Chick Lit Box Set

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“I’ve ordered some of those new G-spot thingies,” Coco said, before continuing, “you know, the ones they’ve been raving about on the telly?”

“What, on breakfast TV last month?” asked Aggie.

Coco nodded as she scrolled through another adults only website. “Apparently, they’re flying off the shelves, so it makes sense we should have some. How’s the lingerie looking?”

“To be honest, I’m not doing so well,” Aggie admitted. “I’m so used to wearing simple cotton T-shirt bras and knickers that I’m just not sure what women really want.”

Coco laughed, “Well, I know you’re not really going to like this, but we’re going to have to go to that fair I mentioned last week.”

“The lingerie fair, you mean?”

“Well, yes, there’s the lingerie fair in a couple of weeks but I was actually referring to the erotic trade fair.”

Aggie gulped quite loud. “The erotic trade fair?”

Coco nodded with a huge grin on her face.

“Do…do I really need to go?” Aggie asked, quite mortified.

Coco linked arms with her best friend and nodded. “Aggie, honey. We’re about to open what is for all intents and purposes a lingerie and s*x shop where we’ll be selling all kinds of weird and wonderful gadgets and so on. Of course it’s important that you come with me. It’s where we’ll get to see all the latest stuff that we ought to be selling in the shop. If we’re going to be taken seriously, we need to be on top of our game, right?”

Aggie reluctantly smiled and nodded. “Yeah, you are right, I suppose. Maybe I can wear a disguise or something,” she joked. “So when is it, anyway?”

“Next week. I took the liberty of buying tickets for us both,” she grinned.

Aggie rolled her eyes.

“I know, I know,” Coco laughed. “I knew you’d come. But before any of that, don’t you think we ought to sort out the name. It’ll take the sign makers a little bit of time to get the sign sorted out so we shouldn’t leave it to the last minute. Plus, we’ll need to do a website and the like. Not to mention the press releases. That reminds me, have you told your mother yet?” Coco asked as she walked over to the little kitchen in Aggie’s new flat and put on the kettle.

Blushing almost immediately, Aggie shook her head, making Coco laugh even louder than before.

“Oh honey. It’s got to be done at some point, you know. You never know, she might be delighted.”

“You do know my mother don’t you? The seventy-year-old woman who is the face of the Frambleberry Ladies Luncheon Club, as well as chairwoman to the Frambleberry WI? She’s going to be shocked to high heaven.”

Coco, struggling to keep a straight face, nodded whilst she raised her eyebrows, “Still, it’s better she hears it from you rather than someone else, right?”

“I know, I know. I just can’t face that right now. We’ve got too much else to think about. Like the shop name, for instance,” she said looking Coco in the eye. “Any ideas?”

“Everything I come up with sounds a bit cheap and cheesy to be honest. Your sister was right when she said this place needs to remain classy, in other words, we need to come up with a classy name. Easier said than done, I’m afraid.”

Aggie stepped away from the kitchen countertop, holding the cup of tea Coco had made her, and leaned against the wall. “It ought to inspire love, rather than s*x, if you know what I mean?”

Coco nodded, whilst also scrunching up her nose, “I kind of know what you mean but it can’t be lovey-dovey either.”

“What about something French? Le Petit Mort?” Aggie suggested.

Coco spluttered into her tea, “That’s a polite French way of saying o****m, isn’t it?”

Aggie nodded, with a cheeky grin.

“Well, well, Aggie, it seems my cheekiness might be rubbing off on you at last.”

“Never!” Aggie said, putting the mug down. “It’s not right though, is it? It’s a bit too French, so most people probably won’t even get it. They’ll just see that it’s something to do with mort: death.”

Sniggering, Coco agreed, before asking, “By the way, have you been through all the contents of the secret room yet?”

“I’ve moved it all out of there and put it in my future bedroom upstairs. I glanced through it, but I’m waiting until I’ve moved in to have a proper look. That reminds me, I’d like to move that armoire from the secret room into my bedroom but it’s a bit of a struggle by myself. Maybe we could have a go?”

