Helen laughed when Paul asked her to try on a dress. If he only knew how many clothes I’ve tried on in my life, she thought, but nonetheless, she marched into one of the fitting rooms with a summer dress made of Thai silk. She slipped out of her trousers, quickly peeled off her top, then pulled the dress over her head. She felt the cool silk on her skin. She nearly had to dislocate her arm in order to pull the zipper up. She took one last glance in the mirror, and then suddenly drew the elastic out of her hair. The ponytail disappeared and her blonde mass of hair tumbled onto her shoulders. Helen reached into her purse and dabbed on a little lip gloss, looking in the mirror again. She nodded in satisfaction. She might have been all set for a photo shoot. She was barefoot; her long, slender
