Preparations
“Which one, Reina?” Alessia held up two skyblue dresses for me to wear for my first day with the Genovese family.
I thought about Maxine’s offer the other day and I came to the conclusion that there was no difference with his promises and that of Hollis. But something inside of me just wanted to do this one good for a kind gentle man, a kind-looking dangerous mafia-man rather.
Before now, I wouldn’t have cared about what I would wear, but now, I did. “What do you think, Alessia?” I asked.
She looked up from the dress she was holding, “The long-sleeved one is lovely, screams royalty. This other one is edgy. Not everybody can pull it off. But if you do, then it would state not just class, but fierceness and power.”
“Hmmm, I’m forced to think you are talented in every aspect of life.” I looked at the second dress. “Let’s style the shit out of that dress.”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.
“Happily ma’am.” Alessia replied excitedly, like she was eager to put her styling talents to work.
I had no doubt we would pull out a stunning look with the dress, images were already flashing through my head and it was a big bonus that I had someone on the same fashion spectrum as myself. We got to work with assembling the right jewelry, shoes, purse and wig.
When we were done setting up the right accessories, Alessia helped me dress up. I looked myself in the mirror hung on the wooden demarcation between my closet and that of Hollis.
“Tell me.” I asked Alessia.
“You bodied the dress. If there is any word bigger than perfection.” She replied and I nodded.
That was what I needed to hear. Even though I was seeing it in the mirror, I wanted to hear someone else say it.
“If you were my sister, what would be your advice to me today, Alessia.” She drew a long breathe. “Be brutal with the honesty.” I urged her.
She nodded, trying to brace herself for the words that were coming. “I would say you should make peace with the Boss.”
“Make peace, how?”
“It’s obvious you’re mad at him. It’s been evident for the past few days. You’ll need him in your corner when you meet Don Genovese. You’ll need as many allies as you can get and in this case, you have very few.”
“What are you saying?” Alessia hesitated. “Go ahead.” I urged.
“Don Genovese wants his son to marry someone else. .”
“Why?”
“To strengthen both empires and make them formidable sort of. But the Boss refused. So, I have no doubt that meeting the Don today wouldn’t be such a smooth one.”
I understood her. “So without this union, Hollis’s empire will struggle?”
“No.” Alessia replied. “But with the union, he would be stronger.”
“Is there a way to make him stronger without the Union? As strong and feared as required.”
“I don’t know, there are so many ways, ranging from breaking more borders, getting more authentic supplies. It all boils down to having extra smart heads around him. Luckily for him, you can pass as three of that.” Alessia smiled, trying to lighten the room. “I think he won with you, he just doesn’t know it yet. Neither do you.”
I stood in my gorgeous outfit looking at myself and Alessia through the mirror. Suddenly it felt like everyone wants Hollis and I to work out. Maxine was straight forward with his request. But Alessia, she should be given an award for cutting edges and hitting the nail on the head at the end of the day.
“I can handle his father.” I said aloud, reassuring myself that I was up to the task.
“I have no doubt you can.” Alessia assured me.