Weapons of Mass Seduction by Lori Bryant-Woolridge Page B

definitely need a change. Come on, I have an idea,” Pia said, leading her over to the alphabetized fragrance wall. “Try this,” she said, spraying a test wand with Chanel No. 19 and waving it under Flo’s nose. “It’s a classic, but it screams mystery.”
    â€œIt smells good, all right, but you’re the cool mysterious one. Why in the world would I want to be an unknown to my own husband?”
    â€œRemember? Woman he left…not the same one he comes home to? Shake him up some,” Rebecca prodded.
    â€œHmm…well, I guess I can try. You two are makin’ me into a regular Mae West.”
    â€œI’ll be back,” Rebecca declared before making a beeline toward the celebrity display. “I’m going to check out J.Lo’s new perfume. I want something…”
    â€œWe know…sexy,” Flo and Pia responded in amused unison.
    â€œAnd hot,” Rebecca added, laughing.
    â€œDoes that girl have any other words in her vocabulary besides
hot
and
sexy
?”
    â€œApparently not, unless you include whoa. I hope Joey knows that she’s creatin’ a monster,” Flo remarked in both concern and jest. “We need to shake a leg. We still have more shoppin’ to do and the bus will be here to take us back to the hotel in an hour. What about you? Aren’t you gonna buy anythin’ here either?” Flo asked.
    â€œJust these candles. I already have kind of a signature scent, Stella by Stella McCarthy,” Pia declared as Rebecca rejoined them.
    â€œOkay, enough already! You wear pretty panties
and
have a signature scent? Why are you takin’ this workshop? You could be teachin’ it,” Flo asked.
    â€œI guess I could if you believe the old saying ‘Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.’ Believe me, we have plenty of time left this weekend for my insecurities to surface. So, that’s that. On to the trademark icon. What about charms?” Pia suggested.
    â€œWe passed a silver jewelry cart on our way here,” Florence said, her curiosity piqued, but letting the topic go.
    The three descended on the Silver Forest kiosk and began searching for a metallic representation of themselves. Pia immediately found what she was looking for among the Chinese symbols. Her fingers caressed the cool, smooth lines of the character for “mother.” Even in unbending sterling silver, the calligraphy captured both strength and gentleness, just like the concept it represented. Did she dare buy it and own this state of being for her future self? She paused. Was she staking her claim or merely tempting fate?
    â€œIs that the one?” Flo asked, her eyes scanning the tray from which Pia had made her selection.
    â€œI think so.”
    â€œWhat’s it mean?”
    â€œLove,” Pia replied, feeling as though she was only half lying. Weren’t
mother
and
love
basically synonymous?
    â€œHmm. Really? Nice. Well, I think I’m settlin’ on this,” Flo said, holding a silver “cause” ribbon. “Bein’ with you girls has led me to the belief that I am worth raisin’ Dan’s awareness over.”
    â€œDan’s or anyone else’s,” Pia added in support. “I love it.”
    â€œWhoa! Nicole Richie has a necklace just like this.” Rebecca’s excited voice rang out from the other side of the jewelry cart. “I’m so getting this,” she declared, holding a charm of the iconic lounging mud flap girl.
    â€œHoney, you want to be hot like Paris and sexy like Angelina, smell like J.Lo, and accessorize like Nicole Richie. Seems like you’re tryin’ to be everybody
but
Rebecca.”
    Hurt and bewilderment clouded the young woman’s face, causing Flo to immediately regret her remark. “Don’t mind me, darlin’. It’s tough to decide on one thing that sums up who you are.”
    â€œOr want to be,” Rebecca