Free A Life Less Pink by Zenina Masters Page A

chuckled.
    “Funny, pinky.”
    “You are pinker than I am, buddy.”
    “Yes, but I don’t mind it, and she likes me pink.” He grinned and waggled his eyebrows.
    “That cavalier outfit suits you. Did I put that feather on or is it one of yours?”
    Randolph turned slowly in his black velvet and silver costume. “Oh, it is ostrich as you well know; my feathers are far more erect.”
    She winced. “Eww. Too much information.”
    “If you don’t want to work blue, don’t tease. You know it is my default.”
    Cori sighed. “Fine. Thank you for the tickets.”
    She took the wad, organized it and stuffed the tickets into the front of her corset. Her cousin watched with appalled amusement.
    “What? This costume doesn’t have pockets.” She grinned. “Go dance with your ladylove.”
    “As you wish.” He removed his hat from his dark hair and bowed with a flourish before replacing his dramatic headgear and moving through the crowd.
    Cori looked over at the gathering and smiled; friends, family, neighbours, they were all here and all having a good time in costume. A third face for those who already wore two. Working as a costume designer had reaped benefits for her mother, and Cori enjoyed the challenge of finding patterns that could be adapted to a variety of body shapes. All of the costumes she brought with her were highly flexible when it came to fittings, and they were all her own design. The key was in the closures and the small lacings she put against the interior seams. The customer put the costume on, and it could be drawn to fit in a matter of a few tiny adjustments that were not visible on the outside of the clothing.
    The annual Halloween ball was the perfect time and place to test out her new designs and over half of the costumes had been purchased by those who were currently wearing them or their spouses. It was enough money to keep her shop up and running for another year.
    She hummed to the music, swayed from side to side and enjoyed the party in her own way.
     
    “And now for our grand prize; we have an all-expenses paid trip to the Crossroads for one lucky single. It is fully transferrable and can be used anytime in the next year.” Her mother smiled and rummaged in the glass bowl for the halves of the tickets.
    She pulled a ticket out. “Oh, there is a name on it. Coriel Flisk . Oh, my. Cori? You have won a trip to the Crossroads.”
    Cori froze in place with a cheezie halfway to her mouth. “What?”
    The crowd of two hundred turned and cheered her on as they urged her to go and collect her prize.
    She dropped the cheezie and wiped her hands on her napkin before placing it on the edge of the table. With deep breathing and slow steps, she walked up to where her mother waited.
    Her mom leaned in with a fixed smile. “Did you enter this?”
    “No. I was given the tickets.”
    “Will you go?”
    “Yes.”
    Her mother sighed in relief. “Thank goodness.”
    Their quiet conversation was over.
    “Congratulations, Coriel! Enjoy your trip to the Crossroads and may you find what you seek.”
    Her mother grinned and pressed a folder into her hands. “Use it well.”
    Cori blinked under her mask and nodded her beak. “I think I just might.”
    “Good. The transporter is here in the Red Riding Hood costume. Go and have a word with her.”
    Cori nodded. “I will. Thanks, Mom.”
    “You are welcome, now go before the unmasking.”
    Coriel chuckled and made her way off the stage, clutching the folder to her corset as she wove through the crowd to the stunning representation of the fairy tale figure.
    “Red Riding Hood, I presume?” Cori bobbed a curtsy.
    “I have never seen a blue flamingo before. You pull it off wonderfully.”
    “My mother has said you can help me use my prize?”
    The woman in the scarlet mask nodded shortly and smiled. “Come with me. The masks are about to come off and not all those attending are willing to admit that they danced with a mage.”
    There was a private office