The taxi finally stopped in front of the restaurant, but the music played on. Through glassy eyes, Buffy looked out of her window at the building. It, like all the other structures in Stepford looked quite fancy to the dazed Slayer. The large dark red awning that assuredly led to the restaurant's entrance stood out to Buffy more than anything. The spiral pillars made out of stone only reinforced the lavishness of the building's exterior. The Slayer saw the name on the restaurant and smiled broadly to herself. 'Dorsia' it said. Even the name sounded extravagant. Still, the music bathed Buffy's clouded mind and a little voice inside told her that she belonged at a restaurant of this quality, and she should be excited at the prospect of dining at such a place.
She flashed a lazy smile and moved her hand to open the door of the cab when Charmaine grabbed her wrist. The sudden, unexpected aggressive act by the ever-happy, model-like woman shocked the tranquil Slayer. Buffy looked at Charmaine's glamorously-painted face, then down to her wrist, and up again at the ravishing redhead in complete confusuon.
"Buffy, you're in Stepford now. We do things slightly differently here," Charmaine smiled.
"Wh..what do you.." Buffy stammered, closing her eyes for a moment. It had been so long since she had attempted a sentence, and hadn't realized how out of it she was. Maybe she did need to eat something. The music inside the car played on, and Buffy fell deeper and deeper into its siren spell. She tried to think, but it was so hard. Maybe she simply needed to rest? The thought of staying in a Stepford hotel all at once appealed to her. She took a deep breath and finally finished her thought, "What do you mean?"
"Why, Buffy, we're women. Women don't open doors for ourselves when a strong man can do that for us! Oh, you poor thing," Charmaine sighed, releasing Buffy's wrist, "And here I thought that Dawn was the one who was starving!"
This was followed by a small eruption of girlish giggles from Charmaine. It was like the redhead thought what she said was the funniest thing, and she glanced over at Dawn, who's eyes were glazed over and was staring straight ahead to join in on the fun. It seemed to be the simple act of Charmaine glancing over to her that caused Dawn to abruptly batt her eyelashes, as if her brain was suddenly turned on. She even jumped slightly. Dawn then looked over to Charmaine and too started to laugh lightly at the redhead's comment. Buffy leaned over to look at Dawn with big, confused eyes, as even a small smile was starting to tug at the corners of her own lips. The laughter was infectious. Dawn, for her part, was too caught up in laughing along with Charmaine to notice her sister looking at her.
The confusion was overwhelming for the Slayer. What did Charmaine mean saying that she should let a man open doors for her? She could certainly open a door for herself. What kind of 1950's bull was her new friend trying to tell her?
When she looked back at the restaurant she got a surprise that almost shook her out of her stupor. There was the smiling face of a man staring back at her through the car's window. He was clearly bending down at the waist, and it took Buffy a moment to realize that he was the driver of the taxi. He stood to his full height and opened the door for Buffy. The Slayer, her brow now almost permanently furrowed, looked long and hard at the man, who held his hand out for her to take it.
"Buffy, you silly girl," Charmaine cooed in Buffy's ear suddenly, "This fine gentleman is offering to help you out of his nice car. You don't want to be rude, do you? Be a dear, and accept his hand."
Charmaine's last sentence, despite its cheerful tone, had a hint of forcefulness to it and Buffy did as she was told. She reluctantly held out her hand and was helped out of the car. It was a good thing she did as Charmaine had said, too, because her legs were most unsteady. Maybe Charmaine was right, and she did need to eat something. Soon, Charmaine and then Dawn had also accepted the man's help and were out of the car. The Stepford woman beamed up at the tall man in the fancy suit in an almost worshipful gleam to her pretty eyes.
"Hmmm. Thank you for the ride, sir. You did a truly remarkable job, and deserve a tip," Charmaine purred, licking her shiny lips and flirtatiously running her hands along the man's chest. She then raised a perfectly-sculpted eyebrow, asking him knowingly, "Is there anything I can do for you?"
"No tip is necessary, Mrs. Van Sant. It was truly my pleasure. Truly my pleasure," the driver smiled, taking the back of Charmaine's hand in his and raising it to give it a kiss. Charmaine giggled girlishly at the act of chivalry, as he turned to address Buffy and Dawn, "As for the newly-arrived Summers sisters. Miss Summers," He nodded his head at Buffy, before looking over to Dawn, "And Miss Summers, do enjoy your meal and welcome to Stepford!"
Buffy looked at the man, and said nothing. She had the same concentrated look on her face. Dawn, on the other hand, flashed a shy smile at him and ran her hand through her straight hair bashfully.
"What do you say, girls?" Charmaine asked in a motherly tone.
"Thank you!" Dawn chirped, smiling broadly at the handsome twenty-something man. She seemed to almost squirm where she stood.
"And Buffy?" Charmaine prodded in as sweet a voice as there could possibly be.
"Th...thank you for the ride," Buffy said. She was perplexed. Normally, she would have rolled her eyes at being mothered like that at her age, but she just went along with it. Something felt wrong. Something...was...going on.
"By all means," the driver said with a charming smile, "think nothing of it. Now, I must get going. Other fares to pick up you know. But before, I leave, Mrs. Van Sant, don't forget these."
He then moved briskly to the back of the car. He popped the trunk and grabbed the redhead's shopping bags. Buffy watched him hand the already impressive collection over to Charmaine, who continued to stare lustfully at the younger man. There was a moment when the pair looked into one another's eyes and Buffy thought they were going to kiss, when he suddenly turned away from the redheaded Stepford woman and back toward his taxi. Charmaine, too, was shaken out of her lust-filled gaze.
"Oh, silly me," Charmaine giggled, "I almost forget. My, would my face have been red if I would have forgotten them. My darling Ted simply abhors wasting money."
"Let's just say it's our little secret that you almost foolishly forgot them, Mrs. Van Sant," the man said. This struck Buffy. 'Foolishly forgot them.' What a rude thing to say, Buffy thought. However, her thoughts were once more interrupted by Charmaine's girlish giggles at what the man had said. He waved at Buffy and Dawn before he stepped into his cab and drove away. Dawn waved back enthusiastically, while Buffy just stood there watching the car drive away.
For a brief moment, she was free of the music in the car the fog that had taken over Buffy's thoughts cleared for a brief moment. She began to question everything that had happened since she and Dawn had entered Stepford. How could seemingly every woman in Stepford look like Victoria Secret models? Why did she and Dawn get into a taxi with one of them, a complete stranger no less? What was up with the taxi looking so fancy? Why had she and Dawn just let Charmaine talk during the whole car ride to the restaurant? What was up with Charmaine grabbing her wrist? What was going on between Charmaine and their driver? Did she even pay him for their ride? Speaking of money, how on earth would she and Dawn pay for what was assuredly going to be an expensive meal on their modest budget?
**********
In the control room below Stepford, The Director watched the entire scene play out through the restaurant's security cameras. He watched Buffy carefully, and saw the conflict on her face. He reached his hand down at the control panel before him and pressed a button.
**********
The same music from inside the taxi turned on over the restaurant's outside speakers. Suddenly, another question formed in Buffy's mind.
What were they doing just standing there? She was starving! Dawn was starving!
All the worries she was experiencing a mere second ago vanished into thin air. As if to read her mind, Charmaine turned on her sky-high heels and threw her long, perfectly-coifed hair in an overly feminine gesture. She began to saunter to the restaurant's entrance and Buffy and Dawn looked at one another with similar looks of excitement on their faces.
The two Summers girls followed the Stepford woman submissively, as if they were on an invisible leash.