Monique had taken the position of manager under one condition that she had sworn Velle to secrecy on. She took her new position very seriously; running the place like a well oiled machine. Customers were beyond pleased with the new level of service they were receiving, employees were relieved by how efficiently smooth things ran while Velle was amazed by how quickly the salon’s revenue had almost doubled. Monique crossed every “t” and dotted every “I”, all while keeping Velle’s mother’s Thursday appointment in place, an appointment during which Velle’s mom spent the entire time trying to convince Monique that her son was a prime catch.
Monique found that the manager’s position involved more contact with Velle than she had expected. He insisted on a daily report via email, a phone call twice per week and a face-to-face meeting with him every Wednesday. She seemed to please him more upon each visit and even though his eyes did wander from time to time, he always tried to keep their meetings professional. She also found herself taking notice of things about him that she had tried hard to overlook ever since she had remade his acquaintance. He was very well spoken; demonstrating how well those four years at State had prepared him for the business world. He was also very innovative; coming up with new ideas on everything from marketing to events for the salon to little things they could do to improve their customer service. He was very opinionated but was always willing to listen to what others had to say on the matter. What impressed Monique most of all was that he trusted her to run the salon and stood behind any decision she made.
Still, his infatuation with her was obvious enough for a blind man to see. There were times that he would just stand out of the way staring at her as she moved through the salon handle one piece of business or another. Monique had a habit of placing her hands on a person when she talked to him or her, a habit that sent shivers up his spine. He loved the way she could handle business without having him their to guide her every decision whenever things got complicated. She thought things through and was never afraid to admit her mistake while taking actions to rectify the situation. There were also times when they had a difference of opinions and she’s stand her ground causing him to give a slight smile of admiration at her chutzpah. There were times during their weekly meetings when she’d be looking over his shoulder at something that he was trying to show her and she’d be so close that he could smell the scent of her perfume. Then there were times when her hair would fall gently to one side so that he could just see the side of her beautiful face and their eyes would meet then for a brief second they would be so close that he could taste her kiss on his lips. But then just as quickly as the opportunity to express his infatuation with her would present itself reality would set in making it just another awkward moment.
As hard as Monique had tried to maintain a professional relationship with Velle, she was finding it almost impossible to restrain herself from developing feelings for him. She found herself looking forward to sending him emails, his phone calls and she got so excited about seeing him for their weekly meetings, that she made sure make herself look extra special every Wednesday. She had caught herself tossing her hair while giggling at his stupidest of jokes. She made sure to wear just a little perfume on meeting days with just enough makeup to accent her features and had even started back wearing some of the more eye catching yet classy clothes in her closet under the rouge of dressing for her new managerial position. She respected him enough to value his opinion and trusted him enough to allow him to pick up her daughter from the after school program when he picked up his niece. He didn’t even complain about the girls being in the salon after school and whenever he was there he even made sure they did there homework, helping them whenever needed. He would make someone a good father or so she thought. The icing on the cake was his good looks and dangerously sexy body; a body she swore had to be illegal.
Needless to say, people in the salon were starting to talk and so whispers of the rumors on how and/or why she had gotten her new position began to trickle down the grapevine back to her. It seemed that almost everyone was convinced that her new appointment was just a way that she and Velle could be close to each other under the veil of legitimate business. Everyone could see that they were attracted to one another and their constant flirting was enough to gag a horse. They were always giggling over the something stupid and told jokes that no one got but them. They were almost inseparable when he was there and he was there more than any owner of multiple businesses should have been. Anything she asked for, he supplied and even his mother was convinced that they were an item.
No one was more intrigued by the relationship between the two than Nikki and she made it her mission to get to the bottom of whatever was going, as Velle had been unusually secretive on the subject. She had gotten her mother to give up her coveted Thursday appointment, with the promise of sharing all discovered information on the subject, so that she could take her place and do some snooping at the source. She had shown up fifteen minutes early and made sure that Velle was clean on the other side of town so that she could interrogate Monique without fear of him catching her about to interfere in his love life.
