“No. That’s no good,” he frowns, as he goes back to his rummaging. “You need to look gorgeous – absolutely ravishing.
“It’s important that we’re really fun and friendly because the people who supply us will be there. They supply our cash and they supply our ‘fun’. We can’t disappoint. Here,” he says, holding up a tiny red sparkling dress. I take it and hold it against my body and admire it in the mirror. It looks like the clothing version of Dorothy’s ruby slippers. I love it.
“It’s perfect,” I tell his smiling face. “So, about this party - I wasn’t aware that our buyer and supplier were the same people. What else they’re into?”
“Oh, they’re into this and that. It doesn’t really have much to do with me,” he says, taking the dress back from my hands. His eyes dart around, and he appears slightly agitated for a moment, before he heads purposefully toward another department. “Now we need shoes.”
When we reach the register, he insists on paying, which is really unusual for Braden. He’s not really into random acts of kindness. But I’ll take what I can get.
I have to admit that I look amazing in the dress. I barely have an ounce of fat on me these days, but I still have all my curves, and my hair is almost halfway down my back.
As we get ready for the party, Braden reiterates the importance of meeting our ‘bosses’. “Sweetheart, I need you to make a good impression. Reggie has been asking to meet you and if he doesn’t like you, I’ll be in big trouble.”
“Why does he want to meet me?”
“Well, I let it slip that I’m not the sticky fingered wonder that gets him his merchandise, and he doesn’t like that I wasn’t honest with him. He was very insistent that he needed to meet you.”
Braden seems nervous, he’s not his usual confident self, and he won’t hold my gaze for more than a couple of seconds. It causes me to feel really worried about tonight.
My heart starts to thud double time in my chest and I’m only too happy to sniff some powdered courage before we catch a cab to Double Bay to meet this ‘Reggie’.
“Holy fucking shit,” I breathe as the cab pulls into the circular drive of the largest house I’ve ever seen. “You actually know someone who lives here?”
“I don’t know. Our boss just told me there was a party and to bring you here,” Braden tells me quickly. I think I stop breathing for a moment as nerves swirl through my stomach. Braden squeezes my hand. “It’ll be fun, relax.”
We pay the cabbie and get out at the security gate. Braden presses the intercom. It beeps a couple of times before it’s answered by a gruff voice, demanding to know who we are.
Once our identities are confirmed, we’re allowed to move through the gate. We walk up the pathway leading to the front door arm in arm. I pause for a moment, pulling on Braden’s arm.
“I think I need another hit. I’m too nervous.” I reach in my purse to search for the little snuff bottle I have, to top myself up throughout the night.
“Wait until we get inside,” he says, putting his hand over mine and halting my movement. “I swear to you, there will be the purest shit you have ever tried inside. You’ll be flying all night.”
My nerves turn to excitement as I wonder what a pure high would be like. I hang my bag back over my shoulder, and we continue up the path.
The driveway is littered with parked cars, and we can hear music and laughter going on inside as we approach the door.
“Are we late?” I ask, as Braden raises his hand to knock.
The door opens immediately, and a man with dark, stylishly messy hair, opens his arms wide and welcomes us enthusiastically. He appears to be well into his thirties and has straight, perfectly even teeth, and bronzed skin.