Page 8 of The Sweetest Surrender

“I take it none of you have ever been strip-searched before,” the scantily dressed woman said. By their silence, she smiled. “Oh, how adorable. You’ll be all right. Here, I’ll show you how it’s done, so you’ll be prepared.” The woman took a step forward, and Selena planted her hands on her hips.

“Don’t even think about it,” she said.

The woman paused her forward progress. “Okay, you don’t know me. It’s understandable that you would act that way. I’m Blaire by the way, this here is Carey.” Blaire pointed to the woman on the floor who looked like she was high on something. “Pay her no mind. When we came in last night, Carey was so geeked-out, she was talking to herself in that corner right there.”

Blaire laughed, finding Carey’s predicament extremely funny.

“Anyway, she’s coming down off it now, and she’ll probably pass out in a minute or so. But here, what I’ll do is show you with Carey how your strip search will go.”

Blaire reached down and pulled at Carey, trying to get her up on her feet.

“That’s not necessary,” Selena said.

“No,” Phoebe and Eden agreed.

“Oh, it’s no problem,” Blaire proceeded, continuing to pull the poor woman to a stand. “Carey doesn’t mind at all. Do you, Carey?”

Carey mumbled, but none of them understood what she said. Blaire looked back at them. “She doesn’t mind,” Blaire whispered with a wink.

When Carey was finally stable on her feet, Blair positioned her feet apart, making her legs stretch. “Okay, Carey, I need you to squat.”

Carey didn’t move; instead, she wobbled like she was going to hit the floor. Blaire glanced over at Selena, Phoebe, and Eden, “She just needs a little coaching is all.”

“Blaire, we appreciate your concern but really, you shouldn’t have. We can imagine that a strip search is exactly that,” Selena said.

“Well,” Blaire whispered, “if you have any contraband, like say, a lighter,” she continued to press, “the guard will make you squat, like this.” Blair squatted with her feet apart. “Then he’ll make you cough, so if you do have something, it’ll fall out. Now if you’ve got strong pussy muscles like me, then it doesn’t matter what they do. They can ask you to take a shit, you’re still going to hold that lighter clamped against those walls, you know.” Blaire shook her head. “They think they can get anything to drop out that way, and don’t get me wrong, they can with most, but I smuggle shit in every time.” Blaire cleared her throat. “Just last week when they caught me with my trick on 38th and Fairmount, I stuck a round of quarters in my pussy.” Blaire shrugged. “I’d just gotten paid and the john only had change wrapped in that damn bank paper. They never found it either. Hell, I’ve hidden dicks the size of Alaska in this poo-tang, forget about a round of quarters.”

“Oh my God, I think I’m going to be sick,” Eden said.

“Anyway, you all should be all right, but they will probably tear up that pretty wedding dress trying to get you out of it. Sorry.”

Phoebe shuddered, and Selena felt her vibrate beside her.

“Don’t worry about that. I’m sure we’ll be out of here before any of that takes place, and your dress will be fine,” Selena reassured.

Phoebe glanced at her then back to Blaire. “Damn this dress,” she said. “I’m more worried about the strip search. I can’t wear this gown on my wedding day now. It’s been totally ruined, and on top of that, when my Quentin does get here, he’ll see me in it. I’m going to Miranda’s, where I should’ve gone initially.”

Phoebe turned to her sister. Eden looked physically sick like at any moment she would regurgitate everything she’d had for breakfast. Selena saw it, too, and she reached around Phoebe and caressed her arm.

“Are you okay?” Selena asked.

Eden trembled slightly. “We have to get out of here.” Eden turned around and shouted through the metal bars. “Hey! Don’t we get a phone call?!”

“I’m sure Jasmine has called our cavalry by now,” Phoebe said.

“Well, what’s taking them so long to get here then!?” Eden snapped.

“We haven’t been here twenty minutes,” Phoebe responded.

“Five minutes is enough!” Eden screeched.

An officer traipsed up to the cell, and the door buzzed and opened.

“It looks like you don’t need a phone call, Ms. Rose,” the officer said. “Your bail has been made.”

“Oh, thank God.” Eden exhaled. She stepped out of the cell, and Phoebe followed her.

“Not you, just her,” the officer said.

---