“I’m ready for you, Nikki.” Monique said having walked up to the reception area herself to escort Nikki back to her station. She continued, “I still can’t believe your mother gave up her appointment.”
“I know,” Nikki replied as she followed Monique, “I had to promise her an arm and a leg for it.”
“Well, I’ll make sure that it’s worth whatever you promised her.” Monique giggled as she lowered the chair for Nikki after they’d reached her station.
“You better,” Nikki giggled. She gave Monique a complete up and down inspection as she arranged various products on her counter. Monique was cute enough, Nikki reasoned. She had a great body for someone who had a five-year-old child, even though her butt was unusually big for a girl of her small stature. An attribute she was sure her brother found quite pleasing. In fact, Nikki mused, her body was quite vulgar with her huge breast and curvy hips and to top it all off she had pouty lips with big bright doe eyes, which just screamed ‘I’m a stripper on the weekend’. She was a sweetheart though and above all she thought that was the feature that Velle found most irresistible. She could see him falling head over heels for her but it was her job, nay her duty to make sure he didn’t get himself into any potentially heartbreaking situations. She looked at the picture of Monique’s little girl in a small silver frame on the counter and thought, “well, at least she makes pretty babies.”
“So what do you want to do today?” Monique asked ready to start on Nikki’s hair. She spun the chair around so that they were both looking in the large mirror in her station. She ran her hands through Nikki’s hair, lifting it while running her fingers through it to check the texture.
“I don’t know. Just work your magic girl.” Nikki replied still checking Monique out in the mirror. She couldn’t help notice how short Monique was. How would she and Velle even kiss each other? He was a good foot or more taller than her. She hadn’t even raised the chair to begin work on her hair. Nikki wasn’t one to beat around the bush so she asked, “So, what’s going on between you and my brother?”
Monique stared in the mirror looking at Nikki’s reflection like a deer caught in headlights. Her expression went blank as she answered a question with a question asking, “What do you mean, what’s going on between us?”
“I mean,” Nikki continued never taking her eyes off Monique’s reflection, “what’s going on? I’ve heard about how you two are carrying on in here. Not to mention, how he’s been raving about you at home. Even mommy is convinced that there’s something going on between the two of you.”
“I don’t know what people have been telling you, Nikki, but there’s nothing going on between Velle and I. We are just friends…nothing more.” Monique said continuing to feel through Nikki’s hair.
“Just friends, huh?” Nikki smugly replied.
“Yes, just friends.” Monique replied somewhat defensively and nowhere near in the mood for Nikki’s meddling.
“As opposed to just boss and employee?” Nikki replied raising an eyebrow. She continued, “Because that is what you are right? Boss and employee.”
Monique finally realized why Mrs. Williams had given up her appointment. She had sent in reinforcements to dig for information on something that didn’t even exist. She made up her mind to get done with Nikki’s appointment as quickly as possible. But she had to end this conversation before they went to the shampoo bowl so she said, “There’s nothing going on between Velle and I except a mutual respect for the talents and skills that we each posses…and that’s it. Now, let’s get you shampooed.”
“Right.” Nikki said convinced that she had touched a nerve and even more convinced that something was indeed going on. It would be just a matter of time before one of them slipped up and the beans would spill all over the Italian marble floors of the salon.
Monique had gotten through the rest of Nikki’s appointment with no further talk of Velle, in fact, they spent the rest of the appointment talking about their favorite television shows, shoes and fashion. Monique couldn’t help but think about her conversation with Nikki for the rest of the day. She wanted to know exactly what the other stylists in the shop were saying about her and Velle behind her back. She was extremely upset because she now felt as if she everyone thought she had only gotten the job because of some secret relationship she was carrying on with the boss. She hadn’t even wanted to take the damn job and now she had to deal with rumors and insinuations that she was some kind of a trollop sleeping with the boss to get ahead.
