Everyone chuckled and dug into their diverse meal. Once they were finished and cleaned up, they slipped out the back into ‘Cleopatra’s Delights’. Jen grabbed Natti’s arms, dragging her forcefully into a shop selling exotic sheath dresses. She only let go of her to grab a vibrant pink and green dress off the rack. Natti rubbed her arm, swearing at the fingernail marks cut into her skin. Jen seemed oblivious to Natti’s remarks and held the dress out to her.
“Oh, you so got to try this!” Jen then pulled off a blue-purple one for Wanda. “And this one will go with your eyes, Wanda. Try it, you’ll love it.” She spun on her heel and began pulling dress after dress off the racks, piling them high in their arms. When she finally ransacked the entire shop, she clapped her hands and shoved Natti toward five tiny tents. “Dressing rooms are over there. Come on!”
“Really?” Kevin hissed. “Can’t we head over to the ‘Sphinx’s Challenge’ for the Crossbow Challenge or something?”
“Ugh, there’ll be plenty of time for games later!” Jen retorted and forced him into a chair. “Now stay put!”
“God, it’s like being married already,” Kevin hissed before he sat back, exhaled a heavy breath, and relaxed into the chair.
Jen forced Natti and Wanda into their own changing rooms. The light faded when the tent flap was yanked closed behind Natti, making it hard to see the bench in front of her. Natti stared at the dresses, completely disinterested. She took off her shorts and jacket, grabbed the first dress on the pile, the pink and green Jen had handed her, and pulled it on over her tank top and lingerie. She stepped out of the room, watching Kevin cringe at the sight of her.
“Oh, gee!”
Natti glanced at the cotton fabric just when Jen stepped out of her tent. “Oh, definitely not. Try the next one.”
Natti shrugged, went back in, and changed. Outside, she could hear Kevin judge Wanda’s and Jen’s outfits, which apparently were not very flattering in any sense. She took in a deep breath and pulled back the tent flap.
“O-oh,” Kevin told her, shielding his eyes from the bright yellow dress. “I think I need sunglasses! That thing is blinding!”
Natti burst out laughing and glanced at a free standing mirror. He was right. The yellow was practically glowing in the sunlight. She ran back to try on another dress with multiple colors depicting a scene of an Egyptian garden.
“Ah, what is that? Egyptian meets Monet or something?” Kevin shook his head.
She rolled her eyes. “Monet wouldn’t be caught dead painting this much less use it as a wash rag.”
Kevin rolled out of his chair, holding his stomach while he roared with laughter. Natti rushed back into her tent to tear off the hideous thing. The next time she peeked out of the changing room, Kevin held a bunch of handmade cards—clearly made from the torn up map laying in tiny pieces at his feet. Each had a scribbled number ranging from one through ten, and as she stepped out he announced his scores like he was a judge from a primetime television show.
“Eight!”
“Six!”
“Ugh! One!”
“Five!”
Eventually, Natti was the only one left in the changing rooms. Jen continued to bring dress after dress for her to try, and Natti’s patience was beginning to wear thin.
“Oh God, no!” Jen exclaimed when Natti stepped out in a red splattered dress. “It looks as if you murdered someone. Here, try this one.”
Natti glared at the purple fabric embellished with beads and glitter. Snatching it from Jen, she went back into the changing room. When she stepped back out, Kevin, who had practically fallen asleep in the chair, sprang to life. He grabbed the ‘ten’ card from his pile.
“Hubba hubba,” he cried. “What are you doing next Friday night?”
Jen smacked Kevin across the head.
“Ow!” Kevin turned to her. “What? I was just giving a compliment.”
Natti blushed and looked at herself in the mirror. It was beautiful. The color and sparking beads even brought out her eyes. And with her features, it was like she had stepped out of an Egyptian court. In her mind’s eye, she could see an ancient palace surrounding her, the painted lotus columns, and dancing depictions of hieroglyphics on the walls. The thought sent chills down her spine.
“It’s still not me,” she announced, tearing at the fabric. She rushed back into her tent. She wanted to get close to her Egyptian heritage, just not that close. Not yet.
“Are you kidding?” Wanda’s voice followed her. “It’s like made for you.”
Natti shook her head, exhausted. She slipped back into her shorts and jacket, and pulled back the tent flap. “I’m kind of tired of this. Let’s check out some of the other vendors.”
“I’m game!” Kevin called.
“Fine.” Jen shrugged with mischievous grin. “Who’s up for jewelry?”