Blue Read Free

striking in every way.
    Anyone that was unfamiliar with their family would undoubtedly find it hard to believe that Delah was Anytha’s mother, though their resemblance was unbelievable. Delah found out that she was pregnant with Anytha two weeks before her sixteenth birthday. Anytha’s father, Chester, was nineteen. Delah, head over heels in love, persuaded her parents not to press charges against Chester for statutory rape as long as he promised not to leave her. Chester, who was madly in love with her as well, promised without hesitation. Shortly after Anytha’s birth, Chester asked for Delah’s hand in marriage, and she graciously accepted. They were married in a small ceremony a couple of months later.
    “Oh, look. Ten percent off activation dresses with proof of birthday,” Delah said, smiling and pointing to a sign beside the door as she reached for the handle and pulled it open.
    A bell chimed as they entered the store and immediately Delah began thumbing through the racks. She wouldn’t admit it, but today’s shopping trip was just as much about finding herself a dress as it was about finding one for Anytha. They browsed the racks together; the clinking of the metal hangers rang through the shop as the storeowner went to start a fitting room for the two of them. Anytha picked out a couple of dresses and handed them to the clerk who brought them to her fitting room. Delah stacked her choices high on a couch, and went back to look for more. Eventually, they both made their way to the fitting room to try on what seemed like a mountain of tiny dresses.
    There was nothing in writing that said a woman’s activation dress needed to be overly sexy or immodest, but over the years it had come to be known that there was no limit to the amount of skin that could be exposed by a female activee. Hems were known to be shortened, panels were known to dip low in the back, and necklines were known to plunge. Anytha knew that it would take some convincing for her mother to allow her to buy something that didn’t incorporate all three of those revealing elements. Delah was very proud of her body, and Anytha secretly hoped that her mother wouldn’t assume that Anytha was as willing to flaunt it as she was.
    Anytha thumbed through the rack of dresses in the fitting room. The white shutter doors were closed behind her and a large three-angle mirror stood in the corner of the small dressing room. She picked out the most modest of all of her choices, a little black dress with an interesting neckline. Maybe uniqueness could make-up for lewdness in her mother’s eyes.
    Anytha unzipped the clear bag and pulled out the dress, rubbing the corner of the velvet hem with her thumb and forefinger. She looked at herself briefly in the mirror, and undressed. Slipping on the dress, she reached around the back to zip it up as far as she could. She relaxed her arms to take a look; the dress fit like a glove. She wouldn’t mind this dress; it wasn’t nearly as revealing as many of her other choices. Realizing that she couldn’t finish the zipper on her own, she stepped out of the dressing room to get some assistance.
    Delah was already standing on a platform in front of an elaborate, full-length vintage mirror displayed in the corner of the store. Ooh’s and aah’s emanated from the staff as they gazed upon Delah, dressed in a bright blue satin frock that highlighted everything beautiful about her body. Delah turned around to see Anytha, let out a small squeal, and motioned for her to come over to the mirror. Delah grabbed her by her bare shoulders with a huge smile on her face, practically picking Anytha up and placing her on the platform herself.
    “Anytha, it’s gorgeous!” Delah squealed. “It looks like it was made for you!”
    Delah reached for the zipper, snugly zipped it all the way up the back of Anytha’s neck, and buttoned the snaps at her hairline. The clerk brought over a strappy pair of black stilettos and handed them to