A Love Bargain

003: That one ex

Pearl

With my hands held to my waist, I stood behind my client, smiling. I watched as she swivelled her body in front of the mirror, smiling from ear to ear. There was nothing more satisfying than a happy client. When she tried different poses, slanting her leg a few times, I couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle.

"Already practising your poses in your new dress eh," I teased.

"Yes," she chuckled. "You did such a great job, Pearl, I love the dress," she said, checking out the beautiful sequin dress I made her. "I can't wait to wear this to the wedding I have this weekend, I am going to bring you more customers," she smiled.

Her words reminded me of the wedding I was going to attend during the weekend, and it was not just any wedding but my cousin's.

I inwardly sighed at the thought of meeting some of my family members, problematic aunties, cousins and the rest of them. Instead of commending me for doing well for myself, they always chose to ask when I would be getting married. It was always about men and marriage with them and I hated those questions.

"You know what to do, tag my Instagram account under the pictures just as usual," I smiled. She wasn't just a new client, I had made a few clothes for her.

She took some steps closer to me and when she turned her back to me, I ran the zip of her dress down. She pulled the dress off of her and handed it to me.

"Wait at the reception, I will have one of my girls package the dress for you."

"I will go make my payment and then wait. Thank you very much, Pearl." She gave me a happy and satisfied client hug. I loved those hugs.

I smiled as I watched her walk out of the changing room. I loved my job, I did and I was happy with how it was growing. I was not only designing and making clothes for regular people anymore, my work had grown and had gotten the attention of some top celebrities and influential people. It was like a dream come true for me.

"Amanda," I called out to one of my workers and she scurried into the changing room. "Package this for Mrs Betty," I handed the dress to her.

I watched her walk out of the room before I grabbed my phone from the table, and made my way out of the room.

My workplace was the entire ground floor of the building. I walked to the entrance and glanced around the street, letting the morning air hit my nostrils. It was Monday and the road was filled with cars and people, moving in different directions. Mondays were always very busy.

I was about to go back in when I got a glimpse of Geraldine's car slowing down in front of the building. I folded my arms across my chest, waiting for her to get down from her car.

After I got back from the date she had set me up with, I didn't bother to chat or give her a call. The experience I had with John wasn't what we would talk about over the phone. I was not even angry at her because I knew she wasn't aware of the man John was. I was only angry that I wasted some hours of my Sunday with that worthless thing of a man. If only he knew how my mood swings moved up and down during my period, he wouldn't have said half of the things he said, and I wasn't sorry for what I did. If I could go back, I would do the same thing over again.

"Baby!" Geraldine yelled after she stepped down from her car and I rolled my eyes at her.

She opened the back seat and carried her baby out. I slightly tilted my neck to the side and pressed my lips together as I watched her walk up to me smiling. Just tell me what was there to smile about. The fact that John had called me cheap or what?

"Don't baby me," I rolled my eyes, turned and started walking back into the studio. I could hear her feet patter behind me as she chuckled lightly.

Geraldine was the same height as me. Dark skin, dark brown eyes and on the petite side. She was an epitome of beauty with that baby face of hers. I had always been jealous of her curly hair which when straightened, was at tailbone length.  I could remember urging her to go into modelling when we were in University, but she never took it seriously.