Located across the parking lot of the shopping center that housed Shear Visions, stood the National Trust and Securities bank where even the tellers were weighing in on what had occurred at the salon. The salon was one of the banks Profit Code A accounts, which meant that any and every banking product available to a small business was tied to this account. The salon made fairly large deposits and Tia even had all of her personal accounts with the bank including everything from a mortgage loan to IRA accounts and everything in between. Gregory Montgomery who was the youngest son of George and Melody Montgomery managed the Shear Visions account. He was also the banks top producing account manager, but even he was intrigued by the gossip going on between the tellers.
He stood behind the teller line, eavesdropping as he waited for Lauren, the vault teller, to finish typing up a Cashier’s Check for him. He tried really hard to act as if he weren’t listening as the tellers carried on their conversation.
“Well, I got a call from Will and he said that Tia looked like a fool, after Nikki hit her with the Alienation of Affection suit. Nowadays, you can’t just lay up with someone’s husband. That’s why I don’t date married men…anymore.” A very openly gay Ryan said.
Hilda, a self-professed Christian, ignored Ryan’s last comment but was quick to reply, “That serves her right. Sleeping with a married man. What kind of tramp lays up with somebody else’s husband? I mean, no descent-“
“It is not Tia’s job to make sure Nikki’s husband stays home.” Leslie interrupted, “Nikki’s husband is a grown man and he knew he was married when he started seeing Tia. Besides, maybe Tia was giving him something, that he couldn’t get at home.”
“Well, I’d expect an answer like that from you.” Hilda replied winking at Ryan, who had to turn his head to hide his silent laughter from Leslie.
“What is that supposed to mean?” A defensive Leslie shot back.
“Nothing.” Hilda giggled and turned her attention towards Greg, who was still standing in Lauren’s window pretending not to listen. “ What do you think about it, Greg?”
“What?” Greg asked trying to look as if he had no idea what the topic of discussion was.
“Don’t do that.” Ryan quickly called him on his little act. “You know good and well you were standing right there listening to every word we said. I hate when he does that.” Ryan added, fanning himself with a return check client list. Everyone behind the teller line giggled, including Greg because even he knew that he eavesdropped behind the teller line all of the time.
“You got me.” Greg flashed his million-dollar smile before saying, “I don’t know. I just hope the punishment she dishes out for Ricardo is equal if not greater than the one she is planning for Tia. Women always go after the other woman, but want to make excuses for their man.”
“But who do you think is more wrong…and is Tia wrong at all.” Leslie asked still heated from Hilda’s earlier comment. “ I mean she’s not married to either of them. I don’t see how she can even have a case against her.”
Greg was about to answer, when the very soft spoken Chana joined the conversation by stating, “The law says that if Tia knew before becoming involved with him that this man…Ricardo, was married and she still went in pursuit of him, then she caused the wife to be alienated or taken away time and affection that was owed to Nikki, the wife, so she is responsible for what lead to the breakdown of the marriage-“
“What if the husband pursued her first? What then?” Leslie again interrupted.
“It doesn’t matter. As long as, Nikki can prove that Tia knew that she and Ricardo were married then…” Chana said without really finishing her statement.
“Then what?” asked Leslie desperate for an answer to her question.
“Then it’s going to be called Nikki’s Shear Visions.” Hilda giggled and Ryan quickly joined in the laughter. The bigger joke was that everyone was talking behind Leslie’s back about the affair she was having with the branch manager of one of the bank’s other branches. Leslie, of course, thought that her secret was not known and had no idea that the details of her love life were common bank gossip.
Leslie, who was trying to suppress her irritation over the topic of discussion, added, “Well good luck on proving that she knew they were married.”
“That shouldn’t be to hard” Greg replied looking over the completed certified check that Lauren had just given him and without looking up he continued, “she was a bride’s maid in the Nikki’s wedding.”
“Okay, that’s it.” Lauren said ushering Greg away from the teller line, “You have been back here too long. The rest of you need to get back to work. If Verne comes out here and hears this kind of talk going on, then we are all going to get into trouble.” The ladies got back to work and the day progressed as any other day would in the land of banking, that is until lunch time when, a very pregnant Chana climbed out of her chair and waddled off to lunch with a very single Greg. A move that sent the teller line into instant speculation since this was the second time this week and it was, after all, only Tuesday.
As Greg and Chana made their way out of the bank, a somewhat bothered Monique strolled in. She was there to get change for the salon. She immediately got into Lauren’s line, because she wanted to make plans to meet her for lunch, but as she stood talking to Lauren she got an unexpected tap on the shoulder. She turned to see Nikki standing behind her with a smile and a proposition that she wanted to discuss with her over lunch. Curiosity is a powerful motivator, so before Monique could invite Lauren to lunch, she scheduled a lunch date with Nikki. Lauren handed Monique back her bank bag filled with change and mouthed the words “call me later” before telling her to have a good day. Monique, quietly and quickly slipped out of the bank while Nikki was being waited on.
