Jim and Julia strolled amongst the shops that dotted downtown. Occasionally stopping to look at some baby toys or a snack as Julia was exceedingly hungry.
"Haven't seen a lot of baby clothing stores around. There's a few for maternity, but nothing extensive. You still hungry??" asked Jim.
"Always," she smiled, "Oh wait, Dad, what about that one in the corner??" Julia pointed to a shop wedged between two other tall buildings. The sign read, "Something's Afoot". They walked to the shop and realized that it was specifically a maternity clothes boutique. Highly specialized and carried most everything maternity in the whole world. It was kind of enchanting because the farther back into the store they went the older the styles became. There were no dirty or used clothes, but merely a representation of mother-to-be clothing going back to the turn of the century.
"Wow!! Look at all this stuff!!" Julia said in amazement.
"Honey, some of this was what your mother wore when you were being born." Jim said misty-eyed. He looked at Julia all aglow in her own pregnancy.
"Can I help you??" a small, deep voice asked.
Jim and Julia both jumped. There stood a small, spindly woman who definitely had spiders as direct descendents. From her appearance, they considered that she opened the store with the clothes in the back.
"We were actually looking for some clothes for my daughter. A feeding bra and maybe some other stuff that Julia here would know more about." Jim stammered. He became a little uncomfortable in the woman's presence.
"Very well," she said, "Come with me, eh Julia??" asked the woman, producing a small smile, her tone lifting.
Julia hesitated for a second and followed the woman. "The gentleman may wait on the couch next to the register," she said to Jim. He also hesitated, but eventually moved to-ward the register.
The woman turned out to be very helpful. Asking questions about Julia's tastes and how she liked to wear her hair. Eventually they found a full-length house dress which opened in the front, enabling access to her breasts. The woman directed Julia to a mirror and asked, "So, how long have you been married??"
"Oh," said Julia, taken aback, "I'm not married," she said quickly and turned back to the mirror.
The woman took a step closer so she was standing right behind Julia, her head seemingly growing out of her shoulder and said, "You know. In the old days, cousins married each other to keep the bloodlines pure." Her black eyes seem to peer right through Julia in the mirror, "Siblings in ancient Egypt used to take one another as mates in order to produce royalty. But!! That sort of thing is not so...proper these days. Eh??"
Julia turned with a start. "Uh...no," she laugh nervously, "Um...I'll take it and a breast pump if you have it."
