“Guys, I did it,” Eddy said, strutting into the room. “Riley’s down for his nap.”
I shot Brenna a pointed look. “I know the two of you must miss the days when you were childfree but don’t rope me in just because you’re nostalgic.”
“What are you two on about?” Eddy asked, sitting.
“Tell Missy that she needs to have a baby,” Brenna said.
“Missy, you need to have a baby,” she said dutifully.
I shook my head. “Now how in the world am I supposed to do something like that?
“Well, it’s all very simple. When and man and a woman love each other very much…”
“I’ve heard enough. You guys cover the parenting. I’ll be over here managing the fashion department.”
“By the way, we have a charity event early next week, don’t we?” Eddy said.
“Missy. We need you. What do you say to a shopping trip for the special occasion?” Brenna asked me.
I shrugged and sighed. “I don’t know. I don’t really feel up to shopping at the moment.” Brenna looked at me, I looked at Eddy and Eddy looked at Brenna. We burst out laughing. The day I tired of shopping would be the day that I died. There was something so therapeutic about the racks of clothes, running a hand over the fabric, and leaving loaded with branded shopping bags. I loved it.
“How’s business going?” Eddy asked me.
“She’s making a killing, obviously,” Brenna said. I smiled at the compliment. I didn’t know how I had gotten so lucky with the two of them as friends. Eddy and I went way back, growing up together in London, but Brenna was American and had met her before meeting me through her husband’s cousin. When we were all together, it never felt like I was third-wheeling. It was the first time in my life that I had had a close group of friends to share the adventure of life with. I never felt out of place even though I was the only single and childless one.
“I’m having fun if you can believe it. I didn’t know this was what having a job felt like.” The women shared a look and I blanched. Both of them had been through financial hardship in the past couple of years. Brenna’s mother had gotten cancer and she had been buried under hospital bills worth thousands of dollars. Eddy had been widowed and left in tremendous debt by her ex-husband. It was so bad that she had almost lost her home.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself,” Eddy said. “It’s about time you made yourself useful.” We laughed at the joke, some of the tension diffusing. Everything was fine now. They were both married to old money billionaires but sometimes I put my foot in my mouth. I didn’t have to work for money. I had never struggled for money at all but in a way, I thought that that made my work that much more important to me. I was doing it purely for personal reasons, to make something of myself like Eddy said. To make sure that on my deathbed, I was happy that I had done more than shop and attend fashion shows all my life.
“It was about time. You’re right.”
“Then you’re styling us for the event?” Eddy asked. Of course, I was. It went without saying. I’d be offended the day they decided they no
longer needed my services. I felt my phone buzz in my pocket and took it out.
“For fuck’s sake,” I said.
“What?” Brenna asked.
“It’s Stacey,” I said. My PA. I didn’t know that people came as ditzy as Stacey did until I met her. There was nothing in the world that she was unable to fuck up. She was a nice girl, a sweetheart, really but incredibly ineffectual. Her text was a mess of emojis and typos.
“What’s she saying?” Eddy asked.
“I think she’s saying we have a new job request. A man.”
“Ooh, your first male client,” Brenna said. “Are you taking it?” I read the text. The prospective client in question was a billionaire businessman who needed a total style overhaul with branding and grooming advice. I told the girls.
“Sounds like a lot. Is his name on there? I want to google him,” Brenna said.
“Easton Schultz,” I said. I replied to Stacey that I wanted an appointment. She replied with a gif. “Guys? I think I need to fire my PA.”
“What did she do?” Eddy asked. I showed them the messages.
“Have mercy on the poor thing. This is probably her first job like it is yours,” Eddy said.
“But I need a professional. This is not professional.”
“I have a friend if you’re looking to hire. She’s a trained accountant on top of being organized and dependable.”