The Tangerine Dress - A Short Story

The Tangerine Dress - A Short Story

Copyright © Allene Angelica 2015

She walked in.  You know the type; loud, boisterous, full of herself, throws a come hither glance at every man who walks by regardless of his marital status.  She fancied herself the life of the party.  Truth be told most of the people here don't like her.  She singlehandedly destroyed a few relationships in the neighborhood over the years.  She was only invited because she lived in the complex.

She sauntered to the bar round hips swinging suggestively in her two sizes too small tangerine dress.  You could almost hear the pendulum ticking in time as she passed by.  She ordered a glass of red wine and while she waited she turned to scope out the party.  It was in full swing.  Hor d'oeuvres on trays passed around by waiters in bow ties.  Music was bumping.  A disco ball glittered in the dim light.  Couples on the dance floor showing off their best moves.  Laughter along with mumbled conversations can be heard throughout.

"Here you go one glass of red wine." The bartender slid the glass next to her elbow then turned to help another customer.  Her eyes zeroed in on a target across the room.  A good looking man, late 40's early 50's was her guess.  Sitting in the shadows alone.  A sly grin wormed north at the corner of her fire engine red coated lips.  She grabbed the glass and gulped half down before making her way to her mark.

"Hey there stranger.  Never seen you around these parts before."  She smiled sweetly.  Flipping her, came from a bottle, magenta hair.

The man looked up, cleared his throat and glanced around nervously.  "Just moved in a few weeks ago."

She sidled closer.  Her thigh grazing his as she sat next to him.  Once again he cleared his throat and in the dimness you could hear his chair scraping along the floor away from her.  She bristled but continued smiling.

"How do you like it so far?"  She leaned toward him using her arm to push her large breasts higher gambling that the threading on her flimsy dress would hold.

Before he could answer a soft voice announced, "I'm so sorry sweetheart for being late."

A look of relief ran through his features.  "It's ok honey.  I was just enjoying a beer while waiting."  He wrapped his arm around his wife's small waist and pulled her down onto his lap.  He turned to the tangerine dress,  "I apologize but we haven't been introduced.  My name is John and this lovely woman is my wife, Cat."

Tangerine laughed unconvincingly.  "Why no we haven't.  My name is Bobbi.  Very nice to meet you all."

Uncomfortable silence

"Let me run to the bar and get you a drink honey.  What about you Bobbi, a refill?"  John practically jetted off the seat almost knocking his wife to the floor.

"Sweetheart, be careful!  A glass of Chardonnay, please."  Cat watched his hurriedly retreating form.  Not bothering to wait for Bobbi's reply.

"You'll have to excuse him.  He's very shy around strangers.  Not a people person."  Cat glanced over at Bobbi.  Her brain doing a quick once over.

"It's fine.  No problem.  I think I'll go over to the bar myself and get a refill."  Bobbi fidgeted she was uncomfortable around other women.  She stood up and once again sauntered to the bar hips swinging suggestively.

Cat sat down to wait.  Her eyes squinched as she watched Bobbi whisper something in her husband's ear.  John in nervousness dropped his beer on the bar the liquid sprayed all over Bobbi's face and the front of her tangerine dress.

Bobbi squealed and ran in the direction of the ladies room.  John apologized profusely to the bartender and helped sop up the mess.

When John finally returned to his seat he found his wife seated where Bobbi had been.  He handed her the glass of Chardonnay.  In his other hand a fresh bottle of beer.

"That was a lot of commotion."  Cat commented as she raised her glass to her lips.

John grimaced, "I know, honey.  I'm sorry, I just don't know how to handle aggressive women."

Cat patted his knee reassuringly.  "It's ok sweetheart, I know."

She smiled at him warmly and proceeded to tell him about her day.  John laughed wholeheartedly at one of her tales and told a few of his own.  They enjoyed the rest of the evening meeting their fellow neighbors, dancing and just spending time with each other.  Bobbi was all but forgotten and never seen again that evening.

Epilogue

Bobbi was found in the early hours the next day, by the janitor, in the ladies bathroom.  Head angled awkwardly in the toilet bowl in a locked stall the furthest from the bathroom door.  The neighborhood seemed to breathe a sigh of relief when they heard the news.  They figured she had it coming.  Not a tear was shed.