She pokes at the overspill. “This gives new meaning to muffin top.”
“That’s lovely, thank you.”
Morgan pokes me again. “Well, you’ve got to admit…”
“Can we move on?”
We tug some more before she stops and throws her hands up in the air. “Are you sure you got the right size here?”
“I swear!” I say, my humiliation reaching new heights.
“It’s your hips,” she says shaking her head. “We’re going to need reinforcement.”
I drop my head and moan. “Billie. Go find Billie. She’s the strongest woman I know.”
“Is she here yet?”
“Yeah, she should be in the kitchen. Last time I looked she was hot-gluing plastic spiders to the radioactive punch glasses.”
When Morgan slips out of the bedroom I fall back on the bed and pull the robe over my body that now resembles a sausage whose casing has come undone. I tip my head up and look down at my legs. They’re unrecognizable. I tap my finger over my thighs and marvel. They’ve never felt so firm.
I hear a soft knock on the door and Nathan sticks his head inside. I pull my robe all the way up until it’s tucked under my chin. He frowns and his eyes cloud over with a look of concern. “Why are you in bed, sweetheart? Is something wrong?”
I feel my cheeks get hot. “No, nothing’s wrong. Just a bit of a costume challenge. Morgan’s getting Billie to help. Did you finish the Iron Man thing?”
He ignores my question. “Costume challenge?”
Suddenly Billie and Morgan burst into the room. Morgan’s eyes light up. “Oh good, Nathan can help too!”
I shake my head wildly at her.
“Help with what?”
“Getting her bodysuit on,” Morgan says.
I make a face at her.
Nathan’s expression shifts to one of horror as he walks to the edge of the bed and peers down at me. “It takes three people to get on your body suit?”
“Four if you count Brooke,” Morgan adds.
Thank you so much, Morgan.
I give Nathan the sweetest smile I can muster under the circumstances. “No handsome, we’re fine. You go on and do your Superhero thing.”
He looks relieved as he nods and walks to the door. “Good luck, girls.”
When the door closes Billie, who looks fierce in her Harley Quinn bodysuit, pushes her hands down over her hips. “So what’s this nonsense about you buying a bodysuit three sizes too small?”
I glare at Morgan. “I told you — I bought the right size!”
“Sure you did,” she says with just a bit of sarcasm.
Billie waves her hands in the air to motion me off the bed. “Whatever. Let’s get this shit done. I haven’t even started on the Kryptonite margarita mix yet.”
I waddle myself off the bed like a beached sea lion. When I’m finally upright Billie shakes her head as she bites her lip. “Well, that’s attractive.”
“Gives new meaning to muffin top, right?” Morgan says to her.
“Would you friggin’ cut it with the muffin top stuff! If we can just get this thing up higher it won’t be an issue.”
“Calm down Princess,” Billie says. “We’ve got this.”
She instructs Morgan to get on one side and she gets on the other before addressing me. “Okay, I’m going to count to three and then you suck it in as hard as you can, and Morgan you yank up with everything you’ve got.”
I nod, and Morgan spreads her legs planting her feet like a weightlifter about to lift oversized barbells.
They dig their fingers under the fabric and curl their fingers tightly around it. I’m pretty sure I’ll have bruises tomorrow in those exact spots. I take short quick breaths to work through the pain.
“One, two…three!” Billie booms.
I suck in my tummy so hard I’m pretty sure my belly button makes contact with my spine. The girls both grunt and snap their arms up like champs. We all stumble back from the effort.
I look down to study the miracle. The muffin top is gone, replaced by a sleek slope of spandex creating flat planes in places that previously had rolling hills. The effect of such body misplacement is that my breasts are now up under my chin. That’s okay. I can work with overly perky breasts. That’s expected in female Superheroes anyway.
“Whoa,” says Morgan, apparently admiring her handiwork’s effect.
Billie purses her lips. “You look like an android. I like you better curvy.”
I step over to the mirror and barely recognize my body. I have a moment where I’m inclined to agree with Billie but then I remember my mission. “Well, at least I’ll fit into my costume now.”
Billie heads back to the kitchen while Morgan helps me get the actual costume on. That part is easy with the only challenge getting my tits to stay in Wonder Woman’s bustier. They seem determined to be set free, but it’s nothing a little double-sided foam tape can’t take care of.
When we head out to the hallway Nathan’s waiting for me. A smile breaks out on his face like he’s just seen the sun after a storm. He steps up to me and puts his hands on my now narrow waist. “Oh Brooke. You did it! You’re my Wonder Woman.”
“A smaller version of her,” I say with a grin.
His hands slide down to my hips. “Well, honestly, I miss your hips. But you do look dreamy.”
Morgan punches him in the arm. “Good thing you like it, Nathan. Cause you’ll be the one taking it off later.” She gives him a wicked grin before moving on.
As Nathan and I walk to the front of the house I lean in close to him. “And how’s your costume situation working out?”
He looks down and adjusts the waist of his red panties. “So far so good. Obviously not using the tucking technique makes a huge difference, but just going up one size with the spandex thing helps too. Now I’m just dealing with compression, not elimination.”
He puts his hand on his hip and the other he waves towards his crotch. “What do you think?”
I nod. “That works. Your true Superhero skills are our secret. And if you don’t mind me saying so, you make a super hot Superman.”
He grins and pulls me forward. “Thanks Wonder Woman…and now it’s time to party.”
Chapter Four
The DJ Nathan hired is set-up on the edge of the Batcave. To create the cave Nathan spent many of his free hours over the past six weeks sponge-painting and crumpling rolls of granite textured paper then stapling them to every surface in the garage. Tonight it’s up-lit with purple and blue lights. The glass case with Batman’s uniform and mission control board light up too. I’ve got to hand it to Nathan… this Batcave is really cool.
When we get to the kitchen, Curtis, who’s dressed as the Joker, is harassing Billie at the bar.
“Don’t wimp out on the punch, Harley! It needs a lot more vodka if it’s really going to be radioactive.”
She smirks at him and tips the bottle so that it guzzles into the mysterious lime green concoction.
Meanwhile Nick slams his camping lantern with the green bulb down on the counter and turns to Nathan. “Hey, why does Curtis get to be a cool villain in a sharp suit while the rest of us look like idiots in our spandex tights? I thought we had to dress as Superheroes.”
Dani sidles up to him, “But baby I think you’re hot in your tights and your Green Lantern costume shows off your amazing body.”
Thank you, I mouth to Dani while Nathan responds. “Sorry Nick. He said it was the only way he’d come.”
“Damn straight,” Curtis agrees. “Hey Dani, who are you supposed to be?”
“The Invisible Woman, and no jokes please about how you can still see me. I’ve heard it a few too many times already.”
“Well, then why’d you pick her?” Billie asks.
Dani shrugs. “Cause I loved her outfit. Teal is my best color.”
Billie narrows her eyes and turns back to the bar. “Amateur,” she huffs.
Joel and Laura join us in the kitchen looking sharp as Captain America and Supergirl. They immediately head over to the punch bowl.