GETTING A MAKEOVER

LIA'S POV

"Here, this should be everything you need. I'll take turns checking the baby. The rent already expired, so, if you need anything, anything at all, remember, you have a home with us." Grace said to me, as she helped me pack my bags.

It was finally discharge day, Mr. Judas-Caine had been visiting from time to time, but most times, he'd just sit at the waiting area for forty minutes and then leave without saying a word to me.

He seemed like such an odd guy.

"Hey, are you alright?" Grace asked, when she noticed i was staring too hard into space. I shook my head and nodded.

"Yeah, i was just thinking about ---"

A knock on the door cut me short. Grace opened the door and a young woman, average height, light skinned, porcelain almost, asian looking, and very beautiful, walked into the room.

She was dressed in a classic pair of blue jeans, with a striped lurex sweater, and double breasted cream blazer. She looked gorgeous.

"Hi, my name is Amika and i am Mr. Judas-Caine's assistant. He informed me you would be getting discharged today and asked me to take charge of you today." She smiled at me.

Suddenly, i felt extremely intimidated. I looked from her to Grace and caught her eyes - we were obviously thinking the same thing. A guy like Mr. Brex was definitely surrounded by the most pretty women.

I held the length of my wig in place, hoping to keep the secret about my alopecia but worrying how on earth i would manage to do that at a beauty spa.

Amika's half moon earrings glimmered with diamonds and i shuddered - was i certain i was walking into the right kind of job? I was certainly not going to fit in.

"You seem shocked ---" Amika muttered, when the room got too quiet, and then Grace and I broke into awkward laughs simultaneously.

"No"

"What?"

"Girl, bye. I mean, she'll be right out." Grace said and i nodded back at her.

"Alright, see you in a bit. If there is anything you need help with, let me know, I'll be right outside." She smiled again and left.

As soon as she left, i let out a sigh of relief, while Grace did a silent scream. "Oh my god, girl! She screams of money!" Grace exclaimed, but i was busy clutching my chest nervously now.

"Hey, hey, are you alright? Are you good?" Grace asked, holding my hand.

"I can't do this, Grace. I can't -- I'm not perfect for this. Look at me, i have alopecia, my skin is dull, did you see her hair? I lack poise and elegance. I can't. I have to find some other way to pay Mr. Brex for all his help."

"Girl, Lia, you're rambling. Relax, and breathe. Shhh, i don't--- i do not think that Mr. Brex would like to hear that at this point. Lia, i know these people. Manhattan is a man eat man kind of world, okay?"

I looked up at her, wondering how exactly that was supposed to help me.

"What if i fumble? What if i make the press talk and the talks are not exactly beneficial to him or his company? What if he finds out i have alopecia and looks at me as a monster who tricked him! What if ---"

"Slow down! Lia! I mean, what the fuck is wrong with you? Think like a fucking gold digger here! Bad bitches don't do second guesses, they grab opportunities that present themselves. I'm not saying i agree with this, but -- we are already here at this point, you can't back down now."

"Besides, the man is not looking for a girl to hook up with, and according to what you told me, he just wants you to be the terrible girlfriend. So, girl, at this point, i want you to be terrible, take advantage of the opportunity, eat, be lazy, shop until his credit card maxes and then nag him about every single thing on earth -- and get paid!!."

"And listen, anytime you feel like this isn't working out for you, call me, and i will come get you." She said and i tilted my head sideways to look at her.

"What?"

"I feel this isn't working for me now, Grace." I replied.

"I understand, but you haven't even tried it yet. Do it for your son, remember, he neesds you. Besides, we do not want manhattan business men and crime lords chasing after us, that would be more difficult to handle. Come on, play pretend for a couple of months?" She grinned.

I sighed, believing i had already tried that once. However, i nodded, trying hard to shove the nervous feeling fown my guts.

I saw my baby one last time, and left him in Grace's and Doctor Rosella's care. They were the sweetest and i was grateful they understood that i was doing this because of the baby and not because i was a shameless mother looking for gold.

Amika and i made a detour at the La Frances beauty parlor where she intended to give me a make over and i panicked.

As soon as we got in, the air in the parlour reeked of pettiness and judgement.

"Hey, look at that." One of the women working in the salon muttered to her friend.

"I don't think that hair has seen a salon in years." The other one laughed.

"The boss is going to freaaak."

"Amika, you know we don't work miracles here and honestly, she looks like a bit of work to me." I heard the hairdresser say to Amika, while giving me side eyes. I became nervous, such a person would hate it when i said i had alopecia.

After Amika was done speaking to the hairdresser, i was seated in a chair in front of a mirror, i hesitated.

"Is something wrong, miss Lia?" Amika asked, when the already exasperated hairdresser called her attention.

"I can't do this, i do not need this stress." I heard the hairdresser murmur to her staff.

"No, it's just--- can i trust you?" I asked her. Amika looked uncertain and i was afraid i was about to let my insecurity go with a total stranger who might judge me every step of the way after this.

"I have alopecia, but Mr. Brex is not aware." I mumbled. Amika looked at me uncomfortably.