Tonight on our show (part 6)

...part 5

**my poor feet**

As I entered the room I starting looking for the coat rack. I undid the clasps closing my coat. I thought that if only I could get rid of this huge coat, I would have a little bit less weight on my heels. And hopefully I would feel a little bit less stuffy. The coat rack was towards the back of the room. Why would they put it all the way there? 

There was probably around 50 people at the party. I could see Megan off to the side, talking to Karla. Karla was wearing a sequined little black dress with silver heels. Megan was wearing a very simple color block dress, and ballet flats!! She was torturing with these towering heels, and she was wearing flats. Being on the short side I had always worn lots of heels, but tonight everything was weighing me down, literally and figuratively. I was getting really warm.

**my poor tortured feet**

I ran into Kim. I knew it was inevitable, but why now? I could see the coat rack out the side of my eye.

"Hi Susan! So great to see you," she hugged me. Despite all of the layers I was wearing I could feel her embrace. She did a double take and hugged me again. I could swear she was trying to feel me through my coat. Maybe she felt the suit of armor crushing my waist. Or maybe it was the massive jugs I was hauling around. 

I could feel perspiration sticking to my skin, unable to escape from under my girdle, from under my ridiculously padded bra, from inside my boots. The room wasn't overly hot, but I envied the other girls wearing regular party dresses. I was getting hot. The coat was restrictive, between the down quilting inside and the thick faux fur outside, there wasn't too much flex for my arms. And it was heavy, .

**my poor tortured feet... what I would give to slip off these boots**

"Are you ok, dear? You look distressed...." Kim asked.

"My heels are killing me... if I could only remove this stupid coat..." I replied without a second thought.

"What does my 'stupid' coat have anything to do with your feet?"

I blushed, even though I was probably already red from all of the heat I had trapped under all my layers. I could see Kim's eyes begin to water. Why was she so sensitive about everything"

"I thought you liked the coat that I had made specially for you."

"I... I...I do like it, it's just that it's a little too ... much...err.. too heavy... and these boots that Megan made me wear are killing me, and I'm hot in this girdle and this stupid bra... and ... I... I'm sorry...I just can't..." I replied, but I knew there was no way out of this. I saw Kim look down and start to walk away, weeping.

I started to feel bad for her that I hurt her feelings... she was only trying to be nice to me, I know that. But then I also started to feel bad about myself... I'm the one that's getting tortured by Megan, just so that she can push me out of the network. I had been the one trying to put up with all of the abuse, trying to make it through each excruciating day.

**my poor tortured feet... what I would give to slip off these boots and wiggle my cramped toes**

Just as Kim was mousing away, Megan shuffled next to me.

"Dear.... you look wonderful... That dress suits you very well... And that tiny waist, such an improvement. If only I could fathom the pain and suffering you must be enduring inside that girdle!!"

"Yeah, this is kinda uncomfortable..." I replied.

"Well, that's not really the point. But anyway, what's the matter with Kim?"

I explained in a very "matter of fact" manner how I had offended Kim. I didn't know what to expect, but I knew that, like most things in my life lately, I wasn't getting off easily.

"It's a shame what I'm going to have to do, but given the circumstances..."

Megan stared doing up all the clasps on my coat, and wrapping the fur scarf around my neck. "We'll start here, but we'll have to figure out how to ensure you make it up to Kim and make her happy again. For the rest of the evening you're going to wear her coat all buttoned up for the rest of evening, make sure she sees you. Mingle around, and if someone asks you why you're wearing your coat, make sure you speak beauties about it and how you love to wear it. How it keeps you warm and cozy. Make sure you freshen up your make up when needed, you seem to be starting to sweat. Think of this as reverse Cinderella, don't leave before midnight. Don't despair, you know critical this is to both you and I." I looked at my watch, it was just past 8pm. I hadn't had a chance to slip off my coat, and now I was stuck in it for four more hours. 

"Believe me, I understand that. But I don't see why I should even bother. I only do winter clothing shows any more, so how will any of this go after winter wraps up?" 

 

"Don't worry. We'll have you modeling the new winter collection in no time. Obviously before the fall, to make sure we're ready for fall. This year we'll make sure to feature plenty of outdoor shots for the new collection."

"So you'll have me prancing around wearing winter coats in the middle summer?"

"Yes, dear, basically. And make sure you keep wearing your girdle, so that you get used to it. We can't have you looking all bumpy."

**my poor tortured feet... still a long night to go in these torturous boots and boiling inside this hideous monstrosity of a coat**

The end.