me take your things." She had reached out and taken my clothes, and not thinking, I had just released them. "Please do let us check out the bikini with just the bottom," she added, "you might as well since you have to wait." "I just don't *do* that!" I blurted. I wished they wouldn't hound me. They made me feel weird for refusing to show myself! "You really don't have anything to be ashamed of; you're body is excellent," said one of the women. The girl was whispering to her mother again. She must have been about 15 or 16. Other women started talking and agreeing with them and encouraging me to take off my top. I felt panicky--this was insane! Suddenly I heard "Here, let me help you," behind me and felt fingers on my back! One of them was untying it! I jerked away and something made me act. I saw keys hanging out of the front pocket of my purse and I grabbed them quickly. I held one arm over my breasts, keeping the top from falling off and uncovering them, and rushed out the door and ran to the car. I sat in the drivers seat, and hyperventelated. My top fell off. No one else had come out of the store and no one was around, but I was in a complete panic. It took me two minutes to get my top on again just because my fingers were shaking so much. Then I drove home, forcing myself to be calm so I didn't have an accident. At home, I pulled in the driveway and felt funny. I didn't see anyone around and got out and rushed into the house as fast as I could. I washed my face and changed into something decent. Then I collapsed into a chair and sat there, my mind racing. My next door neighbor called that vening and said "You seemed to be dressed a bit *casual* when you came home today!" I felt so embarrassed I didn't know what to say. I didn't call Helen right away--I assumed--I mean I hoped--she had my things. She did but she dropped them off when I was gone and I've never had the nerve to talk to her again. Believe it or not, I did try on the bikini again. I do look good in it and I even tried it without the top. Somehow I feel so naked in it--and absolutely lewd. I actually have thought about wearing it for my husband--that ought to spark some interest in our sagging sex life. And I dream about that day. I've caught myself daydreaming about the weirdest things, but the thing that comes back to me the most was Helen and that saleslady, looking at each other. I keep wondering what they did next.