The Finer Things (A Vincent De Gramont Story)

Better Safe Than Sorry - Part 2

Ines swayed with the bags in her hands. It was silly how empowered you could feel with just paper bags with silk handles. She felt taller, skinnier and like she was the girl to watch. She smiled to herself while walking the streets of Brooklyn. She was a little bit afraid to be mugged when she showed Chanel and Celine logos for the people going by and she also had diamonds around both her neck and wrist. If someone would rob her it would be now. She wondered if Vincent would be mad at her then or if he would just let her cry on his wide chest.

She locked up and walked into her one bedroom apartment. She put the bags down on the floor carefully like she was afraid the cashmere would break. She was just on her way to take off her Dr. Marten Oxfords when she heard someone clear their throat. Has someone seen her on the street with bags and planned to attack her in her home? She looked carefully into the bright living room and saw six familiar faces, among them Faith, Taye but also her ex, Michael. Ines laughed uncomfortably and looked at them confused. Faith had a key to her apartment for emergencies but Ines was quite sure this wasn't an emergency, this was a silly intervention.

"This is an intervention," said Faith dramatically as she sat on the white couch. She crossed her arms and looked seriously at Ines. Ines looked amused at her friends who looked just as serious, except Taye who seemed to try to keep his laugh in check.

"Okay?" Said Ines and walked to get her bags. She was a bitch, she knew that she just wanted to provoke them a bit. All of it was so silly. She was just going to Paris to sell a painting but they were making it into something much bigger.

Faith and the other girls looked with big eyes at the bags but also the sparkling bracelet, it catched all the light in the room.

"I just got some gifts from The Marquis," said Ines with a smile.

Faith snarled her mouth but the other girls made faces of wonder and Lily even stood up to look in the bags with Ines. They giggled together when they looked at the expensive clothes in the finest materials.

"Hello?? This is an intervention!" Said Faith and stood up.

Michael also walked up to look down in the bags but he looked provoked.

"This is just fucking trash. Old lady clothes."

Ines rolled her eyes.

"It's classics. Vincent said it is a good start until I feel I have found my style."

"You already have style!" Said Faith.

"I mean, a style that can take me somewhere. That is my brand."

Ines almost used Vincent's explanation, word by word.

She didn't look at Faith, instead smiled playfully when Lily pulled up a pair of black lacy thongs.

"Hang on, hang on, he buys you lingerie? Did he fucking watch you try them on too?" Said Michael and turned to Taye to get some support but Taye just sighed and leaned his head back.

"No, of course not. The Marquis is a gentleman, he didn't even walk into the store with me, he just gave me like, a stack of cash."

All of them got quiet. No one of them had much money so what she told them was provoking. The Marquis just gave her a stack of cash, directly in her hand.

"How rich is that dude?" Asked Taye and wiped the corner of his mouth.

"Rich. Like seriously rich. These are diamonds from Cartier," said Ines and showed her jewelry. Taye nodded with big eyes.

"Would he be interested in investing?"

Taye had an idea for a new sort of gym but didn't have the money to do it. Ines shrugged her shoulders.