Chapter 3

I'm pleased to take a 15-minute break after spending the first three hours of my employment making several phone calls. I resume the never-ending barrage of calls after my break until I hear a knock at my door. Ethan is standing outside my office door as I glance up. He never fails to wow me with how he manages to appear so polished while managing a business all day. Ethan is dressed in his customary light blue tie, navy suit, and brown leather flats. He still has the same side-swept hairstyle that was pulled back from his face when I first saw him.

"Naomi I'm letting you go early because I have a meeting that will take up the rest of the day. He says in a calm voice.

Okay, I'll just complete this last call for the gala planner before I go.

"That seems like a plan. And I'll see you tonight at the club opening. Correct?" He queries.

"Yes, I'll be there," I say.

"Good, I'll see you then." He adds with a kind grin before heading to his office.

I make my final decision once he has left and discuss the gala's food with the coordinator. I then pack my suitcase and am ready to go for the day.

Trina is typing away on the sofa when I arrive home for work, I see. She is wearing a pair of leggings and a baggy long-sleeved blouse. She wears cosmetics on her face and has combed her hair, which is still pulled back in a ponytail. It seems that she may have performed errands while she was at work.

"Hey!" As I go into our living room, I say something to get her attention.

Hey, I'm sorry I missed you there; work has been keeping me busy lately. Also, you seem a bit early to be returning home. She inquires as she checks the clock on her phone once again.

Yes, Ethan chose to release me since he had meetings all day, I say.

I still have an hour of work left, but I'll pledge to assist you get ready when I'm done. She pledges.

"Okay! While you're working, I'll grab a shower and do some laundry.

"My office work shouldn't take too long."Before returning to her computer screen to continue typing, she remarks.

I take my laundry basket and move it towards our washer after returning to my room. We are lucky to have a washing and dryer in the flat, which is uncommon in modern buildings. I then put my first load of laundry in the washing before returning to my room to take a shower.

I don a robe and start combing and drying my frizzy hair after a few minutes. I finish untangling my knotted hair, go back to the laundry closet and after putting the first load of washing in the dryer, put the second load of laundry in the washer. Trina shuts her laptop and turns to face me by the time I have finished washing and drying all of my clothing.

"Ready?" As she stands up from the sofa, she asks.

"Yes! Just let me put things away. I declare as I place my basket on the dryer.

Trina leads me to my room after that. I have a blanket at the foot of my bed and a white comforter inside, along with some grey accent pillows. I have a little white desk with a light and my laptop is placed off to the side, facing the window on the left side of my bed. The door to my bathroom and wardrobe are on the other side of my bed. Just a few personal mementoes and books from college are sprinkled around my sparsely furnished room.

Where do we start, then? I inquire as I go to the restroom.

I have my job cut out for me, I suppose. She says in a mocking tone. For the full impact of the makeover Trina is giving me, she requests that I turn away from the mirror. She asks, and I give in because I believe her. After that, she places the items she'll be utilising on my bathroom counter.

Within an hour, Trina coils my hair and liberally applies hairspray before turning to do my makeup while keeping a close eye on me. She then gives me my dress and a pair of naughty shoes that she managed to find. I realised that the dress barely covers my knees after I put it on. I'm grateful for the lace that covers the dress hem. The dress itself is airy and not too short, making it simple to move about. She signals that she is done getting me ready by telling me to gaze in the mirror. I look at the full-length mirror in my closet and scream. She always knows what works for me, which constantly astounds me.

The question is, "What do you think?" She smiles and asks.

She applied a cut crease eye look with different brown hues and a dash of gold in place of light makeup and gave me a little bit of eyeliner for my almond-shaped eyes. She gave me a nude lip colour and a subtle blush with a facial contour for my lips. She left my hair down with rich curls and kept it parted in the centre.

I adore it! You are brilliant constantly. I congratulate.

"Not a problem!" I check the clock on my phone and see that it's only 8:15, which gives me plenty of time to hang out at the flat and get to the club by nine.

I remark, "I should probably eat before I leave." When I go to the club, I know there won't be much food available.

"True! Just allow me to finish things before you go. She's adamant.

I agree and go to reheat some leftovers from the previous evening in the kitchen. I immediately rinse my teeth after finishing my meal, and Trina still has the lip tint she used to create my appearance. Then, before leaving to meet my Uber, I grab my coat and toss a pair of flats into my bag. Since I don't believe it would be appropriate if I wind up drinking tonight, I've opted not to drive.

When I get to the club, I see a big queue that has extended down the block. I follow the instructions Ethan supplied on my phone and go directly to the bouncer. The bouncer asks me for my name, and I watch as he scans the list on his iPad. He soon gives me the go-ahead to enter. When I enter the club, I am immediately struck by the room's size, a bar set up on the right side, and a sizable dance floor in the middle. Various booths and tables are dotted around the dancing floor. As soon as I enter the club, a staff member directs me to the VIP area and offers to take my coat; I accept. I'm directed to a booth that is enclosed with a black curtain by the time I make it upstairs to the lounge. The booth's curtain is opened for me, and two sofas and a small table with a variety of beverages and club foods are placed within. Ethan is sitting on one of the sofas, surrounded by strangers. He glances away from his companions as soon as I come into view and pauses to give me a quick once-over. He beams.

I finally had the feeling that I had his attention for a moment.