Margaret looked up in surprise as Nina entered The Feminine Professional, carrying a large bag filled with the over-sized blazers and long skirts she had bought.
Nina looked haggard and drawn, with an air of defeat and resignation about her.
"Um, can I return these? And can you help me with a new wardrobe?" asked Nina in a small voice, her face red with shame.
"Of course." said Margaret gently, and helped Nina into a dressing room.
Through the dressing room curtain, Margaret passed Nina first, a thick black pantyhose, then a black turtleneck top, a black pencil skirt, and a black single breasted blazer with notched lapels and a nipped waist.
Conflicting feelings and sensations coursed through Nina as she surveyed herself in her new outfit.
The skirt suit was light, soft and comfortable against her skin unlike the over-sized blazers and skirts she had bought earlier in a spirit of defiance.
The blazer accentuated the curve of her bust and her narrow waist, emphasizing her hourglass figure.The skirt emphasized her hips and created a uniform curve from her hips to her thighs.
The pantyhose blended with the skirt and elongated her legs.
Contrary to her expectations, Nina felt as if there were two personalities engaged in a tug-of-war within her.
One personality felt appreciation for the smooth, high quality fabric and the skilled tailoring of her new skirt-suit, and gratitude to Aaron and Margret for exposing her to this experience.
The other, felt like she was being forced into a costume like a dress-up doll.
These opposing emotional forces morphed into a sense of confusion and fear.
As Nina continued to stare at her reflection, her confusion and fear started to give way to a new feeling - resignation. "If I have to wear this stuff, I might as well be comfortable in it" she thought to herself.
Margaret joined her in the dressing room holding a pair of black leather pumps with six-centimeter stiletto heels. "Isn't this a lot better than those ill-fitting suits you picked out?" she asked.
"I'd say they are more comfortable. Not sure how they are better though" sighed Nina.
"Baby steps my dear. Now let's get you into these shoes" said Margaret, and Nina sat down as Margaret helped her feet into the pumps.
"Alright now, stand up and remember to take it slow" instructed Margaret, offering Nina a hand to stand up.
The heels felt surprisingly comfortable as Nina got used to her new center of gravity while she walked around the store with Margaret close by her side.
The heels made a rhythmic clip-clopping on the tiled floor that a part of her found extremely satisfying, and another part of her found extremely annoying.
"Ugh, this is a little too much at once." she growled, and sat down, trying to regain her composure.
"What's happening to me? I should hate this, but part of me likes it! Why?" she thought furiously to herself.
She had always thought the practicality and comfort of her casual and non-conforming clothing was how she best expressed herself, but this new ensemble seemed to resonate deeply within her, speaking to a side of her that he hadn't known existed before.
Sensing Nina's confusion, Margret sat down next to her and held her hands gently.
"Look, I know you might not like hearing this, but formal clothing is like armor.
As comfortable your hoodie and yoga pants are, they don't exude an air of professionalism, seriousness and competency, particularly when they are over-sized.
I found that out the hard way when I was studying business management. At first, I dressed casually as well.
However, I soon found that people - both men and women - took me more seriously when I was more professionally dressed, and I got better grades, sales targets and even more respect from my peers and professors." she said.
Nina looked at Margaret with a new-found respect and admiration. "Thank you, Margaret. I really appreciate your help" she said sincerely.
"You're welcome dear" said Margaret warmly as she handed Nina her new purchases.
"Do come again" she said as Nina bade her farewell and hailed a cab to return home.
---
Nina found herself once again in front of the Sirius Software building, only this time, she wore a new black turtleneck top, a single breasted black blazer with notched lapels and nipped waist, a black pencil skirt, black pantyhose and black leather pumps with six-centimeter stiletto heels. She pressed her hand into the hand-print lock and the door hissed open.
With a sigh of relief she entered the lobby, her heels making a loud clicking sound on the smooth polished black stone floor. The echoes and reverberations of her clicking heels served to liven up the empty lobby, a far cry from the oppressive and eerie silence she had felt during her previous visits.
She got off the elevator and found Aaron's office door open and Aaron himself, leaning casually against the door frame, with his arms folded. She was again struck by how tall and imposing he was in his black leather business suit.
He surveyed her as she approached, his eyes taking in her new outfit.
"Good morning Ms. Avanthika. I see you have decided to follow my instructions. I must say this look suits you" he said.
Nina found herself blushing at his compliment, yet feeling furious and objectified at his scrutiny.
She shook her head to suppress her conflicted feelings.
"Thank you sir. What are your instructions for today?" she asked neutrally.
Aaron beckoned her into his office where handed her a phone and tablet computer with a stylus.
"Use the phone to communicate with me when we are separated and the tablet to take notes" he instructed.
Maintaining a cool and professional expression, Nina put the phone in her purse and switched on the tablet computer.
She launched the note-taking app and stood ready with the stylus.
"We have a presentation for overseas business partners at 12:30 across town. I believe that that is the only appointment we have outside the office today. I need you to pull any information you can find on the partners and give me detailed profiles on their backgrounds and preferences two hours before the presentation." Aaron instructed Nina.
"Yes sir" said Nina crisply, and returned to her desk to begin research.
The office door closed with its signature boom as she left the office making her jump a little.
She had a little over an hour to complete his task and resolved to do it well. She knew full well what would happen if she dared disobey.
As she worked, her thoughts drifted back to Aaron.
While still extremely Stoic and intimidating, her brief encounter with him, now that she had swallowed her pride and conformed to his dress code, was not as threatening or hostile as when she wore her baggy hoodie and yoga pants or her over-sized blazer and ankle length skirt.
Nina grudgingly acknowledged that her new fitted black blazer and skirt made her feel more put together, and less intimidated by him.
A small part of her was secretly grateful to Aaron for forcing her to adopt his dress code, even as the rest of her subconscious screamed in outrage and berated her for succumbing to Aaron's patriarchal demands like a filthy sellout.