Page 2 of Dirty Deceit

"We can go on a financial diet after we come back from the trip."

"Good idea. You look great, by the way. You went all out." Alice comments.

"Thanks, I needed the pick-me-up it gave me."

We take our seats, and the hostess, who seems frozen in time next to us, drops our menus unceremoniously on the table. I guess we're on our own. I take out a stick of lip balm from my purse and apply some to my lips.

"We should start with the mimosas. Breakfast can come later."

"Are you sure drinking is a wise choice? I'm all for it, but we don't want it to become a thing, Gemma."

"You're serious? You know I never overindulge."

"These are not normal circumstances."

"Let's not talk about that. I came here to get those thoughts out of my head."

"Sure, sure. Well, I can tell you that Amber and Julie finally spilled the beans."

"Oh really? What is Hailey's super special present?"

Alice leans in. "They say they're making a fantasy of hers come true. They didn't tell me what it was, though. But knowing those two, I'm guessing it's a doozy."

"You know you talk like an old woman, right?"

"What?"

"Who says 'doozy' these days?"

"You're such a bitch."

"Hey!" I hold my hands to my chest in mock surprise.

"How are you feeling about this trip, Gemma?"

"Actually, I think good things are coming our way. And they'll all start in Vegas."

"You know I'm not woo-woo like you, but I trust your instincts."

We spent two hours talking nonsense, and with every minute that passed, I let go of my stress more and more. Being with my best friend is a balm to my senses, and I need to give her more of my time like she does me. Working from home, I have more flexibility than she does from her job at a PR firm.

I made sure I didn't have any clients this weekend so that I could disengage entirely from work. Interpreting is intense work, but it's done in bursts, and then you're complete. You don't have to redo your work or have any pending items. I enjoy the work, and it pays well. But not well enough to pay those huge medical bills anytime soon.

Parting ways with Alice always hurts. She's like a sister to me, one I never had. But we're spending this entire weekend together, and I can't wait. As I go back to my apartment, a little stress trickles in because I will need to add more hours to my job to get together the money for the down payment. Going into debt to pay another debt does not make sense to me, but this is my responsibility to bear. I don't mind because my mother needed that care badly, and they gave it to her.

I give myself a small pep talk and go pack my bag for the trip. I still have some options regarding this debt, and that's really all one can ask for.

Murphy

“Do you have everything ready on your side, Murphy?” Ned asks me over the phone.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m leaving on Saturday morning. Everything is set up on my end. What about the team in Las Vegas? Are they trustworthy?”

“So far, we've worked together with no problems. Shouldn't be an issue."

"Alright, then I'll see you in Vegas."

I hang up and place the phone on my desk. Ned, John, and I have been colleagues for over 20 years, and this scam we're pulling on a group of investors is rather sizeable. Our take will be 50 million at the end. But the supporting crew is new to me, and I'm feeling antsy. Ned wants our business to grow, so he's reached out to other successful cells around the country.