Ms. Money Bags
Lidia
“Here’s your cucumber water, Lidia,” Arion said softly.
I drank half of it before setting the glass back on the tray.
Standing, I admired the ankle boots on my feet.
“What do you think?”
Arion made a face.
I narrowed my eyes. “What?”
“Well...” Her eyes dropped back to the boots. “It’s a kitten heel.”
“And?”
“Honey, I’m sorry. You look like you’re ready for a broom and a pointed hat.”
I fell out laughing.
“You do realize you work on commission, right?”
“Honey, listen. My reputation is on the line here. You aren’t about to have folks coming for me because I let you out in the wild with those Wicked Witch of the East boots on.”
She shook her head repeatedly.
“Nope. Take ’em off.”
“Heffa.”
I kicked the boots off.
“Good. Chile, let me put these way in the back. Be right back.”
I chuckled at this fool, shaking my head as I gathered my bag and slid back into my riding boots.
“You ready, boo?” Arion asked when she returned.
“Yeah, babe.”
“Okay, you’re already bagged at the counter. Come on, let’s spend Daddy’s money.”
I cackled, following behind her.
“Girl, this is my money.”
She turned so fast I almost ran into her.
“Have I taught you nothing?”
Clutching her literal pearls, she stared at me in horror.
She swatted my shoulder before turning around and continuing her strut.
“Whew. Y’all young women, chile. If I had leather gloves, I’d slap them across your face.”
She tossed a look over her shoulder.
“‘This my money,’” she mocked.
I reached into my back pocket and pulled out my Amex.
Arion snatched it from my hand, looked at the name, then back at me.
“Hmmph.”
Lips twisted, she ran it across the card reader.
“Here.” She handed it back. “Now you’re $3,984.16 lighter. Chile.”
All I could do was shake my head.
“Every last one of my ex-husbands knew to have me a secondary card with no limit, chile.”
“Arion...” I stared at her. “Why have you had so many ex-husbands?”
“Girl, they went broke.” She waved me off. “And I don’t do broke.”
By this time, everybody within earshot was giggling at Arion’s shenanigans.
In my peripheral, I saw a statuesque woman walk up to the counter.
I looked at her briefly while gathering my things.
Camel coat cinched loosely at the waist. Cream trousers underneath. A structured oxblood bag hung from her arm, and oversized vintage Roberto Cavalli sunglasses covered half her face.
I nodded at the vintage Veriscites.
Damn.
Something about her...
“Excuse me, miss.”
She looked over at me and smiled.
“Hello.”
“I’m sorry to be weird, but you look really familiar.” I studied her face for another second. “May I ask your name?”
She cleared her throat, but before she could get a word out...
“Sunny?”
She smiled and nodded.
Then I saw the recognition hit her.
“Lidia?”
Her eyes ballooned.
I walked closer to her.
God, she was tall. Even in my riding boots, I was sure Sunny was every bit of five-ten on flat feet.
She reached for my hands.
“You are stunning, Lidia. It’s very nice to see you.”
“Girl, you are fine! Look at you. Are you modeling?”
She laughed.
“Absolutely not.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
“Have you been here all this time?” I asked. “It’s been, what, sixteen years?”
Sunny shook her head.
“Coming up on seventeen.”
“Girl. What?”
We moved closer to the seating area, making room for the other shoppers to check out.
“And no, I’ve been traveling. I lived out west for a time after grad school. I recently moved back from Oak Harbor about seven months ago.”
“Seven months?”
She nodded.
“I’ve been here and there.”
She giggled.
Damn, girl.
“And you?” she asked. “What have you been up to?”
She looked me over approvingly before gently touching my hair.
Then she removed her sunglasses, folded them carefully, and slid them into a slim case before placing it inside that gorgeous red bag.
“Well, I’ve been mothering and working, girl.”
I laughed.
“You know, trying to raise these children.”
“Aww... you have little ones?” she asked, smiling.
“Well, yes and no.”
I pulled out my Z Fold and quickly found the kids’ pictures.
“Well, here’s my oldest. Maya. She just turned sixteen.”
Something passed over Sunny’s face.
So quickly I almost missed it.
Then she smiled.
“She’s beautiful. Look at that gorgeous skin and hair.”
“Girl, tell me about it. She is getting so grown up.”
Sunny gently touched the picture.
I scrolled to the next one, a picture of Maya with the boys.
“This one is C.J., and that little one is Paris.”
She looked at the photo and covered her mouth.
“Lidia, you have done so well.”
She nodded slowly.
“Beautiful family. You must be so proud.”
I nodded.
“I am.”
She touched a hand to her heart before reaching for her bag.
“Hey, give me your number, Sunny.”
“Oh, of course.”
She rattled it off while I put her contact information into my business phone.
Arion walked over to us, handing a sleek black envelope to Sunny.
“Here you are, Ms. Money Bags,” she purred with a wink.
Sunny cackled.
“Merci beaucoup, Arion.”
The French rolled effortlessly off her tongue as she slipped the envelope into her bag.
“My darling, we must catch up, you and I... pen me on your schedule.”
Arion spoke back in the most aristocratic accent she could muster as she sauntered toward the counter.
We both giggled at her antics.
“I have to run,” Sunny said. “It was nice seeing you, Lidia.”
“You too, girl.”
She waved and headed toward the door.
“Ms. Blackshire,” the sales associate called after her.
Sunny turned.
“Your items will ship tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Angelic. You were a huge help. Bye now.”
And then she was gone.
Wow, I mouthed.
“Blast from the past, I assume?”
Arion startled the hell out of me.
“Girl!”
She watched the door Sunny had just disappeared through.
“That’s old money right there. I know her grandmother.”
“Really?”
“Mhm. That family breeds bourgeois.”
I cackled. “Arion!”
“Chile, it’s the truth. You saw her.”
