Meeting Rosa

When they got to the mall, the first thing Constanza did was lead Lilian to the hair salon.

"Connie! My favorite girl!" the stylist said with a welcoming style as she hugged her.

"Hey Vera, how are you?" Constanza asked as she hugged her back.

"I am okay, you?"

"I am fine, who is this?" Vera asked as she looked at Lilian who stood quietly by the side.

"This is my new friend Lilian, she is Alessandro's new secretary and he wants her to be styled." Constanza explained.

"New secretary? How long did the previous one last?" Vera asked.

"Two weeks, I think. But I know Lilian here is going to last more than that." Constanza replied.

Vera looked at Lilian with a smile. "Hey sweetie, welcome to my salon. I will make sure you leave my salon even more beautiful than you came in."

"Thanks." Lilian replied.

Vera led Lilian to a chair in front of the mirror to sit down.

"So what do you have in mind?" she asked Constanza.

"Well her hair is already short, so I was thinking of a little trim and some curls and waves."

"Can I get an hair dye?" Lilian asked.

"What color did you have in mind?" Constanza asked.

"Red."

"Red?"

"Yes, red. I have been thinking about it for a while now, I want a new look" actually Lily had been thinking about it for a while now, she wanted to look nothing like her old self.

"Okay, red could work. It could take the innocence off your face. In Alessandro's circle, innocence is not particularly needed." Constanza said.

"So red it is, let's go to work." Vera said as she put a cloth around Lilian's neck.

An hour later, Vera removed the cloth with an air of finality.

"I am done." she said.

"Wow! I look so different." Lilian said as she looked at herself in the mirror.

"And stunning as well, Alessandro wouldn't be able to recognize you." Constanza said.

"Thanks Vera."

"Now we are off to shopping, let's go." Constanza said as she helped Lilian up.

"Ooooh I love shopping, can I come?" Vera asked.

"Yes you can, the more the merrier." Constanza replied.

The three ladies left the salon and entered a boutique.

"So we need clothes that are elegant, smart and stylish." Constanza said as they started to browse for clothes.

The next two hours they went from shop to shop looking for clothes.

"Don't you think that we have bought enough clothes?" Lilian asked.

"Nonsense! There can never be enough clothes."

"But won't it cost a lot?"

"Alessandro gave me a budget and believe me we haven't even exhausted half of it." Constanza told her.

"But I am tired!" Lilian whined.

"Stop complaining, we will soon be done" Constanza told her as she dragged her to yet another store.

They shopped for what seemed like an eternity to Lilian until Constanza finally decided they had bought enough clothes. A guard took the clothes to the car while they stooped at a fast food joint in the mall to eat lunch.

They ordered lunch and sat down to eat.

"You have to pair the clothes the way i told you, understand?" Constanza told her.

"Understood."

"Girl, you are going to be the finest secretary in all of New Lanterns." Vera told her.

"Thanks Vera. That's if I don't get fired like the rest." Lilian replied.

"I highly doubt that, you seem different from all the rest." Constanza told her.

"I hope so."

"So what's your story girl?" Vera asked.

"Yes, tell us about you." Constanza added.

"Well, my name is Lilian Howard, I recently moved to New Lanterns from my old home in the country side. I am currently living with my parents and son."

"Son?" Constanza asked.

"Yes I have a little boy." Lilian replied.

Vera looked at her, "You don't even look like it, you have good genes."

"Thanks Vera."

"What about his father, if you don't mind me asking."

"I don't like talking about him." Lilian replied.

"Its okay, I understand. Well you are here now and I am sure you will enjoy this city"

"Me too."

They continued eating and chatting and then a lady came up to them.

"Hey guys." she said cheerily

Lilian who was highly perceptive noticed how Constanza immediately became guarded when the lady came up to them.

"Hey Rosa." Constanza replied while Vera ignored her and continued eating.

"Hi" Lily said.

"Do you guys mind if I join you?" The lady Rosa asked already sitting down without waiting for a response.

"Sure Rosa, sit down." Vera said sarcastically after she had sat down.

"It's good to know you are aware I am here, for a moment I thought I was invisible." Rosa told her.

"How have you being Rosa?" Constanza quickly asked to avoid a fight between Vera and Rosa.

"I am doing fine, business is going well, but you would have known all that if you bothered to attend meetings." Rosa said.

"Not everyone one of us is keen on attending meetings." Constanza replied.

"What meetings?" Vera asked.

"Meetings you are definitely not invited to." Rosa replied.

"I didn't ask you, stop poking your nose into my business." Vera retorted.

"Enough, you two. Rosa I will attend meetings when I feel like it, my brother didn't disturb me about it so you shouldn't either." Constanza said firmly.

"Fine! Whatever. Who is your new friend?" Rosa changed the subject as she looked at Lilian.

"This is my friend Lilian, she is kind of new in town"

"Well hello Lilian, how are you doing?"

"I am fine,you?" Lilian replied.

"Okay. So how do you know Constanza?"

"A mutual friend introduced us." Constanza quickly replied before Lilian could say a thing.

"That's nice, I hope we see each other around." Rosa told her.

She looked at the others. "I would love to stay and chat but I have places to be. See you later ladies." she said and stood up. With a leisurely walk, she left them.

"I hate that bitch so fucking much!" Vera said.