The whole situation bothered her so much that she stayed behind after the salon closed sitting in her stations chair contemplating stepping down from her position and going back to just being a plain old stylist. She was so deep in thought that she didn’t even hear the sound of approaching footsteps as she sat there staring blankly into the mirror. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Velle appear in the mirror seemingly out of nowhere.
“What are you still doing here?” his words enough to make Monique scream in fear.
“Holy Crap!” She said clinching her hand over her heart. “You scared the mess out of me. What are you doing here?”
“I rode by and saw the lights on and figured you had forgotten to turn the lights off, so I came in to check and turn them off. What are you still doing here?” He replied laying his keys on one of the counters in her station.
“Oh…nothing.” She said trying to get herself together enough to put on a professional face for her boss, “I was just sitting here and lost track of time. That’s all.” She was jumpy and unable to make eye contact with him, which let Velle know that there was more to what was bothering her than what she was saying.
“That’s it?” he asked, knowing she was trying to cover up what was really bothering her. He continued, “Because I thought it might have something to do with my sister asking you if there is something going on between the two of us.” Her eyes shot immediately to his as he continued, “Look, I know my sister came here today trying to find out if something were going on between the two of us. I’m sorry if she made you feel uncomfortable but in her defense she thinks that she’s entitled to interrogate any woman who says two words to me. She doesn’t know any better when it comes to being nosey but we had a heated discussion about the whole thing and it won’t happen again.”
“I don’t want to be the center of any rumors or have people thinking that I only have this job because I’m sleeping with you, especially when I’m not sleeping with you.”
“Okay, first you work here because Nikki only wanted the best working here and she hired you so that must means that you are the best. Second, you run this place better than Nikki or I ever could and third, you are making me double what I thought a beauty parlor could make so I don’t give a damn what people think. As long as you are doing you job and making this thing profitable for me, the people starting rumors can take a dip in dog shit.” Monique giggled at his analogy and appreciated his attempt to calm her anxiety over rumors that were swirling around in her head. He continued, “Besides, this is a hair salon. Anywhere bunch of women get together there’s going to be gossip. What else do you expect but gossip?”
“Yeah…but…I just don’t want everyone to think that we’re…you know…messing around and whatever. It makes me not even want to work here.” Monique said while wrinkling her forehead and turning up her nose.
“Okay, why do you have to say it like that is the worst thing that could ever happen? I mean, am I that gawd awful disgusting to you that you’d rather not work here than have people think that you would be sleeping with me? Way to just break down a man’s confidence, Momo. What’s so wrong with me?”
“Nothing’s wrong with you. I didn’t mean it like that.” She said realizing that she was being a little insensitive to his feelings. She continued, “I mean, you know your nice-“
“Nice?” he interrupted, “Oh Lord. Nice is what woman say when they describe their fat, bald friend with the bad breath and potbelly.”
“No, no, I’m not saying that. I mean you’re nice looking and all…and any woman would love to have you-“
“Any woman but you, right? That is what you’re saying, right? Any woman would gladly have you but not me. You’re to fat for me. I mean, I know I put on a few pounds since I moved back home but still think I’m holding it together.” Velle said wanting to change the entire mood of their conversation to a light hearted one.
“I didn’t say that you weren’t. I was just saying that I don’t want people to think that you gave me this job because we were having sex when that’s not the case.”
“Pffft, all you have to do is tell them what you just told me with the same disgusted look on your face as now and trust me no one would ever think that you would consider having dinner with me let alone sex. I can’t believe you just hurt my feelings like that. Now, I’m depressed.”
Monique smirked finally seeing through his little rant she said, “Let’s turn the lights off so that we can go. You are just being silly.”
“And you are just plain mean. You know, one day you are going to look back and say ‘Velle was a good man. I shouldn’t have talked about him like a dog to his face.’ Yeah, but it will be too late by then. I mean, I’ll still give you chance but I’m saying.”