“Sure,” Coco said, “Shall we have a go while I’m feeling fit?”

Aggie nodded and the two of them headed downstairs. Aggie pressed on the old-fashioned book handle and waited for the solid wooden panel to open. Once it had, she flicked on the light where a single light bulb dangling from the centre of the ceiling lit up. They’d already binned the old curtain, which had seen better days, and so walked straight in.

“It’s a beautiful old piece of furniture, isn’t it?” Aggie said as they walked up to it.

Coco nodded and moved to the other side of it. Together they tried to lift it, barely shifting it an inch.

“Oh,” Coco laughed, “I guess we’re going to need more help to get it upstairs. I could call Kyle? He’s only round the corner today. I saw him on the site first thing this morning. I know he’s dying to get a look inside this place.”

“Well in that case, give him a ring,” Aggie suggested, smiling, while she opened the armoire to take a look inside. “Hey look, there’s something carved on the bottom here,” she said as she grabbed her phone out of her pocket and turned on the torch app to get a good look at the words.

“Cornelia’s Closet,” she read out loud. “Cornelia? I wonder who that was?” she asked, turning off the torch and putting her phone back in her pocket.

“Hm, did you say something?” asked Coco who walked back into the room after ringing Kyle. “He’s going to pop round in about an hour. What were you saying?”

“I found something carved into the wood at the bottom of the armoire, Cornelia’s Closet.”

“Cornelia, huh? I wonder who that was?”

“Me too. But it’s got a ring to it, doesn’t it?”

“What, Cornelia’s Closet?” asked Coco.

“Yes, something about it that sounds kinda…nice.”

“You mean for the shop?”

Aggie nodded, “But the name Cornelia isn’t quite right though.”

“So, you’re saying it should be something Closet?”

Aggie smiled and nodded, “It’s got a ring to it, right?”

Coco squealed, “You’re onto something, babe! What about Agatha’s Closet?”

Seeing Aggie scrunching up her nose made Coco shake her head too. “Coco’s Closet?”

“As cute as that sounds, I think it needs to be more…sophisticated.”

“You’re saying my name isn’t sophisticated?” Coco asked with her bottom lip jutting forward. But before Aggie could reply she burst out laughing, “Just kidding. It needs to be something that has a stronger connection with you.”

Aggie frowned and walked out of the secret room, deep in thought. Coco followed closely behind and walked right into the back of her when she came to a sudden halt.

“What about something to do with mythology?” Aggie asked.

“Ooh yes,” Coco replied. “Have any ideas?”

“Cliodhna’s Closet?”

“Clio…who? I’d struggle to pronounce it, let alone spell it. Who was she anyway?”

“Irish goddess of love and beauty.”

“Nice but so wrong for the shop.”

“Hm. How about…” Aggie started speaking before she wandered back upstairs to her flat. “Min’s Closet? Nah…that’s not right either.”

“And who was Min?” asked Coco, somewhat intrigued by Aggie’s expertise on all things related to mythology.

“Min was a Chinese god of sexuality, love, reproduction, and s****l pleasure,” Aggie stated.

“But he was a bloke? That’s not good. It needs to be a goddess, naturally. Considering the shop is being run by three very unique and very beautiful English goddesses who hail from the kingdom of Frambleberry,” Coco joked as they came to the bottom of the stairs and noticed a couple of people trying to look in through the windows.

“Oh look, people are already starting to talk. Just wait until it gets out what kind of shop this is going to be,” Coco said, laughing.

“I’ve got it!” yelled Aggie, ignoring what Coco had just said. “It’s perfect,” she grinned from ear to ear.

“Tell me, tell me,” Coco repeated, jumping up and down like an over-excited lap dog.

“Aphrodite’s Closet.”

“Oh my God, Aggie. You’re a freaking genius. It couldn’t possibly be more perfect. It’s so you! I love it, I love it, I love it. OMG,” she squealed again and again, before stopping and walking toward the door, pretending to open it and bow. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Aphrodite’s Closet…”