“I didn’t know you had it in you.” She sniffs, wiping an imagined tear from her eye. “My little Kitten, slutting it up proper. It makes a pervert proud.”

The finished look pushes away any apprehension about the switch. The pasties sparkle through the fine pink mesh of the bra cups, almost as indecent as I’d be without them. The panties are an opaque satin, while the garter belt is the same semi-transparent mesh as the bra. My nude stockings glint with scattered rhinestone detailing. I grin at my reflection in the mirror over Ming’s makeup station. “For a worthy audience.”

“Jesus Christ Superstar.” Jane leans in the doorway. “I had no idea this was in the works.” He gestures for me to spin. “Show off the rear view.”

I dip my chin and turn in a slow circle, shaking my booty for emphasis.

“You are not coming home tonight, are you?” he asks.

“Not alone.”

Chloe stops short in the doorway, freezing with an arm out to give Jane a hug. She helped with makeup before the eight o’clock, and I asked her to update my look for costume two. She falls against Jane. “You look more naked than if you actually were. What is this?”

“A little something special.”

She finally exchanges hugs with Jane, who ducks into the supply closet to warm up his voice. “Mr. Special is upstairs with Charles and Gales,” she tells me, and tips her head, still taking in the little there is of my outfit. “He’s going to die. You’re going to kill that poor man and there’s nothing he can do about it.”

Ming drapes herself over the back of her chair. “But what a way to go.”

Chloe beckons me to a seat beside Ming. “I’m switching you to something softer. Still a red lip.” She unzips her makeup kit. “I have a smooch-proof stain the two of you will appreciate.”

Ming watches Chloe work. Despite Chloe’s declaration of impending best friendship a few weeks ago, Ming had her reservations about letting a stranger handle her false eyelashes earlier. After Chloe showed her a new way to apply them, tipping the outside corners down for a dreamy, coquettish look, Ming’s studied every brushstroke and pencil line like a dutiful student.

After a few moments of thoughtful silence, Ming leans back in her seat. “JOHNNY!” Chloe and I flinch at the sudden sound.

“WHAT?” Johnny replies from the hall, equally loud.

“Have Kitten do a sample peel for the ten o’clock!” Ming wiggles her eyebrows at me. “Get your evening started a little early,” she says in a normal voice.

Peel? My Darcy-induced nerves start to quake in earnest, joining the kaleidoscope of preshow butterflies in their regular test flight.

“A peel?” Chloe asks.

“EH?” says Johnny.

“Kitten!” Ming barks. “Have her PEEL!”