Poma

Part 3: Poma’s Shopping Trip

We were walking slowly. Still plenty of time left in the day, and neither of us wanted the day to end yet. Poma shivered as the breeze picked up, and wrapped her arms around herself, her sweater still wet from her fall into the pool in the aquarium. Her ears dropped, seeming to be reminded of how the date ended. 

“It’s all good,” I say, patting her head, she blushes at my touch. “Say you must be cold, how about we look at some new clothes to get you into something warmer?”

“Okay,” she said shyly but her tail wagged excitedly.

We wandered around the mall, going from shop to shop. Her eyes sparkled and her tail would alternate between standing straight up as she stood memorized at things or swishing swiftly back and forth like a dangerous weapon. Sometimes something would catch her eye and she’d drag me into a shop to get a closer look. Eventually we got to a large clothing shop, where I watched her dart from shelf to shelf grabbing an ever growing stack of clothing before dragging me to the changing room and setting me down to wait.

“You ready?” she asked but stepped out before waiting for a reply. She was wearing a black dress with a camisoles top, laced cords in the front that brought the dress tights around the waist. From there it flared to a mid-length skirt trimmed with black lace. She wore black knee socks and black boots with heels that were clearly a bit taller than she’d ever tried before.

“I mean it looks nice, Poma, but a bit goth don’t you think?” I said hesitantly.

“Yeah, that and it’s tight… everywhere,” she said, doing a quick spin.

“Wanna try on another one to see if you like it better?”

Poma nodded before slipping into the changing room again, and emerging in a sleeveless white sundress, a white ribbon acted as her belt around her waist. A large sunhat on her head casting a deep shadow on her face.

“Thats quite a jarring contrast,” I could not help but laugh, “but it still looks good for you.”

“Reallly!? Though it does not have a space for my tail,” she said looking back at the large bump in the back of her dress. “I guess they don’t make a lot of clothing for hyenas?”

My smile sombered, “I guess not,” I said evasively, “maybe some of the other clothes will fit better?”

She came out several more times, once wearing plaid and overalls. She looked like a lumberjack, everything but missing the axe, something I jokingly pointed out to her. Before she stormed back into the dressing room reappearing in large baggy pants and a Bohemian top,  loss fitting and sleeve they grew wider as they approached the hands.

“You look like a hippie,” I laugh.

“Well yeah… but do I look good,” Putting a hand on her hip and smirking at me.

I pause for a moment, taking a step back and giving her a long look, “Yeah you do, You really pull it off.”

“You think so?” Poma said, “Well then I should buy it.” With that she strutted back into the changing room. A giddy little smile, playing on her face, as she closed the curtain behind her. After a few moments a bag appeared from the changing room, and Poma’s head popped from behind the curtain,”Could you buy this for me? I don’t want to have to change back into the wet clothes I had.”

I nodded, taking the bag and bringing it to the teller, who checked me out without even giving me a second look. A younger man buying women’s gypsy clothing was probably far from the oddest thing she’d seen that day. After returning to Poma and handing her the clothing she reappeared in her new outfit. 

“Thank you for the clothes,” Poma said a little shyly.

Her tail swished back and forth rapidly, seemingly more excited about the clothes then she could express, “You want to grab a bite to eat then maybe take a stroll in the park?”

“Can we?!”

“Why not, it’s not too late.”

“You’re so sweet!” She says jumping forward hugging my arm, before we take off to find something to eat.